EE3101-Control Systems Engineering

Module-8_Transfer Function and Block diagram:

Note: Refer the Video Lecture No-10 and 11 of Control Systems Engineering by Prof. M Gopal

Transfer Function:
The transfer function of a Linear Time Invariant (LTI) system is defined as the ratio of the output
(response function) to the Laplace Transform of the input (Driving function) under the assumption that
all the initial conditions are zero.
Consider the LTI system defined by the following differential equation
݀௡ ‫ݕ‬ ݀ ௡ିଵ ‫ݕ‬ ݀‫ݕ‬ ݀௠ ‫ݔ‬ ݀ ௠ିଵ ‫ݔ‬ ݀‫ݔ‬
ܽ଴ ௡ + ܽଵ ௡ିଵ + ⋯ … … . +ܽ௡ିଵ + ܽ௡ ‫ܾ = ݕ‬଴ ௠ + ܾଵ ௠ିଵ + ⋯ … … . +ܾ௠ିଵ + ܾ௠ ‫ݔ‬
݀‫ݐ‬ ݀‫ݐ‬ ݀‫ݐ‬ ݀‫ݐ‬ ݀‫ݐ‬ ݀‫ݐ‬
Where y is the output of the system where as x is the input. The transfer function of this system is
obtained by taking the Laplace Transform of the both sides of the equation under the assumption that all
initial conditions are zero.
The transfer function is given by
ℒሾ‫ݐݑ݌ݐݑ݋‬ሿ

ܻሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ܾ଴ ‫ ݏ‬௠ + ܾଵ ‫ ݏ‬௠ିଵ + ⋯ … . . +ܾ௠ିଵ ‫ ݏ‬+ ܾ௠
‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ቤ = =
ℒሾ݅݊‫ݐݑ݌‬ሿ ௭௘௥௢ ௜௡௧௜௔௟ ௖௢௡ௗ௜௧௜௢௡௦ ܺሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ܽ଴ ‫ ݏ‬௡ + ܽଵ ‫ ݏ‬௡ିଵ + ⋯ … . . +ܽ௡ିଵ ‫ ݏ‬+ ܽ௡
Properties:

1. If the highest power of s in the denominator of the transfer function is equal to n, the system is called
nth order system
2. Transfer function model is applicable to LTI systems only
3. Transfer function is a property of a system itself, independent of the magnitude and nature of the
input or driving function
4. It does not provide any information concerning the physical structure of the system (the transfer
function of many physically different systems can be identical)
5. If the transfer function of a system is known, the output or response can be studied for various forms
of inputs with a view toward understanding the nature of the system
6. If the input is an impulse function, the Laplace transform of the output is equal to the transfer
function (as the Laplace transform of impulse function is unity). ܻሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ. The inverse Laplace
transform of the above function g(t) is called impulse response function. It is also called weighting
function of the system. It is hence possible to obtain complete information about the dynamic
characteristics of the system by exciting it with an impulse input and measuring the response. The
response obtained in this case is called as natural response or actual system response or free forced
response where as the response of the system when excited by other inputs such as step and ramp
function are called forced responses.
7. The transfer function defined above is for continuous systems. For discrete systems modeled by
difference equations, the transfer function is function of z when the z-transform is used

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8. The transfer function is said to be strictly proper if the order of the denominator polynomial is
greater than that of numerator polynomial (n>m). if n=m the transfer function is called proper. The
transfer function is improper if m>n
9. The characteristic of a linear system is defined as the equation obtained by setting the denominator
polynomial of the transfer function is zero. So, the characteristic equation is given by ܽ଴ ‫ ݏ‬௡ +
ܽଵ ‫ ݏ‬௡ିଵ + ⋯ … . . +ܽ௡ିଵ ‫ ݏ‬+ ܽ௡ = 0
10. The definition of transfer function is easily extended to a system with MIMO system or multi
variable systems. Because the principle of superposition is valid for linear systems, the total effect
on any output due to all the inputs acting simultaneously is obtained by adding up the outputs due to
each input acting alone.
11. As the initial conditions is zero, the response obtained is called zero state response
12. The roots of the denominator are called system poles where as the roots of numerator are called
system zeros. The transfer function can then be specified to within a constant by specifying the
system poles and zeros. This constant is called gain factor. The poles and zeros are represented in s-
plane. The equation is given by
‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
ሺ‫ ݏ‬+ ‫ݖ‬ଵ ሻሺ‫ ݏ‬+ ‫ݖ‬ଶ ሻ … … . ሺܵ + ‫ݖ‬௠ ሻ
= ‫ܭ‬ ‫ݓ‬ℎ݁‫ݎ݋ݐ݂ܿܽ ݊݅ܽ݃ ݏ݅ ܭ ݁ݎ‬, ‫݌‬ଵ , ‫݌‬ଶ … . ‫݌‬௡ ܽ‫ݖ ݀݊ܽ ݏ݈݁݋݌ ݁ݎ‬ଵ , ‫ݖ‬ଶ … . . ‫ݖ‬௠
ሺ‫ ݏ‬+ ‫݌‬ଵ ሻሺ‫ ݏ‬+ ‫݌‬ଶ ሻ … … . ሺܵ + ‫݌‬௡ ሻ
ܽ‫ݏ݋ݎ݁ݖ ݈݈݀݁ܽܿ ݁ݎ‬
13. If the system transfer function has no poles or zeros with positive real parts, then the system is a
minimum phase system.
14. It is assumed that there is no loading. i.e., no power is drawn at the output of the system. If the
system has more than one non loading elements in tandem, then the transfer function of each
element can be determined independently and the overall transfer function is determined by
multiplying the individual transfer functions. In case of systems consisting of elements which load
each other, the overall transfer function should be derived by basic analysis without regard to the
individual transfer functions
15. The system should be approximated by a linear lumped constant parameter model by making
suitable assumptions

