TELKOMNIKA, Vol.16, No.4, August 2018, pp.

1568~1576
ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited A by DIKTI, Decree No: 58/DIKTI/Kep/2013
DOI: 10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v16i4.3135  1568

Distributed Control System Applied in Temperatur

Control by Coordinating Multi-loop Controllers

Edi Rakhman, Feriyonika

Electrical Engineering Department, Bandung State Polytechnic, Bandung, Indonesia
1 2
*Corresponding author, e-mail: ediman27@yahoo.com , feriyonika@gmail.com

Abstract
In Distributed Control System (DCS), multitasking management has been important issues
continuously researched and developed. In this paper, DCS was applied in global temperature control
system by coordinating three Local Control Units (LCUs). To design LCU’s controller parameters, both
analytical and experimental method were employed. In analytical method, the plants were firstly identified
to get their transfer functions which were then used to derive control parameters based on desired
response qualities. The experimental method (Ziegler-Nichols) was also applied due to practicable reason
in real industrial plant (less mathematical analysis). To manage set-points distributed to all LCUs, master
controller was subsequently designed based on zone of both error and set-point of global temperature
controller. Confirmation experiments showed that when using control parameters from analytical method,
the global temperature response could successfully follow the distributed set-points with 0% overshoot,
193.92 second rise time, and 266.88 second settling time. While using control parameters from
experimental method, it could also follow the distributed set-points with presence of overshoot (16.9%), but
has less rise time and settling time (111.36 and 138.72 second). In this research, the overshoot could be
successfully decreased from 16.9 to 9.39 % by changing master control rule. This proposed method can
be potentially applied in real industrial plant due to its simplicity in master control algorithm and presence
of PID controller which has been generally included in today industrial equipments.

Keywords: Distributed control system; System identification; Temperature control; Ziegler-nichols; Multi-
loop PID controllers

Copyright © 2018 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Distributed Control Systems (DCS) is advance control method which can manages and
coordinates many automation equipments, local/ single loop controllers and sensor networks. It
is widely used in plant systems, -usually in process control such as temperature, pressure liquid
level and flow,- which have constrains around distance, amount of plants and spreading of area.
For hardware infrastructure, DCS involves high technology communication networks (such as
fiber optic, FDI fieldbus, and Ethernet) and last update of information technology such as cloud
computing [1].
DCS also provides solution for advance and complex industrial process, application of
supervisory control, operator centric, enterprise-integrated information, and fast-complex-
coordinated system [2]. Researches in DCS have been addressed to find effective coordinated
algorithm. Nikolay et al. used DCS algorithm applied in mobile robot network. In their research,
DCS was used to analyze environment circumstance to distribute important parameters e.g:
radio signal, magnetic field, temperature and chemical concentration [3]. Liu & Yang used DCS
algorithm to decrease time drift and propagation delay in Network Time Protocol (NTP).
Result of their experiment concluded that by using DCS algorithm (namely: Precise
Clock Synchronization Algorithm), the accuracy could fulfill IEEE 1588 standard [4]. Garin and
Schenato proposed Linear Consensus Algorithm to analyze frequently algorithms used in DCS,
e.g: least squares, sensor calibration, vehicle coordination and Kalman filter, so that it can
decide which method enabling to enhance system performance [5]. Liu proposed Particle
Swarm Optimization applied in optimal scheduling to overcome multi-task in DCS. Simulation
result showed that the proposed method could make DCS derive good performance index [6].
In DCS research area, PID controller is generally applied as sub-controllers executing
master control command. This algorithm has been widely used due to its simplicity and

Received December 5, 2016; Revised April 25, 2018; Accepted June 30, 2018
TELKOMNIKA ISSN: 1693-6930  1569

robustness [7,8]. In industrial point of view, PID controller is also practicable tools due to its
availability in today industrial equipments such as some series of PLCs, DCS software,
Advantech 6022, and popular software such as LabView and Matlab. Metcalf in [9] used PID
controller as part of proposed DCS algorithm applied in a reactor hot water layer system. In this
research, the author discussed about back-calculation anti-windup PID controller and safety
system in large scale industry. Lombana and Di Bernardo used distributed PID controller in
homogenous and heterogeneous network. They proved the proposed method by using state
transformation and Lyapunov function applied in power-grid model [10].
From numerous published researches in DCS, in fact, they are difficult to realization
due to high mathematical analysis [11,12]. Therefore this paper discusses several new issues,
in term of feasibility to bring in industrial practice and case study in industrial process plant
(temperature control system), which have not addressed yet in previous published papers [3-
10]. In this research, DCS is applied to temperature control system influenced by three sub-
systems (fan velocity, position of window, and local temperature control) which will be
coordinated by master controller. To design each local control unit, analytical and experimental
method are employed to derive PID control’s parameters. In analytical method, the plant was
firstly identified to derive its transfer function. Based on desired performances (% overshoot and
rise time), the model is then used to find controller parameters which will be verified to all local
control unit (LCU). On the other hand, the experimental method (Ziegler Nichols technique),
which avoids mathematical analysis and widely used in industrial practice, is also employed to
find PID control’s parameters. In this method, the controller parameters are just a starting point
so when they are applied some tuning is still needed. All LCUs are finally integrated and
coordinated by proposed master control designed based on error and set-point of global
temperature.

2. Experiment Setup
Figure 1 depicts three sub-systems (Velocity of the fan, position of the window, and
local temperature control) which will be controlled by DCS. For each controller parameters of
the sub-system, single loop PID controller will be employed and designed by using analytical
and Ziegler-Nichols method. After designing local control parameters, master control will be
designed to coordinate all three sub-controllers so that temperature set-point can be reached as
fast as possible. All experiment setups are depicted in Figure 2.

Figure 1. Sub-systems of DCS Figure 2. DCS with Remote Terminal Unit

(RTU) and three sub-controllers

3. Controller Design
In the sub-controller design, analytical method is firstly applied to find PID parameters.
In this section, system identification technique is firstly employed to derive plant model. On the
other hand, because in industrial practice mathematical or analytical method is sometime
avoided due to complexities or lack of mathematical background, reaction curve method
(Ziegler-Nichols) is thus employed to derive PID controller parameters. In this method, set point
and response are plotted together, which are subsequently –by using some procedure-used to
find controller parameters. Master controller is finally designed by formulizing some rules based
on position of error and global set-point.

Distributed Control System Applied in Temperatur Control by... (Edi Rakhman)

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3.1. Fan Velocity Controller

This plant consists of DC motor coupled with a fan. Transfer function of this plant was
derived by applying identification toolbox in Matlab. Firstly, plant was set to open loop and then
stored both set point and response data. The total amount of each input-output data are 3627
with sampling time 0.05 second. Because of the small size of DC motor, the influence of
inductance (L) can be avoided so its model can be assumed as 1-st order equation 1.

1.247
PFan 
s  1.302 (1)

In this research, PI Controller was employed as fan velocity controller. equation 2 is the general
equation of the proposed controller. With H is assumed 1, the overall transfer function of
feedback control is equation 3 and equation 4.

Kp s  Ki
C Fan 
s (2)

PFan C Fan
G Fan 
PFan C Fan H  1 (3)

1.247(Kp s  Ki)
G Fan 
s  (1.302  1.247 Kp)s  1.247 Ki
2
(4)

From the equation 4, based on general equation of second order transfer function, both
parameters (Kp and Kd) can be derived. The next step is to find ζ and ω n based on the desired
specifications: % overshoot is 5 % or less (Mp=0.05); rise time (t r) is 1 second. With derived
control parameters (Kp=2.5278 and Ti=0.3032), It shows that, as depicted in Figure 5,
the designed parameters could make the response follow the set point properly.
This research also employed Ziegler Nichols type-2 to find PID controller parameters.
In this method, system was set to closed loop and varied the gain (Kcr) so that the response
start to periodically sustained oscillation as shown in Figure 6. The critical gain (Kcr) and critical
phase (Pcr) were then used to determine the value of Kp, Ti, and Td [15]. In this experiment,
simulink Matlab was used to plot both response and set point. From the observation, it showed
that the real time clock was not same as Matlab time (5 shown in Matlab equal to 2 second) so
that conversion calculation was needed [13,15]. After conversion calculation (with Kcr=18.6 and
Pcr=0.44), the control parameters (Kp=11.16, Ti=0.22, Td=0.055) were then applied to plant. In
this method, the derived parameters are just approximation, it still needs to be tuned based on
tuning rule in Table.1. The final PID parameters are Kp=11.2, Ti=5, Td=0 giving good response
as depicted in Figure 7.

