Introduction to Control System

(ECNG-3212)

Tutorial - 3
Basics and Control System Modeling …

Goitom Tadesse
Ethiopian Defence University, College of Engineering

May 2024

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 Block Diagram
✓ Block Diagram: Pictorial representation of functions
performed by each component of a system and that of
flow of signals.

✓ The interconnection between systems is usually

represented in block diagram.
✓ In control systems the physical components such as
the plant, sensors and actuators are present separately
or in combination with each other to perform required
operation. 2
 Block Diagram …
So, to simplify the analysis instead of showing those
components directly representing them in block is more
preferable.
Therefore, the block diagram is useful to show how the
system components are interconnected to each other.

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 Block Diagram …
Closed Loop Transfer Function

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 Block Diagram …
Terminologies

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 Block Diagram …
Room Temperature Control

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 Block Diagram …
Aircraft
Elevator Control

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 Block Diagram …
CNC Machine Tool Control

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 Block Diagram …
Blocks in series
As indicated in Section: System series , Figure below shows the
basic rule for simplifying blocks in series.

Blocks in parallel
As indicated in Section: System series , Figure below shows the
basic rule for simplifying blocks in parallel.

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Block Diagram …

C(s)+ G(s)H(s)C(s)=G(s)R(s)
C(s)(1+ G(s)H(s))=G(s)R(s)

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 Block Diagram …
Moving takeoff points
As a means of simplifying block diagrams it is often
necessary to move takeoff points. The following figures
give the basic rules for such movements.

Moving a takeoff point to beyond a block

Moving a takeoff point to ahead of a block

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 Block Diagram …
Moving a Summing Point
As a means of simplifying block diagrams it is often
necessary to move summing points. The following
figures give the basic rules for such movements.

Rearrangement of summing points

Interchange of summing points

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 Block Diagram …

Moving a summing point ahead of a block

Moving a summing point beyond a block

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 Block Diagram …
Changing feedback and forward paths
Figures below show block simplification techniques
when changing feed forward and feedback paths.

Removing a block from a feedback path

Removing a block from a forward path

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 Block Diagram …
Example 1
Use block simplification techniques to simplify the
system shown below

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 Block Diagram …
Solution
1. Moving a
takeoff point

2. Eliminating a
feed forward loop

3. Simplifying
series elements
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 Block Diagram …

4. Simplifying a
feedback element

5. Simplifying
series elements

6.Simplifying
negative feedback

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Block Diagram Algebra

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Block Diagram ...

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Block Diagram …

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 Block Diagram …
Example 2
Simplify the feedback system given below into a unity
feedback using block diagram reduction technique.

The closed loop transfer function becomes

C (s) G (s) 1 G ( s) H ( s)
= =
R( s) 1 + G ( s) H ( s) H ( s) 1 + G ( s) H ( s)
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 Block Diagram …
Example 3

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 Block Diagram …
Example 4

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Block Diagram …

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 Signal Flow Diagram
A signal flow diagram is a pictorial representation of the
simultaneous equations describing a system.
It graphically displays the transmission of signals
through the system as does the block diagram.
But it is easier to draw and therefore easier to
manipulate than block diagram.
Let us consider the simple equation
Xi= AijXj
For signal flow diagram, Aij is a mathematical operator
mapping Xi into Xj , and is called transmission
function. 25
 Signal Flow Diagram …
Consider a simple equation below and draw its signal
flow graph:
The signal flow graph of the equation is shown below;

Every variable in a signal flow graph is designed by a

Node.
Every transmission function in a signal flow graph is
designed by a Branch.
Branches are always unidirectional.
The arrow in the branch denotes the direction of the
signal flow. 26
Signal Flow Diagram …

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
There are four variables in the equations (i.e., x1, x2, x3
and x4) therefore four nodes are required to construct
the signal flow graph.
Arrange these four nodes from left to right and connect
them with the associated branches.
Example:

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Terminologies
An input node or source contain only the outgoing
branches. i.e., X1
An output node or sink contain only the incoming
branches. i.e., X4
A path is a continuous, unidirectional succession of
branches along which no node is passed more than
ones. i.e.,

A forward path is a path from the input node to the

output node. i.e., X1 to X2 to X3 to X4, and X1 to X2 to
X4, are forward paths. 29
 Signal Flow Diagram …
A feedback path or feedback loop is a path which
originates and terminates on the same node .i.e.; X2 to
X3 and back to X2 is a feedback path.
A self loop is a feedback loop consisting of a single
branch .i.e.; A33 is a self loop.
The gain of a branch is the transmission function of that
branch.

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 Signal Flow Diagram …

The path gain is the product of branch gains

encountered in traversing a path. i.e. the gain of
forwards path X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 is A21 A32A43
The loop gain is the product of the branch gains of
the loop. i.e., the loop gain of the feedback loop from
X2 to X3 and back to X2 is A32 and A23 .
Two loops, paths, or loop and a path are said to be
non-touching if they have no nodes in common.

