Instrumentation & Control

Lecture 1
System:
• A system is any set of interrelated
components acting together to achieve a
common objective.
Control System:
A control system is an interconnection of components forming
a system configuration that will provide a desired system
response.

A control system consist of subsytems and processes (or

plants) assembled for the purpose of controlling the outputs
of the process.
For example, a furnace produces heat as a result of the flow
of the fuel. In this process, the flow of the fuel is the input,
and heat to be controlled is the output.
Based on some parameters, we can classify the control systems into the following
ways.
Continuous Time and Discrete-Time Control Systems
(1) Control Systems can be classified as continuous time control systems
and discrete time control systems based on the type of the signal used.
(2) In continuous time control systems, all the signals are continuous in
time. But, in discrete time control systems, there exists one or more
discrete time signals.
Single Input Single Output (SISO) and Multiple Input Multiple Output
(MIMO) Control Systems
(1) Control Systems can be classified as SISO control systems and MIMO
control systems based on the number of inputs and outputs present.
(2) SISO control systems have one input and one output. Whereas, MIMO
control systems have more than one input and more than one output.
Open Loop System:
An open-loop control system utilizes an actuating device to control the process
directly without using feedback.

Day-to-day Examples
• Microwave oven set to operate for fixed time
• Washing machine set to operate on fixed timed sequence.
Open-Loop Speed Control of Rotating Disk

For example, ceiling or table fan control

 What is Feedback?
Feedback is a process whereby some
proportion of the output signal of a
system is passed (fed back) to the input.
This is often used to control the dynamic
behavior of the System
Closed Loop System:
• A closed-loop control system utilizes an additional measure of
the actual output to compare the actual output with the
desired output response. The measure of the output is called
the feedback signal.
• A feedback control system is a control system that tends to
maintain a prescribed relationship of one system variable to
another by comparing functions of these variables and using
the difference as a means of control.
• With an accurate sensor, the measured output is a good
approximation of the actual output of the system.
A closed-loop control system uses a measurement of the output and feedback of
this signal to compare it with the desired output (reference or command).
 Example of Closed-Loop Control
System
Controller:
Driver
Actuator:
Steering
Mechanism
 The driver uses the difference
between the actual and the desired
direction to generate a controlled
adjustment of the steering wheel
Closed-Loop Speed Control of Rotating Disk
A manual control
system for
regulating the level
of fluid in a tank by
adjusting fine output
valve. The operator
views the level of
fluid through a port
in the side of the
tank.
• closed-loop control has many advantages over open-loop
control including the ability to reject external disturbances
and improve measurement noise attenuation.
Multiloop feedback system with an inner loop and an outer loop

Multivariable control system

CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN
• The design process consists of
seven main building blocks,
which we arrange into three
groups:
1. Establishment of goals and
variables to be controlled,
and definition of
specifications against which
to measure performance
2. System definition and
modeling
3. Control system design and
integrated system simulation
and analysis
THE TRANSFER FUNCTION OF LINEAR
SYSTEMS
The transfer function of a linear system is defined as the ratio
of the Laplace transform of the output variable to the Laplace
transform of the input variable, with all initial conditions
assumed to be zero.
INTRODUCTION TO MODELING OF MECHANICAL
SYSTEMS
• In state space form: