Trane Video Game Controller CNT APG002 EN User Manual

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Applications Guide  
PID Control  
in Tracer Controllers  
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Applications Guide  
PID Control  
in Tracer Controllers  
CNT-APG002-EN  
October 2001  
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PID Control in Tracer Controllers  
This manual and the information in it are the property of American Standard Inc. and shall not be used or reproduced in whole or in  
part, except as intended, without the written permission of American Standard Inc. Since The Trane Company has a policy of continu-  
ous product improvement, it reserves the right to change design and specification without notice.  
The Trane Company has tested the system described in this manual. However, Trane does not guarantee that the system contains no  
errors.  
The Trane Company reserves the right to revise this publication at any time and to make changes to its content without obligation to  
notify any person of such revision or change.  
The Trane Company may have patents or pending patent applications covering items in this publication. By providing this document,  
Trane does not imply giving license to these patents.  
The following are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Trane Company: Tracer, Tracer Summit, and Trane.  
Printed in the U.S.A.  
© 2001 American Standard Inc. All rights reserved.  
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Contents  
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Contents  
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57  
iv  
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Chapter 1  
Overview of PID control  
This guide will help you set up, tune, and troubleshoot proportional, inte-  
gral, derivative (PID) control loops used in Tracer controllers. These con-  
trollers include the Tracer MP580/581, AH540/541, and MP501  
controllers. This chapter provides an overview of PID control.  
What PID loops do  
A PID loop is an automatic control system that calculates how far a mea-  
sured variable is from its setpoint and, usually, controls an output to  
move the measured variable toward the setpoint. The loop performs pro-  
portional, integral, and derivative (PID) calculations to determine how  
aggressively to change the output.  
The goal of PID control is to reach a setpoint as quickly as possible with-  
out overshooting the setpoint or destabilizing the system. If the system is  
too aggressive, it will overshoot the setpoint as shown in Figure 1. If it is  
not aggressive enough, the time to reach the setpoint will be unacceptably  
slow.  
Figure 1: The effects of PID aggressiveness  
Too aggressive (overshoot)  
Setpoint  
Ideal response  
Too slow  
Initial point  
Time  
In the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) industry, PID  
loops are used to control modulating devices such as valves and dampers.  
Some common applications include:  
Temperature control  
Humidity control  
Duct static pressure control  
Staging applications  
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Chapter 1 Overview of PID control  
How PID loops work  
A PID loop performs proportional, integral, and derivative calculations to  
calculate system output. Figure 2 illustrates how a typical PID loop  
works. The sigma (Σ) symbol indicates that a sum is being performed. The  
plus (+) symbol indicates addition, and the minus (–) symbol indicates  
subtraction.  
Figure 2: PID loop  
Error  
+
PID calculation  
HVAC equipment  
Plant  
Σ
Setpoint  
Measured variable  
(process variable)  
Conversion function  
In an HVAC system, the controller uses a PID calculation to change the  
output of mechanical equipment to maintain some setpoint. For example,  
if a space is too cold, the PID calculation controls an actuator to open a  
hot-water valve some amount, increasing the discharge-air temperature  
to heat the space.  
In classic PID control systems, the controller reacts to a comparison  
between a setpoint and a measured variable (also called the process vari-  
able). The setpoint is often a user-defined setting, such as a room temper-  
ature setpoint. The measured variable is the controlled element, in this  
case the current room temperature.  
The difference between the setpoint and the measured variable is called  
the error, which is the value used to calculate system output. The error is  
defined as:  
Error = setpoint – measured variable  
For example, if a room temperature setpoint is 75°F (23.9°C) and the  
actual temperature is 65°F (18.3°C), then the error is 10°F (5.6°C).  
The PID calculation uses the error to calculate an output that moves the  
measured variable toward the setpoint as quickly as possible without  
overshooting the setpoint. The output typically controls the position of an  
actuator over a range of 0% to 100%. In the example above, an actuator  
would open a hot-water valve some amount to increase the room tempera-  
ture by 10°F (5.6°C).  
The plant is the physical system, such as a room or a duct, that contains  
the controlled element (the measured variable). The conversion function  
converts the measured variable to the same units as the setpoint. For  
example, a thermistor measures space temperature in terms of resis-  
tance, which is then converted to a temperature by the analog input of the  
controller.  
2
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PID calculations  
PID calculations  
A PID loop performs three calculations: the proportional calculation, the  
integral calculation, and the derivative calculation. These calculations  
are independent of each other but are combined to determine the  
response of the controller to the error.  
Proportional calculation  
The proportional calculation responds to how far the measured variable is  
from the setpoint. The larger the error, the larger the output of the calcu-  
lation. The proportional calculation has a much stronger effect on the  
result of the PID calculation than either the integral or derivative calcu-  
lations. It determines the responsiveness (or aggressiveness) of a control  
system. Though some systems use only proportional control, most Trane  
controllers use a combination of proportional and integral control.  
Proportional-only control (a method of control that does not use the inte-  
gral and derivative contributions) is traditionally used in pneumatic con-  
trollers. It may be used in staging applications because it can be simpler  
to manage than full PID control. The programmable control module  
(PCM) and the universal programmable control module (UPCM) assume  
proportional-only control when the integral and derivative gains are set  
to zero. Tracer MP580/581 controllers have a unique setting for propor-  
tional-only control. Figure 3 illustrates proportional-only control.  
Figure 3: Proportional-only control  
Setpoint  
Error(n)  
+
Proportional gain  
Σ
System  
output  
+
Proportional bias  
Σ
Measured  
variable  
+
Conversion function  
One difference between proportional-only control and classic PID control  
is the use of proportional bias. The proportional bias becomes the output  
when the error is zero. Thus, you can use the proportional bias to cali-  
brate a controller to some known output. Figure 4 on page 4 shows the  
effect of proportional bias on PID output. Notice that when the error is  
zero, the output is equal to the proportional bias.  
Note:  
The integral calculation automates the process of setting pro-  
portional bias. In proportional-only control, the proportional  
bias lets you decide what the output should be when the error is  
zero; in PID control, the integral calculation maintains the cur-  
rent output when the error is zero (see Integral calculationon  
page 4).  
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Chapter 1 Overview of PID control  
Figure 4: The effects of proportional bias on system output  
Proportional bias = 75  
Proportional bias = 50  
Proportional bias = 25  
Error  
Integral calculation  
The integral calculation responds to the length of time the measured vari-  
able is not at setpoint. The longer the measured variable is not at set-  
point, the larger the output of the integral calculation.  
The integral calculation uses the sum of past errors to maintain an out-  
put when the error is zero. Line 1 in Figure 5 on page 5 shows that with  
proportional-only control, when the error becomes zero, the PID output  
also goes to zero (assuming a proportional bias of zero). Line 2 shows the  
integral output added to the proportional output. Because the integral  
calculation is the sum of past errors, the output remains steady rather  
than dropping to zero when the error is zero. The benefit of this is that  
the integral calculation keeps the output at an appropriate level to main-  
tain an error of zero.  
4
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PID calculations  
Figure 5: Integral output added to proportional output  
Error ≠ 0  
Error = 0  
Proportional + integral  
output when proportional  
output has gone to zero  
Proportional + integral  
output  
2
1
Proportional-only  
output  
Time  
The value of the integral calculation can build up over time (because it is  
the sum of all past errors), and this built-up value must be overcome  
before the system can change direction. This prevents the controller from  
over-reacting to minor changes, but can potentially slow down the  
response.  
One drawback to integral control is the problem of integral windup. Inte-  
gral windup occurs when the sum of the past errors is too great to over-  
come. This can happen when the HVAC equipment does not have enough  
power to reach the setpoint; the integral windup only increases as the  
equipment struggles to reach the setpoint. To minimize the problem of  
integral windup, Trane controllers use a method of PID control known as  
the velocity model, which is described in Velocity modelon page 7.  
Derivative calculation  
The derivative calculation responds to the change in error. In other  
words, it responds to how quickly the measured variable is approaching  
setpoint. The derivative calculation can be used to smooth an actuator  
motion or cause an actuator to react faster.  
However, derivative control has several disadvantages:  
It can react to noise in the input signal.  
Setting derivative control requires balancing between two extremes;  
too much derivative gain and the system becomes unstable, too little  
and the derivative gain has almost no effect.  
The lag in derivative control makes tuning difficult.  
Large error deadbands, common in HVAC applications, render deriv-  
ative control ineffective.  
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Chapter 1 Overview of PID control  
Because of these disadvantages, derivative control is rarely used in HVAC  
applications (with the exception of steam valve controllers and static  
pressure control).  
Derivative control can affect the output in two ways: it slows the output if  
the derivative gain is negative and increases the output if the derivative  
gain is positive.  
Slowing (or smoothing) the actuator motion, sometimes known as  
dynamic braking, can help if there are many quick changes in the input  
signal. For example, a robot arm moves quickly in mid-motion, but the  
derivative calculation slows it down at the end of the motion.  
The opposite effect occurs when the derivative gain is positive. The out-  
put reacts faster to a change in error, resulting in a steeper climb or  
descent to setpoint. The circled areas in Figure 6 illustrate this effect.  
Line 1 shows the error without a derivative gain. Line 2 shows the error  
with a positive derivative gain. The circled sections show what happens  
during a rapid change in error. Note the spike in line 2 as the system  
recovers from the effect of derivative control during a sharp change in  
error. The spike indicates a forceful actuator motion, which is useful for  
applications such as controlling steam valves.  
Figure 6: The effect of positive derivative gain  
Proportional gain 0  
2
Derivative gain > 0  
Proportional gain 0  
1
Derivative gain = 0  
Time  
6
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Velocity model  
Velocity model  
Trane controllers use a type of PID control known as the velocity model.  
