Comparison of Tuning Methods for Temperature Control of a Chemical Reactor.

This paper presents the results of applying various controller tuning methhods to the feedback temperature control of a simulated chemical reactor. Specifically the minimum error-integral correlations presented by Lopez and by Rovira are compared with the Ziegler-Nichols method and the loop-compensation method previously presented by these authors. Based on speed of response and control stability the best all-round techniques are shown to be Roviras set-point tuning and the loop-compensation method. The closed-loop responses of the reactor temperature to changes in set-point and load are presented. Author