1

Block Diagram Representations

of Dynamic systems

Group: Design for Mechanical

Engineering (MSc students)
2016

Introduction
Block diagram is a shorthand, graphical
representation of a physical system, illustrating
the functional relationships among its
components.
OR
A Block Diagram is a shorthand pictorial
representation of the cause-and-effect
relationship of a system.

Introduction
The simplest form of the block diagram is the single block,
with one input and one output.
The interior of the rectangle representing the block usually
contains a description of or the name of the element, or the
symbol for the mathematical operation to be performed on
the input to yield the output.
The arrows represent the direction of information or signal
flow.

d
dt

Introduction

The operations of addition and subtraction have a special

representation.
The block becomes a small circle, called a summing point,
with the appropriate plus or minus sign associated with the
arrows entering the circle.
Any number of inputs may enter a summing point.
The output is the algebraic sum of the inputs.
Some books put a cross in the circle.

Components of a Block Diagram for

a Linear Time Invariant System
System components are alternatively called
elements of the system.
Block diagram has four components:

Signals
System/ block
Summing junction
Pick-off/ Take-off point

In order to have the same signal or variable be an input to

more than one block or summing point, a takeoff point is
used.
Distributes the input signal, undiminished, to several
output points.
This permits the signal to proceed unaltered along several
different paths to several destinations.

Example-1
Consider the following equations in which x1, x2, x3, are
variables, and a1, a2 are general coefficients or
mathematical operators.

x3 a1 x1 a2 x2 5

Example-1
Consider the following equations in which x1, x2, x3, are
variables, and a1, a2 are general coefficients or
mathematical operators.

x3 a1 x1 a2 x2 5

10

Example-2
Consider the following equations in which x1, x2,. . . , xn, are
variables, and a1, a2,. . . , an , are general coefficients or
mathematical operators.

xn a1 x1 a2 x2 an1 xn1

11

From Blackboard
Integration
Closed loop system
Closed loop transfer function

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Example-3
Draw the Block Diagrams of the following equations.

(1)
( 2)

dx1 1
x2 a1
x1dt
dt
b
x3 a1

d 2 x2
dt 2

dx1
3
bx1
dt

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Topological Models of a system

We will now examine some common topologies
for interconnecting subsystems and derive the
single transfer function representation for each
of them.
These common topologies will form the basis for
reducing more complicated systems to a single
block.

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CASCADE
Any finite number of blocks in series may be
algebraically combined by multiplication of
transfer functions.
That is, n components or blocks with transfer
functions G1 , G2, . . . , Gn, connected in cascade
are equivalent to a single element G with a
transfer function given by

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Example

Multiplication of transfer functions is

commutative; that is,
GiGj = GjGi
for any i or j .

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Cascade:

Figure:
a) Cascaded Subsystems.
b) Equivalent Transfer Function.

The equivalent transfer function

is

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Parallel Form:
Parallel subsystems have a common input and
an output formed by the algebraic sum of the
outputs from all of the subsystems.

Figure: Parallel Subsystems.

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Parallel Form:

Figure:
a) Parallel Subsystems.
b) Equivalent Transfer Function.

The equivalent transfer function is

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Feedback Form:
The third topology is the feedback form. Let us derive the
transfer function that represents the system from its input
to its output. The typical feedback system, shown in figure:

Figure: Feedback (Closed Loop) Control System.

The system is said to have negative feedback if the sign at the

summing junction is negative and positive feedback if the sign
is positive.

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Feedback Form:

Figure:
a) Feedback Control System.
b) Simplified Model or Canonical Form.
c) Equivalent Transfer Function.

The equivalent or closed-loop

transfer function is

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CCharacteristic Equation
The control ratio is the closed loop transfer function of the
system.

C( s )
G( s )

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

The denominator of closed loop transfer function determines the

characteristic equation of the system.
Which is usually determined as:

1 G( s )H ( s ) 0

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Canonical Form of a Feedback Control

System

The system is said to have negative feedback if the sign at the summing
junction is negative and positive feedback if the sign is positive.

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1. Open loop transfer function

B( s )
G( s )H ( s )
E( s )

2. Feed Forward Transfer function

C( s )
G( s )

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

3. control ratio

4. feedback ratio

5. error ratio

C( s )
G( s )
E( s )
G(s )

B( s )
G( s )H ( s )

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

E( s )
1

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

6. closed loop transfer function

C( s )
G( s )

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

7. characteristic equation 1 G( s )H ( s ) 0
8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.

