Nyquist Plots / Nyquist Stability Criterion

Given

Nyquist plot is a polar plot for vs

using the Nyquist contour (K=1 is assumed)

Applying the Nyquist criterion to the Nyquist plot we can

determine the stability of the closed-loop system.
Nyquist Criterion

Let be the number of poles of inside s-plane

contour and denote the net number of clockwise (CW)
encirclements of the point
If a contour that encircles the entire right half plane (say in
CW direction) is mapped through the open loop transfer
function, then the number of poles of the closed loop
transfer function, , in the right half plane equals to the
number of open loop poles plus number of CW
encirclements of the that is
Skecthing Nyquist Plot

Example :
Draw the Nyquist plot for for the following
s-plane contour
Im{s}

R Re{s}
R→∞
Solution :
First rewrite the open loop transfer function in the form

Then plot a pole/zero plot for on the s-plane contour

and include measurement scheme to the axis along the
necessary critical points
Im{s} B


 C
A
-1 Re{s}
Then form a Table for the magnitude and angle entries of
the open loop transfer function for each critical point
Use these critical points to skecth the Nyquist plot. Note
that Nyquist plot is symetrical with respect to the real axis
Im{H(j)}

B,C A

r Re{H(j)}
More Examples
Example :
Draw the Nyquist plot for using the given s-
plane contour

The pole/zero plot

along the necessary
critical points
When we form a table of the magnitude and phase values
at critical points;
Stability with Nyquist Plot
Given

with

use Nyquist plot, contour and criterian to discuss

quantitatively how the control gain K effects closed loop
stability

Select We can now select critical

points on the plot and use
zero/pole grapgh to
identify the mag/phase
table
 Im{s} C

B
A D
-10 -1 Re{s}
Using the table we can form the magnitude vs phase plot
as

For K=1 As K increases the actual shape of

the plot does not change
But the encirclement of the -1 point
can be achieved using K
Back to Nyquist Criterion

For our special case we have :

Apply Nyquist Criterion :
1- Find (number of poles of inside the
contour)
2- Determine the sign notations for the encirclements
Contour is CW so, CW encirclements are positive and
CCW encirclements are negative
3- Find N (the number of encirclements of (-1,0) for
different values of K) and
For small K no closed loop are inside the s-plane
contuour, hence system is stable.
For big values of K, two closed-loop poles are inside
the s-plane contour; hence system is unstable
Check the result with root locus
Nyquist Performance Specification Parameters

Im{H(j)} phase margin

d
gain crossover frequency
H(j) phase crossover frequency
-1 pm Re{H(j)}

Gain Margin :

-1
unit circle
Example

For the system given below

with

Use Nyquist plot, contour and criterian to discuss

quantitively how the control gain K effects the closed loop
stability
Note that

and root locus is

Plot the zero/pole plot with CW Nyquest contour to form
the table
Now using the table let plot the Nyquist plot (note that it is
symettrical with respect to real axis)
Im{H(j)} As K decreases below 1 the
Nyquist plot intersects the real
axis before -1
As K increases beyod 1, the
A B,C real axis intersection points
-1 
r Re{H(j)} goes beyond -1

using
Another Example

Same system as before but this time

- Start with the Nyquist contour which does not include the
origin. And from the zero/pole plot form a magnitude/pahse
table
Im{s} C

B
D
-2 -1 A
Re{s}
Using the table form the Nyquist plot and comment on the
stability using
Im{H(j)}

-1 C,D A
 Re{H(j)}
r
r =∞

B
Using Nyquist plot to draw Root Locus

This time consider the same block diagram with

looking at the pole/zero locations we may draw the root

locus (by making a big mistake !!!)

Im{s}

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 Re{s}
 However when we use the Nyquist plot

Im{s} C Im{H(j)}

B
A D
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 Re{s} 
r Re{H(j)}
-b -1/a
r 
-1

Stable region
What does the above plot tells us ?
Forming a table using the plot we obtain

There is a region with

“medium“ values of K
that the closed loop
system is stable !!!

The initial root locus we have plotted must be wrong !!!

The actual root locus plot for the given system should be
as follows :
From the “correct“
version of the root
locus we can conclude
that for values of K

system is stable. And

from Nyquist criteria