Performance assessment of PID and IMC tuning methods for a mixing process with time delay

A flow process with time delay has been considered for modeling and control. A dilute solution of sodium chloride is used as tracer and an online conductivity measurement unit as sensor and recorder. The objective of the current study is to design control algorithms and present corresponding robust control analysis for the process. The control methodologies considered are (i) conventional PID control and (ii) internal model control (IMC). The control structures are comparatively analyzed using standard robustness measures for stability and performance. Of the two control algorithms, conventional PID and IMC, IMC exhibits faster settling time, no overshoot, better set-point tracking and disturbance rejection, and good robust performance than the PID control scheme.