Block Diagram:
A block diagram of a system is a pictorial representation of the functions performed by each component
and of the flow of signals. Such a diagram depicts the inter relationship that exist among the various
components. Differing from a purely mathematical representation, a block diagram has the advantage of
indicating more realistically the signal flows of the actual system. In a block diagram all system
variables are linked to each other through functional blocks. The functional block or simply block is a
symbol for the mathematical operation on the input signals to the block the produces the output. Note
that the signal can pass only in the direction of arrows. Figure below shows a block

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The dimensions of the output signal is the dimension of the input signal multiplied by dimension of
transfer function in the block. The functional operation of the system can be visualized more readily by
examining the block diagram than by examining the physical system itself. A block diagram contains
information concerning dynamic behavior, but it does not include any information on physical
construction of the system. Consequently many dissimilar and unrelated systems can be represented by
the same block diagram. It should be noted that in a block diagram the main source of energy is not
shown explicitly and that the block diagram of a system is not unique. A number of different block
diagrams can be drawn for a system depending upon the point of view of the analysis. The other
components of a block diagram are as shown below.

Closed Loop System:

Figure below shows the closed loop system.

Where
ܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ݐݑ݌݊݅ ݁ܿ݊݁ݎ݂݁݁ݎ‬
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫݈ܾ݁ܽ݅ݎܽݒ ݈݈݀݁݋ݎݐ݊݋ܿ ݎ݋ ݈ܽ݊݃݅ݏ ݐݑ݌ݐݑ݋‬
‫ܤ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ݂ܾ݁݁݀ܽܿ݇ ‫݈ܽ݊݃݅ݏ‬
‫ܧ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ܽܿ‫݈ܽ݊݃݅ݏ ݃݊݅ݐܽݑݐ‬
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = = ݂‫ݐܽ݌ ݀ݎܽݓݎ݋‬ℎ ‫݊݋݅ݐܿ݊ݑ݂ ݎ݂݁ݏ݊ܽݎݐ‬
‫ܧ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ݐ ݂݋ ݊݋݅ݐܿ݊ݑ݂ ݎ݂݁ݏ݊ܽݎݐ‬ℎ݁ ݂ܾ݁݁݀ܽܿ݇ ݈݁݁݉݁݊‫ݐ‬

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‫ܤ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = = ‫݊݋݅ݐܿ݊ݑ݂ ݎ݂݁ݏ݊ܽݎݐ ݌݋݋݈ ݊݁݌݋‬
‫ܧ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
ܶሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = = ݈ܿ‫݊݋݅ݐܿ݊ݑ݂ ݎ݂݁ݏ݊ܽݎݐ ݌݋݋݈ ݀݁ݏ݋‬
ܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ

From the above block diagram,

‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܧ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ܽ݊݀ ‫ܧ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ± ‫ܤ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ± ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
Substituting the second equation into the first equation
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ± ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
This implies
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
ܶሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = =
ܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ 1 ∓ ‫ܩ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
Closed loop system with disturbance:

Consider the block diagram as shown below

Consider the disturbance D(s) as another input. This can be solved by applying superposition principle
as the system is linear.
The response due to only D(s) is
‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܦ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܥ‬஽ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ =
1 + ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
The response due to only R(s) is
‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܥ‬ோ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ =
1 + ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
The total response is given by

‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ܥ‬஽ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ + ‫ܥ‬ோ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ

‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܥ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ሺ‫ܦ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ + ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻܴሺ‫ݏ‬ሻሻ
1 + ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ

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Consider now the case where ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ≫ 1 and ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ≫ 1. In this case closed loop
஼ವ ሺ௦ሻ
transfer function
஽ሺ௦ሻ
becomes almost zero, and the effect of disturbance is suppressed. This is an
஼ೃ ሺ௦ሻ
advantage of closed loop system. On the other hand, the closed loop transfer function
ோሺ௦ሻ
approaches 1/‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻas the gain of ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ increases. This means that if ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ≫
஼ೃ ሺ௦ሻ
1 then the closed loop transfer function becomes independent of ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻand ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ and become
ோሺ௦ሻ
inversely proportional to ‫ܪ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ so that the variations of ‫ܩ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻand ‫ܩ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻdo not affect the closed loop
஼ೃ ሺ௦ሻ
transfer function . This is another advantage of closed loop system. It can easily be seen that
ோሺ௦ሻ
any closed loop system with unity feedback H(s)=1, tends to equalize the input and output.

Procedure for drawing Block Diagram:

To draw a block diagram for a system, first write the equations that describe the dynamic behavior of
each component. Then take the Laplace transform of these equations assuming initial conditions,
represent each Laplace transformed equations individually in block form. Finally assemble the
elements into a complete block diagram.
Consider an RC circuit as shown below

The equations governing the operation are

݁௜ − ݁௢
݅=
ܴ
‫ݐ݀݅ ׬‬
݁௢ =
‫ܥ‬
The Laplace transform of the above equations with zero initial conditions lead to the following
‫ܧ‬௜ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ‫ܧ‬௢ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ ‫ܫ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܫ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ܽ݊݀ ‫ܧ‬௢ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ =
ܴ ‫ݏܥ‬
The corresponding block diagrams are as follows

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Block Diagram Reduction Rules:

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Solved Examples:
௒మ ሺ௦ሻ
1. For the system shown below, find the transfer function
ிሺ௦ሻ

Solution:

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The differential equations governing the above system are as follows

ௗమ ௬భ ሺ೟ሻ
‫ܤ‬ଶ(‫ݒ‬ଶ − ‫ݒ‬ଵ ሻ + ‫ܭ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݕ‬ଶ − ‫ݕ‬ଵ ሻ − ‫ܤ‬ଵ ‫ݒ‬ଵ − ‫ܭ‬ଵ ‫ݕ‬ଵ = ‫ܯ‬ଵ
ௗ௧ మ
ௗమ ௬మ ሺ೟ሻ
݂ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ − ‫ܤ‬ଶ(‫ݒ‬ଶ − ‫ݒ‬ଵ ) −‫ܭ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݕ‬ଶ − ‫ݕ‬ଵ ሻ = ‫ܯ‬ଶ ௗ௧ మ

The Laplace transformations of above equations at zero initial conditions are

‫ܤݏ‬ଶ (ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻሻ + ‫ܭ‬ଶ ൫ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ൯ − ‫ܤݏ‬ଵ ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ‫ܭ‬ଵ ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ = ‫ ݏ‬ଶ ‫ܯ‬ଵ ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ‫ܤݏ‬ଶ(ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻሻ − ‫ܭ‬ଶ ൫ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ − ܻଵ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ൯ = ‫ ݏ‬ଶ ‫ܯ‬ଶ ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ

Simplifying the above equations we will get the transfer function

ܻଶ ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݏ‬ሻ
‫ ݏ‬ଶ ‫ܯ‬ଵ + ‫ݏ‬ሺ‫ܤ‬ଵ + ‫ܤ‬ଶ ሻ + ሺ‫ܭ‬ଵ + ‫ܭ‬ଶ ሻ
=
‫ ݏ‬ସ ‫ܯ‬ଵ ‫ܯ‬ଶ + ‫ ݏ‬ଷ ሺ‫ܤ‬ଶ ‫ܯ‬ଵ + ‫ܯ‬ଶ ‫ܤ‬ଵ + ‫ܯ‬ଶ ‫ܤ‬ଶ ሻ + ‫ ݏ‬ଶ ሺ‫ܯ‬ଶ ‫ܭ‬ଵ + ‫ܯ‬ଶ ‫ܭ‬ଶ + ‫ܯ‬ଵ ‫ܭ‬ଶ + ‫ܤ‬ଵ ‫ܤ‬ଶ ሻ + ‫ݏ‬ሺ‫ܤ‬ଶ ‫ܭ‬ଵ + ‫ܭ‬ଶ ‫ܤ‬ଵ ሻ + ‫ܭ‬ଵ ‫ܭ‬ଶ

2. Consider the system shown in figure and simplify the block diagram

Solution:

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Problem Set:

ூಽ ሺ௦ሻ
1. For the circuit shown below derive the transfer function ூሺ௦ሻ

2. Reduce the block diagram and find Y/X

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3. Reduce the block diagram and find Y/X

Reference Books:

Chapters No: 2-4 and 2-5 of Control Systems Engineering by I J Nagrath, M Gopal, 5th
Edition

For any clarifications mail me at [email protected]

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