Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

Module 5: Design of Sampled Data Control Systems

Lecture Note 2

If we remember the controller design in continuous domain using root locus, we see that the
design is based on the approximation that the closed loop system has a complex conjugate pole
pair which dominates the system behavior. Similarly for a discrete time case also the controller
will be designed based on the concept of a dominant pole pair.

Controller types: We have already studied different variants of controllers such as PI, PD,
PID etc. We know that PI controller is generally used to improve steady state performance
whereas PD controller is used to improve the relative stability or transient response. Similarly
a phase lead compensator improves the dynamic performance whereas a lag compensator im-
proves the steady state response.

Pole-Zero cancellation A common practice in designing controllers in s-plane or z-plane

is to cancel the undesired poles or zeros of plant transfer function by the zeros and poles of
controller. New poles and zeros can also be added in some advantageous locations. However,
one has to keep in mind that pole-zero cancellation scheme does not always provide satisfactory
solution. Moreover, if the undesired poles are near jω axis, inexact cancellation, which is almost
inevitable in practice, may lead to a marginally stable or even unstable closed loop system. For
this reason one should never try to cancel an unstable pole.
z+a
Design Procedure: Consider a compensator of the form K . It will be a lead com-
z+b
pensator if the zero lies on the right of the pole.
1. Calculate the desired closed loop pole pairs based on design criteria.
2. Map the s-domain poles to z-domain.
3. Check if the sampling frequency is 8−10 times the desired damped frequency of oscillation.
4. Calculate the angle contributions of all open loop poles and zeros to the desired closed
loop pole.
5. Compute the required contribution by the controller transfer function to satisfy angle
criterion.
6. Place the controller zero in a suitable location and calculate the required angle contribution
of the controller pole.

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Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

7. Compute the location of the controller pole to provide the required angle.
8. Find out the gain K from the magnitude criterion.
The following example will illustrate the design procedure.

An Example on Controller Design

Consider the closed loop discrete control system as shown in Figure 1. Design a digital controller
r(t) e(t) 1 − e−T s 1
+
− G∗D (s) c(t)
T s s(s + 1)
Controller ZOH Plant

Figure 1: A discrete time control system

such that the dominant closed loop poles have a damping ratio ξ = 0.5 and settling time ts = 2
sec for 2% tolerance band. Take thepsampling period as T = 0.2 sec. The dominant pole pair
in continuous domain is −ξωn ± jωn 1 − ξ 2 where ωn is the natural undamped frequency.
4 4
Given that settling time ts = = = 2 sec.
ξωn 0.5ωn
Thus, ωn = 4
√
Damped frequency ωd = 4 1 − 0.52 = 3.46
2π 2π
Sampling frequency ωs = = = 31.4
T 0.2
31.4
Since = 9.07, we get approximately 9 samples per cycle of the damped oscillation.
3.46
The closed loop poles in s-plane
p
s1,2 = −ξωn ± jωn 1 − ξ 2
= −2 ± j3.46
Thus the closed loop poles in z-plane
z1,2 = exp(T (−2 ± j3.46))
|z| = e−T ξωn = exp(−0.4) = 0.67
6 z = T ωd = 0.2 × 3.464 = 0.69 rad = 39.690
Thus, z1,2 = 0.676 39.70 ∼
= 0.52 ± j0.43

1 − e−0.2s
 
1
G(z) = Z .
s s(s + 1)
 
−1 1
= (1 − z )Z 2
s (s + 1)
∼ 0.02(z + 0.93)
=
(z − 1)(z − 0.82)

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Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

Root Locus
2

1.5

Imaginary Axis 1

0.5

−0.5

−1

−1.5

−2
−6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2
Real Axis

Figure 2: Root locus of uncompensated system

The root locus of the uncompensated system (without controller) is shown in Figure 2. It is
clear from the root locus plot that the uncompensated system is stable for a very small range
of K.
j Im Z

Unit circle

0.43 X θ2

θ1 θ3
O X X Re Z
−0.93 0.52 0.82 1

Figure 3: Pole zero map to compute angle contributions

Pole zero map of the uncompensated system is shown in Figure 3. Sum of angle contribu-
tions at the desired pole is A = θ1 − θ2 − θ3 , where θ1 is the angle by the zero, −0.93, and θ2
and θ3 are the angles contributed by the two poles, 0.82 and 1 respectively.

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Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

From the pole zero map as shown in Figure 3, the angles can be calculated as θ1 = 16.5o ,
θ2 = 124.9o and θ3 = 138.1o .

Net angle contribution is A = 16.5o − 124.9o − 138.1o = −246.5o . But from angle criterion
a point will lie on root locus if the total angle contribution at that point is ±180o . Angle defi-
ciency is −246.5o + 180o = −66.5o

Controller pulse transfer function must provide an angle of 66.5o . Thus we need a Lead Com-
pensator. Let us consider the following compensator.
z+a
GD (z) = K
z+b
If we place controller zero at z = 0.82 to cancel the pole there, we can avoid some of the calcula-
tions involved in the design. Then the controller pole should provide an angle of 124.9o −66.5o =
58.4o .

Once we know the required angle contribution of the controller pole, we can easily calculate the
pole location as follows.

The pole location is already assumed at z = −b. Since the required angle is greater than
tan−1 (0.43/0.52) = 39.6o we can easily say that the pole must lie on the right half of the unit
circle. Thus b should be negative. To satisfy angle criterion,
0.43
tan−1 = 58.4o
0.52 − |b|
0.43
or, = tan(58.4o ) = 1.625
0.52 − |b|
0.43
or, 0.52 − |b| = = 0.267
1.56
or, |b| = 0.52 − 0.267 = 0.253
Thus, b = −0.253
z − 0.82
The controller is then written as GD (z) = K . The root locus of the compensated
z − 0.253
system (with controller) is shown in Figure 4.
If we compare Figure 4 with Figure 2, it is evident that stable region of K is much larger for
the compensated system than the uncompensated system. Next we need to calculate K from
the magnitude criterion.

0.02K(z + 0.93)
Magnitude criterion: =1
(z − 0.253)(z − 1) z=0.52+j0.43
(z − 0.253)(z − 1)
or, K =
0.02(z + 0.93) z=0.52+j0.43
|0.52 + j0.43 − 0.253||0.52 + j0.43 − 1|
= = 10.75
0.02|0.52 + j0.43 + 0.93|

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Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

Root Locus
2

1.5

Imaginary Axis 1

0.5

−0.5

−1

−1.5

−2
−6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2
Real Axis

Figure 4: Root locus of the compensated system

z − 0.82
Thus the required controller is GD (z) = 10.75 . The SIMULINK block to compute the
z − 0.253
output response is shown in Figure 5. All discrete blocks in the SIMULINK model should have
same sampling period which is 0.2 sec in this example. The scope output is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5: Simulink diagram of the closed loop system

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Digital Control Module 5 Lecture 2

Figure 6: Output response of the closed loop system

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