CHE576 Midterm Examination (Past Sample)
Close-book, 60 minutes, 3 questions in total, answer all questions
Unless specified otherwise, the time unit in all questions is in terms of second.
Q.1: (30 Marks) Fundamental questions:
1. (5 Marks) Use the exact discretization method (formula can be used) to transform the
following differential equation to a difference equation (use sampling period ∆t = 1
second):
dy(t)
+ 0.1y(t) = u(t − 2)
dt
2. (5 Marks) What is the gain of the discrete-time transfer function as derived in 1)?
3. (5 Marks) What is the time delay of the discrete-time transfer function?
4. (5 Marks) If the continuous input is u(t) = e−t for t ≥ 0 and 0 otherwise, what is the
initial value of the output response?
5. (5 Marks) If the discrete input un = 1 − 0.8n−1 for n ≥ 1 and 0 otherwise, what is the
final value of the output response?
6. (5 Marks) Is the sampling period of ∆t = 1 second appropriate for this process?
Q.2: (30 Marks) A open-loop process with discrete-time unit step response given by
(
2 + (0.5)n n ≥ 1
yn =
0 n<1
1. (15 Marks) What is the transfer function of this open-loop process?
2. (15 Marks) What is the impulse response of this open-loop process? (Make sure the
solution be expressed clearly for different sections of n).
Q.3: (40 Marks) Consider a sampled-data control system. It is known that the valve
transfer function is given by Gv (s) = 0.5, the process transfer function is given by Gp (s) =
2
20s+1
, and the sensor transfer function is given by Gm (s) = 0.8. The sampling period is
∆t = 1 sec. Do the following:
1. (10 Marks) What is the discrete-time closed-loop transfer function from the disturbance
to the output, i.e. from dn to yn , as shown in Figure 1?
2. (10 Marks) If the computer control is a proportional negative feedback control, i.e.
Gc (q −1 ) = kc , for what values of the controller gain kc is the closed-loop system stable?
1
3. (10 Marks) If a setpoint (rn ) of magnitude of 2 is applied to the process at n = 0 and
a unit step disturbance (dn ) also occurs at n = 10, what is the offset of the closed-loop
response (i.e. what is r∞ − y∞ )?
4. (10 Marks) Is it possible to eliminate the offset by tuning this proportional control?
Appendix: Conditions to use partial fraction expansion:
4 yn v(q −1 )
G(q −1 ) = =
un (1 − p1 q −1 )(1 − p2 q −1 ) · · · (1 − pm q −1 )
where v(q −1 ) = v0 + v1 q −1 + · · · + vr q −r and r ≤ m − 1 and v0 6= 0.
dn
rn un yn
Gc(q-1) Gp(q-1)
-
Figure 1: Schematic of discrete-time control loop.