System response based on PID analytical design

900

800

700

600
Velocity (Rpm)

500

400 Setpoint
Response
300

200

100

0
0 50 100 150 200 250
time

Figure 5. System response based on PID analytical design

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 Penentuan titik Pcr
6
TELKOMNIKA ISSN: 1693-6930  1571
5

RPM (1 volt = 430 rpm)

4

Pcr
3
Respon
Set Point

2 X: 12.4 X: 13.5
Y: 1.445 Y: 1.432

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Waktu (5 di Matlab = 2 detik)

Figure 6. Controller design by using Ziegler Nichols type-2.

Table 1. Tuning Rule.

Parameters Rise time Overshoot Settling time Steady-State error
Kp Decrease Increase Minor Change Decrease
Ki Decrease Increase Increase Eliminate
Kd Minor Change Decrease Decrease Minor change

Hasil Respon Setelah Tunning (Kp=11,2 , Ti=5 , Td=0)

2
Respon
1.8 Set Point

1.6
RPM (1 volt = 430 rpm)

1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Waktu (5 dalam Matlab = 2 detik)
Figure 7. Fan Velocity Response

3.2. Local Temperature Controller

Local temperature controller was designed to control internal dynamic of local heating
system. As previous procedure, plant model was firstly identified so that, regarding to desired
specification, the derived transfer function in equation 5 could be used to find PID controller
parameters. The raw data needed for identification were taken from open loop response of set-
point and output. Because the heater lamp and the heated area are small, the heating system
was assumed as 1-st order without delay.

0.000375
PTem 
s  0.001418 (5)

In this research, PID Controller was employed as local temperature controller.

Equation 6 is the general equation of the proposed controller.

Kd s 2  Kp s  Ki
C Temp 
s (6)

Distributed Control System Applied in Temperatur Control by... (Edi Rakhman)

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Based on desired specification (% overshoot is 5 % or less [Mp=0.05]; and rise time [tr] is 30
second), we can derive ζ= 0.6907 and ω n=0.1075 so that desired pole location (s 1) is defined as
equation 7 [14] can be calculated.

s1  -n  n 1   2 j
(7)
j j133.680
s1  -0.0742  0.777 j s1  s1 e  0.1074e
,

with H is assumed as 1,

0.000375 0.000375
G(s1 )H(s1 )  G(s1 )H(s1 ) 
- 0.0742  0.0777 j  0.001418 ,  0.0728  0.0777 j
0
G(s1 )H(s1 )  G(s1 )H(s1 ) e jψ  0.0035e j179.1821

Equation 8 and 9 are the equations to find Kp and Kd. Because there are three searched
variables (Kp, Ki, Kd), so it can be manually assumed one (in this research Ki=4) so Kp and Kd
can be derived.

 sin(    ) 2Ki cos( )

Kp  
G(s1 )H(s1 ) sin(  ) s1
(8)

sin( ) Ki
Kd  
s1 G(s1 )H(s1 ) sin(  ) s1 2
(9)

with G(s1 )H(s1 )  0.0035 , s1  0.1074 , β  133.680 and ψ  179.18210 , the derived controller
parameters (Kp=344.6436, Ti=86.1609 and Td=0.8629) were then applied to real plant as
depicted in Figure 8.

Response based PID analytical design

55

50

45

40
Temperature ( Celcius)

35

30

25
Setpoint
Response
20

15

10

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
Time (1000 in Matlab = 100 second)

Figure 8. Local temperature control by using PID analytical design

This research also employed Ziegler Nichols type-1 to find PID controller parameters. In
this method, system was set to open loop and plotted plant response against given set point as
shown in Figure 9. From the observation, it showed that time in Matlab needs to convert to real
time clock (500 shown in Matlab is equal to 45.57 second). After conversion calculation, the
needed parameters, L and T, were derived and then used to calculate PID controller

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parameters: 7.5, 33.56, and 8.39 for Kp, Ti, and Td respectively. These parameters were then
applied to the plant and the result shown in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Result of controller design.

Figure 11. Controller design by using
Ziegler Nichols type-1.

3.3. Window Position Controller

Together with fan velocity, the position of the window will also influence the rate of
temperature change. In this controller design, because the plant is n-order type-1 (position is the
result of motor velocity integration), integral part of the controller was thus eliminated.
Differential part was also eliminated due to noise of the feedback so that the controller was only
proportional controller, which was then designed by manually tuning the proportional gain
(Kp=50).

3.4. Master Controller

Master controller is designed to manage three sub-controllers based on set-point and
error of global temperature. Because each local control unit needs time to give response, the
applied rules in master controller were set linear so that distributed set-points from master
controller could be followed properly. Figure 11 is diagram block for overall system. Equation 10
is set of the rules for Fan Velocity Set-point (FVS [in RPM unit]), which is designed based on
condition of global temperature error (e), and Window Position Set point (WPS [unit in cm])
which is designed based on Global Temperature Set-point (GTS).

Plant System

X
+ e PI
PA Fan
controller
-

Velocity
Master Control sensor

Defined

X X
+ + e
Set e rules P Window
point
PA
controller position
-
-

Position
sensor

X
Temperatur
+ e Heating
PID PA
system
-

Temperature
sensor

Figure 11. Diagram block of DCS and Master Controller

Distributed Control System Applied in Temperatur Control by... (Edi Rakhman)

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 0 , e  -3 2 , 0  GTS  25
 860 ,  10  e  3 4 , 25  GTS  30
 
FVS  1720 ,  20  e  10 WPS  5 , 30  GTS  40
2580 ,  30  e  20 6 , 40  GTS  60
 
3440 ,  65  e  30 7 , 60  GTS  65 (10)

4. Result and Discussion

In verification experiment, Matlab 2013A was employed to apply master controller
algorithm. Firstly, control parameters resulted from analytical design was applied to LCUs.
Figure 12 depicts three responses of global temperature, fan velocity, and window position
set-point. It shows 0%, 193.92 second, and 266.88 second for % overshoot, rise time, and
settling time, respectively. The response of fan velocity controller could successfully follow the
defined rule in master control. In the window position system, the set point could also change
according to temperature set point value. In this study, the defined window position is not only
accelerates temperature change but also keeps the temperature with efficient heating power.
The second step is to verify local control parameters which were designed based on
experimental method. Figure 13 is the response while using this experimental technique. The
result shows that the global temperature controller could give response with presence of
overshoot (16.9%), but has less rise time and settling time (111.36 and 138.72 second).
To overcome the presence of overshoot, it could be enhanced by changing master
control rule in equation 10. Figure 14 shows the response after changing the master control
rule. From 7320-th second, the overshoot could be successfully decreased from 16.9 to 9.39 %.
With this method, smaller overshoot can be also derived by changing error zone limit (e.g:
bigger than -0.5) so that when response starts to increase more than the limit, fan will
automatically start to cool it down.

Global temperature controller

80
Temperature (C)

60

40
Global Temperature Setpoint
20 Response

0
Fan velocity controller
2000
Velocity (Rpm)

1500

1000 Setpoint
Response
500

-500
Window position controller
8
Position (cm)

4
Setpoint
Response
2

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Time (500 in Matlab = 120 second)

Figure 12. Result of DCS while using controller parameters from analytical technique.

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TELKOMNIKA ISSN: 1693-6930  1575

Global temperature controller

80

Temperature (C)
60

40

20

0
Fan velocity controller
3000

2500
Velocity (Rpm)

2000 Setpoint
Response
1500

1000

500

0
Window position controller
10

8 Setpoint
Position (Cm)

Response
6

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Time (500 in Matlab = 120 second)

Figure 13. Result of DCS while using controller parameters from experimental technique.

Global temperature controller

80

60
Temperature (C)

40

20 Setpoint
Response
0
Fan velocity controller
3000

2500
Velocity (Rpm)

Setpoint
2000
Response
1500

1000

500

0
Window position controller
10
Window posisiton (cm)

4 Setpoint
Response
2

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Time (500 in Matlab = 120 second)

Figure 14. Result of DCS after changing master control rule.

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5. Conclusion
In this paper, DCS method was applied in temperature control system by coordinating
three Local Control Units (LCUs). To design controller parameter of each LCU, both analytical
and experimental (Ziegler-Nichols) method were employed. Master controller, which was
designed based on zone of both error and set-point of global temperature controller, was
subsequently applied to manage three LCUs. Confirmation experiment showed that control
parameters designed from analytical method could follow distributed set-points with 0%
overshoot. On the other hand, control parameters designed from experimental method could
also follow the distributed set-point with presence of overshoot but smaller rise time and settling
time. In this research, this problem could be successfully enhanced by changing the rule of
master control so that the overshoot could be decreased from 16.9 to 9.39 %. The method can
be potentially applied in real industrial plant due to its simplicity in master control algorithm and
presence of PID controller which has been generally included in today industrial equipments.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank to UPPM Politeknik Negeri Bandung for research grand
“Penelitian Peningkatan Kapasitas Laboratorium 2015”.

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