OBTAINING TRANSFER FUNCTION BY USING LAPLACE

TRANSFORMATION
Up until now we have been obtaining transfer function using Block
Diagram and Reduction method. However, another simple way to obtain
the transfer function of a system is by using Laplace Transformation
property.
From the definition of Transfer Function itself:
Ratio of Laplace transform of the output to the Laplace transform of the input
under all initial condition are set to zero.
Then the

d n y
L n s nY (s )
dt
Therefore:

G (s)

Loutput
y (t ) Y ( s )
L
x(t ) X ( s)
Linput

Example :
Find the transfer function G(s) for the following differential equations if the
input is u(t) and output is y(t).

d 2 y (t )
dy (t )
du (t )
4

5
y

4u (t )
2
dt
dt
dt
Solution :

4 s 2Y ( s ) sy (0) y (0) 8sY ( s ) y (0) 5Y ( s ) sU ( s ) U (0) 4U ( s )

All initial condition are set to zero, thus y(0) and U(0) are zero

4 s 2Y ( s ) 8sY ( s ) 5sY ( s ) sU ( s ) 4U ( s )

Y ( s ) 4 s 2 8s 5 s 4U ( s )
G (s)

Y ( s)
s4
2
U ( s ) 4 s 8s 5

OK Now lets go back to solving Transfer Function for Electrical Network

system..
The relationship between voltage and current and charge under zero initial
condition are as table below;

For electrical system impedance

Z (s)

V s
I s

As an example :
Show that the transfer function G(s)= V(s)/I(s) of a pure capacitor.

i (t ) C

dv (t )
dt

Taking Laplace both sides;

I ( s ) sCV ( s )

G (s)

V s 1

I s sC

dv (t )
Li (t ) L C
dt

In solving electrical system, there are 2 important laws normally used;

1. Kirchoff Voltage Law Sum of voltage around a closed loop is equal
to zero
2. Kirchoff Current Law Sum of current flowing into a node is equal to zero.
Example 1 :
Find the transfer function G(s) for the electrical circuit if
Output : vc (t )

Input : vi (t )

Solution :
Transform the circuit into this circuit

a) Using Voltage Divider method

1
Loutput Vc ( s )
s
G (s)

Linput Vi ( s ) 1 1 2 s
s
1
G (s) 2
2s s 1

b) Using Mesh Analysis method

Apply KVL to obtain

2
s

I ( s ) Vi ( s )
s

Also Vc I ( s )
s

G (s)

Hence,

I (s)

Vi ( s )
1 2s

Vi ( s )

1

1 s
1 2s
s

Vc ( s )
1
2
Vi ( s ) 2 s s 1

1
s

Example 2:

Analogy between Electrical system with Mechanical system networks

It is already known that there are 3 passive components in mechanical
system that is
a. Spring

b. Mass

c. Damper

For mechanical system, impedance, Z(s) is defined;

Z (s)

F (s)
Force

X ( s ) Displaceme nt

Mechanical properties are analogous to electrical properties that is;

Force, Velocity and Displacement translation for spring mass and damper

The basic concept are;

1. Number of equation of motion required is equal to the number of linearly
independent motion
2. Linear independence is defined as a point of motion in a system that can
still move if all other points of motion are held still.
3. For mechanical system, equation that describes the motion is known as
equation of motion.
4. Linear independence is known as degree of freedom.
5. In solving mechanical system, one important law must be used that is
Newtons Law that states that the sum of forces on a mass is equals to
zero.

Example 1 :
X (s)
G
(
s
)

Find the transfer function

F (s)

for the system shown below;

Using Newton Law , we obtain

f v x kx f (t ) M x

M x f v x kx f (t )
Applying Laplace transform both sides, we obtain

s 2 MX s sf v X s kX s F s

X s s 2 M sf v k F s
G (s)

X s
1

F s Ms 2 f v s k

Transfer Function for mechanical motion that has more than 1 DOF
Rule 1 :
[ Sum of impedance at x1]X1(s) [Sum of impedance between x1 and x2]X2(s)
= [Sum of applied force at x1]
[Sum of impedance between x1 and x2]X1(s)+ [ Sum of impedance at x2 ]X2(s)
= [Sum of applied force at x2]
Example 2:

Solution :
Transformed the system

Sum of impedance at x1

s 2 M 1 sf v1 sf v 2 K1 K 2
s 2 1 2 s 2 s 1 2
s 2 4s 3

Sum of impedance between x1 and x2

2 2s
Sum of applied force at x1

Sum of impedance at x2

Sum of applied force at x2

F (s )

s 2 M 2 sf v 2 sf v 3 K 2
Put all into Rule 1 to obtain

4 s 3 X 1 ( s ) 2 2 s X 2 s 0

2 2 s X 1 s 2 s 2 4 s 2 X 2 ( s ) F s
Put into Cramers rule

Class Exercise;

Ans :

X 2 s
3s 1

F s s ( s 3 7 s 2 5s 1)