Control Theory and Automation

1. What is control system? Write down the importance of control system in medical
science.03
2. What is meant by transfer function of a system? Derive the expression of the transfer
function of a series R-L-C circuit if the current through the circuit is considered as an
output and the voltage applied in the circuit is considered as the, input to the circuit. 05
3. Draw the pole and zero location of the following transfer functions and calculate
stability: 04

4. Define (i) State variable, (ii) Control input and (iii) State matrix with examples. 03
5. Consider the free body diagram of a system shown in figure 2(b). The diagram is
drawn using f-V analogy. Draw the equivalent diagram of the mechanical system. 05

6. Suppose the dynamics of an electrical network is expressed by following vector matrix

form: 04

Here Vc is the voltage across a capacitor C, IL is the current through an inductor (L) and
IR is the current through a resistor (R). Draw the equivalent electrical
network.
7. Use Routh's criterion to investigate the stability of the open loop system given
by transfer function

with unity feedback.4

8. Construct a root locus plot of the following loop transfer function: 08

9. Draw the Bode diagram of the following transfer function: 08

10. With a neat sketch explain what is meant by gain and phase margin and discuss how they
are related to the stability of a system. 04
11. Draw the block diagram of a typical closed-loop system and describe the function of
each block. 04
12. What is meant by pole and zero of a transfer
function? How pole and zero of a transfer
function is related to the stability of a
system. Determine the pole and zero of the
system given in figure 1(b) if the voltage
across the inductor L is considered as an
output of the system.

13. Derive the system equation of the mass spring system given in figure 1(c). 03

14. Reduce the block diagram of a system given in figure 2(a) and find C(S)/R(S). 04

15. By using Routh-Hurwitz criterion,

determine the stability of the system
represented by S6 + 3S5 + 9S3+ 8S2 +6S +
4 = 0. 04
16. What are critically damped, under damped,
over damped and undamped system?
Explain with proper diagram. 04
17. Consider a system

. Find whether S = is on root locus or not using angle condition. 04

18. The forward path transfer function of a unity feedback system is given by
 Sketch the root locus as K varies from zero to infinity. 08
19. What is gain margin and phase margin? Draw the Bode diagram of a transfer function

08
20. What is continuous time and discrete time control system? What are advantages of
discrete time control system over continuous time control system? 04
21. Define Open and Closed loop system. Write down the advantages of open-loop
system over closed-loop system. 04
22. What are linear and non-linear systems? Write down the differences between linear
and non-linear system. 04
23. What factors should be considered for analysis and design of a control system?
Discuss the design process of a control system. 04
24. Why is it necessary to model the dynamics of a system? What are the ways to model
the dynamics of a system? 03
25. What is meant by State space representation of a system? If a system has the state
space representation of x = Ax + Bu and y = Cx + Du, where the symbols have their
usual meaning, determine the transfer function of the system. 04
26. Describe the model equations of DC motor in different equation form and deterinine
the transfer function of DC motor for speed control. 05
27. Define system stability and mention the Routh’s stability criterion. 04
28. Consider the characteristic equation S4 + 2S3 + (4+K)S2 + 9S + 25 = 0. Using the
Hurwitz stability criterion, determine the range of K for stability. 04
29. Describe the limitations of Routh-Hurwitz stability criteria. How can you overcome
those? 04
30. Write down the general rules to construct root locus. Draw the root locus of 05

31. How frequency response analysis is better as compared to root locus method in
control system design. 03
32. What is gain and phase margin. Draw a Nyquist plot of 04

33. Demonstrate internal architecture of PLC with figure. 04

34. Write down the name of mechanical switches and proximity switches. Describe limit
switches and eddy current type switches with figure. 04
35. Briefly explain the linear variable differential transform (LVDT). 04
36. What do you mean by damping and explain how the values of damping ratio
determine the behavior of an oscillatory system? 03
37. What do you mean by disturbance within a control system? Describe the effect of
disturbance within the control system. 03
38. In figure below shows a system used to control the rate of flow of liquid along a pipe.
Explain how the system operates and what will be
(i) the transfer function for the feedback loop if the flow meter has a transfer function
of 2 KPa per m/s and the pressure to current convertor 1.0 mA per KPa,
(ii) the transfer function for the forward path if the current to pressure converter has a
transfer function of 6 KPa per mA and the control valve 0.1 m/s per KPa and
(iii) the overall transfer functions of the control system? 06

