The Department of Physics

Course Description

This course is an introduction to analysis and design of feedback control systems, including classical control theory in the time and frequency domain. This course explores the modeling of linear dynamic systems (physical, biological and information systems etc.) via differential equations and transfer functions utilizing input-output representations; analysis of control systems in the time and frequency domains and using transfer function methods; study of the classical stability tests, such as the Routh-Hurwitz and Nyquist criterions, and design methods using root-locus plots and Bode plots; and the development of control techniques based on PID, lead and lag networks, using linear state or output feedback.

This course builds foundation for the course ECNG 3019 - Advance Control System Design and prepares students for automation industry.

Course Content

Analog System Building Blocks: Multivibrator and applications, Operational amplifier and applications, analog computer. Classical Control Theory: Introduction to control systems, mathematical representation of control systems, application of Laplace and Z-Transformations, transfer functions, canonical form. Measure of Performance: Stability, steady state accuracy, satisfactory transient response, satisfactory frequency response. Methods of Analysis: Nyquist’s, root locus and Bode analysis. Methods of Improving System Performance: Gain and phase compensation techniques.

Course Goals/Aims

General objective of the course are as follows:

• Study of basic analog system building blocks like multivibrator & operational amplifier and their applications.
• Study of principles of control system modelling, various control system analysis & design tools and use them to design and evaluate feedback control systems with desired performance.
• Study the applications of mathematical tools like Differential Equations, Laplace Transform, Z-Transform and Complex Analysis in to control systems.
• Study of graphical tools like Nyquits’s Plot, Polar plot, Bode plot and root locus plot for the analysis and design of control systems.

Learning Outcomes

Students completing the course should be able to:

• Design various wave shaping circuits and oscillators based on multivibrator and operational amplifier.
• Design an operational amplifier based analog computer to solve differential equation.
• Develop mathematical model of various electrical, mechanical, thermal and fluid systems.
• Apply mathematical tools like differential equation, complex analysis, Laplace transform and Z-transform to the real world problems. 
• Specify, model, analyze, design and test a control system to meet a set of desired goals, within the context of a broader system applications.
• Use system analysis tools like Nyquist’s plot, Polar plot and Root Locus plot to analyze the performance of control systems.
• Identify, formulate and solve various control engineering problems.
• Effectively communicate technical material related to control engineering.

Assessment