Digital control using both conventional control algorithms for level-control of dual water tank system

Introduction:
While modern control theory has made modest inroad into practice, fuzzy Logic control has been rapidly gaining popularity among practicing engineers. This increased popularity can be attributed to the fact that fuzzy logic provides a powerful vehicle that allows engineers to incorporate human reasoning in the control algorithm. As opposed to the modern control theory, fuzzy logic design is not based on the mathematical model of the process. The controller designed using fuzzy logic implements human reasoning that has been programmed into fuzzy logic language (membership functions, rules and the rules interpretation)It is interesting to note that the success of fuzzy logic control is largely due to the awareness to its many industrial applications.

The system consists of two small water-tanks one on top of the other and a water reservoir at the bottom of the lower tank. Each tank has an outlet valve which can be opened or closed to various orifice diameters. Water flows from the top tank into the bottom tank. Both tanks have calibration marks on them for visual determination of the water level in the tanks. Each tank is also provided with a pressure sensor at the base which can be appropriately calibrated to determine the level of the water in each tank for feedback control purposes. The input to the system is via a water pump which feeds water to the top tank. The flow rate is controlled by speed of a direct current motor that drives the pump using input from a digital computer running an appropriate feedback control algorithm for various water level control tasks. Working: A continuous square wave is applied at the I/P to the controller for creating continuous disturbance.Another I/P to the controller comes from feedback. The controller takes the action according to the error generated. This error and its derivative is applied to the controller which then takes the necessaryaction and decides the position of the valve which gives the desired flow of the liquid into the tank.The positioning of the valve is decided by PID Controller or by the rules written in the Fuzzy Logic Controller Rule Editor. If the liquid level in the tank is low then the valve open completely and if then liquid level is high in the tank then the valve closes or opens upto an extent. When the level is full then the valve closes completely. The designing of the PID controller can be changed by changing thevalues of Proportional Gain, Integral Gain & Derivative Gain . Control of dual water tank system: i : Simulink Block Diagram Description:

A*dh/dt=qin a*sqrt(2gh)-----------------------------------------(1) A=2300 a=7.1 g=9.81m/s2 Linearization The model of the water tank is non-linear. The non-linear model can be approximated by a linear model for small deviations around an operating point. The actuator is a pump which pumps water into the water tank. The relationship between the rate of flow in q and the controller output u is q in = ku, where k = 3.9 106 m3 /(s V) . The pump saturates at an input voltage of 10 V. The pumpcannot draw water from the tank, so there is also saturation at zero input voltage. The water level is measured by a sensor whose sensitivity is 40 V/m. PI Controller: The below figure is a screenshot of Simulink code of PI (Proportional + Integral) control implemented for the level control of Dual-Water tank system. The desired level of water in the upper tank is set by the user using a Simulink constant block. As a variation the desired level can be superimposed with a square, sinusoidal or other suitably shaped pulse with a small amplitude and frequency so as to require the water level to vary around a set point according to the shape of the pulse. This can be conveniently achieved using pre-defined blocks in Simulink. The error in level is computed using a comparator block which finds the difference between actual level measured with a pressure sensor and the desired level set by the user. The error signal is used in conjunction with appropriately tuned proportional and integral gains to achieve the level control by varying the speed of a DC motor connected to a water pump. The raw reading of the level sensor is very noisy due to bubbles, inflow of water from the pump etc. and is appropriately filtered using a suitable low-pass filter block in Simulink.

Simulink code for PI control of Dual Water Tank system

As in the PI controller the user sets the desired level using a constant block and the error is computed by comparing the actual level measured by the level sensor. Level error and change in error level is fuzzified using three overlapping membership functions similar to the fuzzification described for the DC motor fuzzy control.

Simulation result using PID controller

It is seen that PID controllers drives the system unstable due to mismatch error generated by the inaccurate time delay parameter used in the plant model. Transients & overshoots are present when PID controller is used to control the liquid level. Applications Classification of Liquid Level Controllers: There are several types of level controllers. Some of these are: A) Level Controllers: Level controllers are devices that operate automatically to regulate liquid or dry material level values. There are three basic types of control functions that level controllers can use, limit control, linear control and advanced or nonlinear control .

B) Integrated motion controllers: Integrated motion control systems contain matched components such as controllers, motor drives, motors, encoders, user interfaces and software. The manufacturer optimally matches components in these systems. They are frequently customized for specific applications. C)Pump Controllers: Pump controllers manage pump flow and pressure output. D)Flow controllers: Flow controllers allow metered flow of fluid in one or both directions. Many of them allow for free flow in one direction and reduced or metered flow in the reverse direction. Industrial Uses: We consider level control a fundamental control technique . Level controls are used in all types of applications: Tank farms Boilers Waste treatment Plants Reactors