EC 221:

CLASSICAL CONTROL
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Instructor: Mr. Mwalongo M, R
Assistant Lecturer
Office No. AB 15 (Admin Block)
E-mail: [email protected]
 LECTURE (3)

TRANSFER FUNCTION
 Control System Representation

 In control theory once a dynamic system has been

modeled, the system can be represented in terms of;
 Transfer function

 Block diagram

 Signal flow graph

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Transfer Function

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 Transfer function
 A control system consists of an output as well as an
input signal.
 The output is related to the input through a function call
transfer function.
 This function is represented by block diagram.

Block Diagram representation of a System

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 Defining the TF

“ The transfer function of a linear system is defined as the

ratio of the Laplace Transform (LT) of the output variable
to the Laplace transform of the input variable, with all
initial conditions assumed to be zero ”.

 A transfer function may be defined only for a LTI

systems.

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 Defining the TF

o Transfer function establish a viable definition for a

function that algebraically relates a system’s output

to its input

o This function will allow separation of the input,

system and output into three separate and distinct

parts, unlike the differential equation.

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 Transfer Function General representation
 General nth order linear, time invariant DE

d n y(t) d n1 y(t) d mr(t) d m1r(t)

an n
 an1 n1
     a0 y(t)  bm m
 bm1 m1      b0r(t)
dt dt dt dt

Taking Laplace transform on both sides and assuming zero

initial conditions

a sn
n
 an1s     a0 Y(s)  bms  bm1s
n1 m m1
     b0 R(s)

Y ( s) (bm s m  bm1s m1      b.)

 G(s) 
R(s) (an s n  an1s n1      ao ) 8
Transfer Function General representation
Transfer Function is the ratio of output to input in
frequency domain

G(s) = Y(s)/R(s)

Y (s) ( b m s m  b m 1 s m 1      b o )
 G (s)  n 1
R (s) ( a n s  a n 1 s
n
     ao )

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 Properties of Transfer function

 It is independent of the input.

 Does not provide any information about physical

structure of the system.

 Highest power of ‘s’ in the denominator is equal to

the order of the system.

 It can be treated as impulse response.

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 Why Transfer function ?

o Transfer function helps us to check;

 The stability of the system.

 Time domain and frequency domain

characteristics of the system.

 Response of the system for any given input.

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POLE S and ZEROS of a Transfer Function

o Consider Transfer function

 Poles: are defined as the roots of the denominator, D(s),

of G(s).

• Are particular values of s that make the value of the

function go to infinity.

• The denominator polynomial of the transfer function

when set equal to zero is called the Characteristics 12

Equation, C.E
 POLE S and ZEROS of a Transfer Function

 Zeros: are defined as the roots of the numerator, N(s),

of G(s).

• Are particular values of s that make the value of the

function go to zero.

• In complex s-plane, a pole is denoted by a small cross

(X), and a zero by a small circle (0)

• Poles and zeros are critical frequencies.

• At a pole the function becomes infinity. 13

• At a zero the function becomes zero.

 Significance of POLES and ZEROS

 From the poles and zeros, we can obtain a

substantial amount of information concerning the
behaviour of the system

 System stability.

 Location of the poles and zeros provide

qualitative insights into the response
characteristics of a system.

 Steady-state amplitude and phase

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response.
 POLE –ZERO Plot /Map of G(s)

 Poles and zeros give a powerful graphical

description of the behavior of a system

 Consider

G(
Factorization
Ho = constant
multiplier, the gain

 Zeros are: zo, z1…….zn

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 Poles are : Po, p1…….pn
 POLE –ZERO Map/Diagram of G(s)

Example 3.0: Plot a pole-zero map for the following

system. What is the gain of this system?

4( s  5)
T (s) 
( s  3  j 4)( s  3  j 4)

Example 3.1: Find the pole-zero representation of the

system with the transfer function

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 POLE –ZERO Map/Diagram of G(s)
Example 3.2 Pole-zero→ Transfer function: Find the transfer
function representation of a system with:
 a pole at the origin (s=0)
 poles at s=-2 and -3,
 a zero at s=1, and
 a constant k=4.

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Home work 3.1: Poles –Zeros of a Transfer Function
1. A system has a pair of complex conjugate poles
p1, p2 = −1 ± j2, a single real zero z1 = −4, and a
gain factor K = 3. Find the differential equation
representing the system.

2. A linear system is described by the differential

equation. Find the system poles and zeros.

(t)

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Procedures for Determining Transfer Function
of Physical Systems

1. Form the equations for the system.

2. Take Laplace transform of the system equations,

assuming initial conditions as zero.

3. Specify system output and input.

4. Lastly take the ratio of the Laplace transform of

the output and the Laplace transform of the input

which is the required transfer function. 19

 Transfer Function of Physical Systems

Example 3.4 electrical systems : Find the transfer

function of RLC circuits shown below.

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Home work 3.2: Electrical systems

1. Let ei = input and eo be the output. In this

system, the second stage consisting of R2C2 portion

produces a loading effect on the first stage (R1C1)
portion. Find the TF of this system

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3. Find the transfer function of the following op-
amps, assuming that the op-amps are ideal. What is
the major disadvantage of these systems?

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 Transfer Function of Physical Systems

Example 3.5 Translational mechanical systems:

Consider a simple horizontal spring-mass system on
a frictionless surface, as shown in figure below. Find
the transfer function and plot the pole-zero map
assuming M=1000kg and k=2000Nm-1 .

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 Transfer Function of Physical Systems
Example 3.6 mechanical systems: From the given figures
below (a) Find TF (b)draw a block diagram of the systems (c)
plot a pole zero map of the systems assuming M=1000kg,
k=2000 Nm-1 and B=1000 N/ms-1

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Home work 3.3: Translational mechanical systems

1. For the translational mechanical system with a

nonlinear spring shown in the following figure, find the
transfer function, , for small excursions
around f(t)=1. The spring is defined by x s (t )  1  e  f s ( t ) ,
where xs(t) is the spring displacement and fs (t) is the
spring force.

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2. Find the transfer function for a translational
mechanical system shown below.

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3. Find the transfer function for automobile suspension
system.

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 Transfer Function of Physical Systems
Example 3.4 rotational mechanical systems: find the
transfer function of the rotational system shown
below.

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Home work 3.3: Rotational Mechanical Systems

1. Find the transfer function, 𝟐

, for the
rotational mechanical system

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 End

•QUESTIONS?

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