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Signal Flow Diagram …

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Signal Flow Diagram …

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 Signal Flow Diagram …

Each first-order block is of the form

Block diagram and its equivalent signal flow graph

representations of a system

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Example 5
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

a) Input node.
b) Output node.
c) Forward path gain.
d) Feedback paths (loops) gain.
e) Non-touching loops
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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Solution
a) Input node is R(s)
b) Output node C(s)
c) There are two forward path gains;

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
d) There are four loop gains

e) Non-touching loop gains;

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Example 6
Consider the signal flow graph below and identify the
following

Input node, output node, forward paths, feedback paths,

self loop.
Determine the loop gains of the feedback loops.
Determine the path gains of the forward paths.
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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Solution
Input and output Nodes are X1 and X8
Forward Paths A32A43A54A65A76, A72, A42A54A65A76

X1 to X2 to X3 to X4 to X5 to X6 to X7 to X8
X1 to X2 to X7 to X8
X1 to X2 to X4 to X5 to X6 to X7 to X8

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 Signal Flow Diagram …
Feedback Paths or Loops

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 Signal Flow Diagram …

Self Loop(s)

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 Mason’s Rule (Mason, 1953)
The block diagram reduction technique require
successive application of fundamental relationships in
order to arrive at the system transfer function.
On the other hand, Mason’s rule for reducing a signal-
flow graph to a single transfer function requires the
application of one formula.
The formula was derived by S.J. Mason when he related
the signal-flow graph to the simultaneous equations
that can be written from the graph.

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 Mason’s Rule …
The transfer function, C(s)/R(s), of a system represented
by a signal-flow graph is;

Where
n= number of forward paths.
Pi= the ith forward-path gain.
Δ = Determinant of the system
Δi= Determinant of the ith forward path
Δ is called the signal flow graph determinant or
characteristic function. Since Δ=0 is the system
characteristic equation. 43
 Mason’s Rule …
Δ=1-(sum of all individual loop gains)+(sum of the
products of the gains of all possible two loops that
do not touch each other)–(sum of the products of the
gains of all possible three loops that do not touch
each other)+… and so forth with sums of higher
number of non-touching loop gains
Δi = value of Δ for the part of the block diagram that
does not touch the ith forward path (Δ i =1if there are
no non-touching loops to the ith path.)

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 Mason’s Rule …
Systematic Approach
1.Calculate forward path gain Pi for each forward path i.
2.Calculate all loop transfer functions
3.Consider non-touching loops 2 at a time
4.Consider non-touching loops 3 at a time
5.etc
6.Calculate Δ from steps 2,3,4 and 5
7.Calculate Δ i as portion of Δ not touching forward path i

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 Mason’s Rule …
Example 7
solve the SFG using Mason’s rule

Solution:
1. Forward paths P1 = gl2 g23 g34 g45 g56 g67
P2 = gl2 g23 g36 g67
P3 = gl2 g23 g34 g46 g67
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 Mason’s Rule …
2. Loops L1 = g23 h32 ; L2 = g23 g34 h42
L3 = g45 h54 ; L4 = g56 h65
L5 = g46 h65 h54 ; L6 = g23 g36 h65 h54 h42
3. Two non touching loops
Out of the six loops there are 4 combinations of two non
touching loops. Their gain products are:
L13= L1 L3 = g23 g45 h32 h54
L14= L1 L4 = g23 g56 h32 h65
L15= L1 L5 = g23 g46 h32 h65 h54
L24= L2 L4 = g23 g34 g56 h42 h65
4. Three non touching loops: There is no combinations
of 3 non touching loops or 4 non touching loops etc. 47
 Mason’s Rule …
• Let us now calculate the determinant of the flow
graph.
∆ = 1 - (Ll + L2 + L3 + L4 + L5 + L6) + Ll3+ L14+ L15 + L24
= 1 - (g23h32+g23 g34h42+ g45h 54+g56h65+g46h65h54
+g23 g36h65h54h42) + (g23g45h32h54+g23g56h32h65+
g23g46h32h65h54+ g23g34g56h42h65)
and ∆l = value of ∆ which is non touching with P1
• Eliminate all terms in ∆ which have any node in
common with forward path P1. All loops L1 to L6
have at least one node in common with P1 and hence,
∆1 = 1 48
 Mason’s Rule …

Similarly ∆2= value of ∆ which is non touching with P2

The loop L3 is not having any common node with P2
and hence eliminating all loops except L3, then
∆2 = 1 - L3 = 1 – g45 h54
Similarly, ∆3 = 1
Applying Mason's rule
C ( s ) P11 + P2  2 + P3 3
T (s) = =
R( s) 
g12 g 23 g34 g 45 g56 g 67 + g12 g 23 g36 g 67 (1 – g 45 h54 ) + g12 g 23 g 34 g 46 g 67
=
1 − ( g 23h32 + g 23 g34 h42 + g 45 h54 + g56 h65 + g 46 h65 h54 + g 23 g 36 h65 h54 h42 ) +
...( g 23 g 45 h32 h54 + g 23 g56 h32 h65 + g 23 g 46 h32 h65 h54 + g 23 g34 g56 h42 h65 )49
 Mason’s Rule …
Example 8
Construction of a Signal Flow Graph for a System

Solution: the currents and voltages in the branches

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 Mason’s Rule …

The variables I1(s), I2(s), V1(s), V2(s) and Vo(s) are

represented by nodes

Find the transfer function via Mason’s rule

1. Forward paths: There is only one forward path.

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 Mason’s Rule …
2. (i) Loop gains (ii) Product of gains of two non
touching loops

3. The determinant of the graph

and
4. The transfer function is

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 Homework
Problem 1
Reduce/Simplify the following block diagram into its overall
transfer function, isolating block H1

Solution

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 Homework …
Problem 2
Simplify the block diagram by isolating feedback transfer
function H2

Solution

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 Homework …
Problem 3
Simplify the feedback system given below into a unity feedback
using block diagram reduction technique.

Solution

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 Homework …
Problem 4
Reduce the block diagram below into open loop form.

Solution

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 Homework …
Problem 5
Find the signal flow graph and the transfer function for
the block diagram given below. Then find the transfer
function of the SFG using Mason’s rule.

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 Homework …
Problem 6

(c)
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