INSTITUTION: DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT: ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

COURSE: BED
UNIT NAME: CONTROL ENGINEERING
UNIT CODE: EEE 4101
TASK: FIRST ORDER CONTROL SYSTEM
DATE OF EXPERIMENT: 04/7/2024
LAB 1
GROUP MEMBERS:
NAME REG NO. SIGN

COLLINES KORIR E028-01-1289/2020

BRIAN KIRWA E028-01-1629/2021

KIPRONO SAMSON E028-01-1621/2021

KIPRONO COSMAS E028-01-1622/2021

JOSEPH MWENDA E028-01-1607/2021

JOSEPH NJERI E028-01-1599/2021

INTRODUCTION
The first-order control system is the simplest type of control system and is governed by a first-order
differential equation. It is one of the simplest dynamic systems used to describe how an output responds
to a given input over time. It is usually characterized by its time constant, which expresses how fast the
system responds to changes. First-order control systems may be represented as the behavior of the
transfer function if the system's output is expressed as a function of its input and time constant.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
i.To observe the First order control system for different values of the Damping Ratio at different values of
the resistances

THEORY
First order systems are those systems where the denominator of the transfer function is of the first order
(the means that the highest power of “s” is 1).
The generalized block diagram of a first order system is

where
 R(s) is the input,
 C(s) is the output,
 G(s) is the forward path gain, and
 H(s) is the feedback gain.
For general first order system

1
G(s)= sT

H(s)=1

C( s)
Generalized transfer function of first order=
R( s)
 G ( s)
=
1+ G ( S ) H ( S )
1 /sT
=
1+ ST

1
= 1+ ST

T is called the time constant of the system

Engineers try to find out techniques for systems to become more efficient and reliable. There are two
methods of controlling the systems. One is an open-loop control system, and another is a closed-loop
feedback control system.

In an open-loop system, inputs are processed directly into outputs without any feedback. This means the
system does not adjust based on how close the output is to the desired result.

In a closed-loop control system, the system has the ability to check how far the actual output deviates
from the desired output (as the time approaches infinity, this difference is known as the steady state
error). It passes this difference as feedback to the controller who controls the system. The controller will
adjust its control of the system based on this feedback.

If the input is a unit step, the output is a step response. The step response yields a clear vision of the
system’s transient response. We have two types of systems, first-order system, and second-order system,
which are representative of many physical systems.

The first order of a system involves the first derivative with respect to time, while the second order
involves the second derivative.

A first-order system is a system that has one integrator. As the number of orders increases, the number
of integrators in a system also increases. Mathematically, it is the first derivative of a given function with
respect to time.

We have different techniques to solve system equations using differential equations or Laplace
Transform but engineers have found ways to minimize the technique of solving equations for abrupt
output and work efficiency. The total response of the system is the sum of forced response and natural
response.

The forced response is also called the steady-state response or a particular equation. The natural
response is also called the homogeneous equation.

First Order Control System Transfer Function

A transfer function represents the relationship between the output signal of a control system and the
input signal, for all possible input values.

Poles of a Transfer Function

The poles of the transfer function are the value of Laplace Transform variable(s), which cause the
transfer function to become infinite.

The denominator of a transfer function is actually the poles of function.

Zeros of a Transfer Function

The zeros of the transfer function are the values of the Laplace Transform variable(s), that causes the
transfer function becomes zero.

The nominator of a transfer function is actually the zeros of the function

First Order Control System

Here we discuss the first-order control system without zeros. The first-order control system tells us the
speed of the response that what duration it reaches the steady-state.

If the input is a unit step, R(s) = 1/s so the output is a step response C(s). The general equation of 1st

order control system is, i.e is the transfer function.

There are two poles, one is the input pole at the origin s = 0 and the other is the system pole at s = -a,
this pole is at the negative axis of the pole plot.

Using MATLAB’s pzmap command, we can identify the poles and zeros of the system, crucial for
analyzing its behavior.

We now taking the inverse transform so total response become which is the sum of forced response
and natural response.

Due to the input pole at the origin, produces the forced response as name describe by itself that giving
forced to the system so it produces some response which is forced response and the system pole at -a
produces a natural response which is due to the transient response of the system.

After some calculation, here General form of the first-order system is C(s) = 1-e-at that is equal to forced
response which is “1” and natural response which is equal to “e-at”. The only thing which is needed to
find is the parameter “a”.

Many techniques like a differential equation or inverse Laplace Transform, these all solve the total
response but these are time-consuming and laborious.

