EPE2300 Control Engineering

BLOCK DIAGRAMS

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Outline

 To study block diagrams, their components, and

their underlying mathematics

 To obtain transfer function of systems through

block diagram manipulation and reduction

 Examples

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Definition
A block diagram of a system is a pictorial representation of the
functions performed by each component and of the flow of
signals. Such a diagram depicts the interrelationships that exist
among the various components.

In a block diagram all system variables are linked to each other

through functional blocks. The functional block is a symbol for
the mathematical operation on the input signal to the block that
produces the output.

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagrams
• The objectives of a block diagram are
To provide an understanding of the signal
flows in the system
To enable modelling of complex systems from
simple building blocks
To allow us to generate the overall system
transfer function

• A few rules allow us to simplify complex block diagrams into

familiar forms

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Components of Block Diagrams
A block diagram is made up of signals, systems, summing junctions
and pickoff points

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction Techniques
1. Combining blocks in cascade or in parallel
G1 G2 G1G2

G1
G1 + G2
G2

2. Moving a summing point behind a block

G G

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction Techniques
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

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction Techniques
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 − GH
H
EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy
 Block Diagram Reduction Techniques
6. Eliminating a feedback loop (Continued)
G
G
1 G

H =1

7. Swap with two neighboring summing points

A B B A

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Procedure for Drawing Block Diagram
Consider a simple RC circuit

Equations of this circuit are

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Procedure for Drawing Block Diagram
Laplace Transforms of the equations and their corresponding
block diagram representation becomes

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram of RC Circuit

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Example
Simplify the Block Diagram

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction - Solution
By moving the summing point of the negative feedback loop
containing H2 outside the positive feedback loop containing H1

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction - Solution
Eliminating the positive feedback loop

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction - Solution
Elimination of the loop containing H2/G1 gives

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Block Diagram Reduction - Solution
Finally eliminating the feedback loop results in

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Find the transfer function from Block Diagram

Example - 1
G4
R(s) Y (s )
G1 G2 G3

H2

H1

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Find the transfer function from Block Diagram
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

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Find the transfer function from Block Diagram
G4
R(s ) Y (s )
GG4 +
A G2 G3
B
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 )

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Find the transfer function from Block Diagram
R(s ) Y (s )
G1 GG4 4++GG2G2G3 3
C C

1 + H 2 (GH4 2+ G2G3 )
4. Eliminate loop II
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 )
EPE2300 Control Engineering
 Find the transfer function from Block Diagram

Example - 2
R(s ) Y (s )
G1 G2

H1 H2

H3

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Solution
1. Eliminate loop I R(s )
G1 A GG2 I
B
Y (s )
2

H1
1 + GH2 2H 2
H3
2. Moving pickoff point A behind block 1 + G
G H
2

2 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
 Solution
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

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Exercise
Find the transfer function of the given block diagram

H2

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

H1

G4

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy

 Effects of adding zeros and poles

Adding a LHP zero to the transfer function makes the step response
faster (decreases the rise time and the peak time) and increases the
overshoot.

Adding a RHP zero to the transfer function makes the step response
slower, and can make the response undershoot.

Adding a LHP pole to the transfer function makes the step response
slower.

EPE2300 Control Engineering Dr Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy