Block Diagram Representation of Control Systems

Introduction
• A Block Diagram is a shorthand pictorial representation of
the cause-and-effect relationship of a system.

• The interior of the rectangle representing the block usually

contains a description of or the name of the element, or the
symbol for the mathematical operation to be performed on
the input to yield the output.

• The arrows represent the direction of information or signal

flow.

d
x y
dt
 Introduction
• The operations of addition and subtraction have a special
representation.

• The block becomes a small circle, called a summing point, with

the appropriate plus or minus sign associated with the arrows
entering the circle.

• The output is the algebraic sum of the inputs.

• Any number of inputs may enter a summing point.

• Some books put a cross in the circle.

 Introduction
• In order to have the same signal or variable be an input
to more than one block or summing point, a takeoff
point is used.

• This permits the signal to proceed unaltered along

several different paths to several destinations.
 Example-1
• Consider the following equations in which x1, x2, x3, are variables,
and a1, a2 are general coefficients or mathematical operators.

x3 = a1 x1 + a 2 x2 − 5
 Example-1
• Consider the following equations in which x1, x2, x3, are variables,
and a1, a2 are general coefficients or mathematical operators.

x3 = a1 x1 + a2 x2 − 5
 Example-2
• Consider the following equations in which x1, x2,. . . , xn, are
variables, and a1, a2,. . . , an , are general coefficients or
mathematical operators.

xn = a1 x1 + a 2 x2 + a n −1 xn −1
 Example-3
• Draw the Block Diagrams of the following equations.

dx1 1
(1) x2 = a1 +  x1dt
dt b
d 2 x2 dx1
( 2) x3 = a1 +3 − bx1
dt 2 dt
Canonical Form of A Feedback Control System
 Characteristic Equation
• The control ratio is the closed loop transfer function of the system.

C( s ) G( s )
=
R( s ) 1  G( s )H ( s )

• The denominator of closed loop transfer function determines the

characteristic equation of the system.

• Which is usually determined as:

1  G( s ) H ( s ) = 0
 Example-4
B( s )
1. Open loop transfer function = G( s ) H ( s )
E( s )
C( s )
2. Feed Forward Transfer function = G( s )
E( s )
C( s ) G( s ) G(s )
3. control ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

B( s ) G( s ) H ( s )
4. feedback ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

E( s ) 1 H (s )
5. error ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )
C( s ) G( s )
6. closed loop transfer function =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

7. characteristic equation 1 + G( s ) H ( s ) = 0

8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.

Reduction techniques

1. Combining blocks in cascade

G1 G2 G1G2

2. Combining blocks in parallel

G1
G1 + G2
G2
Reduction techniques

3. Moving a summing point behind a block

G G
G
3. Moving a summing point ahead of a block

G G
1
G

4. Moving a pickoff point behind a block

G G
1
G

5. Moving a pickoff point ahead of a block

G G
G
6. Eliminating a feedback loop

G
G
1  GH
H

G
G
1 G

H =1

7. Swap with two neighboring summing points

A B B A
Example-5: Reduce the Block Diagram to Canonical Form.
 Example-5: Continue.

However in this example step-4 does not apply.

However in this example step-6 does not apply.

 Example-6
• For the system represented by the following block diagram
determine:
1. Open loop transfer function
2. Feed Forward Transfer function
3. control ratio
4. feedback ratio
5. error ratio
6. closed loop transfer function
7. characteristic equation
8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.
 Example-6
– First we will reduce the given block diagram to canonical form

K
s +1
 Example-6

K
s +1

K
= s +1
G
1 + GH K
1+ s
s +1
 Example-6
B( s )
1. Open loop transfer function = G( s ) H ( s )
E( s )
C( s )
2. Feed Forward Transfer function = G( s )
E( s )
C( s ) G( s ) G(s )
3. control ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

B( s ) G( s ) H ( s )
4. feedback ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

E( s ) 1 H (s )
5. error ratio =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )
C( s ) G( s )
6. closed loop transfer function =
R( s ) 1 + G( s )H ( s )

7. characteristic equation 1 + G( s ) H ( s ) = 0

8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=10.

