DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : A.CHAKRAVARTHI
Designation : HOD
Branch : Applied Electronics and
Instrumentation Engineering Section.
Institute : SGPR Govt Polytechnic, Kurnool.
Year / Semester : V Semester
Subject : Process Control
Subject Code : AEI – 504
Topic : Introduction to Process Control
Duration : 100 Mts
Sub Topic : Evaluation Criteria .
Teaching Aids : PPT

AEI 504.9 to 10 1
 Objectives

Upon the completion of this topic you would be

able to know :

• Evaluation Criteria of the process control loop.

• Stability of the process control loop.

• Damped response & Cyclic response.

AEI 504.9 to 10 2
 Control System Evaluation
• A process control system is used to regulate the value of
some process variable.

• It is natural to ask how well it is working?

• The question of how well the control system is working is

answered by
• Assuring stability.
• Evaluating the response to set point changes and
transient effects against certain standard criteria.

AEI 504.9 to 10 3
 Stability
Ensure the Stability of a Process

Fig : 1
AEI 504.9 to 10 4
• Consider the behavior of the variable x shown in Figure1

• At time t = t0 the constant value of x is disturbed by some

external factors, but that has time progresses the value
of x returns to its initial value and stays there.

• If x is a process variable such as temperature, pressure,

concentration, flow rate, we say that the process is
stable or self regulating and needs no external
intervention for its stabilization.

• It is clear that no control mechanism is needed to force x

to return to its initial value.

AEI 504.9 to 10 5
Fig : 2
AEI 504.9 to 10 6
• In contrast the behavior described in figure 1, the
variable y in figure 2 does not return to its initial value
after it is disturbed by external influences.

• Processes whose variables follow the pattern indicated

by y in a figure 2 (curves A,B,C) are called unstable
process and require external control for the stabilization
of their behavior..

AEI 504.9 to 10 7
• In general, the term tuning is used to indicate how a process
control loop is existed to provide the best control.

• Example :

• The explosion of a hydro carbon fuel with air is such an

unstable system

AEI 504.9 to 10 8
Evaluating the response to set point changes and
transient effects against certain standard criteria

Fig : 3

A system with over

damped response
will react to change in
set point or to a
transient as shown in
(a) & (b).

Fig : (a) AEI 504.9 to 10 9

Fig : (b)
AEI 504.9 to 10 10
• One type of criteria requires that the controlled variable
exhibit a response such as that shown in Figures 3 (a &
b) for excitations of both set point changes and transient
effects.

• Note that the error is of only one polarity (i.e., it never

oscillates about the set point.

• The measures of quality are the tD of the excursion and

for the transient, the maximum error emax for a given
input.

• The duration is the time for exceeding the allowable

error.
AEI 504.9 to 10 11
 Cyclic response

Fig : 4

A system with under

damped response
will react to change
in set point or to a
transient with
oscillations as shown
in (a) & (b).
Fig : (a) AEI 504.9 to 10 12
Cyclic response

Fig : (b)

AEI 504.9 to 10 13
• An other type of criteria applies to those cases in which
the response to a set point change or transient is as
shown in figure 4.

• The controlled variable oscillated about the set point.

• Parameters of interest are maximum error, eMAX and the

duration tD also called settling time.

• The duration is measured from the time the allowable

error is exceeded to the time when it falls with in the
allowable error and stays.

AEI 504.9 to 10 14
Two criteria for judging the quality of control
systems.
Fig : 5

Two criteria for

judging the quality of
control systems
response are the
minimum area and
quarter amplitude.
Figure (a) & (b).
Fig : (a)

AEI 504.9 to 10 15
Fig : (b)

AEI 504.9 to 10 16
• The nature of the response is modified by adjusting the
control loop parameters, which is called tuning.

• There may be a large maximum error but short duration

or long duration with small maximum error and every
thing in between.

• A number of standard cycling criteria are used.

• Two common types are minimum area and quarter

amplitude. In minimum area, the tuning is adjusted until
the net area under the error – time curve is minimum, for
the same degree of excitation.

AEI 504.9 to 10 17
• Figure 5 shows the area as a shaded part of the curve.,
for the same degree of excitation.

• A - ∫l e(t) l dt = minimum

• The quarter – amplitude criteria shown in figure 5(b),

specifies the amplitude of each peak of the cyclic
response must be a quarter of the preceding peak thus
a2 = a1/4, a3=a2/4 and so on.

AEI 504.9 to 10 18
 Summary

We have learnt about

• Evaluation Criteria of the process control loop.

• Stability of the process control loop.

• Damped response & Cyclic response.

AEI 504.9 to 10 19
 QUIZ

1. What is the criteria for judging quality of control

system response

A) Maximum area and quarter amplitude.

B) Minimum area and quarter amplitude.

C) Both A & B.

D) None of the above.

AEI 504.9 to 10 20
2. In self regulation

A) No Control mechanism is needed.

B) Control mechanism is needed.

C) Both A & B.

D) None of the above.

AEI 504.9 to 10 21
3. Quality of control systems depends on

A) Stability.

B) Response to set point change.

C) Response to transient effects .

D) All of the above.

AEI 504.9 to 10 22
 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Evaluate the criteria for judging the quality of the control

system response.

2. Explain the stability of the process control loop.

3. Explain the damped response in process control loop.

4. Explain the cyclic response in process control loop

AEI 504.9 to 10 23