The velocity model minimizes the problem of integral windup, which  
occurs when the sum of past errors in the integral calculation is too great  
to allow the controller to change the output at one of the extremes (see  
The velocity model, illustrated in Figure 7, gets its name from the fact  
that the proportional gain affects the change in error (or error velocity)  
instead of the error, as in a classic PID model. In the velocity model, the  
error is multiplied by the integral gain, and the change in error is multi-  
plied by the proportional gain. When the error gets close to zero, the  
change in error gets close to zero as well. So both the integral and propor-  
tional gains are multiplied by a number close to zero. This forces the out-  
put of the PID calculation to stop changing when the error becomes zero,  
minimizing (but not eliminating) integral windup.  
Figure 7: Velocity model  
Setpoint  
+
Error(n)  
Integral gain  
Proportional gain  
Derivative gain  
Σ
+
+
Measured  
variable  
error(n)  
output(n)  
Σ
Σ
+
+
+
2error(n)  
Error(n-1)  
Σ
+
PID output  
error(n-1)  
Σ
+
PID output(n-1)  
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Chapter 1 Overview of PID control  
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Chapter 2  
PID settings  
This chapter describes some of the key variables used to set up and tune  
PID loops. The variables discussed here are:  
Throttling range  
Gain  
Sampling frequency  
Action  
Error deadband  
Throttling range  
The throttling range is the amount of error it takes to move the output of  
a system from its minimum to its maximum setting. For example, a throt-  
tling range of 4°F (2.2°C) means that a controller fully opens or closes an  
actuator when the error is 2°F (1.1°C) or greater, as illustrated in  
Figure 8. Note how the controller response (actuator position) lags behind  
the space temperature.  
Figure 8: Throttling range  
Actuator position  
Space temperature  
Setpoint = 75°F  
Throttling range = 4°F  
Time  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
The throttling range determines the responsiveness of a control system to  
disturbances. The smaller the throttling range, the more responsive the  
control. You cannot directly program the throttling range in Tracer con-  
trollers; rather, the throttling range is used to calculate the gains.  
Figure 9 shows that as the throttling range increases, the potential error  
becomes larger. When the output is at 0% or 100%, the error is equal to  
one-half of the throttling range. For example, with a 10° throttling range,  
the potential error is 5° from the setpoint (though the error could  
exceed 5°).  
Figure 9: Throttling range and error with proportional bias = 50  
Throttling range = 10  
Throttling range = 4  
Throttling range = 20  
Error  
Gains  
Gains, which are calculated from the throttling range, determine how fast  
a measured variable moves toward the setpoint. The larger the gains, the  
more aggressive the response. The proportional, integral, and derivative  
calculations each have an associated gain value. The error, the sum of  
past errors, and the change in error are multiplied by their associated  
gains to determine the impact that each has on the output.  
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Calculating the gains  
Calculating the gains  
Table 1 shows recommended initial values for the proportional and inte-  
gral gains for several applications. Most applications do not require a  
derivative contribution, so the derivative gain is not shown. We recom-  
mend using a ratio of 4:1 between the proportional and integral gains, so  
the proportional gain should be four times as large as the integral gain.  
You may need to modify the values shown in Table 1 when tuning a PID  
loop, but try to maintain the 4:1 ratio.  
Table 1: Starting gain values for applications  
Proportional  
gain  
Integral  
gain  
Application  
Output  
Valve position 0100%  
Valve position 0100%  
Throttling range  
20.0°F (11.1°C)  
40.0°F (22.2°C)  
2.0°F (1.1°C)  
Discharge-air cooling  
Discharge-air heating  
Space temperature  
4.0 (8.0)  
2.0 (4.0)  
20.0 (20.0)  
1.0 (2.0)  
0.5 (1.0)  
5.0 (5.0)  
Discharge setpoint  
50100°F (1037.8°C)  
Duct static pressure  
Inlet guide vane or variable-frequency  
drive (VFD) position 0100%  
2.0 in. wc (0.5 kPa)  
20.0 in. wc (5.0 kPa)  
20.0°F (11.1°C)  
40.0 (160)  
4.0 (8.0)  
0.4 (4.0)  
10.0 (40.0)  
1.0 (2.0)  
Building static  
pressure  
Inlet guide vane or variable-frequency  
drive (VFD) position 0100%  
Discharge-air cooling  
Electric/pneumatic  
0.1 (1.0)  
5.015.0 psi (34103 kPa)  
You can also calculate proportional and integral gains using the following  
calculations:  
0.80 × output range  
Proportional gain= -------------------------------------------------------  
throttling range  
0.20 × output range  
Integral gain = -------------------------------------------------------  
throttling range  
The proportional gain is scaled by a factor of 0.80, so it contributes 80% of  
the final output. The integral gain contributes 20% of the final output.  
Example  
In a duct static pressure system, an actuator can move the inlet guide  
vanes of an air handler from 0100%, so the output range is 100. We want  
a throttling range of 2.0 in. wc (so a change in pressure of 2.0 in. wc or  
more will drive the output from 0100% or vice versa). The calculations  
look like this:  
0.80 × output range  
0.80 × 100  
-----------------------------------------------------  
---------------------------  
= 40  
Proportional gain =  
=
throttling range  
2.0 in. wc  
0.20 × output range 0.20 × 100  
----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
= 10  
Integral gain =  
=
throttling range  
2.0 in. wc  
So based on the desired throttling range of 2.0 in. wc, the initial propor-  
tional gain is 40 and the integral gain is 10.  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
Sampling frequency  
The sampling frequency is the rate at which the input signal is sampled  
and the PID calculations are performed. Using the right sampling fre-  
quency is vital to achieving a responsive and stable system. Problems can  
arise when the sampling frequency is too slow or too fast in comparison to  
time lags in the system.  
Sampling too slowly can cause an effect called aliasing in which not  
enough data is sampled to form an accurate picture of changes in the  
measured variable. The system may miss important information and  
reach the setpoint slowly or not at all.  
Figure 10 and Figure 11 show how aliasing can affect system response.  
In Figure 10 the sampling frequency is too slow. Because of this, many of  
the changes in duct static pressure are missed. In Figure 11 the sampling  
frequency is fast enough that the changes in static pressure are tracked  
accurately.  
Figure 10: Sampling too slowly  
Changes missed  
by system  
Sampling point  
Time  
Figure 11: Sampling at the correct rate  
Time  
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Sampling frequency  
Problems also arise from sampling too quickly. Some systems have natu-  
rally slow response times, such as when measuring room temperature.  
Slow response times can also be caused by equipment lags. Since PID  
loops respond to error and changes in error over time, if the measured  
variable changes slowly, then the error will remain constant for an  
extended period of time. If the measured variable is sampled repeatedly  
during this time, the proportional output remains about the same, but the  
integral output becomes larger (since it is the sum of past errors). When  
the control system does respond, the response is out of proportion to the  
reality of the situation, which can destabilize the system. The control sys-  
tem should always wait to process the result of a change before making  
another change.  
Figure 12 shows the measured variable when sampling frequencies are  
too fast, acceptable, and barely acceptable. When the sampling frequency  
is too fast (2 seconds), the measured variable begins to oscillate and  
finally destabilizes because the PID loop output drives the actuator to  
extremes. When the sampling frequency is slowed to either 10 or 20 sec-  
onds, the system remains stable once setpoint is reached.  
Figure 12: System stability with different sampling frequencies  
Sampling freq. = 10 s  
Sampling freq. = 20 s  
Sampling freq. = 2 s  
(system destabilizes when  
sampling freq. is too fast)  
Time  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
Calculating the sampling frequency  
PID loops are carried out by programs, such as process control language  
(PCL) programs and Tracer graphical programming (TGP) programs.  
Since the PID calculation occurs when the program executes, the sam-  
pling frequency and the program execution frequency are generally the  
same.  
Note:  
Tracer controllers have different approaches to using the sam-  
pling frequency. For Tracer MP580/581 controllers, the sam-  
pling frequency can be a multiple of the program frequency. The  
Tracer AH540 controller has a pre-determined sampling fre-  
quency. The Tracer MP501 controller has a setting for the sam-  
pling frequency.  
Table 2 shows recommended program execution frequencies for common  
applications. These are good initial values, but it may take some trial and  
error to find the best frequency.  
Table 2: Recommended initial sampling frequencies  
Application  
Duct static pressure  
Suggested execution frequency  
5 seconds  
Building static pressure  
120 seconds  
Discharge-air temperature  
10 seconds  
Space temperature (typical comfort zone)  
60 seconds  
Space temperature (high air change zone) 30 seconds  
Duct humidity  
10 seconds  
Space humidity  
3060 seconds  
You can also manually calculate the sampling frequency.  
To calculate the sampling frequency:  
1. Manually control the analog output to 0%.  
For example, control a heating valve closed.  
2. Record the measured variable when it stabilizes.  
The temperature stabilizes at 70°F (21°C).  
3. Manually control the analog output to 50% or 100%.  
Control the output to 100% (completely opening the heating valve).  
4. Record the measured variable when it stabilizes.  
The temperature stabilizes at 120°F (49°C)  
5. Subtract the measured variable determined in step 2 from the mea-  
sured variable determined in step 4. This is the change in the mea-  
sured variable.  
120 70 = 50°F (49 21 = 28°C).  
14  
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Calculating the sampling frequency  
6. Calculate two-thirds (66%) of the change in measured variable deter-  
mined in step 4. Add this value to the initial temperature to deter-  
mine at what point two-thirds of the total change occurs.  
