PID Controllers in BESTune

The following PID controllers can be optimized by using the excellent PID auto-tuning software
BESTune (see http://bestune.50megs.com/ for details). Theoretically, BESTune is able to
optimize any PID controllers, as long as the PID equations implemented in them are known. In
order to include more PID controllers in BESTune, I am asking you to give me more information
about other well-known brands of industrial PID controllers (brand names, PID equations
implemented, units of the three PID constants, etc). Your help will be very much appreciated.
In the following PID equations,

CO:
Controller Output (also called OutPut and denoted by OP)
PV:

Process Variable

SP:

SetPoint

e=SP-PV

There are three types of PID controllers: Type A, Type B, and Type C. It is strongly recommended
that type C be used. For more about this, please take a look at
http://bestune.50megs.com/typeABC.htm. A method of desinging type C PID is given at
http://bestune.50megs.com/piddesign.htm. For a quick look at a type C PID loop, take a look at
this picture.

BESTune.Com
Email: bestune@netzero.net
WWW: http://bestune.50megs.com/

Standard Independent PID Controller

There are three types of independent PID control equations:
Type A:
Type B:
Type C:

de
dt
d ( PV )
CO K p e K i edt K d
dt
d ( PV )
CO K p ( PV ) K i edt K d
dt

CO K p e K i edt K d

We strongly recommend type C (Unfortunately, most industrial PID controllers use either type A
or type B equations). Differentiating both sides of type C equation gives:
dCO K i edt K p dPV K d

d 2 PV
dt

Discretization of the above equation with sampling period Ts gives the following form that can be
implemented in a digital computer:

CO ( k ) CO ( k 1) K i e( k )Ts K p [ PV ( k ) PV (k 1)]

Kd
[ PV ( k ) 2 PV ( k 1) PV ( k 2)]
Ts

where
Ts:
Kp:
Ki:
Kd:

Sampling period
Proportional gain
Integral grain
Derivative gain

seconds
No unit
(1/second)
seconds

The last important thing that is often ignored but can never be ignored is to bring CO back to the
upper or lower limit values whenever it is outside these limits, i.e., whenever CO(k)>COs upper
limit value, we must set CO(k)=COs upper limit value; and whenever CO(k)<COs lower limit
value, we must set CO(k)=COs lower limit value.
For example, if CO(k)=100 means the control valve is 100% open and CO=10 means the control
valve is just closed, then whenever the value of CO(k) calculated by the above PID equation is
larger than 100, we must set CO(k)=100 and whenever the value of CO(k) calculated by the
above PID equation is less than 10, we must set CO(k)=10.

Standard Dependent PID Controller

Similarly, there are also three types of dependent PID equations:
Type A:

1
CO K c e
Ti

edt T

Type B:

1
CO K c e
Ti

edt T

Type C:

1
CO K c ( PV )
Ti

de

dt

d ( PV )

dt

edt T

We strongly recommend type C, i.e.,

1
CO K c ( PV )
Ti

edt T

d ( PV )

dt

where
Kc: Proportional gain
Ti: Reset time
Td: Rate time

Allen Bradley Logix5550 Independent PID

No unit
(min/rep)
(min)

d ( PV )

dt

CO K p e K i edt K d

d ( PV )
dt

Kp: Proportional gain

Ki: Integral gain
Kd: Derivative gain

No unit
(1/second)
(seconds)

where

Allen Bradley Logix5550 Dependent PID

1
d ( PV )

CO K c e edt Td
Ti
dt

where
Kc: Proportional gain
Ti: Reset time
Td: Rate time

No unit
(min/rep)
(min)

Allen Bradley PLC5 Independent PID - Using Integer Blocks

d ( PV )
CO K p e K i edt K d
dt
where
Kp: Proportional gain
Ki: Integral gain
Kd: Derivative gain

(0.01)
(0.001/ second)
(seconds)

Allen Bradley PLC5 Independent PID - Using PD Blocks

d ( PV )
CO K p e K i edt K d
dt
where
Kp: Proportional gain
Ki: Integral gain
Kd: Derivative gain

