This book presents comprehensive information on the relay auto-tuning
method for unstable systems in process control industries, and
introduces a new, refined Ziegler-Nichols method for designing
controllers for unstable systems. The relay auto-tuning method is
intended to assist graduate students in chemical, electrical,
electronics and instrumentation engineering who are engaged in advanced
process control. The book's main focus is on developing a controller
tuning method for scalar and multivariable systems, particularly for
unstable processes. It proposes a much simpler technique, avoiding the
shortcomings of the popular relay-tuning method. The effects of
higher-order harmonics are incorporated, owing to the shape of output
waveforms. In turn, the book demonstrates the applicability and
effectiveness of the Ziegler-Nichols method through simulations on a
number of linear and non-linear unstable systems, confirming that it
delivers better performance and robust stability in the presence of
uncertainty. The proposed method can also be easily implemented across
industries with the help of various auto-tuners available on the market.
Offering a professional and modern perspective on profitably and
efficiently automating controller tuning, the book will be of interest
to graduate students, researchers, and industry professionals alike.