Single feedback control loop

Any given process will have a number of different controlled variables, and for each controlled variable, there is an associated
manipulated variable. A specific controlled variable ties to a specific manipulated variable through the appropriate feedback control
hardware.

The controlled variable value registers on appropriate instrumentation, and this sensed value of the controlled variable compares to
the desired value of the controlled variable—the set point.

The difference between these two —the error— is used as input to the feedback controller.
This controller then calculates a signal to adjust the manipulated variable. Because the Legend
manipulated variable is normally a flow, the output of the feedback controller usually is a
signal to a control valve.
Controlled
Controlled variable the temperature in
While all of this is happening in a continuous fashion, disturbances may enter the process the room
and tend to drive the controlled variable in one direction or another. The single manipulated
variable compensates for all such changes produced by the disturbances and, in addition, if Disturbances heat generated by the
there are changes in set point, the manipulated variable also changes accordingly to produce light bulb and heat loss through the
the needed change in the controlled variable.
walls to the outside
A sensor actually measures the controlled variable, and the measured value of the controlled Error the difference between the set
variable transmits back to the controller case.
point and the value of the controlled
Inside the controller case is the comparator. This functionally important device compares— variable—the temperature in the room
takes the algebraic difference between—the value of the set point and the value of the Manipulated
Manipulated variable the amount of fuel
variable transmitted back into the controller case to represent the controlled variable.
that passes through the solenoid valve,
The comparator, or error detector, is common to all feedback control systems. Note that this which translates to heat emanating
is negative feedback control, which is to say that the signal fed back to the comparator
from the furnace
subtracts from the signal that indicates the set point.
Set point the number that the user
All applied feedback control is negative feedback control, as positive feedback control is enters on the thermostat
inherently unstable.

The error signal, which is the output of the comparator, becomes the input to the feedback controller. Based on the error signal, the
controller calculates a signal to the final control element —typically a valve— and this in turn controls the manipulated variable input
to the process.

This piece came from Paul Murrill's Fundamentals of Process Control Theory, ISA Press. 01 May 2004.

Nicholas Sheble (nsheble@isa.org ) writes and edits the Control Fundamentals Department.