UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

BEng and MEng EXAMINATIONS 1998

PART II

for Internal Students of the Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine
This examination is also taken for the relevant examination for the Associateship

ELECTRONICS, INSTRUMENTATION and CONTROL

for Mechanical Engineers

Wednesday, 3rd June: 14.00 to 17.00

This paper contains THIRTEEN questions, EIGHT in Part A and FIVE in Part B.
Attempt ALL questions in Part A and THREE questions in Part B.
Part A accounts for one-third of the total marks for the paper and all questions in Part B carry
equal marks.
A handbook of Data and Formulae is provided.

This is a CLOSED BOOK examination

PART A
Enter your answers in the spaces provided ON THIS PAPER, and submit the paper at the end of the
examination.
SHOW ALL WORKING, either on this paper or in your answer book.

Candidate’s Number: …………………………

A1. The silicon transistor in the common-emitter stage of Fig. A1 has a current gain of 600.
(i) Determine the maximum possible collector current, and the input voltage vi which will
just cause saturation.
……………… mA, …………… V

(ii) Determine the collector current and output voltage for 50% of the vi calculated in (i).

…………… mA, …………… V

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© 1998 University of London
Page 1 of 11
 +

1 kž
12V

Figure A1
+ 100 kž
Output
Input vi

Page 2 of 11
A2. Fig. A2 (in which all circuit symbols represent ideal components) represents a voltage source
regulated by a Zener diode. The left hand branch represents the unregulated supply. The
central branch represents the characteristic of a silicon Zener diode in the reverse direction
(i.e. as usually used).

(i) Sketch clearly, on the top set of axes, the current/voltage characteristics for each of the
parallel branches between terminals ab: label them ‘supply’ and ‘reverse Zener’.

(ii) Sketch, on the lower set of axes, the current/voltage characteristic for the entire network
between terminals ab.

(iii) Add to the network a third parallel branch defining two ideal components which could
best represent the forward characteristic of the Zener diode.

a ia (mA)
500
Branches:
400
50 ž

300
10 ž

200
+
+
15 V 100
10 V
v ab (V)

-2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
b -100

-200

-300

500 ia (mA)
Network:
400

300

200

100
v ab (V)

-2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
-100

-200

-300

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Page 3 of 11
 Figure A2

Page 4 of 11
 10 V

R2

560 kž

100 kž
λ v o

0V

Figure A3

A3. The circuit of Fig. A3 measures light intensity λ. The photodiode is described as having a
short-circuit sensitivity of 7 nA lux−1. The op-amp voltage supplies are ±12V.
(i) Determine the sensitivity of the detector stage output: …………… V lux−1

(ii) Determine a value of R2 such that the second stage will identify a light intensity of 1000
lux.
R 2 = …………… kΩ

B
A
P M Load

Figure A4

A4. Fig. A4 shows the arrangement of a system which drives a mechanical load using a hydraulic
motor M.
The pump delivers a constant 10−3 m3 s−1 and the relief valve is set to 10 MPa.

(i) If the motor passes a flow rate of 0.5×10−3 m3 s−1, what power is dissipated in the relief
valve?
……………… kW.

(ii) If solenoid A is actuated, what power is delivered by the pump? ………………

kW

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Page 5 of 11
(iii) If solenoid A is not actuated and the motor is stalled, what power is dissipated in the
relief valve?

……………… kW.

Page 6 of 11
A5 The op-amp in the circuit of Fig. A5 is a 741 type running from ±15 V voltage supplies.

(i) Determine voltages and currents — as functions, where appropriate, of the time t
(seconds) since the op-amp output voltage was zero.

c
a = ………………………… V
b 10 µF
-2 V 1 Mž d b = ………………………… µA
a
e c = ………………………… µA

d = ………………………… V

100 ž
e = ………………………… mA
0V

Figure A5

(ii) At approximately what time after charging begins will the op-amp exhibit voltage
limiting?
t = …………… s

A6. An op-amp first-order inverting high-pass filter has a corner frequency of 5.0 kHz and a high-
frequency gain of −5.
(i) Without using corner-plot approximations, determine its exact gain (in dB) and phase
shift at 1.0 kHz.
Gain = …………… dB
Phase shift = ……………… degrees

(ii) Sketch on the axes below the Bode corner plot of a stage which, when connected in
cascade with the one described above, would reduce the overall effect to a frequency-
independent, unity-gain non-inverting amplifier. Indicate significant values.

180°
log H
(dB) φ
90°

log (frequency, Hz)

-90°

-180°

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Page 7 of 11
 − A1D

1
− A2
D

τD

Figure A7

A7 Reduce to a single transfer operator the system whose transfer block diagram is shown in Fig.
A7.