H (s )

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Characteristic Equation

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Unity Feedback System

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Reduction techniques
1. Combining blocks in cascade

G2

G1

G1G2

2. Combining blocks in parallel

G1
G2

G1 G2

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Reduction techniques
3. Moving a summing point behind a block

G
G

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Reduction techniques
3. Moving a summing point ahead of a block

G
1
G

4. Moving a pickoff point behind a block

1
G

5. Moving a pickoff point ahead of a block

G
G

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Reduction techniques
6. Eliminating a feedback loop

G
1 GH

G
H

G
1 G

G
H 1
7. Swap with two neighboring summing points

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Block Diagram Transformation Theorems

The letter P is used to represent any transfer function, and W, X ,

Y, Z denote any transformed signals.

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Transformation Theorems Continue:

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Transformation Theorems Continue:

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Reduction of Complicated Block Diagrams:

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Example-4: Reduce the Block Diagram to Canonical

Form.

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Example-4: Continue.

However in this example step-4 does not apply.

However in this example step-6 does not apply.

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Example-5: Simplify the Block Diagram.

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Example-5: Continue.

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Example-6: Reduce the Block Diagram.

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Example-6: Continue.

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Example-7: Reduce the Block Diagram. (from Nise: page242)

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Example-7: Continue.

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Example-8: For the system represented by the

following block diagram determine:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Open loop transfer function

Feed Forward Transfer function
control ratio
feedback ratio
error ratio
closed loop transfer function
characteristic equation
closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.

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Example-8: Continue

First we will reduce the given block diagram to canonical

form

K
s 1

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Example-8: Continue

K
s 1

K
G
s 1
K
1 GH
1
s
s 1

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Example-8: Continue
1. Open loop transfer function

B( s )
G( s )H ( s )
E( s )

C( s )
G( s )
E( s )

2. Feed Forward Transfer function

C( s )
G( s )
3. control ratio

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

G(s )

4. feedback ratio B( s ) G( s )H ( s )
R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

E( s )
1
5. error ratio

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )
6. closed loop transfer function

C( s )
G( s )

R( s ) 1 G( s )H ( s )

7. characteristic equation1 G( s )H ( s ) 0
8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.

H (s )

46

Example-9: For the system represented by the following

block diagram determine:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Open loop transfer function

Feed Forward Transfer function
control ratio
feedback ratio
error ratio
closed loop transfer function
characteristic equation
closed loop poles and zeros if K=100.

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Example-10: Reduce the system to a single transfer

function. (from Nise:page-243).

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Example-10: Continue.

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Example-10: Continue.

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Example-11: Simplify the block diagram then obtain the

close-loop transfer function C(S)/R(S). (from Ogata:
Page-47)

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Example-11: Continue.

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Example-12: Reduce the Block Diagram.

H2
C

R
+_

G1

H1

G2

G3

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Example-12:

H2
G1
_

R
+_

G1
H1

G2

G3

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Example-12:

H2
G1
_

R
+_

G1G2
H1

G3

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Example-12:

H2
G1
C

R
+_

G1G2

H1

G3

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Example-12:

H2
G1
_

R
+_

G1G2
1 G1G2 H1

C
G3

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Example-12:

H2
G1
_

R
+_

G1G2G3
1 G1G2 H1

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Example-12:

R
+_

G1G2G3
1 G1G2 H1 G2G3 H 2

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Example-12:

G1G2G3
1 G1G2 H1 G2G3 H 2 G1G2G3

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Example 13: Find the transfer function of the following

block diagrams.

R(s)

G1

G2

H1

H2
H3

Y (s)

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Solution:

1. Eliminate loop I

R(s)

G1

H1

G2
G2
1 GH2 H
2
2

Y (s)

Y (s)

H3
2. Moving pickoff point A behind block

R(s)

G1
H1

G2
1 G2 H 2

G2
1 G2 H 2

1 G2 H 2
G2

H3

II
1 G2 H 2
H 3 H1 (
)
G2

Not a feedback loop

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3. Eliminate loop II

R(s)

G1G2
1 G2 H 2
H3

Y (s)

H1 (1 G2 H 2 )
G2

G1G2
Y (s)

R( s ) 1 G2 H 2 G1G2 H 3 G1H1 G1G2 H1H 2

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Superposition of Multiple Inputs

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Example-14: Multiple Input System. Determine the

output C due to inputs R and U using the Superposition
Method.

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Example-14: Continue.

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Example-14: Continue.

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Example-15: Multiple-Input System. Determine the

output C due to inputs R, U1 and U2 using the
Superposition Method.

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Example-15: Continue.

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Example-15: Continue.

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Example-16: Multi-Input Multi-Output System.

Determine C1 and C2 due to R1 and R2.

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Example-16: Continue.

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Example-16: Continue.

When R1 = 0,

When R2 = 0,

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Skill Assessment Exercise:

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Answer of Skill Assessment Exercise: