Process Control

Course II

Lecture 8
The Stability
Part I

By
Prof. Alaa Kareem Mohammed

1
 Outline
1- Concept of stability

2- Stability Cases

3- Definition of Stability

4- Characteristic Equation

5- S-Plane
6- Criteria of Stability

2
 Stability
1- Concept of Stability‫مفهوم‬
‫االستقرارية‬
Consider the heating tank system shown below. Assume that the temperature of the exit stream To is
controlled at value 40 oC . Now we wish to change the set point from 40 oC to 45oC, so the exit
temperature (To ) should varied to reach the value 45 oC.
m Temperature
cp measuring
Ti element

M
Process m
cp
Steam in To

Q
P Controller E
Tm
Final control element
Control Valve
Comparator
Tsp 3
 (s)
1
𝜏 𝑠+1
+
+ (s) (s) (s)
(s) +
𝑘𝑣 𝑘
∑ 𝑘𝑐 ∑ (s)
_ 𝜏 𝑣 𝑠 +1 𝜏 𝑠+1
(s) 𝑘𝑚
𝜏 𝑚 𝑠+1

According to the numerical values of the transfer functions in the block diagram, the response will be
one of the following of three cases

4
1- The response of ( To) converge to 45oC in one of the forms shown below. Note that in all cases the
response (To) reaches a certain value at . So in this case we said the system is stable.

To To
45oC 45oC Offset =1
44oC

40oC 40oC
t t

45oC 45oC

40oC 40oC
t t 5
2- The response of ( To) oscillate around to 45oC as shown below. Note that the response (To) neither
converge nor diverge from a certain value at . So in this case we said the system is critically stable.

To

45oC

40oC
t
The response neither converge nor diverge

6
3- The response of ( To) diverge from 45oC shown below. Note that the response (To) does not reach
a certain value at . So in this case we said the system is unstable.

To

45oC

40oC
t

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2- Stability Cases
Stability

Stable Critically Unstable

stable

8
 3- Definition of Stability ‫تعريف‬
‫االستقرارية‬
The stability of a control system is defined as the ability of any system to provide a
bounded output when a bounded input is applied to it.
A system is stable if every bounded input yields a bounded output. We call this statement
a bounded-input, bounded-output (BIBO) definition of stability.
More specifically, we can say, that stability allows the system to reach the steady-state
and remain in that state for that particular input even after variation in the parameters of
the system.

Stability The system reach a certain value called steady state value

9
4- Characteristic Equation ‫المعادلة‬
‫المميزة‬
Characteristic equation is the denominator of the transfer function of the closed loop
equal to zero.
1+ 𝐺𝑐 𝐺𝑣 𝐺𝑝 𝐺𝑚 =0

1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚=0 Characteristic equation

(s) 𝐺𝐿
𝑤h𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐺=𝐺𝑐 𝐺𝑣 𝐺𝑝
+
+
(s) +
∑ 𝐺𝑐 𝐺𝑉 𝐺𝑃 ∑ (s)
_

𝐺𝑚

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 Example 1
Find the characteristic equation for the (s) 0.5
closed loop shown below. 𝑆+1

Solution
1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚=0
(s)
+¿ 0.5 +¿∑ 0+¿ s)

−∑ 0 2 0.5 ( 𝑆+1 )2
1+ 𝐺𝑐 𝐺𝑣 𝐺𝑝 𝐺𝑚 =0
2

1+(2)(0.5) ¿ (2 𝑠+1)

3 2 Characteristic equation
2 𝑠 +5 𝑠 + 4 𝑠+ 2= 0

Note that the characteristic equation has three roots of S, these roots called poles
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5- S-plane
It is a plane the x-axis of which is real and the y-axis of which is imaginary. It is used
to ascertain the nature or S root and hence the stability of the system.

Imaginary axis

𝑺𝟐(− 𝒂 𝟐 , 𝒃𝟐) 𝑺𝟒 (𝒂 𝟒 , 𝒃𝟒 )
𝑺𝟑(𝟎,𝒃𝟑)
𝑺 𝟏(− 𝒂 𝟏 , 𝟎) 𝑺𝟓(𝒂𝟏 , 𝟎)
R

𝑺𝟑(𝟎 ,− 𝒃𝟑 )
𝑺𝟐(− 𝒂 𝟐 , − 𝒃𝟐) 𝑺𝟒 (𝒂 𝟒 ,− 𝒃𝟒 )

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 Imaginary axis

𝑺 𝟐(− 𝒂 𝟐 , 𝒃𝟐) 𝑺𝟒 (𝒂 𝟒 , 𝒃𝟒 )
𝑺𝟑(𝟎 , 𝒃𝟑)

𝑺 𝟏(− 𝒂 𝟏 , 𝟎) 𝑺𝟓(𝒂𝟏 , 𝟎)
R

∗
∗
𝑺 (− 𝒂 𝟐 ,− 𝒃𝟐)
𝟐
𝑺𝟑(𝟎 ,− 𝒃𝟑 ) ∗
𝑺𝟒 (𝒂 𝟒 ,− 𝒃𝟒 )
Root Definition Example Response in time domain Notes
s
Negative real S= - 4 Cause the system to be stable
Complex: negative real S= ) Cause the system to be stable

Pure imaginary S= ) Cause the system to be critical stable

Complex: positive real S= ) Cause the system to be unstable

Positive real S= 3 Cause the system to be unstable

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 Example 2
A closed system has the following characteristic equation.
8 7 6 4 3 2
2 𝑆 +𝑆 +2 𝑆 − 31 𝑆 −16 𝑆 −32 𝑆 − 16=0
Find the roots of the equation and then locate them on the S-plane.
Solution
8 7 6 4 3 2
2 𝑆 +𝑆 +2 𝑆 − 31 𝑆 −16 𝑆 −32 𝑆 − 16=0
( 𝑆2 − 4 ) ( 𝑆2 + 4 ) ( 𝑆 2+ 𝑆 +1 ) ( 2 𝑆2 − 𝑆 +1 ) =0

𝑆 1=2 𝑆 3=2 𝑗
𝑆 2=− 2 𝑆 4 =−2 𝑗

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 Roots
j
𝑆 1=2 𝑆3
2
𝑆 2=− 2

𝑆7
𝑆 3=2 𝑗
1
𝑆5
𝑆 4 =−2 𝑗
𝑆2 𝑆1
R
-2 -1 𝑆6 1 2
-1
𝑆8

-2
𝑆4
15
 i
j
𝑆3
2j
𝑆7
𝑆5 1j
𝑆2 𝑆1
R
-2 1 2
-1
𝑆6
-1j
𝑆8
-2j
𝑆4

16
(s)
+¿ 𝑒
− 4𝑆 s)

∑0 1+S)
2 𝑠+ 1
−

Fig.

17
 Criteria of stability

1- The system is stable if and only if all roots are negative real or complex with negative
real. For example the system has the following roots is stable:

2- The system is unstable if one or more of the roots are positive real or complex with
positive real. For example the system has the following roots is unstable:
𝑆 3, 4=−2±3 𝑗
3- The system is critically stable if one or more of the roots are pure imaginary on condition
that no positive real or complex with positive real are exist, otherwise the system is unstable.
For example the system has the following roots is critically stable:

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 Exercise
Specify the stability of the system that has the following roots :

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

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Example 3

Consider the closed loop shown in the block diagram below. Test the
stability of the system in the following cases:
(a). Kc=1
(b). Kc=5/4 (s) − 8𝑆
𝑒
(c). Kc=2 +¿ ∑ 0 s)
Solution
−
𝐾𝑐 𝑠 +1
(a). Kc=1
1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚= 0

1+ ( 1 ) (
𝑒 −8 𝑠
𝑆+1
=0 )
( )
1− 4 𝑆
1+ 4 𝑠
1+ ( 1 ) =0
𝑆 +1
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1+ ( 1 ) ( 1−4𝑆
(𝑆+ 1)( 4 𝑆+1))=0

2
4 𝑆 + 𝑆+ 2= 0

− 𝑏 ± √ 𝑏 − 4 𝑎𝑐
2
𝑆 1 ,2=
2𝑎

−1 ± √ 1− 4 ( 4)( 2)
𝑆 1 ,2=
2( 4)

𝑆 1 ,2=− 0.125 ± 0.695 𝑗

Roots are complex numbers with real part is negative. The system is stable

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 (b). Kc= 5/4

1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚= 0

1+
5
4( )( 𝑒 −8 𝑠
𝑆+1 )=0

2
1 6 𝑆 + 9=0

2 9
𝑆 =−
16

3
𝑆 1 ,2=± 𝑗
4

Roots are complex numbers with pure imaginary. The system is critically stable

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(c). Kc= 2

1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚= 0

1+ ( 2 ) (
𝑒− 8 𝑠
𝑆+1 )
=0

2
4 𝑆 − 3 𝑆+ 3= 0

3 ± √ 9 − 4 ( 4)(3)
𝑆 1 ,2=
2( 4)

