1.

0 Introduction

This experiment was conducted to control the liquid level using Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID)
algorithm by predicting optimal PID parameters for feedback control system. PID algorithm is a simple,
efficient and effective feedback control system which is commonly used in wide range of engineering
control. PID control are a combination of three basic coefficients namely proportional, integral and
derivative which are tuned to obtain optimal response [1]. When a PID controller are used
simultaneously, it produces a feedback control system which are most effective and efficient.

Closed Loop System

The main objective of a closed loop system is to control the process variable. In the closed loop system,
the process variable is measured by sensor to provide feedback signal to the control system. Any
variation of value between the desired set point and process variable is utilized by the compensator
to deliver input signal to the actuator which the actuator will produce optimal function to operate the
system to bring the process variable value back to set point [1].

Figure 1.1: Block diagram of a typical closed loop system [1]

A control design process is mainly to study the performance of the control system. A step input is
often applied to the system as a step change to measure the response of the process variable [1]. A
typical response graph of PID closed loop system will generate a damping waveform as shown in Figure
1.2.

Figure 1.2: Response of a typical PID closed loop system [1].

Proportional, Integral, and Derivative Theory

Figure 1.3: Working principle of PID controller [2]

The main function a PID controller used in industrial process control is to maintain the process variable
as close as possible to the desired set point by a closed loop operation. The PID controller is able to
correct the error between the process variable and desired set point of the system. When the PID
controller are tuned at an optimal value, an ideal response will be obtained which provides the fastest
ideal response.
Proportional Controller

Proportional components is dependant to the difference between the process variable and the set
point, known as error. Therefore, proportional controller provides output which is proportional to the
present error in the system [2]. As the offset error was determined, the error is then multiplied with
proportional gain, Kc to obtain the ratio of output value. If the value of proportional gain, Kc is
increased, the speed of the response will be increase proportionally [2]. However, if the value of
proportional gain is too large, the process variable will begin to oscillate.

Figure 1.4: Principle of proportional response in a feedback control system [2].

By only using a proportional controller the response will never reaches the desired set point.
Proportional controller is able to bring the output value to a steady state condition, but it will not
reach the desired set point value. Therefore, there is always a presence of a steady state error as
shown on Figure 1.2.

Integral Controller

Due to the drawback of proportional controller where it tends to generate an offset value between
the set point and process variable, integral controller is required to eliminate the error presence to
bring the process variable back to the set point [2]. Integral controller are able to integrate the error
over a period of time until the offset error becomes zero. Therefore, Integral response will increase
overtime continuously until zero error is achieved by the system [1].
 Figure 1.5: Principle of proportional and integral response in a feedback control system [2].

Figure 1.6: Proportional-Integral controller Response [2].

Figure 1.6 shows a Proportional-Integral controller response graph with varied value for integral gain,
Ki. As observed from the figure, the response of the steady-state curve reaches the set-point faster
when lower value of integral gain, Ki were used. Therefore, speed of the response by integral controller
increases as the gain value, Ki is decreased.

Derivative Controller

The derivative controller is able to decrease the output if the process variable is increasing rapidly.
The derivative response depends on the rate of change of the error with respect to time. Increasing
the derivative time will eventually increase the speed of the overall control system response [1]. The
drawback of derivative response is that it is highly sensitive to noise in the process variable signal [1].
Therefore, it is sometimes unpractical to apply derivative response because it will cause the control
system to be unstable if the sensor of feedback signal is noisy [1].

Figure 7. Principle of proportional, integral, and derivative response in a feedback control system [2].

Tuning for PID Controller

The process of obtaining optimal gain value for Proportional, Integral, and Derivative is known as
tuning. The optimal value for the three component is essential to provide an ideal response of the
control system. The typical method for tuning the optimal value for proportional, integral, and
derivative is known as the ‘trial an error’ where random input of gain value are used to test the
response of the control system. However, when applying this method, the tuning process always
begins with random input to proportional, followed by integral and derivative.