Root Locus for Positive Feedback Systems

Unit 7: Part 3: Positive Feedback

Engineering 5821:
Control Systems I

Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science

Memorial University of Newfoundland

March 17, 2010

ENGI 5821 Unit 7: Root Locus Techniques

Root Locus for Positive Feedback Systems
If feedback is positive then some of the regular rules of root locus
must be modified. The closed-loop transfer function becomes,
KG (s)H(s)
T (s) =
1 − KG (s)H(s)
The RL is now defined wherever KG (s)H(s) = 1∠k360o where k is
any integer. This affects the following rules:
3. Real-axis segments

Poles and zeros off the real-axis still contribute nothing to

∠KG (s)H(s). Also, poles or zeros to the left contribute nothing.

The RL exists for positive-feedback systems to the left of

an even number of real-axis finite open-loop poles or
zeros.
5. Behaviour at infinity: The formula for the real-axis intercept
of an asymptote is unchanged, but the angle is different:
k2π
θa =
#finite poles − #finite zeros

Other rules for the refinement of the RL only need to be modified

in that the angle criterion for lying on the RL is changed (e.g. for
searches of crossings of the jω axis).
e.g. A positive feedback system can be obtained from a negative
feedback system if the gain becomes negative. Assume we have
the following system with negative gain K 0 :

We can convert this into a positive feedback system with positive

gain K = −K 0 ,
We first determine that the RL exists on the real-axis between -4
and -3 and between -2 and -1. It also exists to the right of the pole
at 0. What does this mean?
Continuing, we identify asymptotes,
P P
finite poles − finite zeros
σa =
#finite poles − #finite zeros
(0 − 1 − 2 − 4) − (−3)
= = −4/3
4−1
k2π
θa =
#finite poles − #finite zeros
= 0 for k = 0
= 2π/3 for k = 1
= 4π/3 for k = 2
Thus we can complete the RL: