INTRODUCTION TO FEEDBACK AND CONTROL SYSTEM

Home appliances
What is feedback and control system? Home heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning via thermostatic
 Control-system engineers often face this question, “What is it that control; electronic sensing and control in clothes dryers; humidity controllers;
temperature control of ovens (references = desired temperature, humidity).
you do, anyway?” when trying to explain their professional field.
 Is the process of getting “something” to do what you want it to do (or
Power/energy
“not do”). Power system control and planning; feedback instrumentation in oil
 manual control vs automatic control recovery; optimal control of windmill blade and solar panel surfaces; optimal
 Is the process of causing a system variable to conform to some desired power distribution via power factor control; power electronics for dc-dc
value, called a reference value. conversion, battery chargers, motor controls (references = power level,
 Concerned with techniques that are used to solve the following six optimization criteria).
problems in the most efficient manner possible.
(a)The identification problem: to measure the variables and convert Transportation
data for analysis. Control of roadway vehicle traffic flows using sensors; automatic
(b)The representation problem: to describe a system by an analytical speed control devices on automobiles; propulsion control in rail transit systems;
form or mathematical model building elevators and escalators (references = vehicle flow rate, speed, position
(c)The solution problem: to determine the above system model and speed together).
response.
(d)The stability problem: general qualitative analysis of the system Manufacturing
(e)The design problem: modification of an existing system or develop a Sensor-equipped robots for cutting, drilling die casting, forging, welding,
new one packaging, and assembling; chemical process control; tension control windup
(f)The optimization problem: from a variety of design to choose the best. processes in textile mills; conveyor speed control with optical pyrometer sensing
in hot steel rolling mills (references = position–speed profiles).
The two basic approaches
 conventional Aerospace and military
The electrical oriented conventional approach is based on Missile guidance and control; automatic piloting; spacecraft control;
complex function theory. tracking systems; nuclear submarine navigation and control; fire control systems
 modern (references = position and attitude).
Has mechanical orientation and based on the state variable
theory. Basic terminologies in control system
System: A combination or arrangement of a number of different physical
components to form a whole unit such that that combining unit
Some applications of feedback and control system performs to achieve a certain goal.
Ecological Control: The action to command, direct or regulate a system.
Wildlife and forest growth management (reference = population); control of Plant or process: The part or component of a system that is required to be
plant chemical wastes via monitoring lakes and rivers; air pollution abatement controlled.
(reference = chemical concentrations); water control and distribution; flood Input: It is the signal or excitation supplied to a control system.
control via dams and reservoirs (reference = water flow rate). Output: It is the actual response obtained from the control system.
Controller: The part or component of a system that controls the plant.
Medical Disturbances: The signal that has adverse effect on the performance of a control
Medical instrumentation for monitoring and control (reference =dosage); system.
artificial limbs (prosthesis; reference = limb position).
Control system: A system that can command, direct or regulate itself or another
system to achieve a certain goal.
Automation: The control of a process by automatic means
Control System: An interconnection of components forming a system
configuration that will provide a desired response. Classification
Actuator: It is the device that causes the process to provide the output. It is the 1. Natural control system and Man-made control system:
device that provides the motive power to the process.  Natural control system: It is a control system that is created by
Design: The process of conceiving or inventing the forms, parts, and details of nature, i.e. solar system, digestive system of any animal, etc.
system to achieve a specified purpose.  Man-made control system: It is a control system that is created by
Simulation: A model of a system that is used to investigate the behavior of a humans, i.e. automobile, power plants etc.
system by utilizing actual input signals.
Optimization: The adjustment of the parameters to achieve the most favorable
or 2. Automatic control system and Combinational control system:
advantageous design.  Automatic control system: It is a control system that is made by
Feedback Signal: A measure of the output of the system used for feedback to using basic theories from mathematics and engineering. This system
control the system. mainly has sensors, actuators and responders.
Negative feedback: The output signal is feedback so that it subtracts from the  Combinational control system: It is a control system that is a
input signal. combination of natural and man-made control systems, i.e. driving a
Block diagrams: Unidirectional, operational blocks that represent the transfer car etc.
functions of the elements of the system.
Signal Flow Graph (SFG): A diagram that consists of nodes connected by several 3. Time-variant control system and Time-invariant control system:
directed branches and that is a graphical representation of a set of  Time-variant control system: It is a control system where any one or
linear relations. more parameters of the control system vary with time i.e. driving a
Specifications: Statements that explicitly state what the device or product is to vehicle.
be and to do. It is also defined as a set of prescribed performance  Time-invariant control system: It is a control system where none of
criteria. its parameters vary with time i.e. control system made up of
Open-loop control system: A system that utilizes a device to control the process inductors, capacitors and resistors only.
without using feedback. Thus the output has no effect upon the signal
to the process. 4. Linear control system and Non-linear control system:
Closed-loop feedback control system: A system that uses a measurement of the  Linear control system: It is a control system that satisfies properties
output and compares it with the desired output. of homogeneity and additive.
Regulator: The control system where the desired values of the controlled  Homogeneous property: f (x+ y) = f (x) + f (y)
outputs are more or less fixed and the main problem is to reject  Additive property: f (ax) = a f (x)
disturbance effects.  Non-linear control system: It is a control system that does not satisfy
Servo system: The control system where the outputs are mechanical quantities properties of homogeneity and additive, f(x) = x 3
like acceleration, velocity or position.
Stability: It is a notion that describes whether the system will be able to follow 5. Continuous-Time control system and Discrete-Time control system:
the input command. In a non-rigorous sense, a system is said to be  Continuous-Time control system: It is a control system where
unstable if its output is out of control or increases without bound. performances of all of its parameters are function of time, i.e.
Multivariable Control System: A system with more than one input variable or armature type speed control of motor.
more than one output variable.  Discrete -Time control system: It is a control system where
Trade-off: The result of making a judgment about how much compromise must performances of all of its parameters are function of discrete time
be made between conflicting criteria. i.e. microprocessor type speed control of motor.
 Examples: traffic signal, washing machine, bread toaster, etc.
6. Deterministic control system and Stochastic control system: Advantages:
 Deterministic control system: It is a control system where its output  Simple design and easy to construct
is predictable or repetitive for certain input signal or disturbance  Economical
signal.  Easy for maintenance
 Stochastic control system: It is a control system where its output is  Highly stable operation
unpredictable or non-repetitive for certain input signal or Dis-advantages:
disturbance signal.  Not accurate and reliable when input or system parameters are
variable in nature
7. Lumped-parameter control system and Distributed-parameter control  Recalibration of the parameters are required time to time
system:
 Lumped-parameter control system: It is a control system where its Closed-loop control system:
mathematical model is represented by ordinary differential It is a control system where its control action depends on both of
equations. its input signal and output response as shown in Fig.1.2.
 Distributed-parameter control system: It is a control system where
its mathematical model is represented by an electrical network that
is a combination of resistors, inductors and capacitors.