𝑆 1 ,2=0.375 ± 0.78 𝑗

Roots are complex numbers with real part is positive. The system is unstable

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Homework 1
Consider the closed loop shown in the block diagram below. Test the
stability of the system in the following cases:
(a). Kc = 1 (s) s)
− 4𝑆
(b). Kc = 4 +¿ ∑ 0 1+S) 𝑒
2 𝑠+ 1
−

Ans: (a). The roots are complex with negative real part. . The system is stable

(b). One of the roots is positive real S1=1.118, S2= - 1.118. The system is unstable

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Homework 2
Test the stability of the closed loop shown in the block diagram below.
𝒖

𝑹 + 𝑪
+
∑𝟏 0.5 𝑠 +1 1
10 ∑𝟏
- 𝑠 + 2 𝑠+ 1

𝟑 √− 𝟏𝟏
𝑨𝒏𝒔 : 𝑺𝟏 ,𝟐=− ± 𝒋 . The system is stable
𝟐 𝟐

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 Example 4
Consider the closed loop shown in the block diagram below. Test the stability of the system in the following
cases:
(a). Kc=1
(b). Kc=8
(c). Kc=27
ysp 1
∑𝟏
+
Solution 𝐾𝑐 0.2 ( 0.5 𝑆+ 1 )3
y
-
1+ 𝐺 𝐺𝑚= 0
5
( 0.2 ) ( 5 ) 𝐾 𝑐
1+ 3
=0
( 0.5 𝑆+1 )

( 0.5 𝑆+1 )3 + 𝐾 𝑐 = 0

3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+ 8 ( 1+ 𝐾 𝑐 ) =0 … … (∗)
( 𝑎 ) . 𝐾 𝑐 =1
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+ 8 ( 1+1 )=0
𝑆 3 +6 𝑆2 +12 𝑆+16=0 … … … .( ∗∗)
In order to solve Eq.(), we shall use trail and error to find one root that satisfies Eq.() , then dividing Eq.
() by this root to reduce Eq.() to second order.
2
Note that the root S1= - 4 satisfies Eq.(*) 𝑆 +2 𝑆+ 4
3 2
Dividing Eq.() by (S+4) , we obtain 𝑆 +4 𝑆 3+6 𝑆 +12
2
𝑆+16
∓𝑆 ∓4𝑆
So, Eq.() can be written as
+16
( 𝑆 +4 ) ( 𝑆2 +2 𝑆+ 4 ) =0
2
∓2𝑆 ∓8 𝑆

4 𝑆 +16
∓ 4 𝑆 ∓ 16
The roots are: S1= - 4, S2,3 = 0 0

The system is stable

27
( 𝑏 ) . 𝐾 𝑐 =8
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+ 8 ( 1+ 𝐾 𝑐 ) =0 … … (∗)
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+72=0 … … …(∗ ∗)
satisfies Eq.(**) 𝑆 2 +12
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+72
3 2
∓ 𝑆 ∓6𝑆
0 +12 𝑆 +72
𝑆 1=− 6 ∓ 12 𝑆 ∓ 72

( 𝑆2 +12 ) =0 00

𝑆 2.3= √ −12=∓ √12 j

One root is negative real and the other two roots are pure imaginary , so the system is critically stable

The value of Kc that make the system critically stable is called maximum Kc,max or critical Kc, crit .

𝐾 𝑐 ,𝑚𝑎𝑥 =8
28
Kc,max make the system to be critically stable and then the response will oscillate sinusoidal
as shown in Fig. below.
y
In this case , we can find the frequency of oscillation and the
Time of one cycle as well. 𝑇𝑝
𝐼𝑓 𝑠=± 𝛽 𝑗 𝑡h𝑒𝑛 𝜔= 𝛽

Return to our example

𝑆 2.3=∓ √ 12 j t

∴ 𝜔= √ 12

2𝜋
𝜔=2 𝜋 𝑓 =
𝑇𝑝
2𝜋 2𝜋
𝑇 𝑝= = =1.813
𝜔 √ 12

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( 𝑐 ) . 𝐾 𝑐 =27
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+ 8 ( 1+ 𝐾 𝑐 ) =0 … … (∗)
3 2
𝑆 +6 𝑆 +12 𝑆+ 224=0 … ..(∗ ∗)
satisfies Eq.(**)

Then Eq.(**) can be written as

( S+ 8 ) ( 𝑆2 − 2 𝑆+28 ) =0
𝑆 1=− 8

𝑆 2 .3 =1∓ √ 27 𝑖

Two of the roots are complex with the real part is positive The system is unstable

30
Thank you for your attention

Any ?

31