In the example, 0.66 × 50°F = 33°F, so two thirds of the total change  
occurs at 70°F + 33°F = 103°F (0.66 × 28°C = 18°C; 21 + 18 = 39°C).  
7. Again, set the analog output to 0% and allow the measured variable  
to stabilize.  
The measured variable stabilizes at 70°F (21°C).  
8. Control the output to the value used in step 3 and record the time it  
takes to reach the two-thirds point determined in step 6. This is the  
system time constant.  
The time it takes to reach 103°F (39°C) is 2.5 minutes (150 seconds).  
9. Divide the system time constant by 10 to determine the initial sam-  
pling frequency.  
150 seconds ÷ 10 = 15 seconds.  
Note:  
The system time constant is the time it takes to reach 63.21% of  
the difference between the start point and the end point. How-  
ever, two-thirds (66%) is accurate enough for most purposes.  
Figure 13 illustrates the procedure described above.  
Figure 13: Determining the system time constant  
Final value (valve open)  
2/3 of total change  
System time  
constant  
Initial value (valve closed)  
Time (minutes)  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
Example  
In this scenario, we want to find the sampling frequency for a PID loop  
controlling a heating application.  
1. Fully close the output.  
2. The stabilized temperature is 60°F (16°C).  
3. Fully open the output.  
4. The stabilized temperature is 105°F (41°C).  
5. The change in temperature is 105°F 60°F = 45°F (41 16 = 25°C).  
6. Two-thirds of the change in measured variable is 0.66 × 45°F = 30°F,  
so two-thirds of the total change has occurred when the temperature  
is 60°F + 30°F = 90°F (0.66 × 25°C = 17°C; 16 + 17 = 33°C).  
7. Close the output. The temperature stabilizes.  
8. Fully open the output. The time to reach 90°F (33°C) is 54 seconds (so  
the system time constant is 54 seconds).  
9. Divide the system time constant by ten, resulting in 54 ÷ 10 = 5.4.  
The best initial sampling frequency is 5 seconds.  
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Action  
Action  
The action of a PID loop determines how it reacts to a change in the mea-  
sured variable (such as a room temperature). A controller using direct  
action increases the output when the measured variable increases. A con-  
troller using reverse action decreases the output when the measured vari-  
able increases.  
Direct action  
Figure 14 shows the temperature when a system is cooling a space. When  
the error is large and the PID output is at 100%, the actuator and valve  
combination are fully open. As the measured variable (room temperature)  
decreases, the error becomes smaller, and the controller closes the valve  
to reduce or stop cooling. Because the PID output and measured variable  
move in the same direction (both decreasing), the loop is direct acting.  
Figure 14: Cooling a space  
Measured variable  
(temperature)  
As temperature ↓  
actuator position ↓  
so action is direct  
Error  
Setpoint  
Time  
Reverse action  
Figure 15 shows the temperature when a system is heating a space.  
When the error is large and the PID output is at 100%, the actuator and  
valve combination are fully open. When the measured variable (room  
temperature) increases, reducing the error, the controller closes the valve  
to reduce heating. Because the PID output and measured variable move  
in opposite directions, the loop is reverse acting.  
Figure 15: Heating a space  
Time  
Setpoint  
Error  
As temperature ↑  
Measured variable  
(temperature)  
actuator position ↓  
so action is reverse  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
Determining the action  
Table 3 shows the action settings for several applications. These settings  
are a good starting place for most applications.  
Table 3: Action settings  
Actuator setting at 100%  
Application  
Output  
PID output  
Completely open*  
Completely open*  
Completely open  
Direct or reverse acting  
Direct  
Discharge-air cooling  
Discharge-air heating  
Duct static pressure  
Valve position 0100%  
Valve position 0100%  
Reverse  
Inlet guide vane position  
Reverse  
0100%  
Duct static pressure  
variable-frequency drive  
Completely open  
Reverse  
0100%  
Building static pressure Supply fan control  
Building static pressure Exhaust fan control  
Maximum fan speed  
Maximum fan speed  
15.0 psi (103 kPa)  
Reverse  
Direct  
Discharge-air cooling  
Electric/pneumatic  
Direct  
5.015.0 psi (34103 kPa)  
Space temperature  
Discharge setpoint  
N/A (calculates a setpoint)  
Reverse  
50100°F (1037.8°C)  
* These settings may vary by region  
To find the action for other applications, determine whether the actuator  
and measured variable move in the same direction. If so, then the action  
is direct. If not, then the PID loop is reverse acting.  
Example 1  
An exhaust fan controls the static pressure in a building. The exhaust fan  
operates at its highest speed when the building pressure is too high.  
When the pressure goes above the setpoint, the exhaust fan should speed  
up to blow air from the building. So when the measured variable (the  
building pressure) increases, the actuator increases the fan speed.  
Because the measured variable and the actuator move in the same direc-  
tion, the PID loop is direct acting.  
Example 2  
A supply fan controls the static pressure in ducts supplying variable-air-  
volume (VAV) boxes. The supply fan operates at its highest speed when  
the pressure is too low. When the pressure goes above the setpoint, the  
supply fan should slow down to blow less air to the VAV boxes. So when  
the measured variable (the pressure) increases, the variable-frequency  
drive (VFD) decreases the fan speed. Because the measured variable and  
the control signal to the VFD move in opposite directions, the PID loop is  
reverse acting.  
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Error deadband  
Error deadband  
Error deadband is typically used to minimize actuator activity. It can also  
be used to allow for some slack in system sensors and actuator mechanics.  
Error deadband prevents the PID output from changing when the abso-  
lute value of the error is less than the error deadband. For example, in  
Figure 16 the error deadband is set at 2.0°F (1.1°C). As long as the abso-  
lute value of the error is less than the 2.0°F (1.1°C), the PID output can-  
not change. When the absolute value of the error exceeds 2.0°F (1.1°C),  
the PID output can change.  
Figure 16: Error deadband  
Measured  
variable  
control  
Error deadband  
Setpoint  
control  
Figure 16 illustrates the way that error deadband limits how often an  
actuator is controlled. When a PID loop controls a chilled-water valve,  
limiting control is not so important. But when a PID loop controls how  
many stages of cooling are being used, it is important to limit equipment  
cycling.  
Typical applications  
Table 4 shows reasonable error deadbands for several applications. The  
error deadband can also be calculated as described in the following  
sections.  
Table 4: Error deadband settings  
Application  
Suggested error deadband  
Notes  
Modulatingoutput 0.5°F (0.3°C) for temperature Dependent on resolu-  
(analog or float-  
ing point binary)  
0.01 in. wc (2.5 Pa) for duct  
static pressure  
tion of the measured-  
variable sensor  
1.0 in. wc (250 Pa) for build-  
ing static pressure  
Direct expansion  
(DX) cooling  
4.0°F (2.2°C) for temperature Staging application  
Cooling towers—  
2.5°F (1.4°C) for temperature Staging application  
fan staging  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
Adjusting error deadband for modulating outputs  
In most applications, start with an error deadband of five or ten times the  
sensor resolution. For example, thermistors have a resolution of approxi-  
mately 0.1°F (0.06°C), so 0.5°F (0.3°C) is an appropriate error deadband.  
This error deadband ensures that the sensor reading has changed an ade-  
quate amount before the controller responds.  
IMPORTANT  
The error deadband should not be smaller than the sensor resolution or  
the controller will react to noise.  
Adjusting error deadband for staged outputs  
This section shows how to adjust the error deadband for staging applica-  
tions. Refer to Staging cooling-tower fanson page 37 for information on  
setting other PID properties for staging applications.  
Finding the best error deadband for staged output applications is more  
difficult than for modulating outputs. Instead of using a continuous actu-  
ator, such as a chilled-water valve, staged systems use binary outputs to  
start and stop pieces of equipment, such as fans in a cooling tower. Each  
piece of equipment contributes a set amount to the final output. When  
determining the error deadband for staged outputs, the main goal is to  
reduce equipment cycling.  
Table 4 on page 19 provides useful initial values, but the error deadband  
should be adjusted at the site with the equipment running.  
Follow these guidelines when adjusting the error deadband:  
If possible, do not let equipment minimum-on and -off times control  
how long a particular stage is used. Using minimum-on and -off times  
to perform system control generally results in unpredictable behavior.  
The error deadband should be set so that a stage is always on longer  
than its minimum-on time.  
Ask how tight control should be. A smaller error deadband results in  
tighter control, but control should not be so tight that minimum-on  
and -off times affect the stages.  
For example, for a variable-air-volume (VAV) air-handler turning on  
cooling stages, control can be somewhat loose. The individual VAV  
boxes control their valve to the space depending on the supply air  
temperature. If the supply air temperature is relatively warm, the  
VAV box allows more air flow. If the supply air temperature is some-  
what cool, the VAV box constricts the air flow.  
The contribution of each stage can change depending on external cir-  
cumstances, so make adjustments under worst case conditions.  
Adjust the error deadband for cooling tower fan stages on very warm  
days, and adjust the error deadband for boiler stages on very cold  
days.  
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Other PID settings  
With the preceding guidelines in mind, use the following procedure to  
determine error deadband.  
To adjust the error deadband for staged outputs:  
1. Run the system manually.  
If possible, do so under worst case conditions for the site. Although it  
is not always possible for a technician to do this, it is possible for a  
well-trained customer.  
2. Find the smallest change in temperature, T, that the first stage can  
contribute (the quantity could also be building static pressure for fans  
or flow for pumps).  
Pay attention to possible changes in external circumstances, such as  
the amount of water flow. If the system uses a lead-lag approach to  
the equipment, it will be necessary to find the minimum T for all  
stages.  
3. Multiply T by 0.45 (the error deadband should be slightly less than  
half of T).  
Keep in mind the resolution of the sensor. You may need to round the  
error deadband to a more reasonable value.  
4. Run the system with the new error deadband.  
Each stage should be on longer than its minimum-on time and cycling  
should be reduced as much as possible.  
Other PID settings  
Other PID settings not discussed in this chapter include:  
Proportional bias, which takes the place of derivative gain in propor-  
tional-only control (see Proportional calculationon page 3)  
Minimum and maximum output, which limit the range of output of  
the PID loop  
Enabled and disabled modes, which enable the PID output or disable  
it to a default value  
Fail-safe mode, which sets the PID output to a default value if the  
controller receives a fail flag from the hardware input that provides  
the measured variable  
Chapter 3, Programming PID loops,shows how to program these set-  
tings for Trane controllers.  
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Chapter 2 PID settings  
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Chapter 3  
Programming PID loops  
This chapter presents programs written in process control language  
(PCL) and the Tracer graphical programming (TGP) editor. This chapter  
does not discuss how to use the PCL or TGP editors. For information on  
using these editors, refer to Universal Programmable Control Module  
(UPCM) Programming Guide (EMTX-PG-5), Programmable Control Mod-  
ule (PCM) Edit Software Programming Guide (EMTX-PG-6), and Tracer  
Graphical Programming applications guide (CNT-APG001-EN).  
Programming in PCL  
PID control is called direct digital control (DDC) in process control lan-  
guage (PCL). Table 5 shows how the DDC function is invoked in PCL. In  
this example, DDC loop 4 compares the discharge-air temperature to the  
heating discharge-air setpoint. Line 1 stores the result of the PID func-  
tion in the analog variable HEATCALC. Line 2 controls the valve to the cal-  
culated value. You can program specific PID settings in the DDC Loop  
Parameters screen, shown in Table 6 on page 24.  
Table 5: PID (DDC) loop in PCL  
Line  
Result  
1st Arg  
----------- -------- -----------  
DISCHTMP DDC:4 HEATSP  
Operator  
2nd Arg  
Description of Statement  
---- --------  
---------------------------------  
1
HEATCALC  
=
DDC loop 4 compares heat setpoint  
to discharge-air temp  
Result:  
Measured variable: Loop name Setpoint:  
analog variable analog input  
analog variable  
analog input  
analog variable  
analog setpoint  
analog parameter  
2
HEATVLV  
=
CONTROL  
HEATCALC  
Output controlled to HEATCALC  
value  
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Chapter 3 Programming PID loops  
Table 6: PID settings in PCL  
DDC LOOP # 4  
HEAT VALVE  
------------  
PROPORTIONAL GAIN  
INTEGRAL GAIN  
4.00  
1.00  
0.00  
REVERS  
0.0  
DERIVATIVE GAIN  
ACTION  
PROPORTIONAL BIAS  
MINIMUM OUTPUT VALUE  
MAXIMUM OUTPUT VALUE  
ERROR DIFFERENTIAL  
0.0  
100.0  
0.5  
Follow these steps to program PID loops in PCL:  
1. Make sure that the setpoint is within reasonable limits.  
Use the MIN and MAX operators to set a ceiling and floor for the set-  
point, as shown in lines 1 and 2 of Table 7 on page 25.  
2. Run the PID calculation and store the result in an analog variable.  
Do not place the DDC operation in an IF clause (*IFT or *IFF)  
because the output can be unpredictable.  
3. Define failure and other operation-dependent conditions.  
These checks are called the fail-safe and enable/disable functions.  
Typically, check for fan status and measured variable input failures.  
4. If the failure or enable/disable conditions from step 3 are met, set the  
analog variable to some default value.  
5. Control the analog output with the result of the calculation.  
You can follow this procedure for most PID applications. All PID applica-  
tions require failure-mode conditions.  
Table 7 on page 25 shows a PCL program with enable/disable and fail-  
safe logic. Line 4 checks whether the fan is on. Line 5 checks whether the  
analog input has failed. Line 6 prevents the PID loop from being used if  
the fan is off or the analog input has failed. If either condition is met, the  
analog output is set to 10.0 (closed) in line 7. If the fan is on and the ana-  
log input has not failed, the PID loop controls the output in line 9.  
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Programming in PCL  
Table 7: PCL program for PID loops  
Line  
Result  
1st Arg  
Operator  
2nd Arg  
Description of Statement  
---- --------  
--------- -------- ---------  
---------------------------------  
Check that setpoint is reasonable  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
CALC_SP  
CALC_SP  
PID_CALC  
*L1  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
ROOM_SP  
CALC_SP  
AIP1  
MIN  
*80.0  
MAX  
*65.0  
DDC:1  
NOT  
CALC_SP  
FAN_ON  
Run PID calculation  
Is the fan off? (Enable/disable)  
Has the input failed? (Fail-safe)  
If fan is off or input has failed  
then set output to -10.0 (closed)  
*L2  
AIP1  
*L1  
FAIL  
OR  
*IFT  
*L2  
PID_CALC  
*END  
*-10.0  
AOP1  
CONTROL  
PID_CALC  
Control actuator to calculated value  
Table 8 shows a PCL program with separated enable/disable and fail-safe  
logic. The logic is separated because in this case the enable/disable and  
fail-safe conditions have different results. In line 4, if the fan is off, then  
the actuator is closed. In line 6, if the input sensor fails, then the actuator  
is opened.  
Table 8: Separate enable/disable and fail-safe logic  
Line Result 1st Arg Operator  
---- -------- --------- --------  
2nd Arg  
--------  
*80.0  
Description of Statement  
-------------------------------------  
Check that setpoint is reasonable  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
CALC_SP  
CALC_SP  
PID_CALC  
*IFT  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
ROOM_SP  
CALC_SP  
AIP1  
MIN  
MAX  
*65.0  
DDC:1  
NOT  
CALC_SP  
FAN_ON  
Run PID calculation  
If the fan off (Enable/disable)  
then set output to -10.0 (closed)  
If the input has failed (Fail-safe)  
then set output to 100.0 (fully open)  
PID_CALC  
*IFT  
*-10.0  
AIP1  
FAIL  
PID_CALC  
*END  
*100.0  
AOP1  
CONTROL  
PID_CALC  
Control actuator to calculated value  
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Chapter 3 Programming PID loops  
Programming in TGP  
Figure 17 shows the PID block used to program PID loops in TGP editor.  
The PID block is more flexible than the DDC function in PCL. The enable/  
disable and failure inputs can accept any binary value, regardless of  
source. The setpoint, measured variable, p-gain, i-gain, and d-gain inputs  
can accept any analog value, except analog outputs, including variable  
(local or from a BAS), hardware input, and network input. You can pro-  
gram PID settings in the PID Properties dialog box, shown in Figure 18.  
Figure 17: TGP PID block  
Binary value  
Output: analog value  
Analog value  
Figure 18: PID Properties dialog box  
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Programming in TGP  
Follow these steps to program PID loops in TGP:  
1. Use the Limit block to make sure that the setpoint is within reason-  
able limits.  
2. Run the PID calculation.  
3. Define failure and other operation-dependent conditions.  
Check for fan-status and measured-variable input failures. Program  
sensible actuator positions or behavior for these conditions. To do  
this, use the Default and Fail Safe fields in the PID Properties dialog  
box (see Figure 18 on page 26), or use a Switch block for more complex  
operations.  
4. Control the analog output with the result of the calculation.  
Figure 19 shows the TGP program for a simple PID loop controlling a  
chilled-water valve. Compare the TGP program to the PCL program  
shown in Table 7 on page 25. The Limit block accomplishes the same task  
as the MIN and MAX operators in PCL.  
Figure 19: TGP program  
Step 2. Run the PID calculation  
Step 3. Define failure and  
enable/disable conditions  
Step 4. Control the output  
Step 1. Limit setpoint to  
a reasonable value  
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Chapter 3 Programming PID loops  
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Chapter 4  
Applications  
This chapter describes several HVAC applications that use PID control. It  
includes specific settings and recommendations for each application.  
Discharge-air temperature control  
When controlling hot/chilled-water valves in discharge-air applications, a  
PID loop controls the position of a valve to increase or decrease the flow of  
hot or chilled water. This section focuses on control of hot-water valves,  
but control of chilled-water valves is almost identical. Seasonal  
changeover control may be required in these applications, but is not dis-  
cussed here.  
In this application, one hot-water valve and one chilled-water valve con-  
trol the discharge-air temperature serving a large space. The hot-water  
valve and chilled-water valve each require a PID loop. Since the two  
valves should not be open simultaneously, the hot and chilled-water valve  
programs share valve position data.  
Table 9 shows a PCL program for controlling a hot-water valve. Note that  
the variable CWVALVE provides the position of the chilled-water valve.  
Table 9: PCL program to control a hot-water valve  
Line Result 1st Arg Operator 2nd Arg  
---- -------- --------- -------- --------  
Description of Statement  
--------------------------------------  
1
HEATCALC  
=
DISCHTMP  
DDC:4  
HEATSP  
HEATCALC is an analog variable that  
holds result of PID calculation  
2
3
4
5
6
*L0  
*L1  
*L2  
=
=
=
=
=
DISCHTMP  
CWVALVE  
*L0  
FAIL  
GT  
Has discharge-air sensor failed?  
Is chilled-water valve open?  
