UWE Bristol

Control Systems Engineering

UFMEUY-20-3
Aerospace Systems, Avionics and Control
UFMFB7-30-2
Control
UFMFV7-15-2

Lecture 1: Introduction to Control
Teaching
Course structure:
1 hour lecture + 2 hour tutorial per week
Two modules, co-taught (assessments are different)
14 weeks control
6 weeks sensors and actuators
Delivered by Ben, Neil and Sabir
Tutorials:
1
st
Semester: Classroom examples/problems
Tutorial Sheets on Blackboard (and solutions)
2
nd
Semester: Laboratory (Simulink, DC motor control
+ sensors and actuators)
Assessment
1 coursework laboratory report (40%)
Group report
Exam after Easter Break (60%)
Reading list:
The Art of Control Engineering, Ken Dutton, Steve
Thompson, Bill Barraclough
Control Engineering, W. Bolton
Control Systems Engineering, N.S. Nise
Aircraft Control and Simulation, B.L. Stevens & F.L.
Lewis

Aims and Objectives
Control
System modelling
Transform functions
System performance
System frequency response
System identification
Controller design
Sensors and Actuators
Todays Lecture
Introduction to Control
Examples
Control Basics
Open- and Closed-loop control
Control System Design Steps
Example Models

Introduction to Control
What is a control system?
Common example in the human body:
temperature control
Body
Action
External temperature
Sun, Illness, etc.
Body temperature
Sweat/shiver
Introduction to Control
Applications in:
Physiology
Economics
Many fields of engineering:
Hydraulics
Electronics
Mechanics
Etc.
Simple Examples
Car speed


Room fan


Throttle Engine
Desired speed Actual speed
Vehicle
Actual cooling
Switch Wall fan
Desired
cooling
Electrical
power
System or Plant
Controller
Examples
Control systems are required in complex
machines, devices
Aircraft control systems
Anti-lock braking systems
Manufacturing processes



Examples
Inverted Pendulum
Demo
Videos
http://tinyurl.com/uwetriple
http://tinyurl.com/uweballrobot
http://tinyurl.com/uwebigdog
http://tinyurl.com/uwekestrel

Control Basics
What is common for all these systems?
A physical quantity has to be maintained at
a fixed value (or series of values)
What information is necessary?
What the system needs to do
How well is the system is doing
What control action keeps maintains the
action
Open and Closed Loop Control
Open Loop
Turntable example
DC Amplifier
Battery
Speed
setting
DC motor
Speed
Turntable
Amplifier DC motor Turntable
Control Device Actuator Process
Desired speed
(voltage)
Actual speed
Closed Loop
Open and Closed Loop Control
DC Amplifier
Battery
Speed
setting
DC motor
Speed
Turntable
+

Tachometer
Amplifier DC motor Turntable
Control Device Actuator Process
Desired speed
(voltage)
Actual speed
+

Tachometer
Sensor
Error
Measured speed
(voltage)
Open and Closed Loop Control
Cruise control example
Closed loop





Output compared to the input
Error is used to drive the system
Throttle Engine
Desired
speed
Actual
speed
Speed sensor
Error
Feedback
+

Vehicle
Open and Closed Loop Control
Oven example
Closed loop





Output compared to the input
Error is used to drive the system
Switch
Heating
element
Desired
temperature
Actual
temperature
Temperature
sensor
Error
Feedback
+

Electrical
power
Open and Closed Loop Control
Components in a Closed Loop System




Normally depicted in a block diagram
Plant provides the system output
Controller takes the control input and provides a control output
Sensor takes the output and feeds it to the subtractor (or comparator)
that compares the demand (the setpoint value) with the output of the
sensor to produce an error
All connected by arrows, which represent signals
Controller Plant
demand
output
Sensor
error
feedback
+

Control System Design
Understand the general schemes that can
be used to control a system.
Understand the system youre trying to
control. You need to predict how a system
behaves mathematical techniques that
involve differential equation solution
Control System Design Steps
1. System analysis establish requirements (talk
to users)
2. Formal specification of required system
performance
3. System modelling system must be accurately
modelled before controller design can
commence. Usually a differential equation
(some quantity that changes w.r.t. time)
4. Control algorithm development the controller
is developed using the model and standard
control theory to meet the specifications.
System Modelling
Dynamic behaviour of the system
Linear or non-linear fashion
System dynamics how its output
changes in response to a particular input

Example
Furnace


The temperature of the furnace does not change
instantaneously for changes in fuel rate
Differential equation describes the influence of
time on the input response
Differential equations are derived from first
principles
Furnace
Fuel flow
rate (kg/s)
Temp (deg C)
F
Example models
Liquid level tank
RC circuit
Car suspension
Example 1: Liquid Level
Flow in Flow out = rate of accumulation
of liquid in the tank
Q
in
Q
out
h
C/S area = A
assume Q
out
= kh
(k is a constant)
Example 1: Liquid Level
Flow in Flow out = rate of accumulation
of liquid in the tank
Q
in
Q
out
h
C/S area = A
assume Q
out
= kh
(k is a constant)
kh
dt
dh
A Q
dt
dh
A kh Q
dt
dh
A Q Q
in
in
out in



First order differential equation
Example 2: RC circuit
Differential equation that related V
out
to V
in
R
C
V
in
V
out
Example 2: RC circuit
Differential equation that related V
out
to V
in
R
C
V
in
V
out
dt
dV
CR V V
R
dt
dV
C iR V V
out
out in
out
out in


dt
dv
C i : current Capacitor
Example 3: Car Suspension
Mass/spring/damper system
m
F
in
k
D
x
out
Example 3: Car Suspension
Mass/spring/damper system
m
F
in
k
D
x
out
kx F
dt
dx
D Dv F
dt
x d
M ma F

: Spring
: Damping
: Inertia
2
2
in
out
in
out
F kx
dt
dx
D
dt
x d
m
F
dt
dx
D kx
dt
x d
m


2
2
2
2
: Law Second s Newton' Applying
Todays lecture
Control is an intrinsic part of humans and a vital
part of many engineering systems
In order to control a system, we need to know
the system/plant itself and control methods
Description of a system to be controlled
system model is a starting point of the control
system design
Tutorial sheet 1: On blackboard. Determining
differential equations for systems