2/16/22, 9:37 PM Control Systems - Block Diagram Reduction

Control Systems - Block Diagram Reduction

The concepts discussed in the previous chapter are helpful for reducing (simplifying) the block
diagrams.

Block Diagram Reduction Rules

Follow these rules for simplifying (reducing) the block diagram, which is having many blocks,
summing points and take-off points.

Rule 1 − Check for the blocks connected in series and simplify.

Rule 2 − Check for the blocks connected in parallel and simplify.

Rule 3 − Check for the blocks connected in feedback loop and simplify.
Rule 4 − If there is difficulty with take-off point while simplifying, shift it towards right.

Rule 5 − If there is difficulty with summing point while simplifying, shift it towards left.
Rule 6 − Repeat the above steps till you get the simplified form, i.e., single block.

Note − The transfer function present in this single block is the transfer function of the overall block
diagram.

Example

Consider the block diagram shown in the following figure. Let us simplify (reduce) this block
diagram using the block diagram reduction rules.

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2/16/22, 9:37 PM Control Systems - Block Diagram Reduction

Step 1 − Use Rule 1 for blocks G

G11
and G
G22
. Use Rule 2 for blocks G
G33
and G
G44
. The

modified block diagram is shown in the following figure.

Step 2 − Use Rule 3 for blocks G

G1 G2
1 G2
and H
H11
. Use Rule 4 for shifting take-off point after the

block G
G55
. The modified block diagram is shown in the following figure.

Step 3 − Use Rule 1 for blocks (

(GG3 + G 4)
3 + G4 ) and G
G55
. The modified block diagram is shown in

the following figure.

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2/16/22, 9:37 PM Control Systems - Block Diagram Reduction

Step 4 − Use Rule 3 for blocks (

(GG3 + G 4)
3 + G4 )GG5
5
and H
H33
. The modified block diagram is shown

in the following figure.

Step 5 − Use Rule 1 for blocks connected in series. The modified block diagram is shown in the
following figure.

Step 6 − Use Rule 3 for blocks connected in feedback loop. The modified block diagram is shown
in the following figure. This is the simplified block diagram.

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2/16/22, 9:37 PM Control Systems - Block Diagram Reduction

Therefore, the transfer function of the system is

2
2
Y
Y((s
s)) G
G1 G 2G
1 G2 G (
(GG3 + G 4)
3 + G4 )
5
5
=
=
R
R((s
s)) (
(11+
+GG1 G 2H
1 G2 H1 ){1 + (G 3 +
1 ){1 + (G3 +GG4 )G 5H
4 )G5 H3 }G 5 −
3 }G5 −GG1 G 2G
1 G2 G5 (G 3 +
5 (G3 +GG4 )H 2
4 )H2

Note − Follow these steps in order to calculate the transfer function of the block diagram having
multiple inputs.

Step 1 − Find the transfer function of block diagram by considering one input at a time and
make the remaining inputs as zero.

Step 2 − Repeat step 1 for remaining inputs.

Step 3 − Get the overall transfer function by adding all those transfer functions.

The block diagram reduction process takes more time for complicated systems. Because, we have
to draw the (partially simplified) block diagram after each step. So, to overcome this drawback, use
signal flow graphs (representation).

In the next two chapters, we will discuss about the concepts related to signal flow graphs, i.e., how
to represent signal flow graph from a given block diagram and calculation of transfer function just
by using a gain formula without doing any reduction process.

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