Estimation of optimum range of set-points and two level & four level
control for a closed loop Quadruple Tank Pilot Plant through PLC
Shrinivas Shirnewar Ganesh Shete
Dept of Instrumentation Dept of Instrumentation
College of Engineering College of Engineering
Pune-411005,India Pune-411005,India
Email: shirnewarshri@gmail.com Email: gspatil555@gmail.com
AbstractNearly all process industries exhibit nonlinear char-
acteristics and have complex dynamic properties. Some of these
industries are highly coupled. Most industries are MIMO i.e.
multi-input multi-output systems or multivariable systems. Mul-
tivariable systems which involve more than one control loop, they
mutually interact and in these, input of one loop affects its own
output as well as outputs of other loops. The Quadruple Tank
system helps us to visualize anomalies of such systems .
In this paper the Quadruple Tank Pilot Plant which is
present at Advance Process Lab of College of Engineering,Pune
is tested and commissioned and operated through the local
controller (Micrologix 1400 PLC),remote controller(Controllogix
1756 PLC) and MATLAB through OPC communication.The
objectives are i)To control level in lower two tanks ii)To control
level in all four tanks Proportional Integral Derivative (PID)
control strategy is implemented to control the outputs both in
minimum phase as well as non-minimum phase system. PID
is tuned to control the outputs when Pseudo Random Binary
Sequence (PRBS), sinusoidal signal, square wave signal and
staircase signals are generated and given as a disturbance to
the valves. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
for the system is developed. The real time data logging is also
created for the continuous data monitoring of the system and to
validate the model with the physical model of the system. For
the implementation of advanced control strategies, it is operated
via remote PLC (Controllogix 1756 PLC) and MATLAB.
I. INTRODUCTION
The quadruple tank pilot plant on which this experiment
is performed consists of four water tanks which are intercon-
nected, four level transmitters, two pumps, and two 3-way
control valves. The manipulated variables of the system are
the voltages to the pumps, the controlled variables being the
water levels in the tanks. The control valve openings act as
disturbance signals to the system when objective i) is followed
and act as manipulated variable when objective ii) is followed
. Tank 1 and tank 2 are placed below the tank 3 and tank
4 respectively, which make them to receive the water flow
by the action of gravity. As the lower two tanks are having
continuous drainage at their respective bottoms so a reservoir
is placed at the bottom of these two tanks. The pumps are
used to transfer water from the reservoir to the tanks based on
the valve opening. Pump 1 delivers water to tank 1 and tank 4
via a 3-way control valve 1 (CV1) and pump 2 delivers water
to tank 2 and tank 3 via control valve 2 (CV2).
Prof.S.D.Agashe
Dept of Instrumentation
College of Engineering
Pune-411005,India
Email: sda.instru@coep.ac.in
Due to gravitational forces the lower tanks receive water
from their corresponding upper tanks. The system aims at
controlling the liquid levels in all the four tanks. In order to
measure the liquid levels in corresponding tanks, diaphragm
type level transmitters are placed at the bottom of each tank.
The control valve positions give the ratio in which the water
is split into the diagonally placed upper and lower tanks. The
flow to the tanks can be manipulated by either varying the
speed of pumps or by changing control valves opening. The
pumps are driven by a 3-phase induction motors those are
controlled by a variable frequency drive (VFD).
The quadruple tank system is used in understanding the
dynamic interactions as the operation of the system can be is
in two phases, viz, minimum phase and non- minimum phase.
Minimum phase system is a system in which all poles and
zeros are located in the left half of S-plane where as non-
minimum system is the one with at least one pole or zero in the
right half of S-plane.The non-minimum phase characteristics
of a system has several limitations on system design. In the
linearized model of the quadruple-tank plant a variable zero
occurs, the location of this zero can be changed from left
half of S-plane to right half of S-plane or vice versa by
changing valve opening. This zero is mainly responsible for
the transition of system from minimum phase to non-minimum
phase.
The properties of the nonlinear model of the quadruple-
tank process are concerned mainly by the nonlinear zero
dynamics and steady state conditions. Some nonlinear design
methods usually require that the zero dynamics are stable. The
nonlinear zero dynamics can be made stable or unstable by
simply changing the valve position.
II. M ETHODOLOGY
It refers that the first stage started with the testing and
commissioning of the pilot plant. Simultaneously, different
control strategies were studied for implementation. Lastly,
the pilot plant would be operated and controlled through 2
different modes- local and remote. Remotely the plant can be
again accessed by 4 different controllers- remote PLC, remote
DCS, VLAB (VPLC/VDCS) & MATLAB.
 III. L ITERATURE S URVEY
A. Quadruple Tank System with an adjustable zero
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of pilot plant
Fig. 2. Experimental set-up
PID control of the quadruple-tank process is tuned manually
on simulators using the physical model. The controller parame-
ters are manually tuned to give good closed loop performance.
But it is found that the system is difficult to control in non-
minimum phase than in the minimum phase.
IV. OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM
It consists of a water reservoir which is of capacity 200
liters. Here the water is stored to 95% of its capacity. The
water from this reservoir is pumped to the 4 tanks through
a combination of 2 positive displacement pumps and control
valves viz pump 1 and control valve 1 (CV1), and Pump 2
and control valve 2 (CV2). The control valve used here is
a 3-way control valve, ie, 1 inlet and 2 outlets, so that the
water pumped can be split into diagonally placed upper and
lower tanks. The purpose of doing so is to add disturbance by
changing the valve positions.
The quadruple tank is made highly interactive by con-
tinuously draining them at their bottoms. This provision is
done by introducing 1 hole at the base of all four tanks of
diameter approximately 1cm (exact 0.9cm) whereas the inlet
pipe diameter discharge to the tanks are approximately of
diameter 2cm approx (2.1cm exact). The levels in each of
the tank is measured by level transmitters that are labeled as
shown in 1.
The quadruple plant can be operated in 3 different phases:
Minimum phase experiment
Non-minimum phase experiment
Pseudo random binary sequence experiment
V. M ATHEMATICAL MODELING OF QUADRUPLE TANK
SYSTEM
A. Mass balance law
It says that, (mass flow into the system)-(mass flow out of
system)= rate of change of mass inside the system with respect
to time
According to the Mass balance law, mass can neither be
created or destroyed, ie, the conservation of mass is the main
concept behind the mass balance law. Specifically, in the
case of quadruple tank system the liquid accumulated in the
tanks is equal to the liquid entering into the tanks via the
control valve inlet minus the liquid draining from the bottoms.
Mathematically, it can be represented as follows: (mass at
time (t+t)) = (mass at time t)+(mass that entered system
from t to (t+t))-(mass that exited from t to (t+t)+(mass
generated/consumed by reaction processes from t and t+t))
B. Bernoullis law
Bernoulis law is based on conservation of energy. It states
that sum of kinetic energy, pressure head and potential energy
remains constant.
1
P + v 2 + gh = constant (1)
2
where,
P=Static pressure (N/m2 )
=Fluid density (Kg/m3 )
v=Velocity of fluid flow (m/s)
h=height above a reference surface (m)
C. To control 2-levels
A quadruple tank system is a multi-variable, non linear
system. Based on setting of three way control valve, a zero
moves in left and right half of S-plane in other words it is
termed as minimum phase system and non minimum phase
system. The objective i) is to control the level in two tanks by
manipulating voltages to pumps. The manipulated variables
are the input voltages to the pumps v1 and v2 and the
controlled variables are the level of the two lower tanks y1 So matrix B is,
and y2 , 1 and 2 represents the valve openings. 1 k1

