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Control and Instrumentation

Control and Instrumentation Engineering (De Montfort University)

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Sheet 1 of 7
EXAMINATION PAPER
Code: ENGT5145

Session - 2015/2016

Faculty of Technology

Module Code - ENGT5145

Module Title - Control and Instrumentation

Date -

Time Allowed - 3 hours

Start Finish
_________________________________________________________
Instructions to, and information for, candidates:

Attempt FOUR questions.

ALL questions carry EQUAL marks.

Total marks achievable = 100.

Programmable calculators are permitted during this examination

provided they are ‘reset’ using the reset button found on the
underneath of some calculators, ‘cancelled’ (by battery removal) or
otherwise checked and proved not to carry textual information, or
formulae required by the examination, other than normal
scientific/statistical functions.

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 2 of 7

1. The pitch angle of an aircraft is controlled by changing the angle of

the elevators as shown in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1. An aircraft

a) Represent the aircraft as an input-output model for the purpose of

pitch control and identify the input, the output and the
disturbances.
(3 marks)
b) Draw a block diagram of the feedback system to control the aircraft
pitch angle including sensors and actuators and explain the role of
the pilot in the pitch control system.
(7 marks)
c) Describe what is meant by a quantisation error and what
consequences it can have on the behaviour of a computer control
system. Calculate the quantisation error in % for the A/D
converters with 12 and 14 bits respectively.
(5 marks)
d) Sampling frequency
 Explain the principles of selecting the sampling frequency
and what effects it can have on the behaviour of the
computer control system.
(3 marks)

 Determine the minimum sampling rate for signal with a

maximum frequency of 1200 Hz.
(3 marks)

 Explain what is meant by alias frequency and how to prevent

it happening. Determine the alias frequency that is produced
when 2400 Hz signal is sampled at a rate of 3200 Hz.
(4 marks)

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 3 of 7

2. Consider a schematic of a dc motor shown in Figure 2.1.

La
ia Fixed
field
Ra

vb
ea
tm
qm,m

Figure 2.1. A schematic of a dc motor

where ea is the armature supply voltage, vb is a back emf, t m is the motor
torque, q m is the rotor angular position and  m is the angular velocity.
A mathematical model of the dc motor is given by the two equations
below
𝑑𝑖𝑎
𝐿𝑎 + 𝑅𝑎 𝑖𝑎 + 𝐾𝑏 𝜔𝑚 = 𝑒𝑎 (electrical part)
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝜔𝑚
𝐼𝑚 + 𝑏𝜔𝑚 = 𝐾𝑚 𝑖𝑎 (mechanical part)
𝑑𝑡

where La is the armature inductance, Ra is the armature resistance, Kb is

the back emf constant, 𝐼𝑚 is the moment of inertia, b is the friction
coefficient and Km is the motor constant.

a) Represent the model in the form of state space equations, where

the states are x1 (t )  ia (t ) and x2 (t )  m (t ) and the input is 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝑒𝑎 (𝑡).
(3 marks)

b) Derive the expression for an equilibrium point of the motor defined

by a constant supply voltage 𝐸𝑎 .
(6 marks)

Assuming the following values Ra  2 , La  1 mH I m  2 N  m  s rad ,

2
c)
b  10 N  m  s K  K m  10 N  m calculate the transfer function of
rad , b A
the dc motor from the supply voltage ea to the angular velocity m
and discuss the stability of this transfer function.
(12 marks)

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 4 of 7

d) Calculate the transfer function from the supply voltage ea to the

angular position q m and discuss the stability of this transfer
function.
(4 marks)

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 5 of 7

3. The state space model of a second order physical system is given

below.

 4 2   1
A  ; B   2  ; C  1 0
 0  2  

a) Calculate the transfer function of the model.

(8 marks)

b) Calculate the poles of the transfer function and discuss stability of

the system .
(6 marks)

c) Calculate the zeros of the transfer function and discuss whether

the system is minimum phase or non-minimum phase.
(4 marks)

d) Sketch an approximate step response of the system. Mark and

describe characteristic features of the response.
(7 marks)

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 6 of 7

4. A state model for a linear system is given by (A, B, C, D) , where

 1 3  2
A  ; B    ; C  1  1 ; D  0 .
 1 0 0 

a) Check if the system is controllable.

(5 marks)

b) Check if the system is observable.

(5 marks)

c) The matrices of the canonical representation of the system are,

−2.303 0
𝐴1 = ⌈ ⌉
0 1.303
−1.692
𝐵1 = [ ]
−1.324
𝐶1 = [−1.083 −0.1268]
𝐷1 = [0]

Represent the canonical model in the scalar form and interpret the
findings from a) and b) using this model.
(5 marks)

d) If possible calculate the state feedback gain K shown in Figure 4.1

such that the closed-loop poles are located at -5 and -6.

u(t)
x
x  Ax  Bu

-Kx
-K

Figure 4.1. State feedback system

(10 marks)

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Code: ENGT5145 Sheet 7 of 7

5. A model of a simple feedback system is depicted in Figure 5.1, where

𝐴(𝑠) 𝑁(𝑠)
𝑃(𝑠) = is the plant transfer function, 𝐶(𝑠) = is the controller
𝐵(𝑠) 𝐿(𝑠)
transfer function and 𝑅(𝑠), 𝐷0 (𝑠), 𝑌(𝑠) are the reference, the system
disturbances and the output signals respectively.

Do(s) 2

N(s) A(s) 1
1 Y(s)
R(s) L(s) B(s)
Controller C(s) plant P(s)

Figure 5.1

a) Describe the purpose of a typical feedback system and how it

should respond to 𝑅(𝑠) and 𝐷0 (𝑠) signals.
(4 marks)

b) Show that the transfer function of the system in Figure 5.1 is

described by the two transfer functions given below

𝑃(𝑠)𝐶(𝑠) 1
𝑌(𝑠) = 𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐷0 (𝑠) (1)
1+𝑃(𝑠)𝐶(𝑠) 1+𝑃(𝑠)𝐶(𝑠)
(12 marks)

c) Show that the two transfer functions in expression (1), i.e.

sensitivity function and complementary sensitivity function have
the same denominator (characteristic polynomial of the feedback
system). Explain how this polynomial determines the stability of
the system.
(9 marks)

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