Towards Optimal PI Controller for a Coupled Tanks System

Simple proportional and integral controller is employed to control benchmark hydrodynamic process, a coupled tanks system. The proportional part of the controller is placed in the feedback path to avoid an overshoot in step response of the system. Controller design is an optimization procedure as it minimizes surface between step reference and system output signals. The proposed controller suppresses step disturbance acting at the output of the system. Experiments, carried out as computer simulations, support the analysis.