0
Equations for a quadruple tank system: A1
2 k2

a1 p a3 p 1 k1
0 A2

h 1 = B= (10)

2gh1 + 2gh3 + v1 (2) (12 )k2
A1 A1 A1
0 A3


a2 p a4 p 2 k2 (11 )k1
h 2 = 2gh2 + 2gh4 + v2 (3) A4 0
A2 A2 A2
The state space model thus obtained is,
a3 p (1 2 )k2
h 3 = 2gh3 + v2 (4) Let
A3 A3 dx
X =
a4 p (1 1 )k1 dt
h 4 = 2gh4 + v1 (5) 1 k1

A4 A4
T11 0 A3
0

0
A1 T3 A1
where, A4
2 k2

T12 0

dx 0 0 A2 T4

A2

hi =Level of water in tank i =
1
x+

(12 )k2 u

dt

ai =Cross-sectional area of the outlet hole 0 0 T3 0
0 A3


1 (11 )k1
Ai =Cross-sectional area of tank i 0 0 0 T4 0
A4
g=Acceleration due to gravity (11)
i =Valve opening " #
ki =Pump parameter kc 0 0 0
ki vi =Rate of flow of the pump i y= x (12)
0 kc 0 0
Let, The measured level signals are kc h1 and kc h2 .
f1 f1
h1 ... hn
f G(s) = C(sI A)1 B + D
A=

(hi , ui ) = .. ..
. .

h
T1 k1 kc k2 (12 )

T1 k1 kc 1
fn fn A1 (1+sT1 ) k1 A1 (1+sT1 )(1+sT3 )
h1 hn G(s) = (13)
T2 k1 kc (11 ) T2 k2 kc 2
and k2 A2 (1+sT2 )(1+sT4 ) A2 (1+sT2 )
f1 f1
u1 ... un

C1 1 C1 (12 )

f .. .. (1+sT1 ) (1+sT1 )(1+sT3 )
B= (hi , ui ) = . .
G(s) = (14)
u C2 (11 ) C2 2
fn fn (1+sT2 )(1+sT4 ) (1+sT2 )
u1 un  
Let, C1 C1 (1 1 )(1 2 )
|G(s)| = (1 + sT3 )(1 + sT4 )
f = h i (6) 1 2 4i=1 (1s Ti ) 1 2
(15)
We know that, here The system is found to be non-minimum phase if
f1 f1 f1 f1
0<(1 +2 )<1
h1 h2 h3 h4
f2 f2 f2 f2 And found to be minimum phase if 1<(1 +2 )<2
f
h1 h2 h3 h4

T1 T2 kp2 1 2
 
A= = (7) (1 1 )(1 2 )

f3 f3 f3 f3
h |G(s)| = 2 4 (1 + sT3 )(1 + sT4 )

h1 h2 h3 h4

a i=1 (1s Ti ) 1 2
f4 f4 f4 f4
h1 h2 h3 h4
To find the both zeros z1 and z2 , we set the term in bracket
The result of partial differentiation of the A matrix is given to zero,
below: A3 (1 1 )(1 2 )
T11

0 A1 T3 0 (1 + zi T3 )(1 + zi T4 ) = 0, i = 1, 2
A4
1 2
T12

0 0 A2 T4

A=
1
(8) (1 1 )(1 2 )
0 0 T3 0 =
1 2

0 0 0 T14
and solve this quadratic equation for z1 and z2 . Depending
f1 f1

u1 u2 on the flow ratios 1 and 2 , the introduced parameter
f2 f2 takes values in (0,). Qualitatively then zeros behaves as like
f
u1 u2

B= =

f3 f3

(9) follows:
u

u1 u2 <1 implies minimum phase system


f4 f4
u1 u2 >1 implies non-minimum phase system
Physically minimum phase means sum of flow in lower two
tanks compared to upper two tanks is more where as non-
minimum phase means sum of flow in lower two tanks
compared to upper two tanks is less.

D. To control 4-levels

Here controlled variables are four those are level of water

in all four tanks and manipulated variables are also four those
are two VFDs and two control valves.
Fig. 4. SCADA Summary Page
A3
T11

0 A1 T3 0
A4
T12

0 0 A2 T4

A= (16)

0 0 T13 0

0 0 0 T14

1 k 1

k1 v1
A1 0 A1 0
2 k 2 k 2 v2

0 A2 0 A2

B= (17)

(12 )k2 k2 v2


0 A3 0 A3


(11 )k1 k1 v1 Fig. 5. Output h1 maintained at 40cm and output h2 maintained at 35cm
A4 0 A4 0

kc 0 0 0
0 kc 0 0
C= (18)


0 0 kc 0
0 0 0 kc

VI. R ESULTS
Fig. 6. 2-Level control using PI-PD
Below are the results when experiment is performed through
PLC and through MATLAB to control 2 levels and 4 levels of
quadruple tank separately. Here conventional PID controlling
algorithm is used.
2-level control

Fig. 7. Output h1 for 2 level PI-PD control Set-point:45cm

Fig. 3. SCADA Main Page

 Fig. 8. Output h2 for 2 level PI-PD control Set-point:25cm Fig. 12. Output h2 for 4 level control using PI Set-point:35cm

4 level control

Fig. 13. Output h1 for 4 level control using PI Set-point:25cm

Fig. 9. 4-Level control using PI

Fig. 14. 4-level control with disturbance to pumps using PI

Fig. 10. Output h4 for 4 level control using PI Set-point:40cm

Fig. 11. Output h3 for 4 level control using PI Set-point:30cm Fig. 15. Output h4 for 4 level control using PI with disturbance Set-
point:40cm

Fig. 16. Output h3 for 4 level control using PI with disturbance Set-
point:30cm
Fig. 17. Output h2 for 4 level control using PI with disturbance Set-
point:35cm
Fig. 18. Output h1 for 4 level control using PI with disturbance Set-
point:25cm
VII. C ONCLUSION
2-level control of quadruple tank is easy since manipulated
variables those are voltages to either pump appear as positive
term in both the controlled variables where as it is difficult
to control 4 levels of quadruple tank as manipulated variables
appear as negative term in 2 out of 4 controlled variable. For
this reason conventional PI controllers fail to achieve desired
results. Optimum range for controlling levels in either case is
found out to be between 25 cm to 45 cm. Above and below
which output response is strongly oscillatory.System described
here has dimensions:
Total depth 60 cm
Total width 14 cm
Total length 14 cm
This system is bulkier and has higher inertia, so even though
advanced control strategies are applied the system is most
likely to reach steady state slowly.
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