Juan J. Gude

Modified Ziegler-Nichols method for fractional PI controllers

The Ziegler-Nichols tuning rules have been very influential and have been used extensively in process industry. This paper presents an extension of the modified Ziegler-Nichols tuning rules for fractional PI controllers. The design method consists on minimizing a frequency objective function subject to a constraint on the maximum sensitivity function MS. In this paper it is also demonstrated that substantially better performance can be obtained using PIλ instead of PI controllers. An interpretation of these tuning rules as methods where one point of the Nyquist curve is positioned in a desired point is also given. These tuning rules are compared with other tuning rules and shown to give good results, especially when simplicity, performance and robustness are emphasized.

Simple tuning rules for fractional PI controllers

This paper presents new tuning rules for fractional PI control of processes that are typically found in process control. The rules are based on characterization of process dynamics by three parameters that can be obtained from a simple step response experiment. The rules are obtained by minimizing a frequency objective function subject to a constraint on the maximum sensitivity. Comparisons with classical tuning rules show that they are very simple but give substantially better performance.

New tuning rules for PI and fractional PI controllers

Abstract Abstract This paper presents new tuning rules for PI and fractional PI control of processes that are typically found in process control. The rules are based on characterization of process dynamics by three parameters that can be obtained from a simple step response experiment. The rules are obtained by minimizing a frequency objective function subject to a constraint on the maximum sensitivity. Comparisons with classical tuning rules show that they are very simple but give substantially better performance.

Practical aspects of PID controllers: An industrial experience

The main objective of this paper is to present a software application developed for the practical training in programming, handling, and tuning industrial PID regulators. Because of the wide spread use of the PID control it is highly desirable that the professional qualification in PID control should be focused on achieving a practical training closely related to industrial practice. Some comments relating to industrial practice are offered in this context.

Automation and control issues applied to a heat exchanger prototype

The main objective of this paper is to present an innovative equipment for practical teaching in control engineering, paying special attention to its conceptualisation and its possibilities for the theoretical-practical training. The role of the control and automation issues applied to this prototype is discussed. A distributed control system (DCS) applied to this prototype and its possibilities will be introduced

Proposal of Health Care Monitoring by Wireless Ad-Hoc Networking

This paper introduces a proposal for health care monitoring. This application has been implemented by purely wireless ad-hoc networking with gateway devices implemented with a Bluetooth communications module controlled with a programmable microprocessor. This communication system is suggested, for instance, to compose electronic health records (EHR), or to be a part of a Hospital Information System (HIS). The aim of this paper is the presentation of the physical implementation of the wireless network. Prototype boards have been developed and first networking trials will be done.

Kappa-tau type PI tuning rules for specified robust levels

Abstract New tuning rules for 2-DoF PI controllers in the spirit of the kappa-tau ones are addressed in this paper. In particular, tuning rules have been devised in order to minimize the integrated absolute error with a constraint on the maximum sensitivity M S . Different tuning rules have been obtained for a batch of plants and for several robustness levels in terms of M S . The setpoint weight is also exploited to improve the setpoint following performance because the PI controller is tuned by optimizing the load disturbance rejection performance. In particular, explicit tuning rules are given in order to select the optimal setpoint weight to minimize the integrated absolute error. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of these methodologies. Some comments relating to industrial practice are offered in this context.

An innovative equipment for practical teaching in process control

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to present an innovative equipment for practical teaching in process control, paying special attention to its conceptualization and its possibilities for the theoretical-practical training. Emphasis is placed on the role of the control, industrial instrumentation, and automation issues applied to this prototype. A Distributed Control System (DCS) applied to this prototype and its possibilities will be introduced. Some comments related to industrial practice are offered in this context.

Control considerations in a drum level control prototype

The main objective of this paper is to present a drum level control prototype, paying special attention to its conceptualization and its possibilities for the theoretical-practical training. Emphasis is placed on the role of the control, industrial instrumentation, and automation issues applied to this prototype. Considerations over the control issues applied to the process are explained in detail. Extensive experimental results are also described. Some comments related to industrial practice are offered in this context.

Analysis and performance comparison of PID and fractional PI controllers

Abstract This paper compares the frequency domain performance criterion (Jv) of PI, fractional PI, and PID controllers when a step load disturbance is applied at the plant input. Process information is available in form of first-order plus dead-time (FOPDT) model. In addition, the controllers were compared using the H∞–norm of the sensitivity function as a measure of robustness, and some comments on industrial practice are offered in this context.