Chapter 3 Block diagram algebra and control components Start of ch CONCEPT OF TRANSFER FUNCTION

The concept of transfer function is very important in analysis of control system. It is used to characterize the input-output relationships of components and subsystems and systems that can be described by linear, time-invariant, differential equations. Transfer function The transfer function of a linear, time-invariant system is defined as the ratio of the Laplace transform of the output to the Laplace transform of the input with all initial conditions in the system set equal to zero.

Let us consider a third order linear time-invariant system described by the differential equation of the form:

we can take the Laplace transform of both the sides in the above equation to get:

The system dynamics can therefore, be represented by an algebraic equation in s domain by using the concept of transfer function. The transfer function of a given system is unique and it is the property of the system

itself and does not depend on the input and output and initial conditions. The concept is applicable to linear system only. Nonlinear systems cannot be represented by transfer function concept.

BLOCK DIAGRAMS

A control system normally consists of a number of components and subsystems. The dynamics of each component is represented by its transfer function and placed inside a box known as a block and their interrelationship, when they are non-interacting, is shown by connecting arrows, the direction of arrow indicating the direction of information or signal flow.

Block diagrams. The block diagram of a system gives a perspective view of the functioning of a system, showing pictorially the interconnections among various components and subsystems and the cause and effect relationships by the direction of signal flow. It gives an overall picture of the functioning of the entire system which is not available from a purely abstract mathematical representation. The functional operation of the entire control system can be more readily comprehended from the inspection of block diagram than is possible from the physical system itself.

Figure 3-1 Element of a block

diagram.

An element of the block diagram is shown in Fig. 3.1, where the arrowhead pointing toward the block indicates the input whereas the arrowhead moving away from the block represents the output. The overall block diagram for the entire system can be obtained by connecting the blocks of the components and sub systems according to the signal flow and it is possible to evaluate the contribution of each component to the overall performance. The block diagram does not carry any information on the physical nature or source of energy of the system but it contains information about system dynamics in the form of transfer function. As a consequence of this, many unrelated systems might have the same block diagram representation.

The block diagram of a given system is not unique and depending on the need, a number of different block diagrams can be drawn for the same system. A block diagram consists of blocks, summing points, and branch points , which may be used to represent the functional operation of any linear control system. Blocks are nothing but boxes containing transfer function of components and sub systems.

fig 3. 2 Summing point Summing point. The circle in Fig. 3.2 is a symbol used to represent the summing operation. The summing point performs algebraic summation of two or more signals with appropriate signs. In control systems, the signals need be added or subtracted depending on the control strategy. For instance, the feedback signal B(s) is to be subtracted from the reference signal R(s) to produce an error signal. This operation is represented by the summing point in Fig. 3.2. Before the signals are connected to the summing point, one has to ensure that the signals are of the same dimension using proper transducers. Branch point. A branch point on the block diagram is a point which gives rise to two or more signals to act as inputs to other blocks or summing points. % goto H-34

fig 3.4

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