Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor

Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

92-321 Control Theory

Summer 2015
Final Exam

Engineering is a professional faculty, and as a student of engineering, it is expected that you will behave in a
professional manner during your exam, and abide by the following standards of conduct.

1. Unless explicitly allowed, a candidate must not give assistance to, or receive assistance from, or commu-
nicate in any manner with any person other than the examiner or proctors. A candidate who is involved
in such activity may be subject to disciplinary procedures of the University.

2. The possession of any telecommunications device is strictly prohibited during an exam, and will be con-
sidered as cheating, whether it is used or not. Students found with said devices may be subject to to
disciplinary procedures of the University. If you are in possession of any telecommunications devices,
identify yourself to the proctor and surrender them immediately for the duration of the exam. Please note
that the University is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

3. The possession of any unauthorized aids during an exam will be considered as cheating, whether it is used
or not. Students found with said materials may be subject to disciplinary procedures of the University.

4. Be prepared to hand in your exam to the proctors immediately after time expires. Students who delay
collection of the exams by the proctor (i.e., they must wait for you to finish writing, sign your name, etc.,)
may be subject to downward adjustment of their grade.

5. Remain seated quietly until all the exams have been collected, not just your own. Recognize that other
students are still holding their exams and could be influenced by any discussions. There will be plenty of
opportunity to discuss the exam outside the hall.

6. Each student will be allowed a maximum of three inquiries regarding the exam material; further requests
for clarification will be denied. If you have uncertainties about the exam, make sure you have read the
entire question, state your assumptions, and proceed. Do not waste the examiner’s time by asking questions
regarding the correctness of your solution.

7. Answer all questions, to the best of your ability.

1
 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Question 1

Consider the two tank fluid system shown in Figure 1. The tanks hold 30000 L and 10000 L of water, and are
at temperatures T1 and T2 respectively. The first tank has a constant 5 L/min flow of water flowing in, at a
temperature Tin . The second tank has a constant 5 L/min flow of water out. The water is circulated between
the tanks, with 10 L/min flowing from tank 1 to tank 2, and 5 L/min flowing from tank 2 to tank 1. Note that
the total volume of water in each tank does not change.

5 L/min, Tin
5 L/min, T2

T2
T1

10 L/min, T1
5 L/min, Tout = T2

Figure 1: A two tank fluid system

a) Write an energy balance equation for each tank (i.e., the rate of energy entering, less the rate of energy
leaving, is the rate of energy increase), to describe the temperature of the water in each of the tanks.
Assume that the tanks are well insulated, so the only significant heat exchange comes from the fluid flow,
and that the fluid in the tank is well mixed and at a uniform temperature. Hint: the energy flow rate
into tank 1 is qin = 5ρC p Tin + 5ρC p T2 . Information that you may (or may not) find useful: the density of
water is ρ=1 kg/L, and its thermal capacity is C p =4183 J/kg C◦ .
b) Use the energy balance equations to draw a block diagram of the system, with Tin as the input, and Tout
as the output. Show clearly where T1 and T2 are on the diagram.
c) Simplify the block diagram and find the transfer function relating Tin and Tout .
d) Find the poles of the transfer function. What do they tell you about how long it takes to change the
temperatures of the tanks?

2 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Solution
a) For the first tank,
m1 c p Ṫ1 = qin − qout = 5ρc p Tin + 5ρc p T2 − 10ρc p T1
or
30000 Ṫ1 = 5Tin + 5T2 − 10T1
or
6000 Ṫ1 = Tin + T2 − 2T1
Similarly, for the second tank

m2 c p Ṫ2 = qin − qout = 10ρc p T1 − 5ρc p T2 − 5ρc p T2

or
10000 Ṫ2 = 10T1 − 10T2
or
1000 Ṫ2 = T1 − T2

b) See Figure 2.

