Improved dead‐time compensator controllers

Abstract It is shown that the conventional Smith dead‐time compensator can be modified in a fashion which leads to significant improvements in its regulatory capabilities for measurable disturbances or inputs. The proposed modification utilizes effectively the existing prediction capabilities of the conventional dead‐time compensator and eliminates the need for a separate feedforward controller in many circumstances under which it is normally employed. The modified dead‐time compensator possesses simultaneous feedforward and feedback actions. An additional tuning parameter which controls the degree of dead‐time cancellation allows the designer to shape the response according to requirements. Illustrative examples show the advantages of the modified scheme.