39. What do you mean by Op-amp? Explain why an analogue to digital converter is often
preceded by a sample and hold element. 04
40. Define multiplexers. How many bits must a digital to analogue converter have to
provide outputs in increments of 0.01 V with a 5 V reference voltage? 04
41. A platinum resistance thermometer has a resistance at 0° C of 120Ω and forms one
arm of a wheat stone bridge. At this temperature the bridge is balanced with each of
the other arms also being 120Ω. The temperature co-efficient of resistance of the
platinum is 0.0039° C-1. What will be the output voltage for change in temperature of
20° C if the instrument used to measure it can be assumed to have infinite resistance
and the supply voltage, with negligible internal resistance, for the bridge is 6.0 V? 04
42. How voltage could be compensated with thermocouple and strain gages? 04
43. What value of resistors in the figure below, circuit will be suitable for reducing a .25
V signal to a 0.5 V? 03

44. A dc Wheatstone bridge has 5 V supply connected between points A and C. What
will be the potential difference between B and D when the resistance in the bridge
arms are AB 120Ω, BC 130Ω, CD 180Ω and AD 140Ω? 05
45. What do you mean by random and systematic errors of an instrument? Explain the
 static and dynamic characteristics of an instrument. 04
46. What is the transfer function of a temperature measurement system which uses a
thermocouple with a transfer function of 40 μV/°C, an amplifier with a transfer
function of 800 and a pen recorder display with a transfer function of 300 mm/V? 04
47. What do you mean by damping? Explain how the value of damping ratio determines
the behavior of the oscillatory system. 04
48. Show and explain a simple automatic control system of a shaft speed. 03
49. Explain the difference between positive and negative feedback and give an example
of each. 03
50. The output from a thermocouple is determined at a range of temperatures which are
determined using a thermometer which has calibration accuracy much better than that
required for the thermocouple. The following is the data obtained. Plot a calibration
graph and comment on the errors that would be introduced if the thermocouple was
assumed to give a linear response. 06

51. For a block diagram shown in figure 3(a), determine the closed loop transfer
function 04

52. Mention the basic elements of a closed loop system and derive an equation to
determine closed loop transfer function. 04
53. A microprocessor gives an output of an 8 bit word. This is fed through an 8 bit
digital to analogue converter to a control valve. If the control valve requires 6.0
V to be fully open what will be the reference voltage required for the converter
and the percentage by which the valve opens for a change in input of 1 bit? 04
54. What is gain margin and phase margin? Draw the Bode diagram of a transfer

08
55. What is continuous time and discrete time control system? What are advantages of
discrete time control system over continuous time control system? 04
56. Write short note on (i) two step control, (ii) cascade control and (iii) tuning. 04
57. How proportional band depends on the transfer function? 03
58. A proportional controller is used to control the height of water in a tank where the
water level can vary from zero to 4 m. The required height of water is 3.5 m and the
controller is to fully close a valve when the water rises to 3.9 m and fully open it when
the water falls to 3.1 m. What proportional band and transfer function will be required?
05

SECTION - B
1. What is meant by Programmable logic controller (PLC)? Explain the internal architecture
of a PLC. 04
2. State the characteristics of the relay, transistor and triac types of PLC output channels. 04
3. What are the function of address bus, control bus, data bus and system bus in PLCs? 04
4. Draw the scanning flow of a ladder program. 03
5. A motor is turned on when a lamp is off. The lamp is turned on using a push button. Draw
the respective ladder diagram. 05
6. The input and output of a system is as follows. Draw the ladder diagram. 04

7. Draw the equivalent sequential function chart for the following ladder diagram: 05

8. Write down the instruction list for the following ladder diagram: 04

9. What will be output for the following ladder diagram: 03

10. What are sensor and actuator? What are their functions? List the name of three sensors
and actuators. 04
11. What is meant by automation? Discuss four types of automation briefly with examples.
05
12. What is meant by SCADA? Discuss the objectives of SCADA. 03
13. What is automation? Write down the role of automation in industry.04
14. What are sensor and actuator? Write down the differences between sensor and actuator.
04
15. What are Address bus, control bus, data bus and I/O bus? Write down their functions in
PLC. 04
16. Define state, state variables, state vector and state space. 04
17. Mention the advantages of state space technique and obtain the state space
representation of the system 04

18. State the applications of A.C. servomotor. Compare A.C. servomotors with D.C.
servomotors. 04
19. Write down the function of on-delay, off-delay, pulse and cascaded time with proper
diagram. 04
20. Consider the following program instruction list, in the Mitsubishi format. Draw the
corresponding ladder diagram. 04

21. What do you mean by PLC? What types of jobs a PLC can do? Give some examples.
04
22. What are the advantages of distributed control system over centralized control system?
Explain. 04
23. What are the basic elements in a SCADA system? Discuss with a block diagram. 04
24. Write down the importance of control system in industrial production system. 04
25. What is programmable logic controller? Draw the block diagram of a programmable
logic controller. 03
26. Write down the name of four methods used in programming of a PLC? What methods
are adopted to write a Ladder diagram in PLC? 04
27. Draw a Ladder diagram of Exclusive OR (XOR) gate and show the output waveform
for the following two input waveforms. 05

28. Draw the waveform of Output A, Output B and Output C for Ladder diagram is shown as
follows:

29. What is “Instruction List" method in PLC programming? How this is differed from
“Ladder diagram"? Explain. 03
30. Write down the instruction list for the following Ladder diagrams. 05

31. Why digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion is important

in control system. Derive the transfer function of PID controller in
 discrete form. 04
32. What is SCADA? Write down the overview of SCADA system?
What is its importance in industrial automation system? 05
33. What is distributed control system (DCS)? Write down the difference
between centralized and distributed control system. 03
34. Find a state space representation of the following circuit if the output
is current through the resister. 05

35. What is gain cross over frequency and phase cross over frequency?
Write down the relationship between them in order to be a stable
system. 03
36. Determine the transfer function for the following state space
representation. 04

37. Explain the pressure of the actuator in a control system. Describe the
operation of a diaphragm pneumatic actuator. 03
38. Explain how the inherent characteristic of (i) quick opening , (ii)
linear, (iii) equal percentage valves differ and the circumstances
under which each is likely to be used. 05
39. Explain the difference in operation and characteristics of single
seated and double seated valves. An actuator has a stem movement
which at full travel is 40 mm. It is mounted with an equal percentage
valve which has a minimum flow rate of 0.2 m/s and a maximum
flow rate of 4.0 m/s. What will be the flow rate when the stem
movement is (i) 10 mm and (ii) 20 mm? 04
40. Define radiation pyrometer. Discuss how the radiation pyrometer is
used to measure the temperature of an object. 04
41. Explain the importance of measurement system in Engineering
applications and discuss the basic element of any measurement
system with neat sketch. 04
42. Write short note on (i) Bimetallic thermometer, (ii) Rotating lobe
meter and (iii) Load cell methods. 04
43. Write short note on (i) Relays (ii) Solenoids and (iii) single and
double seated plug. 04
44. How closed loop differential pressure cell works? Explain. 03
45. What kind of measurement is done by positive displacement meters
and capacitive method? Describe them. 05
46. When Latching is required and how it is functioned? Illustrate with
an example. 03
47. Draw the ladder diagram for the following functional diagram of
figure below. 03

48. Demonstrate master control relay. 03

49. Write down different types of timer. Define any two of them. 03
50. Explain the purpose of the actuator in a control system and mention the differences between
pneumatic and hydraulic actuators. 04
51. Illustrate the process of controlling the thickness (after rolling) of a product. 04
52. What is the valve size required for a valve to control the flow of water when the maximum flow
required is 0.002 m3/s and the permissible pressure drop across the valve at this flow rate is 100
Kpa? The density of water is 1000 kg/m3. 04
53. Mention the importance of measurement system in Engineering applications and explain the
various steps for designing the measurement system. 03
54. Describe Rotameter, Bimetallic thermometer and Ultrasonic level gause. 06
55. Design a measurement system which could be used to monitor continuously the temperature in
a room over a 24 hour period. The required accuracy is ±0.5°C and the output from the system
should be to a chart recorder. 03
56. What do you mean by programmable logic controller (PLC)? Explain the functional differences
between computers and PLCs. 03
57. Draw a block diagram of a PLC showing the main functional items and how buses link them.
Explain the functions of each block. 05
58. State the characteristics of the relay, transistor and triac types of PLC output channel. 04
59. Mention the importance of latching in PLC and how is it functioned? Explain different types of
logic functions. 03
60. Draw and explain ladder diagram to start and stop a motor. 04
61. Why ladder programming is developed? Explain the drawing procedures of ladder diagram. 05