*0.0  
*L1  
OR  
FANOFF  
*L2  
*IFT  
If sensor has failed, chilled-water  
valve is open, or fan is off  
7
8
HEATCALC  
*IFT  
=
=
*-10.0  
FANOFF  
then close hot-water valve  
AND  
HEATOPEN If fan is off and hot-water-valve-open  
request (override) is true  
9
HEATCALC  
*END  
=
=
=
*100.0  
then fully open hot-water valve  
10  
11  
HWVALVE  
CONTROL  
HEATCALC Control hot-water valve to calculated  
position  
12  
*END  
=
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Figure 20 shows a TGP program to control a hot-water valve. Output Sta-  
tus 1 (an analog output) provides the position of the chilled-water valve. If  
the chilled-water valve position is greater than zero, the hot-water valve  
will not open.  
Figure 20: TGP program to control a hot-water valve  
Checks whether fan is off and  
heat request is on  
Checks whether fan is off or  
chilled-water valve is open  
If heat request is on and fan is  
off, then output = 100, else  
PID output controls actuator  
Table 10 shows the initial values the technician used for the hot-water  
valve PID loop. Chapter 2, PID settings,explains how to select initial  
values for various PID applications.  
Table 10: Hot-water valve control settings  
PID setting  
Proportional gain  
Integral gain  
Initial value  
Final value  
2.0  
0.5  
0.0  
4.0  
1.0  
Derivative gain  
Proportional bias  
Error deadband  
Action  
0.0  
0.0 (not used in PID mode)  
0.0  
0.5  
0.5  
Reverse  
Reverse  
30 seconds  
Sampling frequency 10 seconds  
30  
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Discharge-air temperature control  
After the initial installation and testing, the technician noticed that the  
discharge-air temperature was oscillating in a 10°F (5.6°C) band around  
setpoint. Slowing the sampling frequency to 30 seconds stopped the oscil-  
lations (see Chapter 5, Troubleshooting). The technician also increased  
the proportional and integral gains to make the discharge-air tempera-  
ture reach setpoint faster.  
Figure 21 shows the discharge-air temperature and valve position over a  
two-hour period. During the unoccupied period, the hot-water valve is  
completely open. Eventually the discharge-air temperature rises to  
almost 100°F (37.8°C). At the twelve-minute point, the HVAC system  
changes from the unoccupied to the occupied state, and the hot-water  
valve is adjusted to meet the discharge-air setpoint. The valve closes com-  
pletely for nearly 20 minutes until the discharge-air temperature drops  
below setpoint. Achieving a stable discharge-air temperature takes  
approximately 30 minutes. Note that once setpoint is reached, the valve  
position remains stable between 10% and 15%. A stable valve position  
over time indicates that the loop has been tuned for optimal performance.  
Figure 21: Hot-water valve position and discharge-air temperature  
Discharge-air  
temperature (°F)  
Discharge-air temperature  
setpoint (°F)  
Heat valve position during  
change from unoccupied  
to occupied state  
Valve position (%)  
Time (minutes)  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Building pressure control  
Space pressure is typically controlled by opening and closing relief damp-  
ers. A PID loop controls these dampers based on a space pressure setpoint  
and the measured space pressure. The space pressure in the building  
should remain slightly positive to keep dust particles out, but not so posi-  
tive that outside doors are difficult to open.  
Table 11 shows a PCL program to control a relief damper. Figure 22  
shows the same program in TGP. In PCL, the space pressure and other  
values are scaled by a factor of 100 because the software resolution is 0.1  
and the sensor resolution is 0.01. Values are not scaled in TGP.  
Table 11: PCL program for relief damper control  
Line Result 1st Arg Operator  
---- -------- --------- -------- --------  
2nd Arg  
Description of Statement  
--------------------------------------  
Scale the measured space pressure  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
PRSPX100  
RELCALC  
*L0  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
SPACEPR  
PRSPX100  
SPACEPR  
*L0  
*
*100.0  
DDC:2  
FAIL  
OR  
SPACPRSP Call the PID (or DDC) function  
Has pressure sensor failed?  
*IFT  
FANOFF  
If sensor has failed or fan is off  
then set output to -10 to close valve  
RELCALC  
*END  
*-10.0  
RELDAMPR  
*END  
CONTROL  
RELCALC  
Control damper to calculated position  
Figure 22: TGP program for relief damper control  
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Building pressure control  
Table 12 lists the settings for the PID loop controlling building pressure.  
The sampling frequency is slow because building pressure changes slowly.  
For programs written in PCL, the error deadband is 1.0, which is equal to  
100 times the minimum resolution of the pressure sensor.  
Table 12: Settings for building pressure control  
PID setting  
Proportional gain  
Integral gain  
Initial value  
4.0  
1.0  
0.0  
Derivative gain  
Error deadband  
Action  
PCL: 1.0, TGP: 0.01  
Direct  
Sampling frequency  
2 minutes  
Figure 23 shows system response over a 14-hour period. During the unoc-  
cupied period (from 150 to 650 minutes) a different type of control, which  
decreases pressure, is being used. After the control mode changes from  
occupied to unoccupied, the PID loop still attempts to increase space pres-  
sure by closing the relief damper.  
When the space is again occupied, the rapid change in the damper posi-  
tion indicates that the system is being aggressively controlled.  
You may find that during occupied operation, the relief damper is con-  
trolled to a fully open position. This is usually the result of pressure in an  
adjacent space influencing pressure in the measured space.  
Figure 23: Space pressure and damper position  
Relief damper  
position (%)  
Unoccupied  
100 × space pressure  
setpoint (in. wc)  
100 × space pressure  
(in. wc)  
Time (minutes)  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Cascade control—first stage  
A PID loop can be used to automatically determine a discharge-air tem-  
perature setpoint. Other programs or control systems can then make use  
of this calculated setpoint. This type of control, called cascade control,  
results in very tight control of space temperature. Calculating the dis-  
charge-air temperature setpoint is the first stage of cascade control.  
Figure 24 illustrates how a PID loop calculates the discharge-air temper-  
ature setpoint. The calculated discharge-air temperature is changed  
based on the difference between the space temperature setpoint and the  
space temperature.  
Figure 24: Calculating the discharge-air temperature setpoint  
Error  
Space  
setpoint  
+
Discharge-air  
temperature setpoint  
PID calculation  
Σ
Space  
temperature  
Cascade control requires two sensors, one for the space temperature and  
one for the discharge-air temperature. The PCL or TGP program must be  
programmed to respond to a failure of either of the sensors. Suggested  
failure conditions are:  
If the space temperature sensor fails, set the discharge-air tempera-  
ture setpoint to the space temperature setpoint. Other limits for the  
discharge-air temperature setpoint may need to be defined. Inform  
the operator of the sensor failure.  
If the discharge-air temperature sensor fails, control the hot or  
chilled-water valve as appropriate to the climate in your region.  
Inform the operator of the sensor failure.  
Table 13 shows a PCL program to calculate the discharge-air tempera-  
ture setpoint, and Figure 25 on page 35 shows the same program in TGP.  
Most of the programming occurs in the DDC Loop Parameters screen. Use  
the values shown in Table 14 on page 35.  
Table 13: PCL program for discharge-air temperature setpoint in cascade control  
Line  
Result  
1st Arg  
Operator  
2nd Arg  
Description of Statement  
--------------------------------------  
Call the PID function  
---- --------  
--------- -------- --------  
1
2
3
4
DATSTPT  
*IFT  
=
=
=
=
SP_TEMP  
SP_TEMP  
SP_STPT  
DDC:1  
FAIL  
SP_STPT  
If the space sensor has failed  
set the disch air setpt to space setpt  
DATSTPT  
*END  
(Note: the discharge-air temp sensor is  
checked in another program.)  
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Cascade control—first stage  
Figure 25: TGP program for discharge-air temperature setpoint in cascade control  
If space temperature sensor has  
failed, switch control to space  
temperature setpoint  
If you use the settings shown in Table 14, you should not have to tune the  
loop. These values can be used in almost any cascade control application  
without change. The proportional and integral gains are high to respond  
aggressively to the error and change in error. The minimum and maxi-  
mum output values keep the output between 50°F (10°C) and  
120°F (49°C).  
Table 14: Settings for discharge-air temperature setpoint  
PID setting  
Proportional gain  
Integral gain  
Initial value  
20.0  
5.0  
Derivative gain  
Error deadband  
Action  
0.0  
0.5  
Reverse  
60 seconds  
50°F  
Sampling frequency  
Minimum output  
Maximum output  
120°F  
Figure 26 on page 36 shows an example of the relationship between the  
calculated discharge-air temperature setpoint and the space temperature.  
The discharge-air temperature setpoint reacts strongly to small changes  
in error because of the high proportional gain.  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Figure 26: Space temperature and calculated discharge-air setpoint  
PID calculated  
discharge-air setpoint  
Space temperature  
Space setpoint  
Time (minutes)  
The discharge-air temperature setpoint calculated by the PID loop may  
not control the discharge-air temperature depending on other conditions  
that have priority, such as high and low setpoint limits. The high limit  
controls the discharge-air temperature for much of the time in Figure 27  
(because the calculated setpoint is too high). Also, Figure 27 shows how  
aggressively the PID loop responds to disturbances in space temperature.  
Figure 27: Effective discharge-air temperature setpoint  
Space temperature  
Space setpoint  
PID calculated  
discharge-air setpoint  
Effective discharge-air  
temperature setpoint  
Time (minutes)  
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Staging cooling-tower fans  
Staging cooling-tower fans  
Staging applications organize individual pieces of equipment into a group  
to accomplish a single task. For example, several fans might be used to  
maintain the supply water temperature in a cooling tower. Staging appli-  
cations control a series of binary outputs on and off at specific times based  
on an analog value. This value can be generated by a linear equation, a  
PID calculation, a reset block, and so on.  
