CONTROL SYSTEMS

Module 1

Introduction

Control
- to exercise restraining or directing influence over
- applicable to both man and machine

Importance of Control

- one analogy is that in our own body, we have at least 10 major body systems each with a
specific function to maintain life
- It does not “control” through restrictions like a healthy diet and lifestyle by the
individual
- One or two body systems may encounter a damage, thus greatly affects the body as a
whole

Control Systems

- In its simplest form, it provide an output or response for a given input or stimulus.
- consists of subsystems and processes(or plants) assembled for purpose of controlling the
outputs of the processes.

Importance of Control Systems

- integral part of modern society

- we have automated control systems in our household and industries
- In the field of man-made systems of machines and electronic devices, engineers design
processes and devices via design and plans, with the expectation that these will work
ideally or flawless, but then again nothing is truly “perfect”
- These “defects” to man-made systems can be attributed to “errors” within the
mentioned system, it may be a small millimeter at the input, but may be carried to the
system and be magnified within the process and producing an undesirable effect at the
output.
- the presence of control system in a device for the purpose of detecting and correcting
these errors
- usually a section or part of the device
- sometimes a stand-alone device
Evolution of Control Systems

Early Control Systems

1. Liquid Level Control

 Water Clocks
- Greeks began engineering control systems around 300 BC
- Invented by Ktesibios (Ctesibius)
- Operated by having water trickle into a measuring container at a constant
rate.
- Water is the input, the process is when water flowing out of its container at
constant rate.
- The output of time is based on reading the time markings aligned with level
of water either remaining from the container or in the catching container.

2. Steam Pressure and Temperature Controls

 Safety Valve
- Regulation of steam pressure began around 1681
- Invented by Denis Papin
- Concept was further elaborated on by weighting the valve top
- If upward steam pressure did not exceed the weight, the valve did not open
and the pressure inside the boiler increased.
- If upward steam pressure from the boiler exceeded the weight, the valve
opens and the steam was released and the pressure decreased.
- An early automated control system wherein the output condition of
steam/pressure release is based on when the force of exiting steam
becomes equal or greater than the weight on the top of the valve.
- Basic and primitive form of what we call today as automation.
- This safety valve is still used in today’s pressure cooker or boilers.

 Mechanical Incubator
- 17th century
- Cornerlis Drebbelin of Holland, invented a purely mechanical temperature
control system for hatching eggs.
- Used a vial of alcohol and mercury with a floater inserted in it.
- The floater was connected to a damper that controlled a flame.
- As the heat increased, the alcohol and mercury expanded, raising the
floater, closing the damper, and reducing the flame.
 3. Speed Control

 Windmills
- William Cubit improved the idea in 1809 by dividing the windmill sail into
movable louvers.
 Flyball Speed Governors
- Invented by James Watt in the 18th century to control the speed of steam
engines and windmills.
- Two spinning flyballs rise as rotational speed increases.
- A steam valve connected to the flyball mechanism closes with the ascending
flyballs and opens with the descending flyballs, thus regulating the speed.
- In this version of the device used for windmills, the same principles applies
but instead of a throttle valve at the end, a friction-based braking system is
found.

Modern Control Systems

1. Control Systems Theory

- as we know it today began appear in the latter half of the 19 th century.
- Modern control systems owes its existence from mathematical modelling
and theories which were later on applied to create computer algorithm and
computer programs.
- The combination and use of analog and digital signals is main trait for the
modern control system.
 Stability Criterion
- In 1868, James Clark Maxwell published “On Governors” which contained
the stability criterion for a up to third-order systems based on the
coefficients of the differential equation.
- In 1874, Edward John Routh using a was able to extend the stability criterion
to fifth-order systems.
- In 1877, the topic for the Adams Prize was “The Criterion of Dynamical
Stability”. In response, Routh submitted a paper entitled “A treatise on the
Stability of a Given State of Motion” and won the prize.

2. Automatic Steering

- It was not until the early 1900s that automatic steering of ships was
achieved.
- One of his invention patents for “Antirolling stabilization of ships” basically
decreases pitch, roll, or like unwanted vessel movements at sea.
- It was his theoretical development applied to the automatic steering of ships
that led to what we call today as proportional-integral-plus-derivative(PID)
or three-mode controllers.
3. Contemporary Applications
- Today, control systems find widespread application in the guidance,
navigation and control of missiles and spacecraft, as well as plans and stills
ships at sea.
- Modern developments have seen widespread use of digital computer as a
part of control systems.
- For example, computers in control systems are for industrial robots,
spacecraft, and the process control industry.
- It is now hard to visualize a modern control system that does not use a
digital computer or component.
- A controller part of the system is handled by a digital computer or a
microprocessor.
- The advantage is that many control loops (functions) can be controlled by
the one and the same computer through time sharing.
- Any adjustments of the control parameters required to yield a desired
output or response can be made by changes in software rather than
hardware.
- The computer can also perform supervisory functions, such as scheduling
many required applications.
CONTROL SYSTEMS
Module 2

Technologies, Types of Control System and Advantages

Overview of Control Systems

Control Systems Classifications:

1. Open Systems
- The simplest form of control system.
- Simple input-process-output diagram.

A much-detailed sample of an open system, that considers external noise

affecting the signal flow process.

Input Subsystem

- Consists of the input signal and the input transducer.

- Transducers are devices that charge one form of energy to another.
- The most is usual from non-electrical to electrical signals.
- The input signal is sometimes called the reference signal.

Output Subsystem

- Consists of the output signal.

- In the example, the output is still electrical so it is viewed in a display screen.
- Output signal is also knows as the controlled variable.

Controller

- Manages the input signal as to when it undergoes processing.

Process (Plant)

- Driven by the controller to process the input signal into its intended output via algorithms
stored inside it.
Disturbances

- Unwanted signals that can enter or manifest in the control system without warning.
- Can also be called as NOISE that contribute to ERRORS

Summing Points

- Summing junctions
- Disturbances are not deliberately added and are really due to physical openings in the
process to which noise signals or mechanical errors can be introduced.

Characterized by the inability to compare the actual value of the controlled variable to the
reference value and to act based on that comparison.

2. Closed Systems
- It has similar parts to open system but the presence of a feedback element or loop.

Summing Junction

- This one is a REAL summing junction.

- This is where the input signal is compared to the feedback output signal.

Output Transducers

- Devices (sensors) that measures the output response and converts it into the form used by
the controller.
- The feedback signal should be in the same form given by the input transducer.

Feedback Path

- The return path from the output to the input via summing junction

Error or Actuating Signal

- The difference between the reference input and the feedback output.
- Mathematically, the algebraic sum of the input and output.
- Ideally you want this “zero”

Characterized by the ability to compare the actual value of the controlled variable to the reference
value and to act based on that comparison.
Advantages of a Control System

1. Power Amplifications
2. Remote Control
3. Convenience of Input Form
4. Compensation of Disturbances

1. Power Amplification
- We can move large equipment with precision that would otherwise be impossible.
- Example: We can point huge antennas toward the farthest reaches of the universe to pick up
faint radio signals; controlling these antennas by hand would be impossible.

2. Remote Control
- The most popular advantage and also closely related to the first advantage as this allows us
to move devices and equipment by input of a signal or command at a given distance of
safety and comfort of the operator or user.

3. Convenience of Input Form

- Refers to the convenient form or setting position at the input yields the desired output.
- In a temperature control system, the input is a set temperature level position on a
thermostat and we expect that the output will have the set temperature.
- Elevator main button panels, whereby after pressing the floor number on the floor button
panel, one is assured that the elevator will stop on that selected floor.

4. Compensation of Disturbances
- Refers to the ability of the system to yield the correct output even with a disturbance.
- For example, an antenna system that points in a commanded direction. If wind forces the
antenna from its commanded position, or if noise enters internally, the system must be able
to detect the disturbance and correct the antenna’s position.