Experiment – 1

First and Second

Order Dynamics

Name:
Roll No.:

Experiment – 1a: Understanding First Order Dynamics

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Process Dynamics and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Tiruchirappalli
Aim:

To develop both a qualitative and a quantitative understanding of the impact that the gain K
and the time-constant T, and the step input height U have on the step response of a first order
system.

Description:

First order systems constitute an important class of dynamic systems: Many physical systems
behave (approximately) as first order systems, e.g. stirred liquid tanks, heat exchangers, etc.
In this lab, the step response of a standard first order system is simulated. A mathematical
model of the first order system is the following differential equation:

T dy(t)/dt + y(t) = K u(t) (Eq. 1)

where

 K is the gain
 T is the time-constant

An alternative way of representing this model is by Laplace transforming the differential

equation, and taking the ratio of output to input (in the Laplace domain), to get the transfer
function from input u to output y:

Gp(s) = Y(s)/U(s) = K/(Ts+1) (Eq. 2)

Procedure:

a. Impact of gain (K): Set U=2 and T=1. Adjust K. What is the impact of K on the
steady state response? What is the impact of K on the response-time?

b. Impact of time-constant (T): Set U=2 and K=2. Adjust T. What is the impact of T
on the stationary response? What is the impact of T on the response-time? Adjust U
up and down continuously (like a sinusoidal variation) for a small and for a large
value of T. How does T influence the "speed" of the system?

c. Impact of step height (U): Set K=2 and T=1. Adjust U. What is the impact of T on
the stationary response? What is the impact of T on the response-time?

d. Very large time-constant: Set U=1, T=100, and K=100 (enter these values into the
respective numeric displays). Characterize the step response. Explain that this step
response is (almost) the same response as for an integrator.

Observations:

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Process Dynamics and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Tiruchirappalli
Graphs:

Inference and Conclusions:

Experiment – 1b: Understanding Second Order Dynamics

Aim:

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Process Dynamics and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Tiruchirappalli
To develop a qualitative understanding of how the Gain K, relative damping factor z, natural
(or undamped) resonance frequency w0, and the step input height U influence the step
response of a second order system.

Description:

Second order systems - as first order systems - constitute an important class of dynamic
systems: There are many physical systems which behave (approximately) as second first
order systems, e.g. U-tube manometer, stirred liquid tanks with thermal capacities in the
liquid and in the heating element, etc..

In this lab, the step response of a general or standard second order system is simulated (that
is, the time response on the output of the system).

The mathematical model of a second order system is

d2y/dt2 + 2 z w0 dy/dt + w02 y = w02 Ku (Eq. 1)

where

 K is the gain

 z is the relative damping factor

 w0 is the natural resonance frequency

An alternative way of representing this model is by Laplace transforming the differential

equation, and taking the ratio of output to input (in the Laplace domain), to get the transfer
function from input u to output y:

Gp(s) = y(s)/u(s) = K w02/(s2 + 2 z w0 s + w02) (Eq. 2)

Procedure:

You are required to give a value for the response-time, Tr. It is a convenient parameter to
characterize how quick is a dynamic system with respect to it's step response. T r is defined as
the time it takes the step response to reach 63% of it's steady state (final) value. (For first
order systems the response-time is equal to the time-constant.) It can be shown that for
second order systems Tr is approximately equal to 1.5/w0 (it actually varies somewhat with z).

1. Impact of K: Set U=1, z=0.2, w0=2. Adjust K.

a. What is the impact of K on the steady state response?

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Process Dynamics and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Tiruchirappalli
 b. What is the impact of T on the response-time, Tr?

2. Importance of z: Set U=1, K=2, w0=2. Adjust z.

a. What is the impact of z on the overshoot?

b. What is the impact of z on the response-time Tr?

c. What is the impact of z on the steady state response?

d. What is the impact of z on the stability of the system?

3. Importance of w0: Set U=1, K=2, z=0.2. Adjust w0.

a. What is the impact of w0 on the response-time Tr?

b. What is the impact of w0 on the steady state response?

c. What is the impact of w0 on the overshoot?

d. Adjust U up and down continuously (like a sinusoidal variation) for a small

and for a large value of w0. How does w0 influence the "speed" of the system?

4. Importance of step height U: Set K=2, z=0.2, w0=2. Adjust U. What is the impact of
U on the stationary response?

Observations:

Graphs:

Draw graphs for all cases and describe them.

Inference and Conclusions:

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Process Dynamics and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Tiruchirappalli