Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T.

Bombay,
India

Lecture 13: Introduction to Feedback Control

Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Feedback Control

F,Ti
Steam T
TC Valve Plant

TS TS
+ -

F,T Feedback Loop

TC

Steam
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Typical Elements of the Feedback Loop

The plant
Steam T
Controller Signal
(4-20 mA/ 1-5V/ 3-15 Valve Plant
psi)

Sensor
T TS Tm, mV signal

Comparator
+

Setpoint Error signal, mV

-
Tm
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Typical Elements of the Feedback Loop

Controller

Error signal TC Signal to valve

Valve / Actuator

% valve opening /
Controller output Valve
steam flowrate

Typically valve and sensor dynamics are of simple first order type
and are lumped into the plant dynamics.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Controller types for feedback control

Proportional Controller

c(t) = p(t) -ps = Kc ε(t) , where c is the controller output, ε(t) is the
error and ps is the output at zero error.

In the laplace domain, c(s) = Kc ε(s) => gc(s) = c(s)/ ε(s) =Kc

Kc is called the proportional gain of the controller and is sometimes

represented as proportional band, PB.
100.(maximum range of controller output)
PB =
K c (maximum range of measured variable)
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Controller types for feedback control

Proportional + Integral Controller

t
⎡ 1 ⎤
c(t ) = p (t ) − ps = K c ⎢ε (t ) + ∫ ε (t )dt ⎥
⎣ τI 0 ⎦

where c is the controller output, ε(t) is the error and ps is the output
at zero error.
c( s ) ⎡ 1 ⎤
g c (s) = = K c ⎢1 + ⎥
ε (s) ⎣ τIs⎦

The term τI is called the integral time, reset time and the reciprocal
is called the reset time.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Integral action

Integral action is usually used in conjunction with proportional mode.

Interpreted as repetition of the proportional action after every
integral time.
With valve saturation, reset windup occurs
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Controller types for feedback control

Proportional + Integral + Derivative Controller

t
⎡ 1 dε (t ) ⎤
c(t ) = p (t ) − ps = K c ⎢ε (t ) + ∫ ε (t )dt + τ D ⎥
⎣ τ I 0 dt ⎦

where c is the controller output, ε(t) is the error and ps is the output
at zero error.
c( s ) ⎡ 1 ⎤
g c (s) = = K c ⎢1 + + τ D s⎥
ε (s) ⎣ τIs ⎦

The term τD is called the derivative time constant.

Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed Loop Transfer Functions

Unlike in the open loop case, the closed loop has two independent
inputs, viz. the set point and the disturbance.

Assuming that all other elements such as valve and sensors are lumped
with the process dynamics, the block diagram can be drawn as,
d

disturbance
+
+ ε
yd Plant y
controller
- u +
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed Loop Transfer Functions

From the previous block diagram, the following are true:

u ( s ) = g c ( s )ε ( s )

y ( s ) = g p ( s )u ( s ) + g d ( s )d ( s )
= g p ( s ) g c ( s )ε ( s ) + g d ( s )d ( s )
•Servo Response in Temperature Control: Suppose you
want to heat water to a specific temperature. A servo
response system would adjust the heating power to make
sure the water temperature reaches the set-point (say,

ε ( s ) = yd ( s ) − y ( s ) 60°C) as quickly and precisely as possible.

•Regulatory Response in Flow Control: In a pipeline, the

flow rate might need to stay constant even when there is

Therefore,
a change in upstream pressure. The regulatory system
would respond to changes in pressure by adjusting
valves or pumps to maintain a steady flow rate.

y ( s ) + g p ( s ) g c ( s ) y ( s ) = g p ( s ) g c ( s ) yd ( s ) + g d ( s )d ( s )

g p (s) g c (s) g d (s)

or , y ( s ) = yd ( s ) + d (s)
1 + g p (s) g c (s) 1 + g p (s) g c (s)
Servo response Regulatory response
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + proportional (P) control

For gp(s)= K and gc(s)=Kc,the response to a unit step at the

τs + 1
set point is given by,
KK c
1 KK c 1
y ( s ) = τs + 1 =
KK c s 1 + KK c τ
1+ s +1
τs + 1 1 + KK c

The system responds like a first order process with a smaller time
constant and a gain close to unity. The steady state error between the
set point (unit step) and the process output y(t) is called the offset.
Most processes under proportional control exhibit offset.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + proportional (P) control

An offset occurs when a proportional controller is unable to
completely eliminate the steady-state error between the setpoint
and the output. In a proportional control system, the output
adjusts based on the error, but a non-zero error (the offset) will
always remain, especially in the presence of constant
disturbances. This happens because a proportional controller
adjusts its output proportionally to the error but doesn’t drive the
error to zero.
As the gain Kc of the controller increases, the response becomes
more aggressive, and the system responds faster to errors.
Higher gain reduces the magnitude of the steady-state offset
because the controller reacts more strongly to small errors.
However, while the offset decreases with increasing gain, it never
fully disappears unless some other control action, like integral
action (PI controller), is used to eliminate it.

