ISS0065 Control Instrumentation Lecture 9

2. After the secondary loop is tuned, the primary loop is tuned with the secondary loop in
automatic.

When the loops are tuned, careful attention should be paid to the response to set point changes.
Without doubt cascade control can bring about substantial improvements in the quality of con-
trol. However, the benefits are critically dependant upon proper implementation. The control
scheme should be designed to target specific disturbances [6, 4].

Benefits:

• Compensates for specific disturbances at source;

• Improves dynamics;

• Linearizes model.

1.3 Override control

When there are more controlled variables than manipulated variables, a common solution to this
problem is to use a selector to choose the appropriate process variable from among a number of
available measurements. Selectors can be based on multiple measurement points, multiple final
control elements, or multiple controllers, as discussed below. Selectors are used to improve the
control system performance as well as to protect equipment from unsafe operating conditions [1].
An “override” control strategy involves a selection between two or more controller output signals,
where only one controller at a time gets the opportunity to exert control over a process.
A very important consideration for any override control strategy is how to manage integral
windup. If a controller with integral action is de-selected by the selector function, the integral term
of the controller will have the tendency to wind up (or wind down) over time. As controller was
overridden, it can have no effect on the process variable. Thus, integral control action will work in
vain to eliminate an error it cannot influence. Then control is handed back to that controller, the
integral action will have to spend time to un-do what it did while it was de-selected. Thus, override
controls demand some form of integral windup limits that engage when a controller is de-selected
[3].

1.4 Feedforward
If the process exhibits slow dynamic response and disturbances are frequent, then the application
of feedforward control may be advantageous. Feedforward (FF) control differs from feedback (FB)
control in that the primary disturbance or load (D) is measured via a sensor and the manipulated
variable (U) is adjusted so that deviations in the controlled variable from the set point are minimized
or eliminated.

K.Vassiljeva 5 2015