JAN 2019

Coventry University

Faculty of Engineering and Computing

208SE

CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION 1

Instructions to candidates

Time allowed: 2 Hours 0 minutes

Answer: Any 4 questions

Total number of questions in this paper: 6

All questions carry equal marks

Start each question on a new page and carefully identify your answers
with the correct question number

For this class test, you will be supplied with the following:
Appendix A - Table of Laplace Transformations
Answer Books

You must hand in this question paper at the end of the test.

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Question 1

(a) Use an example to explain the FOUR primary reasons for designing and implementing
control systems. [5]

(b) Draw the block diagram of the position control system of a robotic arm modelled by the
following differential equations and linear equations. [5]

d2 x dx
2
+ 2 + 4x = θ − − − −(a)
dt dt
dθ
= 0.6v2 − − − − − − − −(b)
dt
v1 = r − x − − − − − − − − − (c)
v2 = 7v1 − − − − − − − − − −(d)
where
v1 (t) − amplifier input voltage
v2 (t) − amplifier output voltage
r(t) − desired arm position
x(t) − actual arm position
θ(t) − motor shaft position

Determine:

(i) The transfer function, Xs  R s  . [4]

(ii) The closed loop poles on an s-plane. [3]
(iii) The stability of the system. [3]

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(c) Determine the output response y(t) for the system in Figure Q1 (c) and the steady-state ouput.
[5]

5
R s  Y s 
s5

Figure Q1 (c).

Question 2

(a) A field-controlled DC motor with negligible inductance is used to rotate a load. The transfer
s  K
function of the motor is given as  .
E in s  ss  
where

(s) is motor rotation angle, E in is input voltage and  is a constant.

The data from testing shows that the output load reaching a speed of 2 rad/sec within 0.2 sec
when a constant input of 10 V is applied to the motor terminals, and output steady-state speed
from the same test is found to be 2 rad/sec.

(i) Determine the value of K and  . [10]

(ii) Explain the effect of K and  on the motor speed transient. [5]

(b) When a unit-step signal is injected into the unity feedback compensated system in Figure
Q2(b), the closed-loop response has an overshoot of less than 25% and 2% settling time of
less than 0.1 second. Find the compensator’s
(i) gain, K. [5]
(ii) pole,p [5]

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 Compensator plant

Figure Q2(b)

Question 3

(a) A closed loop control system with the characteristic equation is shown below. What is the
maximum gain K to ensure the system is stable? [10]

𝑠 5 + 5𝑠 4 + 10𝑠 3 + 10𝑠 2 + 5𝑠 + 𝐾 = 0

(b) Consider a control system shown in Figure Q3(b) which controls the angle of a
pendulum without any damping.

D(s)

+
R(s) + Gc(s) + + Y(s)

- -
K

Figure Q3(b)

(i) Find Y(s). [4]

(ii) What condition must Gc(s) satisfy so that the system can track a Ramp input with
constant steady-state error? [7]

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 (iii) What kind of disturbance D(s) that the system can reject and produce zero steady-state
error?
[4]

Question 4

(a) A unity feedback system with an open-loop transfer function given by function G(s) =
20K
(2s+1)(s2 +s+1)
. Let K=1 and draw the Bode diagram of the open-loop system based on 
= {0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 1.0, 1.8, 4.0, 8.0, 20} rad/s . [5]

From the Bode plot, determine:

(i) Gain crossover frequency. [2]

(ii) Phase crossover frequency. [2]
(iii) Gain margin. [2]
(iv) Phase margin. [2]
(v) Maximum value of K before the system becomes unstable. [3]
(b) Determine the settings required for a PID controller which gave the process response curve
shown in Figure Q4(b) and Table 1 Ziegler-Nichols tuning rules when a test signal was 6%
change in the control valve position. [9]

Measured signal (%)

5
4
3
2
1
0 Time, t
100 200 300 400
Figure Q4(b)

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 Table 1 Ziegler-Nichols tuning rules

Question 5

(a) Block diagram is a useful representation of various components in a measurement system.

Sketch a block diagram which represents a wind speed measurement and display system of
an anemometer. Explain the function of each component. [7]
(b) A thermocouple in a furnance has an emf output characteristics as shown Figure Q5(b).

Voltage (mV)

34

21

9.5

1
T (°C)
20 200 400 700

Figure Q5(b)

(i) Calculate the thermocouple actual output at 400°C if the reference temperature is 20°C.
[2]
(ii) If the user assume a linear relationship from 20°C to 700°C, determine the relative non-
linearity error percentage at 400°C. [6]

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 (iii)What is your suggestion to improve the accuracy. [2]

(c) A 100 strain gage is used to measure the strain of a circular metal bar with 50 mm diameter
and 300 mm length. The bar has Young’s modulus of elasticity and gage factor of 100 GPa
and 5. When a 500kN compression force acting on it, calculate:
(i) The stress and strain in the bar. [4]
(ii) The length changes of the bar. [2]
(iii)The resistance of the strain gage. [2]

Question 6

(a) A Wheatstone Bridge is shown in Figure Q6(a). What should be the value of R4 so that the
voltmeter shows zero value. Give a name for this kind of Wheatsone Bridge circuit condition.
[4]

R1=120 R3=150

Vs=12V V

R4
R2=100

Figure Q6(a).

(b) What are the advantages of the Wheatstone Bridge circuit shown in Figure Q6(a) compares
to a voltage divider? [3]
(c) Describe how the Figure Q6(a) can be used in temperature measurement system. [4]

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(d) If the temperatue measurement in (c) has an input range from 0°C-200°C and resolution of
0.5°C. The system analog output range is from 0V to 5V, assume the system reference
voltage is 5V, calculate:
(i) The system sensitivity. [2]
(ii) The minimum number of bits required in an ADC. [3]
(iii)The voltage represented by the most significant bit (MSB) and least significant bit
(LSB). [3]
(e) Sketch the symbol and describe the basic operation of spool valve and poppet valve.
[6]

-----------------------------------------------------End-------------------------------------------------------

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 Appendix A - Table of Laplace Transformations
Time function f(t) Laplace Transform of f(t)

-1
f(t) = {F(s)} F(s) = { f(t)}
1 1
s
T 1
s2
e-at 1
sa
sin ωt 
s 2
2

cos ωt s
s 2
2

t sin ωt 2s
(s   2 ) 2
2

t cos ωt s2  2
(s 2   2 ) 2

t e-at 1
( s  a) 2

e-at sin ωt 
( s  a) 2   2

e-at cos ωt ( s  a)
( s  a) 2   2

df sF ( s)  f (0)
dt

d2 f s 2 F ( s)  sf (0)  f (0)
dt 2
 
d3 f s 3 F ( s)  s 2 f (0)  sf (0) f (0)
dt 3

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