CHAPTER-1

CONTROL SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION

”Control system” deals with control of engineering systems that are governed by the laws of
physics.
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The word “Control” means to regulate, to direct or to command or to govern. Whereas, “System”
means a combination of devices and components connected together to perform a certain function.
Where this system may be physical, biological, economic…. Therefore, “Control System” is
defined as a combination of devices and components connected or related so as, to command,
direct or regulate itself or another system.

In order to identify, or define a control system, we introduce two terms: input and output here. The
input is the stimulus, excitation, or command applied to a control system, and the output is the
actual response resulting from a control system. The output may or may not be equal to the
specified response implied by the input. Inputs could be physical variables or abstract ones such
as reference, set point or desired values for the output of the control system. Control systems can
have more than one input or output. The input and the output represent the desired response and
the actual response respectively. A control system provides an output or response for a given input
or stimulus, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Hence, as its name indicates control system involves the design of an engineering product or
system where its requirement is to accurately control some quantity, say the temperature in a room,
liquid level in a tank (example ultrasonic, float, cantilever beam) or the position or speed of an
electric motor.

Example:

On studying control engineering, we need to define the following terms that are necessary to
describe control systems.

Plant: A plant may be a piece of equipment, perhaps just a set of machine parts functioning
together, the purpose of which is to perform a particular operation. In this course, we shall call any
physical object to be control (such as a mechanical device, a heating furnace, a chemical reactor,
or a spacecraft) as a plant.

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Process: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a process to be a natural, progressively
continuing operation or development marked by a series of gradual changes that succeed one
another in a relatively fixed way and lead toward a particular result or end; or an artificial or
voluntary, progressively continuing operation that consists of a series of controlled actions or
movements systematically directed toward a particular result or end.so in this course we shall call
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any operation to be controlled is a process. Examples are chemical, economic, and biological
processes.

Systems: A system is a combination of components that act together and perform a certain
objective. A system is not limited to physical ones. The word system should, therefore, be
interpreted to imply physical, biological, economic, and the like, systems. Alternatively, system is
an arrangement of physical components connected or related in such a manner as to form and/or
act as entire unit. (A combination of components that act together.)

Disturbances: A disturbance is a signal that tends to undesirably affect the value of the output of
a system. If a disturbance is generated within the system, it is called internal, while an external
disturbance is generated outside the system and is an input.

Controlled Variable and Manipulated Variable: The controlled variable is the quantity or
condition that is measured and controlled. The manipulated variable is the quantity or condition
that is varied by the controller so as, to affect the value of the controlled variable. Normally, the
controlled variable is the output of the system.

Control: Control means measuring the value of the controlled variable of the system and applying
the manipulated variable to the system to correct or limit deviation of the measured value from a
desired value.

In general, the configuration of a control system looks as,

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Automobile Driving system is example of a control system, which has two command inputs
(Direction of the road and speed limit) and two controlled outputs (Heading and Speed). It can be
represented in block diagram as,

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Classification of Control Systems

Broadly speaking, there are three basic types of control system

a. Man-made control systems: the various control systems that are designed and
developed by man. (Example- An automobile system, Electric switch, Aero planes and
Chemical process )
b. Natural control system: The system inside a human being or a biological system.
c. Combinational control systems: whose components are both man-made and natural.
(Example-Driver driving a car)
d. Open and Closed loop control system: are given in details as follows,

1. Open-Loop Control System: In an open- loop control system the output is neither measured
nor feedback for comparison with the input. This means if any physical system, which does
not automatically correct the variation in its output, is called open loop system.

Example: Fixed time traffic, room heater, electric hand drier, bread toaster, sprinkler and Washing
machine; In washing machine Soaking, washing, and rinsing in the washer operate on a time basis.
The machine does not measure the output signal, that is, the cleanness of the clothes.

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2. Closed-Loop Control Systems: In a closed-loop control system the actuating error signal,
which is the difference between the input signal and the feedback signal (which may be the
output signal itself or a function of the output signal and its derivatives and/or integrals), is fed
to the controller so as to reduce the error and bring the output of the system to a desired value.
The term closed-loop control always implies the use of feedback control action in order to
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reduce system error. Therefore, it is called automatic control.

Example: Refrigerator, servo motor, smart AC, generator output, Electric Iron

Closed-Loop vs. Open-Loop Control Systems

i. An advantage of the closed loop control system is the fact that the use of feedback makes the
system response relatively insensitive to external disturbances and internal variations in system
parameters. It is thus possible to use relatively inaccurate and inexpensive components to
obtain the accurate control of a given plant, whereas doing so is impossible in the open-loop
case.
ii. From the point of view of stability, the open-loop control system is easier to build because
system stability is not a major problem. Whereas, stability is a major problem in the closed-
loop control system, which may tend to overcorrect errors and thereby can cause oscillations
of constant or changing amplitude.
iii. The number of components used in a closed-loop control system is more than that for a
corresponding open-loop control system. Thus, the closed-loop control system is generally
higher in cost and power. To decrease the required power of a system, open-loop control may
be used where applicable. A proper combination of open-loop and closed-loop controls is
usually less expensive and will give satisfactory overall system performance.

It is useful to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of using open loop and closed loop
control systems.

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The major advantages and disadvantages of open-loop control systems are as follows:

Advantages Disadvantages
Simple construction and ease of maintenance. Disturbances and changes in calibration cause
errors, and the output may be different from
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Less expensive than a corresponding closed-loop To maintain the required quality in the output,
system. recalibration is necessary from time to time.
There is no stability problem. Sensitive towards external influences
Convenient when output is hard to measure.
(For example, in the washer system, it would be
quite expensive to provide a device to measure the
quality of the washer's output, cleanness of the
clothes.)

The major advantages and disadvantages of closed-loop control systems are as follows:

Advantages Disadvantages

Not sensitive towards external influences System is usually complex

Has high levels of accuracy The system can become unstable

Able to reduce instability

Components of a control system

The core elements of a control system are;

 Comparison Unit
 Control Unit
 Correction Unit
 Process Unit
 Measurement Unit

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a) Comparison Unit
This element compares the required or reference value of the variable condition being
controlled with the measured value and produces an error signal.
𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙 = 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

b) Control Unit
This element decides the corrective action to be taken when an error signal received
by it.

Example: A signal to operate switch ON/OFF or valve open/close

c) Correction Unit
Correction element is an actuator that produces change in a process to correct or
change the controller condition. It also provides the power to carry out the control
action, hence it is known as actuator.

d) Disturbance or Noise Input. A disturbance or noise input is an undesired stimulus or

input signal affecting the value of the controlled output.
e) Process Unit (Plant)
Plant, Process or Controlled System Gp(s). The plant, process, or controlled system
is the system, subsystem, process, or object controlled by the feedback control system. For example, the plant can be
a furnace system where the output variable is temperature.

An element that controls the process is known as process element

Example: Room temperature of a house is being controlled

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f) Measurement Unit
The measurement element produces a signal related to the variable condition of the
process that is being controlled
Page | 7 Example: Thermocouple gives EMF related to temperature.

Example: System of Controlling Water Level

Controlled variable: Water level in the tank
Reference variable: Initial setting of the float and lever position
Comparison element: The lever
Error signal: Difference between the actual and initial setting of the lever position
Control unit: The pivoted lever
Correction unit: the flap opening or closing the water supply
Process: The water level in the tank
Measuring device: The floating ball and lever

EXAMPLES OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

1.Antiaircraft radar tracking control system

An example of a military application of a feedback control system is the anti-aircraft radar

tracking control system. The radar antenna detects the position and velocity of the target
airplane, and the computer circuit takes this information and determines the correct firing
angle for the gun. This angle includes the necessary lead angle so that the missile reaches
the projected position at the same time as the airplane. The output signal of the computer,
a function of the firing angle, is fed into a power amplifier whose output voltage is applied
to the drive motor. The motor then tilts the gun to the desired firing angle. A feedback
signal proportional to the gun position assures correct alignment with the position
determined by the computer. The gun must be positioned both horizontally and vertically.

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Fig 3- Antiaircraft radar tracking control system.

. Therefore this system has two drive motors that are parts of two separate feedback loops.

2.Human being acts as a feedback control system.

The action of a human being in walking from a starting point to a destination point along
a prescribed path satisfies the definition of a feedback control system. The prescribed path
is the input. The eyes perform the function of comparing the actual path of movement with
the prescribed path, the desired output. The eyes transmit a signal to the brain, which
amplifies this signal and transmits a signal to the legs to correct the actual path of
movement to bring it in line with the desired path. From the beginning of the existence of
the human race there has existed a feedback control system.

Fig - A pictorial demonstration of a human being acting as a feedback control system.

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3. Consider the problem of trying to balance a broomstick in the palm of the hand. If
the hand is held stationary, small disturbance will cause the broom to fall. But if
one knows exactly what disturbances will occur and can control the motion of one's
hand perfectly. It is possible to determine in advance how to move the hand to
balance the broom. However, by always moving the hand in the direction in which
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the broom is falling, it can be balanced. This of course requires feedback to sense
the direction in which the broom is falling.

4. Historically, the first automatic control device used in the industry was the Watt fly-ball
governor, discovered in 1767 by James Watt. The two fly balls in the governor rotate about
a vertical axis at a speed proportional to the speed of the engine. Due to the centrifugal
force acting on them, they tend to move. This movement controls the supply of steam to
the engine through a mechanical linkage to the steam flow valve in such a manner that the
steam supply is reduced when the speed is high and increased when the speed is low. If
one tried to increase the sensitivity of the governor by increasing the gear ratio between
the engine shaft and the governor, it tended to 'hunt' or oscillate about the desired setting.

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