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Typical Controller Settings

If you design processes or control loops, you might have to come up with reasonable controller settings before you have the chance of doing any tuning. If you are faced with this situation, you could use the table of typical controller settings below to give you more appropriate starting values for a controller.

The table can also be used to validate tuning settings on problem control loops. Sometimes one setting is so far off that simple trial-and-error tuning seems to make no difference. If you compare your controller settings to those in this table, you might find the culprit setting.

Important:

Settings in this table are for information only. Process characteristics can vary widely from the “typical” process, requiring greatly different controller settings. You should always tune a controller according to the actual process dynamics (by doing step tests and applying the appropriate tuning rules) before anyone places it in automatic control mode.

The controller settings are for controllers with the noninteractive algorithm, using controller gain for proportional and minutes for integral and derivative. If your controller has a different algorithm or uses different engineering units, you have to do the appropriate conversions.

If you have any questions or suggestions about the settings, please contact me.

 

Stay tuned!
Jacques Smuts – Author of the book Process Control for Practitioners

 

Controller Setting Likely Minimum Likely Maximum Typical Value Unit of Settings
Flow and Liquid Pressure
Gain 0.2 1.5 0.5 gain
Integral 0.05 0.5 0.2 minutes
Derivative 0 0 0 minutes
Filter 0 0.2 0.02 minutes
Sampling 0.5 2 1 seconds
Inline Temperature
Gain 0.5 4 1 gain
Integral 0.2 1 0.5 minutes
Derivative 0 0.25 0.1 minutes
Filter 0 0.1 0 minutes
Sampling 1 5 2 seconds
Column or Reactor Temperature, Gas Pressure
Gain 2 10 5 gain
Integral 2 20 5 minutes
Derivative 0 5 1 minutes
Filter 0 0.2 0 minutes
Sampling 1 15 10 seconds
Tight Level Control
Gain 1 10 5 gain
Integral 2 30 10 minutes
Derivative 0 2 1 minutes
Filter 0 0.5 0.2 minutes
Sampling 1 5 2 seconds
Surge Tank Level
Gain 1 4 2 gain
Integral 10 None 60 minutes
Derivative 0 0 0 minutes
Filter 0 1 0 minutes
Sampling 5 30 10 seconds
Composition
Gain 0.1 1 0.5 gain
Integral 10 30 20 minutes
Derivative 2 5 3 minutes
Filter 0 0.5 0 minutes
Sampling 10 30 20 seconds
The Book for Practitioners