This undergraduate textbook presents a balanced picture of process control from the standpoints of theory and practical application, with about equal emphasis on control theory and process
dynamics. The mathematical treatment is gradual and minimized, beginning first with algebra, then simple first-order differential equations, and finally a brief treatment of the Laplace transform. Pneumatic
controllers are used for illustrations, but the principles apply to electronic and computer control systems. Sufficient theory is presented for understanding two common methods for tuning controllers -- the
reaction curve and the continuous cycling methods of Ziegler and Nichols. |