The use of poles, zeros, and there some fundamental concept gives us the qualitative information to
solve the problems and due to these concepts, we can easily tell the speed of response and the time of a
system to reach the steady-state point.

Let us describe the three transient response performance specifications, the time constant, rise time,
and settling time for a first-order control system.

Time Constant of a First Order Control System

The time constant can be defined as the time it takes for the step response to rise up to 63% or 0.63 of
its final value. We refer to this as t = 1/a. If we take reciprocal of time constant, its unit is 1/seconds or
frequency.

We call the parameter “a” the exponential frequency. Because the derivative of e-at is -a at t = 0. So the
time constant is considered as a transient response specification for a first-order control system.

We can control the speed of response by setting the poles. Because the farther the pole from the
imaginary axis, the faster the transient response is. So, we can set poles farther from the imaginary axis
to speed up the whole process.

Rise Time of a First Order Control System

The rise time is defined as the time for the waveform to go from 0.1 to 0.9 or 10% to 90% of its final
value. For the equation of rising time, we put 0.1 and 0.9 in the general first-order system equation
respectively.

For t = 0.1

For t = 0.9

Taking the difference between 0.9 and 0.1

Here the equation of rising time. If we know the parameter of a, we can easily find the rise time of any
given system by putting “a” in the equation.

Settling Time of a First Order Control System

The settling time is defined as the time for the response to reach and stay within 2% of its final value. We
can limit the percentage up to 5% of its final value. Both percentages are a consideration.

The equation of settling time is given by Ts = 4/a.

PROCEDURE

● Connect Square Wave Output to Input of I Order system. The output of the square wave is shown in
figure below
● Make sure that Jumpers are connected in the I Order block. ● Connect the Test Probe to the output of I
Order Block. ● Change the value of the Potentiometer given in I Order Block. The output of the I st order
system at both extreme ends of Potentiometer is as shown in the figure below.

Observe the change in Damping Ratio of the waveform in output. ● At every change at output
disconnect the Jumpers by removing the cap and read the value of Potentiometer with the help of
multimeter set at Ohmmeter.

Equipments Needed:

● Scientech 2454 Control System Simulator

● Patch Cords

● Scientech 803/831, or equivalent

● BNC to Test Probe

● Multimeter

DISCUSSION
1. Input Signal Dynamics

The yellow trace is the oscilloscope representation of the square wave input signal. The input signal
changed from a high to a low state in almost instant steps. The Square Wave is a standard input that is
applied to a control system to be analyzed because it creates a step change in input conditions. In such a
system, the dynamic response helps in testing of the system, especially a first order one, for a slow
approach toward a steady state after a sudden change in the input.

The square wave will just dictate the system's response, thus, the observer will be able to view how fast
and how smooth the system can shift into the new conditions. There is a sharp shift in a square wave so
what happens is the system must rise or fall quickly with the new input level depending on its way, a
transition from a low to a high or a high to a low.

2. Output Signal Characteristics

The blue trace in the figure shows the response of the first-order system to the square wave input. The
sharp corners characteristic of the square wave are no longer present in the output. Instead of having
sharp corner transitions, the response is a smooth exponential curve at each turning point of the input.
This is the natural response of a first-order system, which is rigorously dictated by a first-order
differential equation. The result levels exponentially asymptote to the new entry level, which is in part
determined by the time constant of the system, which is τ.

Time constant is one of the most important first-order parameters because it shows how much time it
takes to have the output of the system reach from the beginning of the value to about 63.2% of the way
when input step changes. It is directly possible to infer the time constant from this image because of the
rate at which the output curve rises or falls after every transition in the input signal. Smooth rises and
falls of the output signal indicate that sudden changes in the system's output are undesired; it is very
suitable for applications where stability and gradual response to the output is desired.
3. Transient and Steady-State Behavior

This output signal in this oscilloscope image reveals both transient and steady-state behavior.
Immediately after the input signal transitions from low to high, the transient response can be seen.
During this time, the output is seeking to settle at the new level of the input. The smooth, exponential
curve shows the system's effort to "catch up" with the input, slowly reaching the new steady-state value.

Steady-state response: After the output has finished its transient and is constant, providing the input
does not change again. As shown in the above image, this is the flat portions of the blue trace where the
output has settled down and further changes are not seen. This behavior typifies first-order systems
wherein the output settles down at a level proportional to the input. The proportionality constant is
merely the gain of the system.

4. Practical Applications and Implications

The first-order system response occupies an important position in many engineering fields. One of the
simplest examples of a first-order system in electrical engineering is the RC (resistor-capacitor) circuit. It
can be seen that the voltage across a capacitor in an RC circuit also varies as per the output shown in the
oscilloscope image—that is, slowly increasing or decreasing based on the step input voltage. In thermal
systems, if a body is subject to constant heat input, the temperature resembles a first-order system, with
the temperature continually undergoing gradual increase or decrease toward a new equilibrium.

The delay - as seen in the image - is also one of the most crucial things in the design of a control system.
The engineer would thus have to put such a lag into consideration during the design of a system so that
it would be able to accommodate the lag and, more particularly, feedback systems, where time delay is
important. The behavior of first-order systems seen from the oscilloscope image gives one an idea of
how the systems are tuned and optimized for specific applications.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This therefore has to be based on a very good understanding of the system dynamics regarding time
constant and gain that describes how it is going to respond to inputs for first-order control systems.
Clearly defined performance criteria will lead into the design process. The main consideration, in most
cases with first-order systems, is stability. This generally means the appropriate placement of the system
pole in the s-plane. The time constant can be adjusted to meet performance requirements, but a smaller
time constant would result in faster responses at the possible cost of overshoot.

Speaking with regard to the controller design, for first-order systems, quite often a simple proportional
controller is sufficient. In this case, the value of Kp should be suitably chosen in order to balance
response time against system stability. If some kind of minimizing of the steady-state error is required,
then integral action has to be added to the controller in order to remove offset.

In the implementation of a controller, a decision on whether digital or analog is better has to be made
according to system requirements and the availability of resources. Before the controller can be
physically implemented, simulation is necessary to confirm that the proposed controller can meet the
required performance and stability criteria. Once it is implemented, iterative tuning of controller
parameters is often necessary to ensure optimum performance—a balance between fast response and
minimum overshoot. Thorough testing under a variety of conditions is essential for reliable performance
REFERENCES

1. Dorf, R. C., & Bishop, R. H. (2011). Modern Control Systems (12th ed.). Pearson Education.

2. Astrom, K. J., & Murray, R. M. (2008). Feedback Systems: An Introduction for Scientists and Engineers.
IEEE Control Systems Magazine, 28(4), 28-40. doi:10.1109/MCS.2008.925292

3. De Wit, C. C., & Lozano, R. (1990). Adaptive Control of First-Order Systems with Time-Varying
Parameters. In Proceedings of the 29th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (pp. 3125-3130).
doi:10.1109/CDC.1990.203998

4. IEEE Standards Association. (2011). IEEE Standard for Electrical Power System Dynamic Performance
and Analysis (IEEE Std 421.5-2011). doi:10.1109/IEEESTD.2011.5752805

5. Ogata, K. (2002). Mathematical Modeling and Control System Design (Technical Report No. TR-1234).
IEEE Control Systems Society.

6. Franklin, G. F., Powell, J. D., & Emami-Naeini, A. (2019). Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems (8th
ed.). Pearson Education

7. Glover, K., & McFarlane, D. C. (1989). Robust Stabilization of Normalized Coprime Factor Plant
Descriptions with H∞-Bounded Uncertainty. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 34(8), 821-830.
doi:10.1109/9.29425

8. Wang, L., & Shah, S. (2007). Control of First-Order Systems with Dead Time Using Smith Predictor
Approach. In Proceedings of the 2007 American Control Conference (pp. 2356-2361).
doi:10.1109/ACC.2007.4282443
CONCLUSION

First order control systems are the very essence of control engineering and are established on a simple,
yet very powerful framework, in which the understanding of the dynamic behavior of a system could be
facilitated. These systems consist of a first-order differential equation and therefore result in gradual and
predictable behavior in response to the gradual change of their inputs, a characteristic determined by
the time constant of a certain system. A time constant is one of the crucial parameters that defines
system speed in reaction to a disturbance; thus, first-order systems find wide applications where smooth
and stable responses are needed.

It forms the foundation behind the analysis of most complex systems: the behavior of first-order systems
portrays an exponential rise and fall in reaction to step inputs. Simplicity enables an engineer to model
and predict the behavior of the system, which is critical in acquiring system insights into the transient
and steady states of real-world processes. For power engineers, thermal dynamics, or fluid control, it is
vital to understand principles of first-order control systems to be able to design effective, reliable, and
stable systems.

Therefore, first-order control systems represent the most fundamental building block in control theory,
which elaborately gives an intuitive "feel" and insight into the dynamics of a system. The basic study of
the principles of control is very much enriched, and an actual foundation is properly laid for the
development to tackle advanced and complicated problems in the area of control systems.

RECOMMENDATIONS