Block Diagrams

M. Sami Fadali
EBME Dept.
University of Nevada
1
Outline
What are block diagrams?
Main rules: cascade, parallel, feedback.
Interchanging: pickoff, summation.
Combining/expanding summing junctions.
Examples.
2
Block Diagrams
Visual algebra: use block diagram
manipulation instead of algebra.
Block: transfer function of a subsystem.
Line: Laplace transform of a variable.
Simplify complex systems to obtain a
single equivalent input-output transfer
function.
3
Block Diagram Notation
4
Cascade (Series) Rule
5
Cascade: No Loading Assumption
What is the transfer function of the cascade?
2 2 2
2
2
,
1
1
) ( C R
s
s G
-
t
t
1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
,
1
1
1
1
) ( C R
s
sC
R
sC
s G
-

-
t
t
6
Assumption in Cascading
) ( ) (
1 ) (
1
) (
) (
) (
2 1
1 2 2 1
2
2 1
2
s G s G
C C s s s V
s V
s G
i
T

- - - -

t t t t
1 ) (
1
) ( ) (
2 1
2
2 1
2 1
- - -

s s
s G s G
t t t t
7
Buffer Amplifier: No loading.
8
Parallel Rule
9
Feedback Rule: Proof
10
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
) (
) (
s H s G
s G
s R
s C
s T

G(s)
R(s)
C(s)
H(s)
+
) ( ) ( 1
1
) (
) (
s G s H s R
s E

) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
s E s G s C
s C s H s R s E

E(s)
Feedback Rule
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
) (
) (
s H s G
s G
s R
s C
s T

Negative Feedback:
plus sign
open-loop gain
(transfer function)
feed-forward
gain (transfer
function)
11
G(s)
R(s)
C(s)
H(s)
+

Feedback Control System

Closed- loop system
Equivalent transfer function
12
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( 1
) ( ) ( ) (
) (
) (
2 3 1 2
1 2 3
s G s G s H s H
s G s G s G
s R
s C

[ ]
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
2 3
1 2 1
s E s G s G s C
s C s H s H s R s G s E

feed-forward gain
open-loop gain
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
) (
3 2 1 2
1
s G s G s H s H
s G
s R
s E

Simplify Block Diagram

) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( 1
) ( ) (
3 2 1 2
3 2
s G s G s H s H
s G s G

) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( 1
) ( ) (
3 2 1 2
3 2
s G s G s H s H
s G s G

G
1
(s)
R(s) C (s)
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( 1
) ( ) ( ) (
3 2 1 2
3 2 1
s G s G s H s H
s G s G s G

R(s)
C (s)
13
Effect of Pickoff
14
F(s)
CANNOT use the feedback formula since E(s) is needed.

Interchange order of Blocks and

Summing Junction
15
Interchange Order of Blocks
and Branching
16
Combining/Expanding Summing
Junctions
17
R
1
(s)
R
2
(s) R
3
(s) R
4
(s)
C(s)
+
-
+
+
+
-
C(s) R
1
(s)
R
2
(s)
R
3
(s) R
4
(s)
+
+
-
-
Problem Solution: 3 Basic Rules
18
G(s)
H(s)
R(s) C(s) +

) ( ) ( 1
) (
s H s G
s G

R(s) C(s)
If necessary,
interchange.
Apply one of the 3 rules.
Cascade
Parallel
Feedback
Example 5.1
19
Simplify
20
Example
21
G
1
+
-
+
+
+
+
G
2
G
3
H
1
H
2
R C
Move
pickoff
Move Pickoff Point
22
G
1
+
-
+
+
+
+
G
2
G
3
H
1
H
2
R C
1/G
3
Cascade Rule
23
G
1
+
-
+
+
+
+
G
2
G
3
H
1
H
2
R C
1/G
3
Feedback Rule
24
G
1
+
-
+
+
H
1
R C
1/G
3
3 2 2
3 2
1 G G H
G G
-
Cascade Rule
25
+
-
+
+
H
1
R C
1/G
3
3 2 2
3 2 1
1 G G H
G G G
-
3
1
1
G
H
-
Parallel Rule
26
3 2 2
3 2 1
1 G G H
G G G
-
+
-
R
C
3
1
1
G
H
-
Feedback Rule
27

-
-
-

3
1
3 2 2
3 2 1
3 2 2
3 2 1
1
1
1
1
) (
) (
) (
G
H
G G H
G G G
G G H
G G G
s R
s C
s T
Example
28
Move
pickoff
) (
) (
1
) (
) ( ) ( ) (
4
2
3
3 2 4
s V
s G
s V
s V s G s V

Two Feedback Loops

29
1/G
2
(s)
Book: Move Block
30
1/G
2
(s)
Easier: Use feedback rule
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
) (
2 2
2
2
4
s H s G
s G
s V
s V
-

Feedback Rule
31
1/G
2
(s)
Combine Summing Junctions
32
1/G
2
(s)
Parallel Rule
33
1/G
2
(s)
Can we use parallel rule?
34
1/G
2
(s)
Expand Summation
35
1/G
2
(s)
Parallel Rule
36
Feedback Rule
37

- -
1
1
2
2 1
2 1
1 H
G
H
G G
G G
3 3
3
1 H G
G
-
1
1
2
-
G
R C
Simplify
38
1 2 1 2 2
2 1
1 H G G H G
G G
- -
3 3
3
H G 1
G
-
2
2
1
G
G -
R C
Cascade Rule
39
( )( )
3 3 1 2 1 2 2
3 2 1
1 1
) 1 (
H G H G G H G
G G G
- - -
-
R C
Motor with Feedback
40
J
B
a
t
I
B Js
K
s
s
s
s
-
O
1
) (
1
) ( 0
R R s L
s E s E
I
s s K s E
a a
m a
a
e m
- -
-

) ( ) (
) ( ) ( 0
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) (
s RI s E s E
s E K s E
a r c
c a a
-

Block Diagram
41
a
t
I
B Js
K
s
s
s
s
-
O
1
) (
1
) ( 0
) ( ) ( s s K s E
e m
0
) ( ) ( s E K s E
c a a

R R s L
s E s E
I
a a
m a
a
- -
-

) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( s RI s E s E
a r c
-
Move Gain Block
42

Combine summing junctions

Feedback Loop
43

a
I
R R s L
a a
- -
1
( )
( )
( )
a a a
a a a a a a
a a
K R R s L
R K R R s L R R s L R K
R R s L
s G
- - -

- - -

- - -
- -

1
1
1
1
1
) (
1
Feedback Loop
44
a
e r
K
s G s G K
s G s G
s s E
s

-

) ( ) ( 1
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
2 1
2 1
0
) (
1
s G
) (
2
s G