Mathematical Modeling and PID Controller Parameter Tuning in a Didactic Thermal Plant

This paper involves an application of PID controllers topologies, deployed in an Arduino platform, applied to a didactic thermal plant. The tuning parameters of the controller are performed by experimental methods, in which have been chosen from the Ziegler-Nichols method (step response) and the CHR (Chien, Hrones and Reswick) method of tuning. Routines were created in Matlab and Arduino to provide the necessary interface and send the control parameters to the plant, in which is held signal acquisition and monitoring of the necessary variables. Therefore, it was found that different topologies have responded satisfactorily to the PID controller tuning methods used, standing out among them the CHR method. In addition, the teaching methodology PBL (Problem Based Learning) was successfully used as a way to increase interest in student learning in control systems