DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology

University of the Philippines Los Baos

Controller (PI controller):

1 9 8 5

College, Laguna 4031 Philippines Telefax No. (049) 536-2315

P ' (s )
1
= K c 1 +
E (s )

Is

Error: e (t ) = x~'sp (t ) x m ' (t )

where

~
x 'sp (t )

denotes

internal

set

point

composition
~

E (s ) = X 'sp (s ) X m ' (s )

PPT 170 (Instrumentation and Process Control for the Pulp and Paper Industry)
BLOCK DIAGRAM REPRESENTATION
Block diagram provides a convenient representation of the flow of information around
a feedback control loop
Consider the following stirred-tank blending process
x1
w1

x 'sp (t ) = K m x 'sp (t ) related by Km since x 'sp (t ) and x m ' (t ) output should come out at
~

the same time

x 'sp (s )
~

Thus,

x 'sp (s )

= Km

Block diagram

x2
w2

pt
I/Pp

x
w

p
AT

xm

AC

Current-to-pressure (I/P) transducer:

Pt ' (s )
= K IP
P ' (s )

Block diagram

xsp

Develop transfer functions for each of the elements in the feedback control loop.
SOLUTION
Process: x ' (s ) =

V
w
1 x
K2
K1
w 2 ' (s ) where =
, K1 = 1 , and K 2 =
x 1 ' (s ) +
s + 1
s + 1
w
w
w

Block diagram for the process:

Control valve:

w 2 ' (s )
Kv
=
Pt ' (s ) v s + 1

Block diagram

BLOCK DIAGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE BLENDING SYSTEM

Composition sensor-transmitter:
Block diagram

x m ' (s )
Km
=
x ' (s )
ms + 1

DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS

Standard Block Diagram of a feedback control system
D
Gd

YSP

SP

Km

Gc

GV

Ym

GP

Yu

Gm

Where Y = controlled variable (CV)

U = manipulated variable (MV)
D = disturbance/load variable (DV)
P = controller output
E = error signal
Ym = measured value of Y
Ysp = set point
sp = internal set point

Yu = change in Y due to U
Yd = change in Y due to D
Gc = controller transfer function
Gv = TF for final control element
Gp = process TF (denotes effect of MV on CV)
Gd = disturbance TF (denotes effect of DV on CV)
Gm = TF for measuring element and transmitter
Km = steady-state gain for Gm

Note: The signal path from E to Y through blocks Gc, Gv, and Gp represents a forward
path, while the signal path from Y to the comparator through Gm is referred to as
feedback path.
Y =

Gd
1 + G pGv G c G m

D+

G pGv G c K m
1 + G p Gv G c G m

Y sp

let G p Gv G c G m = G OL

G OL relates Ym to Ysp if the FB loop is

opened just before the comparator

Cases:
1. servo-mechanism problem (D=0) set point changes
Y =

G p Gv G c K m
1 + G OL

Y sp

2. regulator problem (Ysp = 0) disturbance or load changes occur (since the process is
to be regulated at a constant set point)
Y =

Gd
1 + G OL

In general, the closed-loop transfer function for more complicated block diagrams can
be described as
f
z
=
zi
1 + e

where z output variable f product of transfer functions in the forward path from z
to zi
zi input variable
e product of transfer functions in the feedback loop
NOTE: The equation is applicable only to portions of a block diagram that include a
feedback loop with negative sign in the comparator