2.

Laplace transforms and transfer functions (2)

Orest Shardt
Part 2. Laplace transforms and transfer functions (2)

• Block diagrams

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Block diagrams

• Show how sub-systems contribute to the dynamics of a process

• each sub-system contributes a transfer function (sometimes only a gain)

• Example
voltage heating voltage
𝑉(𝑠) heater rate stirred tank thermocouple 𝑄(𝑠)
temp.
𝐻(𝑠) 𝑇(𝑠) 𝐶(𝑠)

• Recall: output = transfer function × input.

∴ 𝑄 𝑠 = 𝐶 𝑠 𝑇 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠 𝑉(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠)
𝑄 𝑠
= 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑉 𝑠

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Two tanks in series

• For two tanks in series, we derived:

𝑑ℎ1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 1
= − ℎ1
𝑑𝑡 𝐴 𝜏1
𝑑ℎ2 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,2 1
= − ℎ2
𝑑𝑡 𝐴 𝜏2
𝐴
ሶ𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 = 𝑉ሶ𝑜𝑢𝑡,1 = ℎ1
𝜏1
Block diagram:
Flow rate
from Tank 1
Input flow rate Level of Tank 2
Tank 1 𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 (𝑠) Tank 2 𝐻2 (𝑠)
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠)
𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝐺2 (𝑠)

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Two tanks in series

• Transfer functions:
𝑑ℎ1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 1 𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 𝑠 1
= − ℎ1 ⇒ 𝑠𝐻1 𝑠 = − 𝐻1 𝑠
𝑑𝑡 𝐴 𝜏1 𝐴 𝜏1
𝐻1 𝑠 1/𝐴 𝜏1 /𝐴
⇒ = =
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 𝑠 1 𝜏1 𝑠 + 1
𝑠+
𝜏1
𝑑ℎ2 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,2 1 𝐻2 𝑠 𝜏2 /𝐴
= − ℎ2 ⇒ =
𝑑𝑡 𝐴 𝜏2 𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 𝑠 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1

𝐴 𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 𝑠 𝐴
𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,2 = 𝑉ሶ𝑜𝑢𝑡,1 = ℎ1 ⇒ =
𝜏1 𝐻1 (𝑠) 𝜏1

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Two tanks in series

Block diagram:
Flow rate
from Tank 1
Input flow rate Level of Tank 2
Tank 1 𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 (𝑠) Tank 2 𝐻2 (𝑠)
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠)
𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝐺2 (𝑠)

𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 𝑠 𝜏1 /𝐴 𝐴 1
𝐺1 𝑠 = = = =
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠) 𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 𝑠 𝐻1 𝑠 𝜏1 𝑠 + 1 𝜏1 𝜏1 𝑠 + 1
Note that Gain = 𝐺1 0 = 1. At steady state 𝑉ሶ 𝑖𝑛,2 = 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 !
𝐻2 𝑠 𝜏2 /𝐴
𝐺2 𝑠 = =
𝑉𝑖𝑛,2 (𝑠) 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1
Overall process:
𝐻2 𝑠 𝜏2 /𝐴
= 𝐺2 𝑠 𝐺1 𝑠 =
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠) 𝜏1 𝑠 + 1 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1

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Second derivative

• Recall
𝑑𝑓
ℒ =𝑠𝐹 𝑠 −𝑓 0
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑔
• Suppose 𝑓 𝑡 = ⇒ 𝐹 𝑠 = 𝑠𝐺 𝑠 − 𝑔(0)
𝑑𝑡
• Then
𝑑𝑓 𝑑2 𝑔
ℒ =ℒ = 𝑠 𝐹 𝑠 − 𝑓 0 = 𝑠 𝑠𝐺 𝑠 − 𝑔 0 −𝑓 0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 2
2
𝑑𝑔
= 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠 − 𝑠𝑔(0) − ቤ
𝑑𝑡 0
𝑑𝑔
• For a deviation variable, 𝑔 0 = 0 and ቚ = 0 for an initial steady state
𝑑𝑡 0
• Therefore:
𝑑2 𝑔 2𝐺 𝑠
ℒ = 𝑠
𝑑𝑡 2
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Two tanks in series

𝐻2 𝑠 𝜏2 /𝐴 𝜏2 /𝐴
= =
𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠) 𝜏1 𝑠 + 1 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑠 2 + 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1
2
𝜏2
𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑠 + 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑠 + 1 𝐻2 𝑠 = 𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 𝑠
𝐴
2
𝜏2
𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑠 𝐻2 𝑠 + 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑠𝐻2 𝑠 + 𝐻2 𝑠 = 𝑉𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑠)
𝐴
𝑑2 ℎ2′ (𝑡) 𝑑ℎ2′ (𝑡) 𝜏2 ′
𝜏1 𝜏2 + 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 + ℎ 2 ′ 𝑡 = 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 (𝑡)
𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 𝐴
𝑑2 ℎ2′ 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2′ ℎ2′ 1 ′
+ + = 𝑉 ሶ𝑖𝑛,1
𝑑𝑡 2 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏1 𝐴

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Time domain

From lecture 4 (𝐴1 = 𝐴2 ):

𝑑2 ℎ2 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 1
2
= − 2 ℎ1 + 2 ℎ2
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝐴 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏2
𝑑ℎ2 1 1 𝑑ℎ2 1
= ℎ1 − ℎ2 ⇒ ℎ1 = 𝜏1 + ℎ2
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏2
𝑑2 ℎ2 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2 1 1
2
= − + ℎ2 + 2 ℎ2
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝐴 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏2 𝜏2
𝑑 2 ℎ2 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2 1 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1
2
+ + ℎ2 =
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏1 𝐴

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Deviation variables

𝑑 2 ℎ2 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2 1 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1
2
+ + ℎ2 =
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏1 𝐴
∗
𝑑2 ℎ2∗ 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2∗ 1 ∗ 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1
− 2
+ + ℎ2 =
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏1 𝐴
′
𝑑 2 ℎ2′ 𝜏1 + 𝜏2 𝑑ℎ2′ 1 ′ 1 𝑉ሶ𝑖𝑛,1
2
+ + ℎ2 =
𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑑𝑡 𝜏1 𝜏2 𝜏1 𝐴

• Same result. Which is faster to derive?

• Block diagrams clearly show the structure of a process and its dynamics

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Typical process (without controller)
disturbance disturbance transfer
variable function
𝐷(𝑠) 𝐺𝑑 (𝑠)

input process transfer output

variable function + variable
+
𝑈(𝑠) 𝐺𝑝 (𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)

• Manipulated and disturbance variables affect the output of a process

• We can add/subtract variables:
𝑌 𝑠 = 𝐺𝑑 𝑠 𝐷 𝑠 + 𝐺𝑝 𝑠 𝑈(𝑠)

𝑌 𝑠
= 𝐺𝑑 𝑠 = disturbance transfer function
𝐷 𝑠

𝑌 𝑠
= 𝐺𝑝 𝑠 = process transfer function
𝑈 𝑠

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Next

• Controllers and their transfer functions

• Dynamics of a controlled process

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