Tuning of Industrial Control Loops IDC Technologies

Overview

Controllers need to be carefully matched to the process to work optimally; this matching procedure is called tuning. Controllers that are not correctly configured and tuned will not perform optimally and will not reduce variability in the process as they should.

The aim of this Tuning of Industrial Control Loops course at IDC Technologies is to provide and/or enhance the skills required to configure and tune a controller for optimum operation. An optimally tuned processed loop is critical for a wide variety of industries ranging from food processing, chemical manufacturing, oil refineries, pulp and paper mills, mines and steel mills. 

Although tuning rules are designed to give reasonably tight control, this may not always be the objective. Some thought needs to be given when retuning a loop as to whether the additional effort is justified as there may be other issues which are the cause of the poor control. These issues will be discussed in some detail in this course.

You Will Learn

• Fundamentals of tuning loops – both open and closed loop

• How to recognise the key characteristics of process plant from a control perspective

• Significance of dead time and transfer lags

• PID controller behaviours

• How to troubleshoot and identify problems

• Differences between ideal/ interacting/non-interacting controllers