NPTEL Online Course (Jan - May 2025)

Control Engineering
Instructor: Dr. Ramkrishna Pasumarthy
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Solution - Assignment 7

1. In derivative control, the actuating signal consists of the proportional error signal and the
derivative of the error signal. Therefore,

de(t)
ea (t) = e(t) + Td
dt
Taking the Laplace transform,

Ea (s) = E(s) + sTd E(s) = E(s)[1 + sTd ]

From the block diagram, the overall transfer function is:

2
ωn
C(s) (1 + sTd ) s(s+2ζωn) (1 + sTd )ωn2
= 2 =
R(s) ωn
1 + (1 + sTd ) s(s+2ζω s(s + 2ζωn ) + (1 + sTd )ωn2
n)

(1 + sTd )ωn2
=
s2 + (2ζωn + ωn2 Td )s + ωn2

Compared with the standard form,

2ωn ζ ′ = 2ζωn + ωn2 Td

Solving,
ωn Td
ζ′ = ζ +
2
This shows that ζ increases and ωn remains unchanged.
The correct answer is Option D.

2.
14
C(s) 2 14
= s +1.4s
14 = 2
R(s) 1 + s2 +1.4s s + 1.4s + 14

The characteristic equation is:

s2 + 1.4s + 14 = 0

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 Comparing with s2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 = 0:

2ζωn = 1.4, ωn2 = 14

ωn = 3.74, ζ = 0.187

Solving for Td :
ωn Td
ζ′ = ζ + ,
2
3.74Td
0.7 = 0.187 +
2
Thus, Td = 0.274.

The correct answer is Option C.

3. The overall transfer function is:

14(1+0.274s)
C(s) s2 +1.4s 14(1 + 0.274s)
= =
R(s) 1+ 14(1+0.274s) s2 + 5.236s + 14
s2 +1.4s

The correct answer is Option B.

4. From above, since R(s) = 1s ,

1 s + 2.616 2.673 1.218

C(s) = − 2 2
+ 2 2
∗
s (s + 2.618) + (2.673) (s + 2.618) + (2.673) 2.673

From the inverse Laplace transform,

C(t) = 1 − e−2.618t cos(2.673t) + 0.455e−2.618t sin(2.673t)

dC(t)
For peak time, dt = 0. Solving, we get:

tp = 0.72 sec

The correct answer is in the range of 0.69,0.79

5.

C(t) = 1 − e−2.618∗0.72 {cos(2.673 ∗ 0.72) − 0.455 ∗ sin(2.673 ∗ 0.72)}

= 1 − 0.15[−0.346 − 0.4264]
= 1.1170
C(t)max − 1
Mp = ∗ 100
1
1.1170 − 1
= ∗ 100
1
= 11.70%

The correct answer is in the range of 11,12

2
6. Given:

• G(s) = K
s(s+5)
• Kv = 4.95
• Mp ≈ 9.5%
• ts ≈ 1.33 sec.
√
using the magnitude criterion, |G(sd )| = 1 =⇒ K = |sd ||sd + 5| = 10 5.
hence, K = 22.36 is the best estimate.
The correct answer is in the range of 21, 23.8

7. Velocity error constant Kv that meets transient specifications:

1
Kv = lims→0 sG(s) = lims→0 s
s(s + 7)
K √
= = 2 5.
5
The correct answer is in the range of 3.5, 5.5

8. Error rate control is Ke . The overall transfer function is:

10(1+sKe )
C(s) s(s+2) 10(1 + sKe )
= 10(1+sK )
=
R(s) 1 + s(s+2) e s(s + 2) + 10(1 + sKe )

The characteristic equation is:

s(s + 2) + 10(1 + sKe ) = 0

Comparing with the standard equation:

s2 + (2 + 10Ke )s + 10 = 0

From standard form s2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 = 0:

ωn2 = 10 ⇒ ωn = 3.16rad/sec
2ζωn = 2 + 10Ke

Solving for Ke :

Ke = 0.116

The correct answer is Option C.

9. The closed-loop transfer function is:

C(s) (1 + ks)ωn2
= 2
R(s) s + 2ζωn s + ωn2

3
 Then,
s2 + 2ζωn s − ωn2 ks
R(s) − C(s) = ( )R(s)
s2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2
if the input is unit ramp then the steady-state error is,

e(∞) = r(∞) − c(∞)

 2
s + 2ζωn s − ωn2 ks 1

e(∞) = lim s
s→0 s2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 s2
2ζωn − ωn2 k
=
ωn2
Setting e(∞) = 0:
2ζ
k=
ωn

If the value of k is chosen as ω2ζn , then the steady state error for following a ramp input
can be made equal to zero.
The correct answer is Option C.

10. The derivative mode must be used with great care and usually with a small gain because
a rapid rate of change of error can cause very large, sudden changes in controller output
and lead to instability. The summary of characteristics of the derivative control mode is
as follows:

(a) If the error is zero, the mode provides no output.

(b) If the error is constant in time, the mode provides no output.
(c) If the error changes with time, the mode contributes an output of KD % for every
1% per second rate of change of error.
(d) For direct action, a positive rate of change of error produces a positive derivative
mode output.

The correct answer is Option B.

11.
C(s) Gc (s)G(s) KI
= =
R(s) 1 + Gc (s)G(s) s(s + 1)2 + KI
The characteristic equation is:

s(s + 1)2 + KI = 0

Given s = −a is a root:

−a(−a + 1)2 + KI = 0

Solving:

KI = a(1 − a)2 = a3 − 2a2 + a

The correct answer is Option C.

4
12. The value of a maximizing KI :

dKI d2 KI
= 3a2 − 4a + 1; = 6a − 4
da da2
dKI
Setting da = 0:

1
3a2 − 4a + 1 = 0 ⇒ a = 1 or a =
3

d2 KI d2 KI
|a=1 = 2; | 1 = −2;
da2 da2 a= 3
The second derivative test confirms maximum at a = 31
The correct answer is in the range of 0.28, 0.38

13. Given:
4
KI = a(1 − a)2 =
27
The characteristic equation factors are as:
4 1 1 4
s(s + 1)2 + = (s + )(s + )(s + )
27 3 3 3
So,
1 4
Hence, p1 = , p2 = , So, p2 − p1 = 1
3 3
The correct answer is in the range of 0.98, 1.02