8. Single-input-single-output (SISO) control system and Multi-input-multi-

output
 SISO control system: It is a control system that has only one input
and one output.
 MIMO control system: It is a control system that has only more than
one input and more than one output.
Examples: automatic electric iron, missile launcher, speed control of DC motor,
9. Open-loop control system and Closed-loop control system: etc.
 Open-loop control system: It is a control system where its control
action only depends on input signal and does not depend on its Advantages:
output response.  More accurate operation than that of open-loop control system
 Closed-loop control system: It is a control system where its control  Can operate efficiently when input or system parameters are variable
action depends on both of its input signal and output response. in nature
 Less nonlinearity effect of these systems on output response
Open-loop control system and Closed-loop control system  High bandwidth of operation
 There is facility of automation
Open-loop control system:  Time to time recalibration of the parameters are not required
It is a control system where its control action only depends on input Dis-advantages:
signal and does not depend on its output response as shown in Fig.1.1  Complex design and difficult to construct
 Expensive than that of open-loop control system
 Complicate for maintenance
 Less stable operation than that of open-loop control system
 system as shown in Fig.1.3 is a simple example of this type mechanism. The block
diagram of the servomechanism of an automatic steering system is shown in
Fig.1.4.
Comparison between Open-loop and Closed-loop control systems:
It is a control system where its control action depends on both of its
input signal and output response.

Open-loop control systems Closed-loop control systems

1.No feedback is given to the 1. A feedback is given to the

control system control system
2.Cannot be intelligent 2. Intelligent controlling action
3.There is no possibility of 3. Closed loop control
undesirable system introduces the possibility of
oscillation(hunting) undesirable system
oscillation(hunting)
4.The output will not very for a 4. In the system the output may
constant input, provided the vary for a constant input,
system parameters remain depending upon the feedback
unaltered
5.System output variation due to 5. System output variation due
variation in parameters of the to variation in parameters of
system is greater and the output the system is less.
very in an uncontrolled way
6. Error detection is not present 6. Error detection is present
7. Small bandwidth 7. Large bandwidth
8. More stable 8. Less stable or prone to
instability
9 Affected by non-linearities 9. Not affected by non-
10 Very sensitive in nature linearities Examples:
11 Simple design 10. Less sensitive to disturbances  Missile launcher
12 Cheap 11. Complex design  Machine tool position control
12. Costly  Power steering for an automobile
 Roll stabilization in ships, etc.

Servomechanism
It is the feedback unit used in a control system. In this system, the
control variable is a mechanical signal such as position, velocity or acceleration.
Here, the output signal is directly fed to the comparator as the feedback signal,
b(t) of the closed-loop control system. This type of system is used where both
the command and output signals are mechanical in nature. A position control
Regulators
It is also a feedback unit used in a control system like servomechanism.
But, the output is kept constant at its desired value. The schematic diagram of a
regulating system is shown in Fig.1.5. Its corresponding simplified block diagram
model is shown in Fig.1.6.