Transfer operator = ………………………………………………………………………

A8 A digital oscilloscope is described as having a resolution of 12 bits and a bandwidth of 1

MHz.
(i) What is the smallest detectable change in input voltage when the input voltage range is
±10V?
…………… V
(ii) What is the minimum possible sampling rate?
…………… samples s−1

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 24
i = 60 µA
b

20
i = 50 µA
b

16 i = 40 µA
b

ic (mA)
12 i = 30 µA
b

Page 9 of 11
Figure B1
8 i = 20 µA

Collector current
b

4 i = 10 µA
b

i = 0 µA
b
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Collector-emitter 14
voltage 16

ce
v (V)

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PART B
Enter your answers IN AN ANSWER BOOK.

B1. Fig. B1 (shown on Page 6) shows measured collector-emitter characteristics for an npn
transistor at various base currents.
(i) Explain fully how a load line construction is used to determine the operating point for a
general, time-independent, one-port device connected to a Thévenin source of EMF E and
internal resistance Rs. Sketch load line constructions showing the operating points for cases
in which the one-port device
(a) is a linear resistor RL; and
(b) is a current source I connected in a direction which opposes the Thévenin source.

(ii) The transistor of Fig. B1 is used in common-emitter configuration with a base resistor of 100
kΩ, a load resistor of 1 kΩ, and a collector supply voltage of 15 V. Determine graphically and
tabulate the vce vs. vi characteristic of this configuration for base currents of up to 50 µA,
assuming the base-emitter voltage drop to be 0.6V.

(iii) Graphically or otherwise estimate, for an input range of 1V to 4V, the input offset voltage and
the voltage gain (in decibels) of the common-emitter stage.

(iv) The transistor is specified for a maximum power dissipation of 100 mW. Plot a few points on
Fig. B1 which correspond to this power dissipation, and hence sketch the curve which limits
the region of safe operation.

(v) Estimate the minimum possible value of load resistance which, for a collector supply voltage
of 15V, will ensure that the transistor does not exceed 100 mW dissipation.

(vi) Estimate, for this load resistance, the stage input voltage at which maximum 100 mW
dissipation occurs.

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Page 10 of 11
B2. A PRC100 temperature sensing resistor is described by the suppliers as follows:
‘A low-cost alternative to the wire-wound platinum resistance sensor, the PRC100
exhibits a base zero resistance of 100 Ω and has a linear output with an average
sensitivity of 0.003850 Ω/Ω/°C over the temperature range −40 to 15°C.’

Rx

+ a b
10 kž e
10 V
10 kž
c d

Rx

0V

Figure B2

The outline for a circuit to measure temperature with a sensitivity of +0.1 V/°C is shown in
Fig. B2. You are reminded that the output voltage of a quarter-bridge strain gauge detector
bridge is 14 VSGe , where G is the gauge factor, e the strain and VS the bridge supply voltage.

(i) Although the term ‘base zero resistance’ is not defined in this description, its meaning is clear.
Explain briefly what it is and why it need not be defined more exactly.

(ii) Indicate, on a sketch of the detector bridge, the position of the PRC100 and the values of other
components within the detector bridge.

(iii) The two op-amp input resistors for the output stage are chosen to be 10 kΩ, as shown.
Calculate the value required for R x, and suggest a series combination of two E24 resistors
approximately equivalent to it.

For the remaining two parts of this question, assume Rx to have exactly the required value, rather
than that of the series equivalent.
(iv) The easiest way to check operation of this circuit is to measure voltages. Assuming the bridge
to be balanced and the resistance of the voltmeter to be infinite, calculate the potential at each
of nodes ‘a’ to ‘f’.

(v) A voltmeter of resistance 10 MΩ is connected to read the voltage at ‘d’. Calculate the voltage
which it will indicate, and the apparent change in temperature which the output will indicate
whilst it is connected.

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Page 11 of 11
B3. Fig. B3 shows part of a motor drive circuit for a small DC motor position control. IC1 is a
741-type op-amp. IC2 is also an op-amp, but it is capable of delivering 1 A output current
and can therefore drive the motor directly.

Position 100 kž
control 47 kž
voltage
100 kž vo
vi 10 kž
100 kž
To
IC1 DC motor
100 kž IC2

0V
From
v f position
feedback

Figure B3

(i) Reduce the two stages to their simplest block diagram representation having inputs vi and vf
and output vo.

(ii) A commonly used practical method suggests that the response of the system will be improved
if the simple ‘proportional’ gain block is replaced by a ‘proportional-integral-differential’
block having the open-loop transfer operator:
é 1 ù
T = 4.7ê1 + 12 + 12 τ x Dú ,
ë τ xD û
where τx in this case is 0.2 s.

Describe completely, as a circuit diagram, the modifications which must be made to the
circuit of Fig. B3 in order to implement T using no more than three additional op-amps.
Neither the final stage feedback resistor nor any of the first-stage resistors should be changed.
Suggest values for all new or changed components, using only single E24 resistor values, and
E6 capacitor values smaller than 1 µF.

(iii) The motor unit and its position sensor can be represented as the cascade of an integrator and a
low-pass filter (first order lag). What is the loop phase shift of the modified control system at
very low and very high frequencies?

Page 12 of 11
B4. Construction of electro-mechanical servomechanisms is made simpler (though more
expensive) by selecting analogue integrated circuits from the wide range now available. Fig.
B4 shows a closed-loop DC motor speed control system which uses only a commercially
available magnetic transducer and two integrated circuits.
• The magnetic pick-up generates a voltage cycle each time a tooth on the wheel W passes
it. There are 60 teeth on W, which is driven directly by the motor M. The amplitude of
the magnetic pick-up output voltage is linearly proportional to speed.

• The LM2917 is an integrated frequency-to-voltage converter. Its output voltage vT is

proportional to the frequency of the AC input voltage. The output voltage is independent
of the amplitude of the AC input voltage, provided that this amplitude exceeds a certain
minimum. The sensitivity (which is determined by other components, not shown) is
chosen to be 0.5 mV Hz−1.

• The LM121 power op-amp is essentially a conventional op-amp, but its output can
deliver a very high output current (10A). Its output voltage limits are ±12V.

Motor M has an armature resistance of 10Ω, an EMF constant Ke of 1 mV rpm−1, and

negligible friction. M and W have a combined mechanical time constant of 0.1 s.

kR
Magnetic vT
pick-up
R
LM2917
vi R
LM121
θÝ
kR M W

0V

Figure B4

On the basis of the information given above:

(i) Treating the toothed wheel W, the magnetic pick-up and the LM2917 as a single transducer,
determine its sensitivity (in V rpm−1) to rotational speed θÝ.

(ii) Draw a block diagram of the system transfer operators showing the transducer as a single unit.

(iii) Determine the closed-loop transfer operator of this system in terms of the D operator and the
resistance ratio k. Hence derive an expression for the closed-loop time constant.

(iv) The required closed-loop time constant for this system is 20 ms. Determine the required value
of k, and specify suitable difference-amp resistors (one E24 value, or a series or parallel pair
of them) to achieve this value to within 1%.

(v) Explain briefly why it is not possible, simply by inserting a voltage integrator into the
feedback loop, to achieve effective control of motor position, θ, using this system.

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Page 13 of 11
Page 14 of 11
B5. Slow response within a servomechanism is usually due to inertia. Inertial effects appear as a
first-order lag which causes both increasing attenuation (gain < 1, i.e. log H < 0 dB) and
increasing phase lag with increasing frequency.

A different and slightly simpler effect is introduced by a simple delay, caused (for example)
by the time taken for a measurement signal to be transmitted for a long distance. A simple
delay of Td leaves the amplitude unchanged:
log H = 0 dB,
but introduces a phase change of
φ = −Tdω radians.

The table below shows the open-loop gain and phase response of a unity feedback
servohydraulic system. It is estimated that the replacement of a rigid hydraulic pipe within
this system by a more flexible one will introduce a simple delay of 10 ms.

Frequency, f (Hz) 1.0 2.0 5.0 10 20

Loop gain (dB) 7.8 1.4 -8.4 -14.8 -19.8
Loop phase shift, degrees -102 -124 -167 -202 -236

(i) Construct a Bode plot comparing the responses of the original and modified systems in the
frequency range 1.0-20 Hz. A frequency scale of 10 cm per decade is recommended.
You will probably find that convenient vertical scales are
• −20 to +20 dB (origin at 0 dB) at 5 cm per 10 dB for the log gain axis, and
• −280 to −80 degrees (origin at −180°) at 1 cm per 10 degrees for the phase axis.
You need not plot any data outside these limits.

(ii) Determine the gain and phase margins of the original and modified systems, and comment on
the stability in each case.

(iii) Estimate and comment on the phase margin of the modified system if a frequency-
independent reduction in gain is applied to restore the original gain margin.

Page 15 of 11
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

BEng and MEng EXAMINATIONS 1998

PART II
ELECTRONICS, INSTRUMENTATION and CONTROL

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