Data-Driven Based Decoupled Control Scheme for Interacting Quadruple Tank Process

It is known that many industrial processes are multiple input multiple output (MIMO) in nature. The main challenge in controlling such processes is the interaction between the loops. In this article, the data-driven virtual reference feedback tuning method VRFT scheme has been applied to control a coupled quadruple tank process. Minimum/Non-minimum phase characteristics may appear based on the valve opening ratios. Simulation results are presented to assess the performance of the data-based tuned PID controllers. Maximum sensitivity is used as a robustness specification tool for the tuning method. Moreover, the gain margin and phase margin are used to asses the robustness of the VRFT based controller due to a plant gain variations.