 Example-7
• For the system represented by the following block diagram
determine:
1. Open loop transfer function
2. Feed Forward Transfer function
3. control ratio
4. feedback ratio
5. error ratio
6. closed loop transfer function
7. characteristic equation
8. closed loop poles and zeros if K=100.
 Example-8

H2

R _ C
+_ + G1 + G2 G3
+

H1
 Example-8
H2
G1
R _ C
+_ + + G1 G2 G3
+

H1
 Example-8
H2
G1
R _ C
+_ + + G1G2 G3
+

H1
 Example-8
H2
G1
R _ C
+_ + + G1G2 G3
+

H1
 block diagram: reduction example
H2
G1
R _ C
G1G2
+_ + G3
1 − G1G2 H1
 block diagram: reduction example
H2
G1
R _ C
G1G2G3
+_ +
1 − G1G2 H1
 block diagram: reduction example

R G1G2G3 C
+_ 1 − G1G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2
 Example-8

R G1G2G3 C
1 − G1G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2 + G1G2G3
 Example 9
Find the transfer function of the following block diagrams

G4
R (s ) Y (s )
G1 G2 G3

H2
H1
 I
G4
R(s ) B A
Y (s )
G1 G2 G3
H2
H1 G2

Solution:

1. Moving pickoff point A ahead of block G2

2. Eliminate loop I & simplify

B
G4 + G2G3
 G4
R(s )
GG4 +
B A G2G3
Y (s )
G1 2 G 3

H2
H1G2

3. Moving pickoff point B behind block G4 + G2G3

II
R(s) B C
Y (s )
G1 G4 + G2G3
H2
H1G2 1 /(G4 + G2G3 )
4. Eliminate loop III

R(s) Y (s )
G1 GG4 4++GG2G2G3 3
C C

1 + H 2 (GH4 2+ G2G3 )
G2 H1
G4 + G2G3
Using rule 6

R(s ) G1 (G4 + G2G3 ) Y (s )

1 + G1G 2 H1 + H 2 (G4 + G2G3 )

Y (s) G1 (G4 + G2G3 )

T (s) = =
R( s ) 1 + G1G 2 H1 + H 2 (G4 + G2G3 ) + G1 (G4 + G2G3 )
Example 10
Find the transfer function of the following block diagrams

R(s) Y (s )
G1 G2

H1 H2

H3
Solution:

1. Eliminate loop I

R(s) A
G2 I
B
Y (s )
G1 G2
H1
1 + GH2 H
2
2

H3
2. Moving pickoff point A behind block
G2
1 + G2 H 2
R(s ) A G2 B
Y (s )
G1
1 + G2 H 2

1 + G2 H 2 II
H1 1 + G2 H 2
G2 H 3 + H1 ( )
G2
H3 Not a feedback loop
3. Eliminate loop II

R(s ) G1G2 Y (s )
1 + G2 H 2

H1 (1 + G2 H 2 )
H3 +
G2
Using rule 6

Y (s) G1G2
T (s) = =
R( s) 1 + G2 H 2 + G1G2 H 3 + G1 H1 + G1G2 H1 H 2
 Example 11
Find the transfer function of the following block diagrams

H4
R(s) Y (s )
G1 G2 G3 G4

H3

H2

H1
 Solution:

1. Moving pickoff point A behind block G4

I
H4
R(s ) Y (s )
A B
G1 G2 G3 G4
H3 1
H3 G4 G4
H2 1
H2
G4 G4
H1
2. Eliminate loop I and Simplify

R(s ) II Y (s )
G2G3G4 B
G1
1 + G3G4 H 4
H3
G4
H2
G4 III
H1

II feedback III Not feedback

G2G3G4 H 2 − G4 H1
1 + G3G4 H 4 + G2G3 H 3 G4
 3. Eliminate loop II & IIII

R(s ) G1G2G3G4 Y (s )
1 + G3G4 H 4 + G2G3 H 3

H 2 − G4 H1
G4
Using rule 6

Y (s) G1G2G3G4
T (s) = =
R( s) 1 + G2G3 H 3 + G3G4 H 4 + G1G2G3 H 2 − G1G2G3G4 H1
Example 12
Find the transfer function of the following block diagrams

H2

R(s) A Y (s )
G1 G2 G3 B

H1

G4
Solution:

1. Moving pickoff point A behind block G3

I
H2

R(s ) A B Y (s )
G1 G2 G3
1
H1 G3
1
H1 G3
G4
2. Eliminate loop I & Simplify

H2

B
G2 G3 B G2G3

1 H1
+ H2
H1 G3 G3
II
R(s ) G2G3 Y (s )
G1
1 + G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2

H1
G3

G4
3. Eliminate loop II

R(s ) G1G2G3 Y (s )
1 + G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2 + G1G2 H1

G4

Y (s) G1G2G3
T (s) = = G4 +
R( s) 1 + G2 H1 + G2G3 H 2 + G1G2 H1
Example-13: Simplify the Block Diagram.
Example-13: Continue.
Example-14: Reduce the Block Diagram.
Example-14: Continue.