Tin 1 1 1 1
6000 1000
s
T1 s
T2 = Tout

Figure 2: A block diagram of the two tank fluid system

c) Simplify the first loop

1
G=
6000s
H =2
G 1
=
1 + GH 6000s + 2
and the second loop
1
G=
1000s
H =1

3 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

G 1
=
1 + GH 1000s + 1
combining

1
G=
(1000s + 1)(6000s + 2)
H = −1
G 1 1
= =
1 + GH (1000s + 1)(6000s + 2) − 1 6000000s + 8000s + 1
2

d) Find the poles

6000000s2 + 8000s + 1 = 0

p
−8000 ± 80002 − 4(6000000)(1)
s=
12000000

s = −1.19 × 10−3 , −1.40 × 10−4

Both eigenvalues are negative real, indicating that the system is stable, and non-oscillatory. The two time
constants, τ1 = 838 min, τ2 =7160 min are both quite long, (the tank volumes are large), but also quite
different, by almost a factor of 10. If we assume that Tin is held fixed, both temperatures will exponentially
approach Tin . After 4 time constants of the faster first mode, about 2 days, the first mode will be almost
entirely gone, and the response will consist of only the second mode. In this second mode, it will take
about three weeks (20 days) before the tank temperatures are stabilized.

4 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Question 2

Consider the system shown in Figure 3. As part of a motion control system, a stationary rotating wheel makes
contact with a sliding platform. Assume that there is no slip between the wheel and the platform. The wheel
has inertia I and radius r; the platform has mass m, and slides on a viscous lubricating film with coefficient c.
The drag force of the viscous friction is proportional to the sliding speed of the platform. The system is driven
by a torque T applied to the wheel by a motor (not shown).

Table 1: Position control system parameters

Parameter Value Unit

m 10 kg
c 5 Ns/m
I 1 kg·m/s2
r 0.2 m

a) Write the equations of motion of the wheel and the platform, and cast the result in state space form. Take
x and ẋ as the states, and x as the output. Start by drawing FBD’s of the wheel and the platform, and
recognize that the constraint equation x = rθ must apply. Use the properties in Table 1.
X (s)
b) Find the transfer function G(s) = T (s) that relates the motion of the platform to the drive torque applied
to the wheel by evaluating C[Is − A]−1 B.
c) Suppose that the drive torque acting on the wheel is determined by a simple proportional feedback con-
troller, i.e., T = kP (x ref − x). Starting with the transfer function above, draw a block diagram of the system
X (s)
with the controller in place and find the closed loop transfer function G(s) = X (s) .
ref
d) Find the value of kP such that the transient response is damped oscillatory, and one complete cycle appears
in the time it takes for the motion amplitude to decay by 98%.
e) Find the resulting resonant frequency ωr of the system. If x ref = 0.5 cos(ωr t), find the resulting expression
for x(t), after several time constants have passed.

T
I, r
x
c
m

Figure 3: Position control system

5 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Solution
a) The equations of motion in state space form.

T − Fc r = I θ̈

Fc − Fd = mẍ
or
T I
− Fc = 2 ẍ
r r
Fc − c ẋ = mẍ
or
T I
− c ẋ − mẍ = 2 ẍ
r r
or
T I
= ( 2 + m)ẍ + c ẋ
r r
  – ™  
0 1

ẋ x 0
= 0 − c = r {T }
ẍ I
+m ẋ I+mr 2
r2
 
0 1
A=
0 −0.143
 
0
B=
0.143
 
C= 1 0

b) Transfer function
G(s) = C[Is − A]−1 B + D
 −1  
  s −1 0
G(s) 1 0
0 s + 0.143 0.143
  
1   s + 0.143 1 0
G(s) = 2 1 0
s + 0.143s 0 s 0.143

0.143
G(s) =
s2 + 0.143s

6 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

c) Closed loop proportional control

0.143kP
G=
+ 0.143s
s2
H =1
G 0.143kP
= 2
1 + GH s + 0.143s + 0.143kP
d) Feedback gain to give oscillations

0.1432 − 4(0.143kP )
p
−0.143 ±
s=
2
Æ
s = g ± hi = −0.0715 ± 0.00511 − 0.143kP

τ = −1/ − 0.0715 = 14sec

4τ = 55.9sec
2π
λ = 55.9 =
h
2π
55.9 = p
0.143kP − 0.00511
kP = 0.124
or v
2t 1
1= −1
π ζ2
ζ = 0.537
0.143
0.537 = p
2 0.143kP
kP = 0.124

e) Resonance frequency, and gain, phase at that frequency

0.0177
G(s) =
s2 + 0.1429s + 0.0177
ζ = 0.537
Æ
ω r = 1 − 2ζ2 ωn
Æ
ωn = 0.0177/1 = 0.133

7 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Æ
ωr = 1 − 2(0.537)2 0.133 = 0.0866
0.0177
|G(0.0866i) =
(0.0866i)2 + 0.143(0.0866i) + 0.0177
0.0177
|G(0.0866i)| =
0.0102 + 0.0124i
v
t 0.01772
|G(0.0866i)| = = 1.10 s−1
0.01022 + 0.01242
0.0124
 ‹
< G(0.0866i) = 0 − tan−1 = −0.882
0.0102
x(t) = 0.5(1.10) cos(0.0866t − 0.882) = 0.550 cos(0.0866t − 0.880)

8 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Question 3

Recently, one of the most widely publicized applications of control was the introduction of the Segway personal
transportation system, as shown in Figure 4a. A simple model of a Segway style vehicle is shown in Figure 4b.
The vehicle is modeled as two bodies, one rolling, and the other a slender bar. The wheels and axle have mass
m1 and radius r. The upper body (which includes the rider) has mass m2 and length l. The location of the
lower body is given by x, and the angle of the upper body is given by θ . The motor generates a moment M on
the wheels that is reacted against the upper body. The linearized equations of motion are
3
 ‹
l
M= m1 + m2 r ẍ − m2 r θ̈
2 2
and
l 1 l
M + m2 g θ = m2 l 2 θ̈ − m2 ẍ
2 3 2
θ (s)
a) Find the transfer function of the system M (s) . Hint: substitute the values in Figure 4c, eliminate x from
the equations of motion, and use Laplace.
b) Suppose that the moment applied by the motor is determined using a PID type controller where the error
signal is based on the angle of the upper body relative to the vertical, θref − θ . Draw a block diagram
starting from the transfer function above, and find the transfer function of the closed loop system θθ .
ref
c) Suppose that initally, the kI term is set to zero. Find the values of kP and kD that will give the system a
system a natural frequency of 1 Hz, and a damping ratio of 0.707.
d) Find the maximum value of kI such that the controller will remain stable using the values of kP and kD
from above.

m2 , l
Parameter Value
mass lower body m1 20 k g
mass upper body m2 75 k g
θ wheel radius r 0.2 m
length of upper body l 1.8 m
r m1

x
(a) Segway photo (b) Simple Segway model (c) Model parameters

Figure 4: Segway personal transporter

9 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Solution
a) Transfer functions
3
 ‹
l
M= m1 + m2 r ẍ − m2 r θ̈
2 2
and
l 1 l
M + m2 g θ = m2 l 2 θ̈ − m2 ẍ
2 3 2
Substituting, Laplace
M = 21s2 x − 13.5s2 θ
and
M + 661.5θ = 81s2 θ − 67.5s2 x
From eqn one
1
(M + 13.5s2 θ ) = s2 x
21
into eqn two
67.5
M = (81s2 − 661.5)θ − (M + 13.5s2 θ )
21
Factoring
67.5 67.5
 ‹
M 1+ = (81 − (13.5))s2 − 661.5)θ
21 21
Simplifying
4.21M = (37.6s2 − 661.5)θ
Or
θ 4.21
=
M 37.6s2 − 661.5
Or
θ 1
= 2
M 8.93s − 157.1
b) PID controller
kI + kP s + kD s2 1
G= 2
s 8.93s − 157.1
H =1
G kI + kP s + kD s2
=
1 + GH kI + kP s + kD s2 + 8.93s3 − 157.1s
or
G kI + kP s + kD s2
=
1 + GH 8.93s3 + kD s2 + kI + kP s − 157.1s

