ECM2105 Control

Prathyush P Menon*,
Christopher Edwards
Date: 16-Jan-2014, Room H101
Modelling
Introduction

This course will study systems with inputs and outputs

Input Output
- System -

Changes in the inputs result in changes in the outputs.

For example
Throttle Speed
- Vehicle -

or
Rudder Heading
- Aircraft -

or
Voltage Speed
- Motor -

It is assumed the input is known and the output measured.

Disturbances

A more accurate description of the process is shown in the

diagrams below

Inclination

?
Throttle Speed
- Vehicle -

or
Wind Gusts

?
Rudder Heading
- Aircraft -
Disturbances (2)

Friction

?
Voltage Speed
- Motor -

Generically
Disturbance

?
Input Output
- System -

The disturbance is typically unknown but affects the output.

The idea is to try to maintain the output at a desired level by
manipulating the input to overcome any disturbances.
Closed-Loop Systems

A typical feedback control structure is the following:

wind gust

desired error
 rudder ?
heading
-

- controller - Aircraft -
heading − 6

The key thing is the difference between the output and the
reference is used to form an error signal.
This error is then used to determine the input automatically.

This is feedback control

Properties

Ideally the follow properties are required:

• the error should be small i.e the heading output needs to

be close to the reference (ideally zero).
• the effect of the wind gusts on the heading should be small
– ideally zero (although this would be difficult in practice)
• the heading should respond quickly to changes in desired
heading

Many of the design methods that will be developed in the

course require a model of the real process.
Typically models are achieved in two ways

• developing differential equations based on physical laws

• ‘black box’ modelling (curve fitting experimental data)
Modelling

Consider the multiple mass spring damper system

Consider the first mass: using Newton’s Law

m1ẍ1(t) = f (t) − k1x1(t) + f1 + f3 − k2(x1(t) − x2(t))
where the friction force
f1 = −k1ẋ1(t)
and the damper
f3 = −k3(ẋ1(t) − ẋ2(t))
and so (suppressing explicit time dependence) and assuming
for simplicity m1 = 1
ẍ1 + k1x1 + k1ẋ1 + k3(ẋ1 − ẋ2) + k2(x1 − x2) = f (1)
Modelling (ctd)

Likewise for the second mass

m2ẍ2(t) = −k3x2(t) + f2 − f3 + k2(x1(t) − x2(t))
where
f2 = −c2ẋ2(t)
which simplifies to (assuming for simplicity m2 = 1)
ẍ2 + k3x2 + c2ẋ2 − k3(ẋ1 − ẋ2) − k2(x1 − x2) = 0 (2)

These can be written as a coupled set of linear 2nd order

equations
ẍ1 + (k1 + k2)x1 + (k1 + k3)ẋ1 = k3ẋ2 + k2x2 + f (3)
ẍ2 + (k3 + k2)x2 + (c2 + k3)ẋ2 = k3ẋ1 + k2x1 (4)
which predict the behaviour of the system.
In this course models are synonyms with differential equations.