1.

Find the feedback close-loop system transfer function T(s)

stating the input and the output. Include the closed loop block
diagram. [10%]
In a closed-loop control system, feedback is used to regulate the output of a system by
comparing it to a desired reference value. The difference between the actual output and the
reference is used to generate a control signal that adjusts the system's behavior. To design an
effective controller, it's essential to determine the closed-loop transfer function of the system,
which reveals the relationship between the input reference and the system's output.

Figure 1 Closed-loop Control System

Open-Loop Transfer Function

The open-loop transfer function characterizes the inherent relationship between the input and
output of a system without any feedback mechanism. In the case of our DC motor control
system, the open-loop transfer function, provided to us, is a first-order transfer function given
by:
Equation 1

ω ( s) K0
=
V ( s ) τ s+1

Where:

w: represents the motor's angular speed (output)

V: represents the input voltage to the motor

K_0: is the DC motor system's gain

τ: is the DC motor system's time constant

In control systems analysis, it's standard practice to represent the open-loop transfer function
with the symbol 'G(s)'. This provides a compact and convenient notation for further analysis.
Equation 2

ω( s) K0
G ( s )= =
V ( s ) τ s+1

In the previous assignment, the DC motor's gain (K0) and time constant (Tau) were
experimentally determined. To tailor our analysis to the specific motor system, we substitute
these values into the open-loop transfer function:

K0 = 41.7

Tau = 3.93
Equation 3

41.7
G ( s )=
3.93 s +1

This transfer function indicates that a change in input voltage (V) will result in a
corresponding change in the motor's speed (w). The time constant (T) determines how
quickly the motor responds to changes in input, while the gain (K_0) dictates the magnitude
of the speed change for a given voltage change.

Block Diagram Analysis

Figure 2 Block Diagram of P-Controller

Input Signal R(s): This represents the desired reference speed for the DC motor.

Summing Junction: This element calculates the error (e) between the reference speed (R(s))
and the actual measured speed of the motor (which is fed back).

Kp Block: This represents our proportional controller. It multiplies the error (e) by the gain
Kp, generating a control signal.
G(s) Block: This represents the DC motor system itself. The control signal from the P-
controller is the input to this block, and the output is the actual speed of the motor.

Unity Feedback: This means the output speed is directly fed back and compared with the
input reference.

With the introduction of the P-controller (with gain Kp), the effective open-loop transfer
function of the system changes. Since the controller is in series with the original plant (the
DC motor), the new open-loop transfer function becomes the product of their individual
transfer functions:

New Open-Loop Transfer Function: Kp * G(s)

Equation 4

41.7
Gnew ( s )=K p G ( s )=K p ⋅
3.93 s+1

The closed-loop transfer function of a unity feedback system is given by:

Equation 5

Gc ( s ) G p ( s )
T ( s )=
1+G c ( s ) G p ( s ) H ( s )

Where:

Gc(s) = Kp (P-controller)

41.7
Gp(s) ¿ (The DC motor system)
3.93 s+ 1

H(s) = 1 (Unity feedback)

Derivation

1. Substitute the components into the formula:

Equation 6

41.7
Kp⋅
3.93 s+ 1
T ( s )=
41.7
1+ K p ⋅ ⋅1
3.93 s +1

2. Simplify the expression:

Equation 7

41.7 K p
T ( s )=
3.93 s+1+ 41.7 K p

The closed-loop transfer function describes how the system's output (motor speed) responds
to changes in the input (desired reference speed) with the controller in place. We'll use this
transfer function to analyse how our controller design impacts the system’s performance.

Figure 3 Closed Loop Block Diagram

2. Design P-controller gain Kp to control the DC motor speed that

will result in a steady state error of 5% for a unit step. (show all
steps) [10%]
A critical performance metric in control systems is steady-state error, which quantifies the
difference between the desired output and the system's actual output once it has reached a
steady state. The goal of this design step is to determine the proportional controller gain (Kp)
that will ensure a steady-state error of 5% when the DC motor system is commanded to
follow a unit step reference input. This desired error specification is one of the key
requirements outlined in the lab assignment.

The steady-state error (ess) is a measure of how well the system's output tracks the desired
reference input after transients have subsided. It is calculated using the Final Value Theorem
as follows:
Equation 8

ess=e ( ∞ )=lim s E ( s )
s →0

where:

e(∞ ) represents the error signal at steady-state (as time approaches infinity)

E(s) is the Laplace transform of the error signal e(t)

Derivation with Detailed Steps

1. Steady-State Error Definition: Begin by defining the steady-state error in terms of

the motor speeds
Equation 9

ess=e ( ∞ )=lim [ wm ( t ) −w 0 ( t ) ]
t→∞

where:

ess: Steady-state error

e(∞ ): Error between desired and actual speed at steady state (as time approaches
infinity)

w m(t): Desired motor speed

w 0(t): Actual motor speed

2. Laplace Transform: Transforming the equation into the Laplace domain

Equation 10

ess=lim s [ W m ( s )−W 0 ( s ) ]
s →0

where:

W m (s): Laplace transform of w m(t)

W 0 (s): Laplace transform of w 0 ¿t)

3. Closed-Loop Relationship: Recalling that in a closed-loop system, the output is

related to the input through the closed-loop transfer function:
Equation 11

W 0 ( s )=T ( s ) W m ( s )

4. Substitution: Substitute W 0 (s) into the steady-state error expression:

Equation 12

ess=lim s [ W m ( s )−T ( s ) W m ( s ) ]
s →0

5. Simplify: Factor out W m (s):

Equation 13

ess=lim s [ 1−T ( s ) ] W m ( s )
s →0

6. Substitute the value of T(s): Substitute the previously derived T(s) into the steady-
state error equation:
Equation 14

ess=lim s 1−
s →0 ( 41.7 K p
3.93 s+ 41.7 K p +1 )
W m ( s)

1
7. Apply Unit Step Input: For a unit step input,W m ( s ) = . Substitute this value:
s

Equation 15

ess=lim s 1−
s →0 ( 41.7 K p 1
3.93 s+ 41.7 K p +1 s )
8. Simplify: Cancel out the 's' terms:
Equation 16

ess=lim 1−
s →0 ( 41.7 K p
3.93 s+ 41.7 K p +1 )
9. Evaluate the Limit: Taking the limit as s approaches 0, we get:
Equation 17

41.7 K p
ess=1−
41.7 K p +1

10. Substitute Desired Steady-State Error: A steady-state error of 5% (0.05) is sought

after, substituting this value into the equation:
Equation 18

41.7 K p
0.05=1−
41.7 K p +1

11. Solve for Kp: Now, solving this equation to find the value of Kp that achieves
desired goal.
 Subtract 1 from both sides:
Equation 19

−41.7 K p
−0.95=
41.7 K p +1
 Multiply both sides by the denominator:

Equation 20

−0.95 ( 41.7 K p +1 )=−41.7 K p

 Distribute and simplify:

Equation 21

−39.615 K p−0.95=−41.7 K p
 Combine Kp terms:

Equation 22

2.085 K p=0.95
 Isolate Kp

Equation 23

0.95
Kp= ≈ 0.456
2.085

Calculations indicate that a proportional controller gain of approximately Kp = 0.456 is

expected to result in a steady-state error of 5% for the DC motor control system.
Might help you Osama

Control signals are the calculated outputs of a controller that are designed to manipulate a
system's behavior to achieve a desired outcome. In a closed-loop system, these control signals
are based on the error between the desired reference input and the measured output. Below is
a description of the common P, I, and D controllers:

P-controller (Proportional): The control signal is directly proportional to the current error. It
offers a quick response but can lead to steady-state error, where the output doesn't precisely
reach the desired value.

Figure 4 P-Controller

D-controller (Derivative): The control signal is proportional to the rate of change of the error.
It anticipates future error, improving response speed and stability, but it can be sensitive to
noise in the measured signal.

Figure 5 D-Controller

I-controller (Integral): The control signal is proportional to the accumulation (integral) of the
error over time. This helps eliminate steady-state error but can introduce instability and
oscillations if not tuned properly.
 Figure 6 I-Controller

These controllers are often combined (e.g., PI, PD, or PID controllers) to achieve the best
balance of speed, accuracy, and stability for a specific control task.