Increment Count Method and its PLC-based Implementation for Autotuning of Reduced-Order ADRC with Smith Predictor

In this paper, Increment Count Method (ICM) is proposed as a novel approach for simultaneous steady state detection and transportation time delay estimation for industrial processes. The concept of ICM is presented, and its implementation issues are discussed. Especially, the simplicity and very low computational complexity of ICM are addressed, which support its practical implementation. Then, as a practical example, ICM is used as a part of the autotuning algorithm dedicated for Reduced-order Active Disturbance Rejection Controller with Smith Predictor (RADRC+SP). Jointly with dedicated optimization algorithm, it allows for identification between the first or second order of process dynamics. The results of this identification allow for effective tuning of RADRC+SP based on the novel tuning rules. The practical aspect includes PLC-based implementation of both autotuning and RADRC+SP controller in the form of the general-purpose function blocks. The experimental validation shows the practical applicability and superiority of the proposed methods.