Announcements & Objectives

Cascade Control
2006, R.S. Parker

ChE 1034, Summer 2006 (06-03)

Instructor: Jeffry A. Florian
1272 BEH

florian@sage.che.pitt.edu.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Two Minute Drill

Control Loop Considerations

Why use a relay autotuner?

What are the effects the following changes in a PID

controller
Kc
I
D

Announcements
Exam II in two weeks
homework 7 due today
homework 8 up due next Monday
continue reading Chapter 16 for Wednesday
Objectives
construct and tune cascade control loops
evaluate stability and performance of cascade
control versus classical feedback methods

Feedback control is limited by the dynamics of loop

elements
D(s)

Gd(s)

slow processes limit

speed
large disturbances
exacerbate the
problem
Feedback control is not considered
highperformance
highly effective, but not high performance
(more) Advanced control algorithms offer
performance improvements

Yd(s)

E(s)

R(s)

Gc(s)

U (s)

G(s)

Ym(s)

H(s)

Yc(s)

Y (s)

Furnace Temperature Control Ex.

Cascade Control

Processes have a range of dynamics

fast: pressure, flow
slow: temperature, concentration
Measurements also affect control
N th order dynamics (e.g. thermocouple)
delay (e.g. transport, processing)
delay can lead to destabilization in
closedloop
Goal: take advantage of dynamic separation
Current focus on singleinput singleoutput (SISO)
systems

Cascade Synthesis
TT

TC Master

PT

PC Slave

TT

TC

Objective: maintain
temperature on setpoint
within the furnace
Fuel gas flow rate has
pressure variation,
affecting closedloop
performance
fast process local
control loop can
eliminate

Cascade Controller Tuning

setpoint signal

Given the figure at left,

construct the block
diagram for this system
including Gp (s), Gv (s)
Hints:
single input/single
output
1 Y (s), 1 R(s) and
1 D(s)
where is the
disturbance location

Two controllers master and slave

master establishes setpoint for slave controller
slave maintains process input at desired value
Tuning rules inner loop
fast controller, tight tuning
why is proportional control often used?
Tuning rules outer loop
performance controller
tune with inner loop controller active

This Space for Your Work

Cascade Control Exercise

Given the following process system

D1(s)

Gd1

D2(s)

R(s)
Gcm

Master

Gcs

Gv

Slave

Valve

Y (s)

H2
H1

4
(2s + 1)(4s + 1)
5
Gv (s) =
s+1
1
Gd1 (s) =
3s + 1
Gp (s) =

let: Gc1 (s) = 3.5 1 +

Gc2 (s) = 4
H1 (s) = 0.05
H2 (s) = 0.2

A Comparison to Feedback

Compare your cascade control results with the

following system

G c2 = 1

H2 (s) = 0

1
Gc1 = 1.9 1 +
6s
Stability limits for Kc
1
cascade: Kc
PI: Kc


1
5.3s

Construct the closedloop transfer functions for this

system
Simulate this system in MATLAB for a unit increase
in D2 (s)