UNIVERSITY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL

RESOURCES
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

ELNG 305: Classical control systems

LECTURE-1: INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS

LECTURER

AWAAFO AUGUSTINE

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 1

 Overview of Control Systems
Control systems are all over, forming an integral part of modern society. This includes the
use of controllers for;
• Firing a rocket
• Lifting the space shuttle to Earth orbit
• Splashing water
• Regulating the fuel flow in an automobile

Within our bodies are numerous control systems, such as the pancreas, which regulates our
blood sugar. In time of ‘‘fight or flight,’’ our adrenaline increases along with our heart rate,
causing more oxygen to be delivered to our cells. Our eyes follow a moving object to keep it
in view; our hands grasp the object and place it precisely at a predetermined location.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 2

 Overview of Control Systems
Control systems are all over, forming an integral part of modern society. This includes the
use of controllers for;
• Firing a rocket
• Lifting the space shuttle to Earth orbit
• Splashing water
• Regulating the fuel flow in an automobile

Within our bodies are numerous control systems, such as the pancreas, which regulates our
blood sugar. In time of ‘‘fight or flight,’’ our adrenaline increases along with our heart rate,
causing more oxygen to be delivered to our cells. Our eyes follow a moving object to keep it
in view; our hands grasp the object and place it precisely at a predetermined location.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 3

 Introduction to control systems
A control system is anything that consists of subsystems and processes (or plants)
assembled to obtain a desired output with desired performance, given a specified
input.

For example, consider an elevator. When the fourth-floor button is pressed on

the first floor, the elevator rises to the fourth floor with speed and floor-leveling
accuracy designed for passenger comfort. The push of the fourth-floor button is
an input that represents our desired output when the elevator starts to move,
that is the output or response, where it stops is the actual response
CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 4
 Introduction to control systems
Two major measures of performance are apparent:
(1) the transient response
(2) the steady-state error.
In our example, passenger comfort and passenger patience are dependent upon
the transient response.
• If this response is too fast, passenger comfort is sacrificed
• if too slow, passenger patience is sacrificed.
The steady-state error is another important performance specification since
passenger safety and convenience would be sacrificed if the elevator did not
properly level.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 5

Introduction to control systems

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 6

 Advantages of Control Systems
We build control systems for four primary reasons:
1. Power amplification: A control system can produce the needed power
amplification, or power gain to a system requiring high input power.
2. Remote control: Control systems can be used in remote or dangerous
locations. For example, a remote-controlled robot arm can be used to pick
up material in a radioactive environment.
3. Convenience of input form: Control systems can also be used to provide
convenience by changing the form of the input. For example, in a
temperature control system, the input is a position on a thermostat. The
output is heat. Thus, a convenient position input yields the desired thermal
output

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 7

 Advantages of Control Systems
4. Compensation for disturbances: Another advantage of a control system is
the ability to compensate for disturbances. Typically, we control such variables
as temperature in thermal systems, position and velocity in mechanical
systems, and voltage, current, or frequency in electrical systems. The system
must be able to yield the correct output even with a disturbance.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 8

 System Configurations
In this section, we discuss two major configurations of control systems which
are:
• open loop system
• closed loop system

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 9

 Open loop system
• An open loop system starts with a subsystem called an input transducer,
which converts the form of the input to that used by the controller.
• The controller drives a process or a plant.
• The input is sometimes called the reference, while the output can be called
the controlled variable.
• Other signals, such as disturbances, are shown added to the controller and
process outputs via summing junctions, which yield the algebraic sum of
their input signals using associated signs.
• For example, the plant can be a furnace or air conditioning system, where
the output variable is temperature. The controller in a heating system
consists of fuel valves and the electrical system that operates the valves.
CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 10
 Open loop system

Fig.2: Open loop system

• Open-loop systems do not correct for disturbances and are simply commanded by the
input.
For example, assuming that you calculate the amount of time you need to study for an
examination that covers three chapters to get an A. If the lecturer decides to add a fourth
chapter, this can be said to be a disturbance and you become an open-loop system if you
do not detect the disturbance and add study time to that previously calculated time. The
result of this oversight would be a lower grade than you expected
CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 11
 Open loop system
Another example of an open loop system a is toaster. Anyone with burnt toast can attest.
The controlled variable (output) of a toaster is the color of the toast. The device is designed
with the assumption that the toast will be darker the longer it is subjected to heat. The
toaster does not measure the color of the toast; it does not correct for the fact that the toast
is rye, white, or sourdough, nor does it correct for the fact that toast comes in different
thicknesses.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 12

 Closed-Loop (Feedback Control) Systems
systems that perform the previously described measurement and correction are called
closed-loop, or feedback control, systems. Systems that do not have this property of
measurement and correction are called open-loop systems
• The disadvantages of open-loop systems, namely sensitivity to disturbances and inability
to correct for these disturbances, may be overcome in closed-loop systems.
In a close-loop system;
• The input transducer converts the form of the input to the form used by the controller.
• An output transducer, or sensor, measures the output response and converts it into the
form used by the controller.
The closed-loop system compensates for disturbances by;
• measuring the output response, feeding that measurement back through a feedback
path, and comparing that response to the input at the summing junction.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 13

 Closed-Loop (Feedback Control) Systems
• If there is any difference between the two responses, the system drives the plant, via
the actuating signal, to correct it.
• If there is no difference, the system does not drive the plant, since the plant’s
response is already the desired response

Fig.3: Close loop system

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 14
 Closed-Loop (Feedback Control) Systems
• Closed-loop systems have the advantage of greater accuracy than open-loop systems.
• They are less sensitive to noise, disturbances, and changes in the environment.
• Transient response and steady-state error can be controlled more conveniently and
with greater flexibility in closed-loop systems, often by a simple adjustment of gain
(amplification) in the loop and sometimes by redesigning the controller.
• Closed-loop systems are more complex and expensive than open-loop systems. Thus,
the control systems engineer must consider the trade-off between the simplicity and
low cost of an open-loop system and the accuracy and higher cost of a closed-loop
system

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 15

 Analysis and Design Objectives
In Section 1.1 we briefly alluded to some control system performance specifications, such
as transient response and steady-state error. We now expand upon the topic of
performance and place it in perspective as we define our analysis and design objectives

• Analysis: Analysis is the process by which a system’s performance is determined. For

example, we evaluate its transient response and steady-state error to determine if
they meet the desired specifications
• Design : Design is the process by which a system’s performance is created or changed.
For example, if a system’s transient response and steady-state error are analyzed and
found not to meet the specifications, then we change parameters or add additional
components to meet the specifications.
• A control system is dynamic: It responds to an input by undergoing a transient
response before reaching a steady-state response that generally resembles the input.
CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 16
 Analysis and Design Objectives
Three major objectives of systems analysis and design:
• Producing the desired transient response
• Reducing steady-state error: We define steady-state error as the difference between
the input and the output after the transients have effectively disappeared
• Achieving stability

Total response = Natural response + Forced response

• For a control system to be useful, the natural response must;(1) eventually approach
zero, thus leaving only the forced response, or (2) oscillate.
• In some systems, however, the natural response grows without bound rather than
diminish to zero or oscillate. Eventually, the natural response is so much greater than
the forced response that the system is no longer controlled.
• This condition is called instability and could lead to self-destruction of the physical
device if limit stops are not CLASSICAL
part of the design AWAAFO AUGUSTINE
CONTROL SYSTEMS 17
 Analysis and Design Objectives
For example, the elevator would crash through the floor or exit through the ceiling; an
aircraft would go into an uncontrollable roll without limit stops in their control system
design.
• A time plot of an unstable system would show a transient response that grows without
bound and without any evidence of a steady-state response.
• Control systems must be designed to be stable. That is, their natural response must
decay to zero as time approaches infinity, or oscillate.
Aside from the three main objectives of control system analysis and design, other
important considerations include;
• Finances are another consideration: Control system designers cannot create designs
without considering their economic impact. Such considerations as budget allocations
and competitive pricing must guide the engineer

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 18

 Analysis and Design Objectives
• Another consideration is robust design. System parameters considered constant during
the design for transient response, steady-state errors, and stability change over time
when the actual system is built. Thus, the performance of the system also changes over
time and will not be consistent with your design
• Factors affecting hardware selection, such as motor sizing to fulfill power requirements
and choice of sensors for accuracy, must be considered early in the design
• In summary, then, our design objectives and the system’s performance revolve around
the transient response, the steady-state error, and stability.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 19

 Design Process
• In order to design a control system, some steps must be followed. The steps are
summarized below.
• NB: Students are to read and understand each of the processes.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 20

 Position control system
A position control system converts a position input command to a position output
response. Position control systems find widespread applications in antennas, robot arms,
and computer disk drives.
• In this section, we will look in detail at an antenna azimuth position control system that
could be used to position radio telescope antenna. We will see how the system works
and how we can effect changes in its performance.
• For example. Lets consider an antennae control system. An antenna azimuth position
control system is shown in Figure 1.9(a), with a more detailed layout and schematic in
Figures 1.9(b) and 1.9(c), respectively. Figure 1.9(d) shows a functional block diagram of
the system.

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 21

 Position control system

• The potentiometer converts the angular displacement into a voltage.

• Similarly, the output angular displacement is converted to a voltage by the potentiometer in
the feedback path.
• The signal and power amplifiers boost the difference between the input and output voltages.
• This amplified actuating signal drives the plant
CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 22
 Position control system
• The system normally operates to drive the error to zero.
• When the input and output match, the error will be zero, and the motor will not turn. Thus,
the motor is driven only when the output and the input do not match.
• The greater the difference between the input and the output, the larger the motor input
voltage, and the faster the motor will turn.
• If the gain is increased, then for a given actuating signal, the motor will be driven harder.
• However, the motor will still stop when the actuating signal reaches zero, that is, when the
output matches the input.
• The difference in the response, however, will be in the transients. Since the motor is driven
harder, it turns faster toward its final position.
• Also, because of the increased speed, increased momentum could cause the motor to
overshoot the final value and be forced by the system to return to the commanded position

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 23

 Position control system

The responses for low gain and high gain

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 24

Position control system

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 25

 System analysis and design
In this phase, the engineer analyzes the system to see if the response specifications and
performance requirements can be met by simple adjustments of system parameters. If
specifications cannot be met, the designer then designs additional hardware to effect a
desired performance.
• Test input signals are used, both analytically and during testing, to verify the design.
• It is neither necessarily practical nor illuminating to choose complicated input signals to
analyze a system’s performance. Thus, the engineer usually selects standard test inputs.
• These inputs are impulses, steps, ramps, parabolas, and sinusoids

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 26

System analysis and design

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 27

System analysis and design

CLASSICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AWAAFO AUGUSTINE 28