The advantage of using PID control for staging applications is that you  
can use the error deadband to optimize the system so that stages cycle  
Another advantage is that PID control is built into Trane controllers,  
making settings easy to enter and adjust.  
This section describes how to use a proportional-only PID loop to control  
supply water temperature in a cooling tower with several fans instead of  
a variable-frequency drive.  
Setting up the PID loop  
Proportional-only control works well in staging applications because the  
output is linear and predictable, and therefore easy to manage. Integral  
control can also be used but is much more complex to set up and tune.  
To use proportional-only control in process control language (PCL), set  
the integral and derivative gains to zero. In Tracer graphical program-  
ming (TGP) editor, select Proportional Only in the PID Properties dialog  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
The PCL program in Table 15 stages two cooling-tower fans. Figure 28  
shows the same program in TGP. The behavior of the stages programmed  
in this program is illustrated in Figure 30 on page 41.  
Table 15: PCL program for staging cooling-tower fans  
Line Result 1st Arg Operator 2nd Arg  
---- -------- --------- -------- --------  
Description of Statement  
--------------------------------------  
DDC loop compares water temp to setpt  
If both chilled-water pumps are off  
set output to 0 to turn off all fans  
If sensor has failed  
1
2
FAN_CALC  
*IFF  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
CWST  
DDC:1  
OR  
CW_SETP  
CDWP2ST  
CDWP1ST  
*0.0  
3
FAN_CALC  
*IFT  
4
CWST  
FAIL  
5
FAN_CALC  
*IFT  
*100.0  
FAN_CALC  
set output to 100 to turn on all fans  
If PID result > 63  
6
GT  
*63.0  
ON  
7
CT1SS  
*IFT  
CONTROL  
LT  
then turn on stage 1  
8
FAN_CALC  
FAN_CALC  
FAN_CALC  
*10.0  
OFF  
If PID result < 10  
9
CT1SS  
*IFT  
CONTROL  
GT  
then turn off stage 1  
10  
11  
12  
13  
14  
*90.0  
ON  
If PID result > 90  
CT2SS  
*IFT  
CONTROL  
LT  
then turn on stage 2  
*36.0  
OFF  
If PID result < 36  
CT2SS  
*END  
CONTROL  
then turn off stage 2  
Figure 28: TGP program for staging cooling tower fans  
Deadband blocks set  
on/off points for each fan  
Integral and derivative gains need  
values even though the PID block  
is set to proportional only  
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Staging cooling-tower fans  
The TGP program follows this sequence of operation:  
1. Chilled-water pump status is checked. If there is flow, the cooling  
towers are allowed to operate.  
2. Based on the error (the difference between the chilled-water setpoint  
and the chilled-water temperature), the controller turns cooling-tower  
fans on or off as needed to ensure efficient cooling tower operation.  
3. If the chilled-water temperature sensor fails, all cooling-tower fans  
are turned on.  
Note that:  
A 2-input Or block (a TGP block) checks the status of the chilled-  
water pumps. Both fan stages are turned off if neither chilled-water  
pump is operating.  
A PID calculation generates an output based on the difference  
between the chilled-water setpoint and the chilled-water tempera-  
ture. If both pumps are off, the PID calculation is disabled and the  
output set to the default of zero.  
If the chilled-water temperature sensor fails, the PID output defaults  
to the fail-safe value of 100, which turns both fan stages on.  
Specific settings are listed in Table 16.  
Table 16: Settings for staging cooling-tower fans  
PID setting  
Proportional gain  
Integral gain  
Initial value  
17 (midrange between 10 and 26)  
0
Derivative gain  
Proportional bias  
Error deadband  
Action  
0
63% (set the same as the first stage enable value)  
2.0°F (1.1°C)  
Direct  
Sampling frequency At least 1 minute  
The throttling range is fairly widefrom 10°F to 25°F (6°C to 14°C). The  
large throttling range keeps control loose to prevent stages from cycling  
too often. Assuming an output range from 0 to 100, the throttling range  
translates to a proportional gain of 26 to 10 respectively (see Calculating  
the gainson page 11). The proportional gain chosen for this application  
is in the middle of that range at 17. The gain may need to be adjusted to  
optimize the system.  
The temperature of the water flowing through a cooling tower responds  
fairly slowly, so the sampling frequency should be set to at least 1 minute.  
The sampling frequency may need to be adjusted to a slower rate if the  
temperature oscillates around the setpoint (see Calculating the sampling  
frequencyon page 14). The goal in this case is to effectively control the  
water temperature while limiting equipment cycling.  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
The challenge in staging applications is to find the correct proportional  
bias. This value determines the output when the error is zero. The pro-  
portional bias should have the same value as the point at which the first  
stage turns on (see Determining the staging pointson page 42). In this  
case, the first stage turns on at an output of 63%, so the proportional bias  
is set to 63%.  
Figure 29 shows the output versus error when the proportional bias is  
63%. This graph can help us determine the error deadband setting. We  
know that the first-stage fan turns on when the error becomes negative.  
The second stage should not turn on until the output reaches 90% or an  
error of 4°F (2.2°C). Following the procedure presented in Adjusting  
0.45 × 4°F (2.2°C) = 1.8°F (1°C)  
We can round the error deadband to 2.0°F or 1.5°F. Either choice should  
ensure that the second stage does not turn on until the error is relatively  
large.  
Figure 29: Controller output versus error: proportional bias = 63%  
90% point  
Proportional bias = 63%  
10% point  
Error  
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Staging cooling-tower fans  
For staging applications, the result of the PID calculation controls binary  
outputs rather than an analog output. For this kind of staging applica-  
tion, it is typical to use the deadband to make sure that the binary output  
state is maintained for some specific range. Figure 30 illustrates the stag-  
ing points for two cooling-tower fans. The three lines indicate (from bot-  
tom to top): the number of fans versus the control value, fan 1 on and off  
points, and fan 2 on and off points. Fan 1 is turned on at 63% and off at  
10%. Fan 2 is turned on at 90% and off at 36%.  
Figure 30: Cooling tower fan on and off points  
Fan 2  
Fan 1  
2
No. of  
fans  
0
1
0
10  
20  
30  
40  
50  
60  
70  
80  
90  
100  
Control value (%)  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Determining the staging points  
This section describes how to find the points at which stages are turned  
on and off.  
Start with these guidelines:  
To avoid having a stage turn off at the lowest extreme, always have at  
least one stage on at 10% of the output range. Turn that stage off  
when the control value is less than 10%. Due to hysteresis (the pro-  
gramming of equipment to react in a different way depending on  
whether the control value is increasing or decreasing), this stage may  
be on only when the output is decreasing.  
To avoid having a stage turn on at the PID maximum value, have all  
stages on at 90% of the output range.  
To reduce equipment cycling, stages should overlap.  
As a starting point, assume that the overlap range is the same for all  
stages. You can adjust the staging points later to optimize the system.  
To determine the staging points:  
1. Use the following formula to find the overlap range:  
highest extreme lowest extreme  
Overlap range = --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
stage count + 1  
90% 10%  
stage count + 1 3 + 1  
80%  
Overlap range = ----------------------------------------- = ------------ = 20%  
(assuming the system has three fans).  
2. To create overlap, the first stage should turn on at the lowest extreme  
plus 2 times the overlap range and turn off at the lowest extreme, or:  
On: control value 10% + (2 × overlap range) = 50%  
Off: control value < 10%  
Stage 1 =  
For a three-fan system, the first stage should turn on at 50% and turn  
off at less than 10%.  
3. For each subsequent stage, the on and off points are described by:  
On: control value 10% + (n + 1) × overlap range  
Off: control value < 10% + (n 1) × overlap range  
Stage n =  
Although not discussed in this section, equipment minimum-on and -off  
times become a factor as more stages are added to the system. The higher  
stages may be on for shorter periods of time. System behavior may  
become erratic if a stage control is dominated by minimum-on and -off  
times instead of the calculated control value.  
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Staging cooling-tower fans  
Example 1: Two-stage fan system  
The staging points are calculated as follows:  
1. Calculate the overlap range.  
80%  
80%  
Overlap range = ---------------------------------------- = ------------ = 26.7%  
stage count + 1 2 + 1  
2. Calculate the first stage control points.  
On: control value 10% + (2 × 26.7%) ≈ 63%  
Off: control value < 10%  
Stage 1 =  
3. Calculate the second stage control points.  
On: control value 10% + (3 × 26.7%) = 90%  
Off: control value < 10% + (1 × 26.7%) ≈ 36%  
Stage 2 =  
The staging points are illustrated in Figure 31. You should not have to  
adjust the extremes at 10% and 90%, but you may need to adjust the mid-  
dle staging points to optimize the system.  
Figure 31: Two-stage fan on and off points  
Fan 2  
Fan 1  
2
No. of  
fans  
1
0
0
10  
20  
30  
40  
50  
60  
70  
80  
90  
100  
Control value (%)  
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Chapter 4 Applications  
Example 2: Three-stage fan system  
The staging points are calculated as follows:  
1. Calculate the overlap range.  
80%  
80%  
Overlap range = ---------------------------------------- = ------------ = 20%  
stage count + 1 3 + 1  
2. Calculate the first stage control points.  
On: control value 10% + (2 × 20%) = 50%  
Off: control value < 10%  
Stage 1 =  
3. Calculate the second stage control points.  
On: control value 10% + (3 × 20%) = 70%  
Off: control value < 10% + (1 × 20%) = 30%  
Stage 2 =  
4. Calculate the third stage control points.  
On: control value 10% + (4 × 20%) = 90%  
Off: control value < 10% + (2 × 20%) = 50%  
Stage 3 =  
The results are summarized in Figure 32.  
Figure 32: Three-stage fan on and off points  
Fan 3  
Fan 2  
Fan 1  
3
No. of  
fans  
1
2
0
0
10  
20  
30  
40  
50  
60  
70  
80  
90  
100  
Control value (%)  
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Chapter 5  
Troubleshooting  
This chapter offers a general troubleshooting procedure and tips for spe-  
cific problems.  
Troubleshooting procedure  
When following this troubleshooting procedure, change only one thing at  
a time, then wait to see the effect the change has on the system.  
Follow these steps to troubleshoot a PID loop:  
1. Make sure that the system is not in override.  
2. Graph the measured variable, setpoint, and valve position over time  
to determine how the system performs.  
Look at the big picture. Can the system actually accomplish what it  
needs to? What is happening to the measured variable? Is it oscillat-  
ing or failing to reach setpoint?  
3. Check the programming logic for:  
DDC statement in an *IFT or *IFF clause  
Failure conditions that are always true  
Output connected to the wrong part of a Switch block in TGP  
Conflicting programming demands, such as bad logic interlocks  
between program modules  
4. Check PID property settings for:  
Output minimum incorrectly set to 100%  
Output maximum incorrectly set to 0%  
Sampling frequency that is too fast  
5. Check the system for disturbances from:  
Outside air intake  
Bad actuator linkages  
Faulty sensors  
6. Change PID gains.  
Reduce gains when experiencing system overshoot, output at  
minimum or maximum, or cycling of output around setpoint  
Increase gains when experiencing system undershoot  
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Chapter 5 Troubleshooting  
Tips for specific problems  
Table 17 provides tips for troubleshooting specific problems.  
Table 17: Tips for specific problems  
Problem  
Tips  
Measured variable is  
cycling around setpoint  
Slow the sampling frequency  
Decrease PID gains  
Check programming for conflicting actuator  
commands  
Actuators may be overridden by minimum-on  
and -off times  
Overshooting setpoint  
Reduce gains  
Undershooting setpoint Increase gains  
Output at maximum  
Output at minimum  
Ensure that minimum output is not set to 100%  
Ensure that maximum output is not set to 0%  
Changing the sampling frequency  
The major cause of actuator cycling is time lags in the system. If a 10%  
change in PID output requires two minutes to affect the measured vari-  
able, it does no good to have the sampling frequency set to two seconds.  
The integral contribution will build up before any significant change in  
error can be measured. A sampling frequency of 30 to 60 seconds would  
work much better in this situation. In other words, to fix a cycling system,  
slow down the loop. See Sampling frequencyon page 12 for more infor-  
mation.  
Changing the gains  
Be careful when changing PID gains. Never change the gains unless the  
effects can be measured. Use a doubling/halving technique when increas-  
ing or decreasing gains. If the PID gains are set to 4, 1, and 0 respectively,  
and you are going to reduce them, try 2, 0.5, and 0. If the system now  
undershoots, try gains of 3, 0.75, and 0 respectively. Refer to Throttling  
rangeon page 9 for more information.  
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Examples  
Examples  
This section presents troubleshooting scenarios from a hot-water valve  
application. The three examples have the same symptom but different  
solutions to the problem.  
Example 1  
A hot-water valve cycles closed every few minutes. Although the space  
temperature remains fairly stable, the discharge-air temperature swings  
across a range of 10°F (5.6°C).  
The technician follows the troubleshooting procedure described in this  
chapter. However, nothing seems to work. The program is the same as the  
to work well. Reducing the sampling frequency reduces the cycling, but  
does not eliminate it. Reducing the gains helps reduce the cycling further,  
but now the discharge-air temperature takes too long to reach setpoint.  
The valve continues to cycle closed, though not as often.  
The technician goes back through the troubleshooting steps and notices  
when checking the programming logic that the hot-water valve closes  
when the chilled-water valve is open. The technician decides to check the  
position of the chilled-water valve while the application is running with  
its original settings. Figure 33 illustrates what the technician found. The  
chilled-water valve opens when the discharge-air temperature goes above  
setpoint, thus forcing the hot-water valve to close.  
Figure 33: Hot and chilled-water valve positions  
Discharge-air  
Discharge-air  
temperature setpoint (°F)  
temperature (°F)  
Hot-water valve  
position (%)  
Chilled-water valve  
position (%)  
Time (minutes)  
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Chapter 5 Troubleshooting  
The application is running in a cold climate during winter, so the chilled-  
water valve should not open at all (because chilled water is not being  
used). However, it might open in the following cases:  
The building automation system has information that chilled water is  
available.  
The program logic is wrong, and the hot-water valve should depend  
only on the heat/cool mode, not on the position of the chilled-water  
valve.  
Before reprogramming the controller, the technician checks to see if the  
building automation system has information that chilled water is avail-  
able. The technician finds that the building automation system had been  
configured incorrectly and is sending the controller information that  
chilled water was available. To fix the problem, the technician resets the  
building automation data point. The controller no longer opens the  
chilled-water valve, which in turn prevents the hot-water valve from  
cycling closed every few minutes.  
Example 2  
The technician experiences the same problem as in the first example: a  
hot-water valve cycles closed every few minutes, and the discharge-air  
temperature swings across a range of 10°F (5.6°C).  
Again, the technician follows the troubleshooting procedure. The pro-  
gramming logic looks correct. The mixed air temperature and outdoor air  
temperature remain steady, indicating that outside disturbances are not  
causing the problem. The cycling stops only when the technician slows  
the sampling frequency from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.  
When the sampling frequency is 10 seconds, the hot-water valve cycles  
because the fast sampling frequency does not take into account the natu-  
ral lag involved in trying to change air temperature. The change in the  
discharge-air temperature over 10 seconds is so small that the controller  
responds more aggressively to reduce the error. The controller opens the  
hot-water valve too much, which causes the discharge-air temperature to  
overshoot the setpoint (see Figure 34 on page 49). Again, the controller  
over-reacts, shutting the hot-water valve to cool the discharge-air temper-  
ature, which causes the discharge-air temperature to overshoot the set-  
point in the opposite direction. This cycle repeats indefinitely.  
Slowing the sampling frequency to 30 seconds gives the discharge-air  
temperature enough time to change so that the PID loop can calculate the  
valve position based on a reasonable error.  
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Examples  
Figure 34: Hot-water valve position, sampling frequency too short  
Discharge-air  
temperature setpoint (°F)  
Discharge-air  
temperature (°F)  
Hot-water valve  
position (%)  
Time (minutes)  
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Chapter 5 Troubleshooting  
Example 3  
The technician experiences the same problem as in the first two exam-  
ples: a hot-water valve cycles closed every few minutes, and the dis-  
charge-air temperature swings across a range of 10°F (5.6°C). The  
technician graphs the discharge-air temperature setpoint and the hot-  
water valve position, as shown in Figure 35.  
Figure 35: Hot-water valve position, gains too high  
Discharge-air  
Discharge-air  
temperature (°F)  
temperature setpoint (°F)  
Hot-water valve  
position (%)  
Time (minutes)  
The dramatic changes in the hot-water valve position indicate that the  
gains are too high. The technician reduces the proportional gain from 16  
to 1 and the integral gain from 4 to 0.25. This stops the hot-water valve  
from cycling but increases the time to reach setpoint to more than 20 min-  
utes. The technician then increases the proportional gain to 4 and the  
integral gain to 1, which brings the discharge-air temperature to setpoint  
more quickly while still preventing the hot-water valve from cycling.  
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Chapter 6  
Frequently asked questions  
Why is the output of my PID loop always zero?  
Maximum PID output may be set to zero.  
PID action setting may need to be changed.  
Setpoint may be zero or negative, driving the output to zero. Change  
the setpoint to a reasonable value manually or add a limit block to the  
PID loop to keep the setpoint within a reasonable range.  
Physical output may not have enough power to achieve the setpoint,  
leaving the output at the low end of its range. This problem is known  
as integral windup (see Integral calculationon page 4 for more  
information).  
Measured-variable input may have failed and the fail-safe may be set  
to zero.  
Fan status is off so the program has set the output to zero.  
Scaling may be inconsistent for setpoints and inputs.  
Why is the output of my PID loop always at its maximum value?  
Minimum PID output may be set to the maximum value.  
PID action setting may need to be changed.  
Setpoint may be high enough that the output stays at its maximum  
output. Change the setpoint to a reasonable value or add a limit block  
to the PID loop to keep the setpoint within a reasonable range.  
Physical output may not have enough power to achieve the setpoint,  
leaving the output at the high end of its range. This problem is known  
as integral windup (see Integral calculationon page 4 for more  
information).  
Measured-variable input may have failed and the fail-safe may be set  
to the maximum value.  
Scaling may be inconsistent for setpoints and inputs.  
Why is the output of my PID loop oscillating?  
PID action setting may be wrong. If the action is reverse when it  
should be direct, the system may start oscillating as the output  
changes around setpoint.  
Sampling frequency may be too slow or too fast. See Sampling fre-  
quencyon page 12 for instructions on setting an appropriate sam-  
pling frequency.  
Proportional, integral, or derivative gains may be set too high. Reduce  
the gains until the oscillation subsides.  
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Chapter 6 Frequently asked questions  
I tried the 4:1 ratio for proportional and integral gains, but this  
did not optimize my system. Can I try another ratio?  
We recommend maintaining a 4:1 ratio between the proportional and  
integral gains. Changing the gains may slightly improve the speed and  
stability of a system, but the 4:1 ratio has proven to work effectively. See  
Why is the derivative gain usually zero?  
Derivative control is rarely used in HVAC applications because the large  
error deadbands used in HVAC applications make derivative control inef-  
fective. Also, derivative control can react to noise in the input signal, and  
the lag in derivative control makes tuning difficult. Setting the derivative  
gain to zero prevents derivative control from being used. See Derivative  
calculationon page 5 for more information.  
What is the difference between direct acting and reverse acting?  
Reverse acting loops decrease the output as the measured variable  
increases. Discharge-air heating, duct static pressure control, and space  
temperature control applications are typically reverse acting. Direct act-  
ing PID loops increase the output as the measured variable increases.  
Discharge-air cooling and building static pressure (with exhaust fans)  
applications are typically direct acting. See Actionon page 17 for more  
information.  
When should I use proportional-only control?  
Proportional-only control works well in staging applications because it  
can be simpler to manage than full PID control. Proportional-only control  
is also used in pneumatic controllers. To use proportional-only control, set  
the integral and derivative gains to zero. See Proportional calculation”  
on page 3 for more information.  
Why should I use PID control in staging applications?  
Most Trane controllers have built-in PID functions, making settings easy  
to enter and adjust. See Staging cooling-tower fanson page 37 for more  
information.  
How can I tell if a PID loop is working well?  
Graph the measured variable, setpoint, and valve position over time,  
especially during periods of change, such as when changing from unoccu-  
pied to occupied mode. The setpoint should be achieved in a reasonable  
time and the valve position should remain fairly stable once setpoint has  
been reached. If the measured variable oscillates around the setpoint,  
fails to reach setpoint, or takes too long to reach setpoint, follow the  
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Frequently asked questions  
Whats the best sampling frequency?  
The best sampling frequency depends on the application. See Calculat-  
quencies. You may need to adjust the sampling frequency (usually to slow  
it down). If the measured variable is oscillating around setpoint, the sam-  
pling frequency may be too fast or the gains may be too big.  
Do I need to worry about the throttling range?  
You probably do not need to worry about the throttling range. The throt-  
tling range cannot be programmed as a PID setting. Instead, it is used to  
help calculate the gains. The throttling range is the amount of error it  
takes to move the output of a system from its minimum to its maximum  
setting. Most PID applications have recommended gain settings, but if  
these gains do not fit your application, an understanding of throttling  
range can help you find more appropriate gain settings. See Throttling  
information.  
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Chapter 6 Frequently asked questions  
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Appendix A  
The math behind PID loops  
This appendix presents the mathematical formulas used for PID control  
in Tracer MP580/581 controllers, the programmable control module  
(PCM), and the universal programmable control module (UPCM).  
Velocity model formula  
The formula used to calculate the output in the velocity model is shown  
below. It uses the integral and proportional gain, but not the derivative  
gain. The same formula is used in the PCM and the UPCM.  
Kprop  
--------------  
c
Kdiff  
-----------  
c
Kint × error(n)  
2
output(n)=  
× ∆error(n) + ----------------------------------------- +  
× ∆ error(n)  
c
Where:  
K
K
prop = proportional gain  
int = integral gain  
Kdiff = integral gain  
c = 2.56 for the PCM and UPCM  
c = 1.00 for Tracer MP580/581 controllers  
error(n) = change in error  
2
error(n) = change in the change squared  
The factor 2.56 scales the PID output to a range of 0100% in the PCM  
and UPCM.  
Proportional control formula  
The following formula shows the relationship between the error and the  
output in proportional-only control:  
Kprop  
--------------  
Output(n)=  
× error(n) + proportional bias  
c
The proportional bias calibrates the controller to some known output. So  
when the error is zero (which makes the proportional gain zero), the out-  
put is equal to the proportional bias.  
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Appendix A The math behind PID loops  
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Glossary  
action  
A PID setting that determines how the PID loop reacts to a change in the  
measured variable (such as a room temperature). A controller using  
direct action increases the output when the measured variable increases.  
A controller using reverse action decreases the output when the mea-  
sured variable increases. See also measured variable.  
actuator  
Electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic motor that changes the position of  
moveable devices such as valves and dampers.  
cascade control  
A method of control in which one PID loop calculates a setpoint for use by  
other PID loops or control systems. Cascade control is used in applica-  
tions that require tight control; the response to error is aggressive.  
conversion function  
The part of a PID loop that converts the measured variable to the same  
units of measurement as the setpoint. The result of the conversion func-  
tion is called the measured variable or process variable.  
deadband  
See error deadband.  
derivative control  
Control action based on the rate of change of the error. Used to smooth an  
actuator motion or cause an actuator to react faster. Derivative control is  
rarely used in HVAC applications.  
direct action  
See action.  
direct digital control (DDC)  
A term used at Trane as a synonym for PID control.  
error  
In PID control, the difference between the setpoint and the measured  
variable. For example, if the setpoint is 75°F (23.9°C) and the measured  
variable is 65°F (18.3°C), then the error is 10°F (5.6°C). This means that  
the HVAC system must heat the space by 10°F (5.6°C). The error is the  
basis of all PID calculations. Also called offset.  
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Glossary  
error deadband  
A PID setting that defines how much the error must change before the  
PID loop reacts. Used to compensate for bearings, linkages, and other  
mechanical items.  
gain  
The primary tool for tuning PID loops, gain determines how a particular  
part of the PID calculation contributes to the final output. The bigger the  
gain, the more a part contributes. The proportional, integral, and deriva-  
tive calculations each have an associated gain setting. Gain is defined as  
the output range divided by the throttling range (multiplied by a scaling  
factor for each part of the PID calculation). See also throttling range.  
hysteresis  
The programming of equipment to react in a different way depending on  
whether the control value is increasing or decreasing (Figure 31 on  
page 43 illustrates hysteresis).  
integral control  
Control action based on the sum of past errors. Used to maintain an out-  
put when the error is zero. See also integral windup, error. Also called  
reset control, automatic reset.  
integral windup  
A condition that can occur when the result of the integral calculation  
becomes too great for the system to change direction. This is typically  
caused when the system does not have the power to reach setpoint. Trane  
uses the velocity model to minimize the problem of integral windup.  
See also integral control, velocity model.  
measured variable  
Typically, a value read by a sensor, such as space temperature, discharge-  
air temperature, or duct static pressure. The measured variable is sub-  
tracted from the setpoint to determine the error. See also error.  
Also called process variable.  
overshoot  
When a controller responds too aggressively to error, it can push the con-  
trolled variable past the setpoint. The overshoot is the amount by which  
the system passes the setpoint.  
PID loop  
See proportional, integral, derivative (PID) loop.  
process variable  
See measured variable.  
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Glossary  
program frequency  
The rate at which a program executes or cycles.  
proportional control  
Control action based on the error. The most important determinant in  
how quickly the system responds to the error. Some applications use pro-  
portional-only control.  
proportional, integral, derivative (PID) calculation  
The mathematical process that determines how quickly a controller  
reaches setpoint. Compare proportional, integral, derivative loop.  
proportional, integral, derivative (PID) loop  
A control system that compares the setpoint and the measured variable to  
calculate system output. See also measured variable. Compare propor-  
tional, integral, derivative calculation.  
resolution  
See sensor resolution.  
reverse action  
See action.  
sampling frequency  
The rate at which the input signal in a PID loop is sampled. For Tracer  
MP580/581 controllers, this occurs at the same rate or a multiple of the  
rate of the program frequency. See also program frequency.  
sensor resolution  
The minimum change of a physical quantity, such as temperature or air-  
flow, that causes a reliable reaction in the sensor. Typically, this value is  
provided by the sensor manufacturer. If a thermistor can reliably report a  
temperature change of 0.1°F (0.06°C), then any change less than that  
should be considered noise.  
setpoint  
The point at which the desired value of the controlled variable is set. For  
example, if the controlled variable is space temperature, then the cooling  
setpoint might be 75°F (42°C).  
staging  
The process of organizing individual pieces of equipment into a group to  
produce a single result. For example, a cooling tower might have three  
fans used in stages to cool water. On a hot day, all three fans would be  
needed to cool the water, but on a cooler day one or two fans would be  
enough.  
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Glossary  
system time constant  
The time it takes to reach 63.21% of the difference between the start  
point and the end point when controlling an output over a known range.  
Used to calculate the sampling frequency. Using 2/3 (66%) rather than  
63.21% provides a good approximation of the system time constant.  
throttling range  
For an HVAC controller, the range of input that drives the output from  
the minimum output to the maximum output (typically 0% and 100%).  
The gains are calculated from the throttling range. See also error, gain.  
velocity model  
A type of PID control used in Trane controllers to minimize the problem  
of integral windup. See also integral windup.  
windup  
See integral windup.  
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Index  
Numerics  
C
calculating  
A
cascade control program  
actuator  
See also staging  
cycling of equipment or output  
D
recommended error deadband for,  
recommended sampling frequency  
derivative  
B
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Index  
E
I
pressure control  
error  
integral  
L
execution frequency, see sampling  
frequency  
M
mathematical formulas for PID  
F
See also staging  
PID Properties dialog box in  
frequency, see sampling frequency  
O
G
output  
proportional  
H
R
P
PCL, see process control language  
hot water valve  
PID control  
See also derivative control,  
integral control, proportional  
control  
routine, see programming  
62  
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Index  
S
setpoint  
U
V
W
T
TGP, see Tracer graphical  
programming editor  
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Literature Order Number  
File Number  
CNT-APG002-EN  
PL-ES-CNT-APG002-EN-1001  
New  
Supersedes  
The Trane Company  
An American Standard Company  
Stocking Location  
La Crosse  
For more information contact  
your local district office or  
e-mail us at [email protected]  
Since The Trane Company has a policy of continuous product and product data improvement, it  
reserves the right to change design and specifications without notice.  
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