Introduction

System An interconnection of elements and devices for a desired purpose.

Control System An interconnection of components forming a system

configuration that will provide a desired response.

Process The device, plant, or system

under control. The input and output
relationship represents the cause-andeffect relationship of the process.

Control
System

The control system is that means by which any quantity of interest in a

machine, mechanism or other equipment is maintained or altered in
accordance with a desired manner.
Consider, for example, the driving system of an automobile. Speed of the
automobile is a function of the position of its accelerator. The desired
speed can be maintained (or a desired change in speed can be
achieved) by controlling pressure on the accelerator pedal. This
automobile driving system (accelerator, carburettor and engine-vehicle)
constitutes a control system.

Introduction
Open-Loop Control Systems
utilize a controller or control
actuator to obtain the desired
response.

Closed-Loop Control
Systems utilizes feedback to
compare the actual output to
the desired output response.

Multivariable Control System

Open-loop
An open-loop controller, also called a non-feedback
controller, is a type of controller which computes its
input into a system using only the current state and its
model of the system.

Differences
The terms open-loop control and closed-loop control are
often not clearly distinguished. Therefore, the difference
between open-loop control and closed-loop control is
demonstrated in the following example of a room
heating system. In the case of open-loop control of the
room temperature according to Figurethe outdoor
temperature will be measured by a temperature sensor
and fed into a control device.

Open-loop

Open-loop
A characteristic of the open-loop controller is that it
does not use feedback to determine if its output has
achieved the desired goal of the input. This means that
the system does not observe the output of the
processes that it is controlling. Consequently, a true
open-loop system can not engage in machine learning
and also cannot correct any errors that it could make. It
also may not compensate for disturbances in the
system.

 The characteristics of feedforward control

The advantage of feedforward control
SP

It has the characteristic

of forward control
So, if we use this strategy
correctly, the controlled
variable will not deviate
set point.

Feedforward
controller

Steam
TT

T(t)

Ti(t)
T Condensation
retun

Fig 1-5 Feedforward

control

 The characteristics of feedforward control

The disadvantage of feedforward control
Feedforward control cannot compensate
for all disturbances that enter the process

 The characteristics of feedforward control

The disadvantage of feedforward control
SP

In this example, The

feedforward control
system can
compensate only one
of disturbances. If
any of the other
disturbances enter
the process, this
strategy will not
compensate for it,
and the result will be
a permanent
deviation from set

Feedforward
controller

Steam
TT

f(t)

T(t)

Ti(t)
T

Condensation
retun

Fig 1-5 Feedforward

control

Closed-loop
Close loop control systems use the open
loop systems (as forward path) and
feedback from the output to decide the
input level to the open loop system. And
because the input is decided based on how
much away the output is from the desired
level, the non idealities in forward path do
not degrade the system performance. The
accuracy of the output thus depends on the
feedback path, which in general can be
made very accurate.

Closed-loop
In the case of closed-loop control of the room
temperature as shown in Figurethe room temperature
is measured and compared with the set-point value. If
the room temperature deviates from the given set-point
value, a controller (C) alters the heat flow. All changes
of the room temperature, e.g. caused by opening the
window or by solar radiation, are detected by the
controller and removed.

Closed-loop

The order of events to organise a closed-loop

control is characterised by the following steps:

Measurement of the controlled variable

Calculation of the control error (comparison of
the controlled variable with the set-point value )
Processing of the control error such that by
changing the manipulated variable the control
error is reduced or removed

 The block diagrams of feedback control system

Disturbance 1

SP
Controller
Summing
junction

Final control
element

Process
or plant

Disturbance 2

Output
Or
Controlled
variable

Sensor/
Transmitter

Fig 1-4 Block diagrams of closed-loop control systems

1.4 CONTROL STRATEGIES

The characteristics of feedback control
The advantage of feedback control
Compensate for all
disturbances
The result of any disturbance entering the
process is to make the controlled variable
deviate from the SET POINT. Once the
controlled variable deviates from the set point,
the controller changes its output to return the
controlled
variable
to loop
SET POINT(its
desired
The
feedback
control
does not know,
nor
value).
does
it care, which disturbance enters the
process. It only tries to maintain the controlled
variable at set point, and in this way
compensates for all disturbances. The feedback
controller works with minimum knowledge of
the process. Actually, the only information it
needs is in which direction to move, and how

1.4 CONTROL STRATEGIES

The characteristics of feedback control
The disadvantage of feedback control
Can compensate for a
disturbance only
AFTER the controlled
variable has deviated
from the set point
because of the
disturbance.
Can not give the
controlled variable a
timely control

SP

Controller

TC

Final control
element

Steam

Transmitter
TT

Process
fluid

T(t)

Ti(t)
T
Condensate
return

Sensor

Some examples:
Washing machine
Oven

Feedforward
control system

Microwave oven
Air conditioner

Feedback
control system

(3) Choose a proper control system

Review:
Feedback control system
Feedforward control system

?:
How to choose a proper control system?

Comparing open-loop
control with closed-loop
control the following
differences are seen:

 Proper Control System

Can get the output that a process need
Low cost

 Contrast
Feedforward
Control System

Feedback Control
System

Can not compensate Can compensate all

all disturbances
disturbances
Simple structure
Low cost

Complex structure
High cost

 Choice

An open-loop
system

Trade-off:

Simplicity and low cost

Complexity and higher cost

Premise: Ensure the

requirement of
industrial production

A closed-loop
system

Closed-loop control
shows a closed-loop action (closed control loop);
can counteract against disturbances (negative
feedback);
can become unstable, i.e.the controlled variable does
not fade away, but grows (theoretically) to an infinite
value.

Open-loop control
shows an open-loop action (controlled chain);
can only counteract against disturbances, for which it
has been designed; other disturbances cannot be
removed;
cannot become unstable - as long as the controlled
object is stable.

Summarising these properties we can

define:
Systems in which the output quantity has no
effect upon the process input quantity are
called open-loop control systems.
Systems in which the output has an effect
upon the process input quantity in such a
manner as to maintain the desired output
value are called closed-loop control systems.

History
Greece (BC) Float regulator mechanism
Holland (16th Century) Temperature regulator

Watts Flyball Governor

(18th century)

History
Water-level float regulator

History

History
18th Century James Watts centrifugal governor for the speed control of a steam
engine.
1920s Minorsky worked on automatic controllers for steering ships.
1930s Nyquist developed a method for analyzing the stability of controlled systems
1940s Frequency response methods made it possible to design linear closed-loop
control systems
1950s Root-locus method due to Evans was fully developed
1960s State space methods, optimal control, adaptive control and
1980s Learning controls are begun to investigated and developed.
Present and on-going research fields. Recent application of modern control theory
includes such non-engineering systems such as biological, biomedical, economic and
socio-economic systems
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Examples of Modern Control Systems

(a) Automobile
steering control
system.
(b) The driver uses
the difference
between the actual
and the desired
direction of travel to
generate a controlled
adjustment of the
steering wheel.
(c) Typical directionof-travel response.

Examples of Modern Control Systems

Examples of Modern Control Systems