Tuning And Control Loop Performance Fourth Edition

Tuning and Control Loop Performance, Fourth Edition provides the knowledge to eliminate the misunderstandings, realize the difference between theoretical and industrial application of PID control, address practical difficulties, improve field automation system design, use the latest PID features, and ultimately get the best tuning settings that enables the PID to achieve its full potential. The proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is the heart of every control system in the process industry. Given the proper setup and tuning, the PID has proven to have the capability and flexibility needed to meet nearly all of industry’s basic control requirements. However, the information to support the best use of these features has fallen behind the progress of improved functionality. Additionally, there is considerable disagreement on the tuning rules that largely stems from a misunderstanding of how tuning rules have evolved and the lack of recognition of the effect of automation system dynamics and the incredible spectrum of process responses, disturbances, and performance objectives.

Every practicing instrument, process control and process engineer will want to have this practical and to-the-point pocket guide on good tuning. Good Tuning, A Pocket Guide, Fourth Edition is a portable, concise summary of all the practical considerations for tuning loops. It includes step-by-step descriptions of the three best field-proven tuning procedures, a table of typical tuning settings, a summary of valve performance problems, logic diagrams for trouble-shooting, and more than 70 "rule of thumb." The PID controller has an incredible number of options and parameters besides tuning settings. Most of the power of the PID remains untapped. This fourth edition provides the means to address difficult situations, meet different objectives, deal with a window of allowable controller gains, achieve more robustness, and the basis to get the most out of today's more powerful software tools for auto-tuning and adaptive control. The understanding of the interrelationship between the process, tuning, performance, and PID features enables automation and process engineers to work together to improve process efficiency and capacity.