2/17/2020 Control Systems - Mathematical Models - Tutorialspoint

Control Systems - Mathematical Models

The control systems can be represented with a set of mathematical equations known as mathematical
model. These models are useful for analysis and design of control systems. Analysis of control system
means finding the output when we know the input and mathematical model. Design of control system
means finding the mathematical model when we know the input and the output.
The following mathematical models are mostly used.
Differential equation model
Transfer function model
State space model

Let us discuss the first two models in this chapter.

Differential Equation Model

Differential equation model is a time domain mathematical model of control systems. Follow these steps
for differential equation model.

Apply basic laws to the given control system.

Get the differential equation in terms of input and output by eliminating the intermediate
variable(s).

Example

Consider the following electrical system as shown in the following figure. This circuit consists of resistor,
inductor and capacitor. All these electrical elements are connected in series. The input voltage applied to
this circuit is v
vii and the voltage across the capacitor is the output voltage v
voo
.

Mesh equation for this circuit is

[Link] 1/4
2/17/2020 Control Systems - Mathematical Models - Tutorialspoint

d
dii
v
vii =
= R
Rii+
+LL +
+vvo
o
d
dtt

d
dvvo
Substitute, the current passing through capacitor i
i =
= c
c
d
o
in the above equation.
dtt

2
2
d
dvvo
o d
d v
voo
⇒
⇒ v
vii =
= R
RCC +
+LLC
C +
+vvo
o
d 2
dtt d
dtt
2

2
2
d
d v
vo R
R d
dvvo 1
1 1
1
o o
⇒
⇒ +
+(( )
) +
+(( )
)vvo = (
o = (
)
)vvii
2 L d
d
dtt
2 L dtt L
LCC L
LCC

The above equation is a second order differential equation.

Transfer Function Model

Transfer function model is an s-domain mathematical model of control systems. The Transfer function of
a Linear Time Invariant (LTI) system is defined as the ratio of Laplace transform of output and Laplace
transform of input by assuming all the initial conditions are zero.

If x
x((t
t)) and y
y((t
t)) are the input and output of an LTI system, then the corresponding Laplace

transforms are X
X((s
s)) and Y
Y((s
s)) .

Therefore, the transfer function of LTI system is equal to the ratio of Y

Y((s
s)) and X
X((s
s)) .

Y
Y((s
s))
i
i.. e
e.. ,, T
Trra
anns
sffe
errF
Fuun
ncct
tiio
onn =
=
X
X((s
s))

The transfer function model of an LTI system is shown in the following figure.

[Link] 2/4
2/17/2020 Control Systems - Mathematical Models - Tutorialspoint

Here, we represented an LTI system with a block having transfer function inside it. And this block has an
input X
X((s
s)) & output Y
Y((s
s)) .

Example

Previously, we got the differential equation of an electrical system as

2
2
d
d v
voo
R
R d
dvvo
o
1
1 1
1
+
+(( )
) +
+(( )
)vvo = (
o = (
)
)vvii
2 2
d
dtt L
L d
dtt L
LCC L
LCC

Apply Laplace transform on both sides.

s
sRR 1
1 1
1
2
2
s
s V
Vo (s) + (
o (s) + (
)
)VVo (s) + (
o (s) + (
)
)VVo (s) = (
o (s) = (
)
)VVii (
(ss)
)
L
L L
LCC L
LCC

R
R 1
1 1
1
2
2
⇒
⇒ {
{ss +
+(( )
)ss+
+ }
}VVo (s) = (
o (s) = (
)
)VVii (
(ss)
)
L
L L
LCC L
LCC

1
1
V
Vo (
(ss)
)
o L
LCC
⇒
⇒ =
=
R
R 1
Vii (
V (ss)
) 22
s +
s +(
( )
)ss+
+
1

L
L L
LCC

Where,

vii(
v (ss)
) is the Laplace transform of the input voltage v
vii

v
voo
((s
s)) is the Laplace transform of the output voltage v
voo

The above equation is a transfer function of the second order electrical system. The transfer function
model of this system is shown below.

[Link] 3/4
2/17/2020 Control Systems - Mathematical Models - Tutorialspoint

Here, we show a second order electrical system with a block having the transfer function inside it. And this

block has an input V

Vii (
(ss)
) & an output V
Vo (s)
o (s)
.

[Link] 4/4