CHNG3801

Tutorial 7 Questions

Feedback Control Systems

1. Consider the following heat exchanger. The flow rate of the process fluid (Fi) is
acting as a disturbance.
(a) Draw a block diagram of the temperature feedback control loop.
(b) Draw a simplified block diagram of the feedback control loop.
(c) Develop the transfer function between the outlet temperature (To) and the
Process flow (Fi).
(d) Develop the transfer function between the outlet temperature (To) and the set
point (Tset). Then write down the overall closed-loop transfer function.
(e) Write down the characteristic equation of the loop.
(f) Qualitatively explain what is observed if the poles of the transfer function are
complex conjugates.
Process
Fluid

To

TI
Condensate

TC

Tset

Steam

2. Each of the following two systems is controlled with a proportional feedback

controller. In each case find the range of values of the proportional gain Kc that
will produce stable closed-loop responses. Also identify the characteristic
equation, in each case. Assume that Gm = Gf =1.
(a) G p =

2
0.1s + 1

(b) G p =

1
10s + 2 s 2 + s 5

(c)

Hint: for (b) use the Routh-Hurwitz criterion.

3. For the control system below, find the closed-loop transfer function between the
output C and setpoint R. Then,
(a) Determine the value of K above which the system is unstable.
(b) Determine the value of K for which two of the roots are on the imaginary
axis, and determine the values of these imaginary roots and the remaining
two roots.

R +

1
(s + 1)3

1
(s + 1)