Data-driven PID gain tuning for liquid level control of a single tank based on disturbance attenuation fictitious reference iterative tuning

A direct design approaches based on input-output measurements with no need for help from a plant model have attracted attention from several researchers. We have proposed such a disturbance attenuation Fictitious Reference Iterative Tuning (FRIT) using input-output data generated by step-type disturbances, and showed the effectiveness of the approach through experiments of DC motor control and helicopter attitude control. The paper applies the approach to the experimental data for liquid level control of a single tank. The PID gains are tuned so that the liquid level of the single tank would follow a disturbance reference model output. From the experimental result, the disturbance attenuation FRIT is effective for PID gain tuning from closed-loop input and output experimental data generated by a step-type disturbance.