A large gain can result in system instability. If the

In real systems, the presence of noise (high-
gain is too high, the controller may react too
frequency disturbances in the input signal)
aggressively to errors, causing the system to
can significantly affect performance. When
oscillate or even diverge instead of settling at the
the controller gain is increased, the system
desired setpoint. This occurs because the feedback
becomes more sensitive not only to errors
loop becomes overly sensitive to small changes, and
but also to noise. The proportional controller
the system may overshoot the setpoint repeatedly
amplifies the effect of any noise present,
without ever stabilizing.
causing fluctuations or oscillations in the
output, which can degrade system
performance.

Thus, while increasing gain improves

responsiveness and reduces the offset, it
also amplifies the influence of any noise in
the system, leading to a noisier output.
Careful tuning is needed to balance these
effects.

Existence of off-set which decreases with increasing

gain.
Large gain can also result in instability and amplification
of noise.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + (PI) control

t
dy ⎡ 1 ⎤
τ + y = Ku and u (t ) = K c⎢ ( y d − y ) + ∫0 ( yd − y )dt ⎥⎦
dt ⎣ τI
t
dy ⎡ 1 ⎤
Therefore, τ + y = KK c ⎢( yd − y ) + ∫ ( yd − y ) dt ⎥
dt ⎣ τI 0 ⎦
2
d y dy KK c
τ1 2
+ (1 + KK c ) + y = yd
dt dt τI
Therefore the closed loop transfer function is second order with lead,
KK c (τ I s + 1)
y(s) = 2
yd ( s )
τ 1τ I s + τ I (1 + KK c ) s + KK c

This could yield oscillatory response with possible overshoot. For a unit
step change, it will reach set-point and exhibit zero offset. Integral action
therefore increases the effective order of the system but gives zero
offset.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + (PI) control

Integral action causes off-set to be zero

High proportional gain causes oscillatory response
High integral action leads to sluggish response
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + (PD) control

dy ⎡ dε ⎤
τ + y = Ku and u (t ) = K c ⎢ε + τ D
dt ⎣ dt ⎥⎦

Therefore the closed loop transfer function is first order with lead term,
KK c (τ D s + 1)
y(s) = yd ( s )
(τ + KK cτ D ) s + 1 + KK c

The overall order is therefore actually reduced. Transient response will

be that of a lead lag system. It will exhibit steady state offset.

Likewise for PID control, the closed loop transfer will have 2 poles and 2
zeros and due to integral mode, it will not exhibit offset.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Closed loop response of first order + (PID) control

Derivative action leads to stability due the lead term in the

transfer function.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Derivative mode illustration : on-off control of a heater.

Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Anticipatory action of the derivative mode

Period Sign of Type of More or Corrective sign of Effect of

error current less action de/dt derivative
action necessary action
(0,t1) positive heating more decrease negative decrease
heat heat
(t1,t2) negative cooling less increase negative increase
cooling cooling
(t2,t3) negative cooling more decrease positive decrease
cooling cooling
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Integral action and offset removal

Consider that at steady state, the steam flow rate is 100 kg/
hr and the temperature is 200o C.

Suppose that a setpoint change to 205 oC is introduced. Let us now

consider how a P and PI controller would behave at steady state in
closed loop.
du (t ) dε (t )
The equation is u (t ) = K cε (t ) and therefore
= K c
dt dt
du (t ) dε (t )
At steady state, rate of change is zero and therefore = =0
dt dt
This could happen only if ε is a zero or a non-zero constant. If ε is a
zero, the deviation in steam flowrate u will be zero and also error
between setpoint and CV is zero. This is not possible physically as you
cannot get temperature to rise without supplying additional steam.
Therefore, ε = 0
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Integral action and offset removal

t
K
For PI control, the equation is u (t ) = K cε (t ) + c ∫ ε (t )dt
τI 0

du (t ) dε (t ) 1
and therefore = Kc + ε (t )
dt dt τI
du (t ) dε (t )
At steady state, rate of change is zero and therefore = =0
dt dt

This means that the error must go to zero at steady state and the extra
control effort comes from the integral term. This ensures that a
nonzero deviation in the control effort is available through integral
action.
Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Anti-reset wind up schemes

Department of Chemical Engineering I.I.T. Bombay,
India

Summary of P+I+D control

Mode Symbol Increase of Advantages Disadvantages Remarks
mode
Proportional Kc increase 1. Higher speed 1. Nonzero
of response offset
2. Smaller offset 2. Stability
problems
Integral τI decrease 1. Improves 1. Reset Windup Order of system
speed of 2.May become increases
response unstable
2. Zero offset
Derivative τD increase 1. Reduction in Not good in
overshoots noisy systems
2. Stabilising
effects

Proportional action speeds up the response but gives an offset at steady state.
Integral action gives zero offset at steady state but destabilizes the loop. Also problem of
reset windup exists.
Derivative action gives anticipatory control action as well as a stabilizing effect to the closed
loop.