This course addresses the needs of control room operators, DCS technicians, process control engineers, applications engineers, and anyone else responsible for PID tuning in the plant. Many new personnel enter the control room these days; there are numerous types of processes and different DCS and PLC systems.

This course starts with the basics of process control, explains the PID equation in the time domain, and then trains using three powerful PID tuning, real-time simulation/optimization, and grading software products.

In a remarkably short time, students learn to optimally tune PIDs and make process changes on distillation columns, reactors, tanks, compressors, flow controllers, and heat exchangers using modern real-time simulator software.

The software also has automatic grading capability, so at the end of the course, the software generates a report card on the PID tuning skills of each attendee.

This course provides a good foundation, skills, and knowledge for all DCS/PLC-related tag building; control scheme design in a DCS/PLC; and the ability to calculate tuning parameters not only for PIDs but other control schemes without the old trial-and-error method but scientifically.

Learning Outcomes:

After completing the course, attendees will be able to tune PIDs in any DCS/PLC, troubleshoot problems, dampen/eliminate oscillations, and improve controller performance, all of which help maximize rates, directly increasing the plant’s bottom-line profits.

Through practice on a real-time PID tuning simulator, attendees will gain tremendous confidence in PID tuning on live DCS/PLCs in actual operating plants. This confidence that would otherwise have taken several years on the job now can be achieved in just two days. Attendees will also learn many important and practical concepts about DCS/PLC operations. The following topics are covered in this course:

• Introduction to Industrial Process Control, Process Control Terminology, and Definitions

• Manipulated Variables, Controlled Variables, Disturbance/Feedforward Variables, Process Control Dynamics, and Process Transfer Functions

• Open Loop Dynamics

• Time Domain and Laplace Domain PID Equation

• PID Examples in the Time Domain with Calculation Illustrations Process Control Schematics

• Positional and Velocity Forms of the PID Equation PID Simulations using Pitops and Simcet

• PID Algorithms in Their Advanced FormsSimulating Noise and Process Disturbances Filter Action and Filter Time Constants

• Estimating the Correct Filter Time Constant in DCS or PLC

• Hands-On Lab (Practical) Sessions Using Real-Time PID Simulator Software

• Optimal Tuning Theory and Calculations

• Error Criteria for PID Tuning and Quantifying Control Quality Typical PID Tuning Parameters for Various Types of Processes

• Optimal Tuning Using Pitops Simulator with Disturbances, Noise, and Setpoint Changes Estimating Process Dynamics from DCS Trends and Operator Knowledge Transforming Process Operating Information into Controller Tuning

• DCS Attributes and Features: Controller Modes

• PV Tracking

• The Importance of Derivative Action, When to Use or Not to Use Derivative Estimating, and Scientifically Derivative Tuning Parameter

• Procedures for conducting Step Tests in the Plant

• Continue Hands-On Lab (Practical) Sessions Using Simulator Software Cascade Control Basics

• SP/OP Tracking, Bumpless Transfer

• Timed Tests using a Training Simulator for Testing