EC 221:

CLASSICAL CONTROL
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Instructor: Mr. Mwalongo M, R
Assistant Lecturer
Office No. AB 15 (Admin Block)
E-mail: [email protected]
 LECTURE (4)

Control System Representation:

Block Diagrams and Signal Flow

Graphs
 Control System Representation

 In control theory once a dynamic system has been

modeled, the system can be represented in terms of
 Transfer function,

 Block diagram or

 Signal flow graph

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 Control System Representation

 In control theory once a dynamic system has been

modeled, the system can be represented in terms of
 Transfer function representation

 Block diagram representation

 Signal flow graph

4
 Block Diagram Representation
 A block diagram of a system is a pictorial
representation of the functions performed by each
component and of the flow of signals.

 Such diagram depicts the interrelationships that

exist among the various components.

 Block diagram provides a simple representation of a

complex systems.

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 Block Diagram Representation
 Understanding block diagrams, we can be able to:

1. Visualize complex systems with many

components.
2. Understand the flow and transformation
of signals in a complex system.
3. Find the transfer function of complex
systems.

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 Components Block Diagram
 Block diagram have four components :
1. Blocks: to represent the component or sub-system.

G(s) is the transfer function

of a sub system.

2. Arrows: to represent the direction of

flow of signals.
R(S) Y(S)
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 Components Block Diagram
3. Summing points: To represent the summation of
two or more signals.

U1(S) Y(S)=U1(S)-U2(s)
+
-
U2(S)

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 Components Block Diagram
4. Pick-off points: To represent the branching of a
signal.

R(S)

R(S)

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 Procedures for Drawing Block Diagram

1. Write the equations that describe the dynamic

behaviour for each component.

2. Take Laplace transform of these equations,

assuming zero initial conditions.

3. Represent each Laplace transformed equation

individually in block form.

4. Assemble the elements into a complete block

diagram. 10
Example
 General nth order liner, time invariant DE

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Example


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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
1. Cascaded/series block: Any number of cascaded
blocks can be reduced by a single block representing
transfer function being a product of transfer functions
of all cascaded blocks.

R(s) Y(s)
G1(S) G2(S) G3(S)

Transfer function :

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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
2. Parallel block:
 Components are connected in parallel
 Overall TF is the sum of individual TFs
Y1(S)
G1(S)

R(s) Y3(S) + Y(s)

G2(S) +
+

Y3(S)
G3(S)

Transfer function : 14
 Typical Block Diagram Forms
3. Feedback form:
 One Component is present in the feedback loop of
another component.

R(s) E(s) Y(s)

+ G(S)
-

H(S)
Y(s)H(s)

Negative feedback loop

Transfer function : 15
 Block Diagram Reduction
 Block diagram reduction refers to simplification of
block diagrams of complex systems through certain
rearrangements.
 Simplification enables easy calculation of the overall
transfer function of the system.
 Simplification is done using certain rules called
“rules of block diagram algebra”

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 Rules Block Diagram algebra
1. Combining blocks in cascade
Original diagram equivalent diagram

U UG1 Y U Y
G1 G2 G1G2

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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
2. Combining blocks in parallel

UG1
G1
U
Y(s)=U(G1 - G2 )
+
-
G2
UG2

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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
3. Moving a summing point after a block

U1 (U1 -/+ U2 )
G(U1 ± U2) U1 GU1 G(U1 ± U2 )
+ G +
G ±
± =

U2 U2
G

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 Rules Block Diagram algebra
4. Moving a summing point ahead of a block

GU1 GU1 ± U2
U1 U1 GU1 ± U2
5.G +
±
== + G
±

U2 U2

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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
5. Moving a pick-off point after a block

Original diagram Equivalent diagram

U1 GU1 U1 GU1
G
G
=
U1
U1

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 Typical Block Diagram Forms
6. Moving a pick-off point ahead of a block

Original diagram Equivalent diagram

GU1
U1 GU1 U1
G == G

GU1 GU1

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EXAMPLE

 Find the overall TF

+ + Y
R
+
-

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 Examples on Block Diagram Reduction

 Simplify the following BD and find the overall

TF.
U + Y
+ + +
- -
-

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 Examples on Block diagram reduction

 Move pickoff point ahead of G3

U + Y
+ + +
- -
-

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 Examples on Block diagram reduction

 The use parallel and feedback rules

U + Y
+ + +
- -
-

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 Examples on Block diagram reduction

 Now you have cascaded blocks

U Y
+
-

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 Examples on Block diagram reduction

 Final reduced BD

U Y

 Overall TF=

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Signal Flow Graphs (SFG)

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 Signal Flow Graphs

 For complicated systems, Block diagram reduction

is tedious and time consuming.

 SFG is an alternate approach to block diagram

representation.

 It is a graphical representation of the relationships

between the system variables.

 A graph gain formula is used.

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 Was developed by SJ Mason.

 Signal Flow Graphs

 SFG can be obtained from the Block diagram of the

system.

 SFG can also be obtained from system equations

directly.

 The equations must be in algebraic form(s-

domain).

 Applicable only for linear systems.

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 Components of Signal Flow Graphs

 Node
 A point representing a signal or variable.
 Represents a system variable which is equal to the
sum of all incoming signals at the node.

 Outgoing signals do not affect the variable at the

node.
N1 N2
a
b
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c
 Components of Signal Flow Graphs

 Branch
 Unidirectional line segment joining two nodes.
 A signal travels along a branch from one node to
another in the direction indicated by the branch

arrow.

 Each branch has a gain.

 The signal passing through a branch gets multiplied
by its gain. 33
 Components of Signal Flow Graphs

 Nodes & Branches

N2 N3
N1 Branch Branch

Node Node Node

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 Signal Flow Graphs Terminologies

 Input node: Node with only outgoing branches;

 Output node: Node with incoming branches.
 Note: Any non-input node can be made an output
node by adding a branch with gain= 1.
G3

G1 G2
Z G4

X V
Input node Y
Z Output node 35
 SFG Terminologies- PATH

 Path: Collection of branches linked together in

same direction.

 A forward path: path from a source (input

node) to output node (sink).

 Path gain: The product of gains of the

branches that make that path.

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 SFG Terminologies- PATH


G6

G1 G2
U G4

X Z V
Y

3 G3
Path for U to Z
G5
Path 1: G1G2G4
W Path2: 3xG5

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 SFG Terminologies- LOOPS

 Loop: Path that originates and terminates at the

same node. No other node is visited more than

once.

 Loop Gain: Product of branch gains in a loop.

 Non-Touching: Two loops are said to be non-
touching if they do not share at least one node.

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 SFG Terminologies- LOOPS

G6

G1 G2
U G4

X Z V
Y

3 G3
G5

Loops gains Non-touching Loops Touching Loops

loop1: G2G3 None loop1
loop2: G6G2G4 loop2:
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 SFG Example

f


a b c d

X2 X3 X4 X5
X1

-e

Input Node: x1
Output Node: All nodes besides x1.
Forward Path: Assume x5 as output node, then Path 1 = x1;
x2; x3; x4; x5;
Path 2 = x1; x2; x4; x5
Gain of Forward Path: Path 1: G1 = abcd; Path 2: G2 = afd
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Loop: X3, X4
Loop Gain: P1 = -ce
 Relationship between Variables in a SFG

d


a b c

X2 X3 X4 X5
X1

-e

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 SFG for Control Systems

 Loop:

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 BDs and its SFG

+
+

G3

G1 G2

43

G4
 Mason’s Gain Formula

24 1 1 1

-2

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 Mason’s Gain Formula

 Purpose of Mason’s gain formula is to find

the overall gain which is the transfer

function of the system.

 Overall gain =

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 Mason’s Gain Formula


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 Mason’s Gain Formula


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 SFG overall Transfer function

G5

1 A G1 B G2 C G3 D G4 E 1
R(s) Y(s)
-H2 -H3
-H1

Forward paths, N=2 3 Loops 2 Non touching loops

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 SFG overall Transfer function

 For forward path1

,

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 SFG overall Transfer function

 For forward path 2, p2

B G2 C G3 D G4 E

-H1 -H3 50
-H2
 SFG overall Transfer function

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EXAMPLE

R 1 G 1 Y

-H

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 SFG Example3

H4
H6

1 H1 H2 H3 1

X2 X3 X4 Y(s)
R(s)

H5 H7

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Forward paths, N=2 3 Loops 2 Non touching loops

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 applying the Mason’s formula

 TF

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 EXAMPLE#4

1
V1 ( s )  I1 ( s )  I1 ( s ) R
Cs
CsV1 ( s )  CsV2 ( s )  I1 ( s )
V2 ( s )  I 1 ( s ) R
Cs

Cs R

V1 (s ) I1 (s ) V2 (s )
 End

•QUESTIONS?

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