Controller tuning for nonlinear hopper process tank - a real time analysis

In this work, Proportional + Integral + Derivative (PID) controller design and real time implementation was proposed for a nonlinear hopper tank system in order to solve servo and regulatory problem. Firstly, identification of process transfer function is done through the real time implementation experiment and it is applied to a conventional PID controller. Then tuning methods has been proposed including Cohen-coon (CC), Ziegler & Nichols (ZN), Internal Model Control (IMC) and Tyreus & Luyben (TL). The optimization of tuning parameter is taken up with Integral Square Error (ISE), Integral Absolute Error (IAE) and Integral Time Absolute Error (ITAE). The experimental results show that TL and ZN tuning method are suitable in controlling nonlinear hopper level tank system