10 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

c) no integral gain, 1 Hz=6.28 rad/s

kP − 157.1
6.282 =
8.91
kP = 508N m/r ad
kD
p = 0.707
2 (352)(8.93)
kD = 79.2N ms/r ad

d) Use this to find range of stable kI

kI > 0
8.93kI < (79.2)(352)
0 < kI < 3123N m/r ads

11 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015

 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Useful Information For a state space A,B,C,D, the transfer function is

Laplace transforms G(s) = C[Is − A]−1 B + D

F(s) f(t) det[Is − A + BC] − det[Is − A]
= +D
1 δ(t) det[Is − A]
det[Is − (A − BC)] − det[Is − A]
1 = +D
s us (t) det[Is − A]
1
s+a e−at
Complex numbers
b
s2 +b2
sin bt
The magnitude of a complex number
s
s2 +b2
cos bt
p
c + di c2 + d 2
b
e−at sin bt =p
(s+a)2 +b2 a + bi a2 + b2
s+a
(s+a)2 +b2
e−at cos bt The angle of a complex number
df
sF (s) − f (0) c + di
 ‹  ‹  ‹
dt d b
∠ = t an−1 − t an−1
a + bi c a
df d2 f
s2 F (s) − s f (0) − dt d t2
t=0

Determinants
State space The determinant of a matrix A is computed by choos-
For a transfer function of the form ing any row or column, proceeding along this row or
column, multiplying each entry of the row or column
c3 s3 + c2 s2 + c1 s + c0 by the determinant of the ‘minor’ (i.e, the matrix, with
G(s) =
s4 + d3 s3 + d2 s2 + d1 s + d0 the row and column of the current entry ommitted.)
Additionally, the sign of every other entry is reversed.
A possible state space representation is This relies on the recognition that the determinant of
a 2x2 matrix is the product of the main diagonal, less
0 1 0 0
 
the product of the off-diagonal. For example, using the
 0 0 1 0 
A= first column
0 0 0 1

−d0 −d1 −d2 −d3  
a11 a12 a13
0

 A = a21 a22 a23 
a31 a32 a33
 0 
B=
0

1 det[A] =a11 (a22 a33 − a23 a32 )
− a21 (a12 a33 − a13 a32 )
 
C= c0 c1 c2 c3
+ a31 (a12 a23 − a13 a22 )
12 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015
 Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Matrix Inverse Frequency response

A−1 A = I s = iω

If   Æ
a b ωr = 1 − 2ζ2 ωn
A=
c d
then   Dynamics
−1 1 d −b
A = The equations of motion for translation
ad − bc −c a
Σ F~ = m~
aG
Eigen analysis
The equations of motion for rotation for planar prob-
det[Is − A] = 0 lems can be written using A, an arbitrary point as a
[Is − A]X~ = 0 reference
ΣM~ A = I Aα
~ + ~rG/A × m~
aA
For an eigenvalue s = a ± bi, the natural frequency and
or
damping ratio are
~ A = IG α
ΣM ~ + ~rG/A × m~
aG
p
ωn = a2 + b2 If the point A is chosen as either the centre of mass, G,
or a fixed point, O, the equations can be simplified
−a
ζ= p
a2 + b2 ~ G = IG α
ΣM ~
a = −ζωn
or
~ O = IO α
Æ
b = ω d = 1 − ζ2 ω n ΣM ~

13 c BP Minaker PhD PEng 2015