What Is PID—Tutorial Overview
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PID stands for Proportional, Integral, Derivative. Controllers are
designed to eliminate the need for continuous operator attention.
Cruise control in a car and a house thermostat are common examples
of how controllers are used to automatically adjust some variable to
hold the measurement (or process variable) at the set-point. The set-
point is where you would like the measurement to be. Error is defined
as the difference between set-point and measurement.
(error) = (set-point) - (measurement) The variable being adjusted is
called the manipulated variable which usually is equal to the output of
the controller. The output of PID controllers will change in response to
a change in measurement or set-point. Manufacturers of PID
controllers use different names to identify the three modes. These
equations show the relationships:
P Proportional Band = 100/gain
I Integral = 1/reset (units of t
ime)
D Derivative = rate = pre-act (units of t
ime)
Depending on the manufacturer, integral or reset action is set in either
time/repeat or repeat/time. One is just the reciprocal of the other. Note
that manufacturers are not consistent and often use reset in units of
time/repeat or integral in units of repeats/time. Derivative and rate are
the same.
Choosing the proper values for P, I, and D is called "PID Tuning". Find
out about PID Tuning Software
Proportional Band
With proportional band, the controller output is proportional to the
error or a change in measurement (depending on the controller).
(controller output) = (error)*100/(proportional band)
With a proportional controller offset (deviation from set-point) is
present. Increasing the controller gain will make the loop go unstable.
Integral action was included in controllers to eliminate this offset.
Integral
With integral action, the controller output is proportional to the amount
of time the error is present. Integral action eliminates offset.
CONTROLLER OUTPUT = (1/INTEGRAL) (Integral of) e(t) d(t)
Notice that the offset (deviation from set-point) in the time response
plots is now gone. Integral action has eliminated the offset. The
response is somewhat oscillatory and can be stabilized some by adding
derivative action. (Graphic courtesy of ExperTune Loop Simulator.)
Integral action gives the controller a large gain at low frequencies that
results in eliminating offset and "beating down" load disturbances. The
controller phase starts out at –90 degrees and increases to near 0
degrees at the break frequency. This additional phase lag is what you
give up by adding integral action. Derivative action adds phase lead
and is used to compensate for the lag introduced by integral action.
Derivative
With derivative action, the controller output is proportional to the rate
of change of the measurement or error. The controller output is
calculated by the rate of change of the measurement with time.
dm
CONTROLLER OUTPUT = DERIVATIVE ----
dt
Where m is the measurement at time t.
Some manufacturers use the term rate or pre-act instead of derivative.
Derivative, rate, and pre-act are the same thing.
DERIVATIVE = RATE = PRE ACT
Derivative action can compensate for a changing measurement. Thus
derivative takes action to inhibit more rapid changes of the
measurement than proportional action. When a load or set-point
change occurs, the derivative action causes the controller gain to move
the "wrong" way when the measurement gets near the set-point.
Derivative is often used to avoid overshoot.
Derivative action can stabilize loops since it adds phase lead. Generally,
if you use derivative action, more controller gain and reset can be
used.
With a PID controller the amplitude ratio now has a dip near the center
of the frequency response. Integral action gives the controller high
gain at low frequencies, and derivative action causes the gain to start
rising after the "dip". At higher frequencies the filter on derivative
action limits the derivative action. At very high frequencies (above 314
radians/time; the Nyquist frequency) the controller phase and
amplitude ratio increase and decrease quite a bit because of discrete
sampling. If the controller had no filter the controller amplitude ratio
would steadily increase at high frequencies up to the Nyquist frequency
(1/2 the sampling frequency). The controller phase now has a hump
due to the derivative lead action and filtering. (Graphic courtesy of
ExperTune Loop Simulator.)
The time response is less oscillatory than with the PI controller.
Derivative action has helped stabilize the loop.
Control Loop Tuning
It is important to keep in mind that understanding the process is
fundamental to getting a well designed control loop. Sensors must be
in appropriate locations and valves must be sized correctly with
appropriate trim.
In general, for the tightest loop control, the dynamic controller gain
should be as high as possible without causing the loop to be unstable.
Choosing a controller gain is accomplished easily with PID Tuning
Software
PID Optimization Articles
Fine Tuning "Rules"
This picture (from the Loop Simulator) shows the effects of a PI
controller with too much or too little P or I action. The process is
typical with a dead time of 4 and lag time of 10. Optimal is red.
You can use the picture to recognize the shape of an optimally tuned
loop. Also see the response shape of loops with I or P too high or low.
To get your process response to compare, put the controller in manual
change the output 5 or 10%, then put the controller back in auto.
P is in units of proportional band. I is in units of time/repeat. So
increasing P or I, decreases their action in the picture.
Starting PID Settings For Common Control Loops
Loop Type PB Integral Integral Derivative Valve Type
% min/rep rep/min min
Flow 50 0.005 20 to none Linear or
to to 0.05 200 Modified
500 Percentage
Liquid Pressure 50 0.005 20 to none Linear or
to to 0.05 200 Modified
500 Percentage
Gas Pressure 1 to 0.1 to 0.02 to 0.02 to Linear
50 50 10 0.1
Liquid Level 1 to 1 to 0.1 to 1 0.01 to Linear or
50 100 0.05 Modified
Percentage
Temperature 2 to 0.2 to 0.02 to 0.1 to 20 Equal
100 50 5 Percentage
Chromatograph 100 10 to 0.008 0.1 to 20 Linear
to 120 to 0.1
2000
These settings are rough, assume proper control loop design, ideal or
series algorithm and do not apply to all controllers. Use ExperTune's
PID Loop Optimizer to find the proper PID settings for your process
and controller. (From Process Control Systems (Shinskey) p.99 and
Tuning and Control Loop Performance (McMillan) p 39)
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