No unit
(1/ second)
(seconds)

Allen Bradley PLC5 ISA PID - Using Integer Blocks

1
d ( PV )

CO K c e edt Td
T
dt
i

where
Kc: Proportional gain
Ti: Reset time
Td: Rate time

(0.01)
(0.01min/rep)
(0.01min)

Allen Bradley PLC5 ISA PID - Using PD Blocks

1
d ( PV )

CO K c e edt Td
T
dt
i

where
Kc: Proportional gain
Ti: Reset time

No unit
(min/rep)

Td:

Rate time

(min)

Allen Bradley SLC5/02,SLC5/03 and SLC5/04 ISA PID

1
d ( PV )

CO K c e edt Td
T
dt
i

where
Kc: Proportional gain
Ti: Reset time
Td: Rate time

(0.1)
(0.1min/rep)
(0.01min)

Bailey Function Code FC19 with K=1

K
de

CO K K p e i edt 60 K d

60
dt

where
K:
Kp:
Ki:
Kd:

Gain multiplier
Proportional gain
Integral reset
Derivative rate
action

No unit
No unit
1/min
Min

Bailey Function Code FC156 Independent Form with K=1

K
de

CO K K p e i edt 60 K d

60
dt

where
K:
Kp:
Ki:
Kd:

Gain multiplier
Proportional gain
Integral reset
Derivative rate
action

No unit
No unit
Resets/min
Min

Concept PID1 - PID Controller

The equivalent continuous time equation the Concept PID1 PID algorithm implements is:

1
de

CO Gain e edt TD
TI
dt

where
Gain: Proportional gain
TI:
Reset time
TD:
Derivative Action time

No unit
(milliseconds)
(milliseconds)

Concept PID1P - PID Controller with parallel structure

de
CO KPe KI edt KD
dt
where
KP:

Proportional gain

No unit

KI: Integral rate

KD: Differentiation rate

(1/milliseconds)
(milliseconds)

Fischer & Porter DCU 3200 CON Ideal with KP = 1

1
de

CO KC KPe
edt TD

TR
dt

If Kp = 1, the above equation reduces to:

1
de

CO KC e
edt TD

TR
dt

where
KC: Gain constant
TR: Reset time
TD: Derivative term

No unit
(min/rep)
(min)

Fischer & Porter DCU 3200 CON Parallel KP variable with KC=1
1
de

CO KC KPe
edt TD

TR
dt

If KC=1, the above equation reduces to:

CO KPe

1
de
edt TD

TR
dt

where
KP: Proportional gain
TR: Reset time
TD: Derivative term

No unit
(min/rep)
(min)

GE Fanuc Series 90-30 and 90-70 Independent Form PID

de
CO K p e K i edt K d
dt
where
Kp: Proportional gain
Ki: Reset time
Kd: Derivative gain

(0.01)
(0.001rep/second)
(0.01 seconds)

Hartmann & Braun Freelance 2000 PID

1
de

CO CP e
edt TD

TR
dt

where
CP: Proportional correction value
TR: Reset time
TD: Rate time

No unit
(milliseconds)
(milliseconds)

Honeywell TDC 3000 APM Non - Interactive PID

1
de

CO K e edt T 2
T1
dt

where
K: Gain
T1: Integral time constant
T2: Derivative time constant

No unit
(min/rep)
(min)

Modicon 984 PLC PID2 Equation

100
de
CO
e K 2 edt K 3
PB
dt
where
PB:
K2:
K3:

Proportional band
Integral mode gain constant
Derivative mode gain constant

No unit
(0.01min/rep)
(0.01min)

Siemens S7 PB41 CONT_C PID

CO Gain * e

1
de
edt TD

TI
dt

where
Gain: Proportional gain
TI:
Reset time
TD:
Derivative time

No unit
(seconds)
(seconds)

Yokogawa Field Control Station (FCS) PID

CO

100
1
e
PB
Ti

edt Td

de

dt

where
PB: Proportional band
Ti: Integral time
Td: Derivative time

No unit
(seconds)
(seconds)