DISCUSSION

Level flow process control experiment was conducted to study level measurement using level
capacitance probe transmitter and to study PID level control and PID tuning. In this experiment, level-
flow process control training system (Model WLF92E) which consist of level tank, T82 and a collection
tank, T81 that connected with the appropriate pumps and piping systems. The level was measured by
capacitance probe element. Level tank T82 receives inflow from pump, P81. Its outflow is pumped by
pump, P82 via level control valve, LCV81 back into collection tank.

Based on the experiment, the controller that used was Proportional Derivative as it provides fast
response which usually apply in level control. While, PI controllers consist of two tuning parameters that
eliminate offset and balance the complexity and capability. There are four set point from level controller
that have been set which are 200mm, 400mm and 700mm. From the result, the PV value obtained is
slightly same to the set point which are 183, 395, 502 and 708 respectively. This shows that the
disturbance was eliminated by secondary controller before reach to primary controller. The red pen
known as level response are depend on the set point. The larger the set point, the larger the red pen%
because of the level response. The channel 1 that display the output of the Cascade control have the
same reading as PV. For Tank 82 which the set point is 200mm, the reading from the ruler give 165
which decreased from SP value which is 183. This is because the disturbance was not eliminated well
and error might happened during the experiment being conducted such as alertness of the readers or
equipment error.

In order to PID level control and PID tuning, the manipulated variable was adjusted to 50% and set in
manual mode. This action is to know whether the response will be sluggish or controller cannot upset.
Specific tuning is required in every device in order to ensure it can work properly and produce desired
output. By referring the chart, the tunning of LIC81 with a default value shown a stable tuning when in
auto mode. However, when the slowest tuning were studied, the response will be sluggish and the
controller will not handle upsets and took long period to reach set point. While the largest tuning, the
loop was overshoot and become unstable. There is small fluctuation when manipulated variable
changed from 50% to 70% which shown that step disturbance was occur. Specific tuning is important in
every device in order to ensure the device can work properly and produce desired output. Controller
tuning for selection of tuning parameters is to ensure the controller can give the best response.

For open loop test, dead time, response rate, proportional band and integral time were determined.
Open-loop step test is used when the process is at zero initial state or in nonzero steady state in order to
show the dynamic response of the system like step input to realize model indentification or controller
designing. From the calculation, the dead time is 554.4s. This dead time defined as the delay have occur
when controller output signal is issued until when the measured process variable begins to respond.
Besides, the dead time shows that there is improvement to the system. The level control system still can
cover the consequence by the dead time although the dead time is considered long. In order to
determine response rate, steepest tangent is required to find the maximum response that can be
provide by the level process control. From the calculation, the response rate obtained was 0.31 which
means the response of secondary controller towards the disturbance is 0.31 that can be consider as
slow.

Besides, the response rate can be determined by using Ziegler-Nicholas method. The Ziegler-Nichols rule
is define as a heuristic PID tuning rule that attempts to produce good values for the three PID gain
parameters:

1. Kp - the controller path gain

2. Ti - the controller's integrator time constant

3. Td - the controller's derivative time constant

given two measured feedback loop parameters derived from measurements:

1. the period Tu of the oscillation frequency at the stability limit

2. the gain margin Ku for loop stability

with the goal of achieving good regulation in order for disturbance rejection.

Proportional band (PB%) was determined after response rate and dead time obtained. From the result,
the proportional band obtained was 19094.0904. The proportional band of the controller is define as
controller can have unlimited output in the ideal case and often used instead of controller gain. The
value is consider as large which more than 200% which means that the response of PB is smooth but
there is large of disturbance. The integral time is 572.31s. The integral time shows how long and how far
the measured process variables has been from the set point over time.

CONCLUSION

The objective to study level measurement using level capacitance probe transmitter for this experiment
have been done. The PV value obtained is slightly same to the set point which means that the
disturbance was eliminated by secondary controller before reach to primary controller. For the red
pen%, it can be said that . The larger the set point, the larger the red pen% because of the level
response. The channel 1 that display the output of the Cascade control was decreasing in value than the
SP value due to the disturbance was not eliminated well and error might happened during the
experiment being conducted such as alertness of the readers or equipment error. For the study of PID
level control and PID tuning, it can be conclude that the slowest the tuning, the sluggish the response
and the controller will not handle upsets and took long period to reach set point, while the largest
tuning, the loop was overshoot and become unstable.