A dead-time compensating PID controller structure and robust tuning

In the present paper a dead-time compensating proportional-integral-derivative (DTC–PID) controller with anti-windup action is derived. The proposed controller also can be configured as a PID controller or as a dead-time compensating PI (DTC–PI) controller. For stable, integrating and unstable processes, approximated with the first-order plus dead-time (FOPDT) model, robust tuning procedure is derived for the DTC–PI controller. Optimization of the regulatory performance of the DTC–PID controller is based on the frequency response of higher-order models, under constraints on the robustness and sensitivity to measurement noise. Excellent performance/robustness trade-off is obtained for stable, integrating and unstable processes, including dead-time, as confirmed by simulations and by experimental results obtained on a laboratory thermal process.

► In this paper a new dead-time compensating PID controller (DTC–PID) structure is proposed.
► The proposed controller can be also configured as a dead-time compensating PI (DTC–PI) controller.
► Robust tuning rules are derived for the DTC–PI controller.
► Constrained optimization is suggested for DTC–PID robust tuning.
► Simulation and experimental results confirm advantages over PID and DTC controllers.