Chapter Three

Characteristics Feedback Control System

Introduction
• A closed-loop / feedback system uses a measurement of the output
signal and a comparison with the desired output to generate an error
signal that is applied to the actuator.
• A feedback system is one in which the output signal is sampled and
then feed back to the input to form an error signal that drives the
system.

Feedback System Block Diagram Model

13/12/2022 1
13/12/2022
Characteristics Feedback Control System
Effect of Feedback(FB)
A feedback is provided to bring about improvement in the performance of a
control system. The advantages of FB in a control system are:
1. Reduces the sensitivity of the system to its parameter variations (i.e. Enhance
robustness), Parameters may vary due to ageing, environmental changes, etc.
2. Improves the sensitivity of a control system but there would be reduction in
system gain
3. Improves the stability if properly designed
4. Negative feedback reduces the overall gain of the system.
5. System response to disturbance signal can be reduced with feedback.

6. Improve dynamic performance or adjust the transient response (such as

reduce time constant)
2
Chapter Three
Characteristics Feedback Control System
Sensitivity
Definition

The sensitivity function of a system is defined as the ratio of

the percentage variation of the system transfer function, M to
the percentage variation of a system parameter, K.

13/12/2022 3
13/12/2022
Sensitivity of system to parameter variations
• System are time-varying in its nature because of inevitable
uncertainties such as changing environment , aging , and other
factors that affect a control process.
• All these uncertainties in open-loop system will result in
inaccurate output or low performance. However, a closed-loop
system can overcome this disadvantage.
• A primary advantage of a closed-loop feedback control
system is its ability to reduce the system’s sensitivity
to parameter variation.
Sensitivity analysis Robust control
• System sensitivity is the ratio of the change in the system
transfer function to the change of a process transfer function
(or parameter) for a small incremental change.
4
13/12/2022
• Negative feedback reduces the error between the reference
input, R(s) and system output.
𝐸 𝑠 =𝑅 𝑠 −𝐵 𝑠 =𝑅 𝑠 −𝑌 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠
𝑌 𝑠 = 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠 = R s − Y s H s G(s)
R(s)
𝐸 𝑠 =
1+H s 𝐺 s

Steady-state error is the error after the transient response has decayed, leaving
only the continuous response.
It is concluded that due to feedback the variation in o/p caused by
the change in the forward path transfer function is reduced by a
factor of 1+ G(s)H(s) in a closed loop.
5
13/12/2022
Effect of parameter variations on FB control system

6
Effect of Feedback on Overall gain

13/12/2022
• The transfer function of negative feedback system is
Y(s) G(s)
• T 𝑠 = = , for non feedback system T(s)= G(s)
R s 1+H s 𝐺 s

• we can say that the overall gain of negative feedback closed loop
control system is the ratio of 'G' and (1+GH). So, the overall gain
may increase or decrease depending on the value of (1+GH).
Effect of Feedback on Sensitivity
• Sensitivity of the overall gain of negative feedback closed loop
control system (T) to the variation in open loop gain (G) is defined
as
𝜕𝑇(𝑠)/𝑇(𝑠)
𝑆𝐺𝑇 =
𝜕𝐺(𝑠)/𝐺(𝑠)
Do partial differentiation with respect to G on both sides

7
13/12/2022
So, the sensitivity of the overall gain of closed loop control system as the
reciprocal of (1+GH). So, Sensitivity may increase or decrease depending on
the value of (1+GH).
• In general, 'G' and 'H' are functions of frequency. So, feedback
will increase the sensitivity of the system gain in one frequency
range and decrease in the other frequency range.
• Therefore, we have to choose the values of 'GH' in such a way that
the system is insensitive or less sensitive to parameter variations.
𝐾 = 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑒ter variation of element Such as Gain or Feedback
A = Variable in Control System Which Changes Its Value O/P
%𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑁𝐺𝐸 𝐼𝑁 𝐴
𝑆𝐸𝑁𝑆𝐼𝑇𝐼𝑉𝐼𝑇𝑌 =
%𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑁𝐺𝐸 𝐼𝑁 𝐾
𝐴
𝜕𝐴/𝐴
𝐒𝐾 =
𝜕𝑘/𝑘

𝑇
Quiz : Obtained the Sensitivity T(s) with Respect to H(s) (𝐒𝐻 )

8
13/12/2022
Effect of Feedback on Stability
•A system is said to be stable, if its output is under control. Otherwise, it is
said to be unstable.
•In T(s), if the denominator value is zero (i.e., GH = -1), then the output of
the control system will be infinite. So, the control system becomes unstable.
Therefore, we have to properly choose the feedback in order to make the
control system stable.

9
13/12/2022
• Effect of Feedback on Noise

• To know the effect of feedback on noise, compare the transfer function

relations with and without feedback due to noise signal alone.

• Consider a closed loop control system with noise signal

Closed loop transfer function due to noise signal alone

Open loop transfer function due to noise signal alone

In the closed loop control system, the gain due to noise signal is decreased
by a factor of (1+GaGbH) provided that the term (1+GaGbH) is greater
than one.
10
13/12/2022
Control over system dynamics by using feedback
• Let us consider the simple feedback system

K
The open-loop transfer function is, G( s) =
s+

The impulse response for the non-feedback system would be,

𝑐(𝑡) = 𝐾𝑒 −(𝜇+𝐾)𝑡 𝑢(𝑡) = 𝐾𝑒 −𝑡Τ𝜏2 𝑢(𝑡൯
K
The closed-loop transfer function of the above system is, T ( s) =
s++K
The impulse response of the closed-loop system is,
c(t ) = Ke− t u(t ) = Ke−t /1 u(t )

The location of the pole and the dynamic response of the non-feedback and
feedback system are

11
13/12/2022
It is seen that the time-constant of open-loop system is 1 = 1/ 
and that of closed-loop system is  2 = 1/ (  + K )
As the time-constant of closed-loop system is less, its dynamic response is
faster than the same of the open-loop system.

12
13/12/2022
Control of the effect of disturbance signal by use of feedback
• Disturbance in the forward path Disturbance in the feedback

𝐶𝑑 (𝑠) −𝐺2 (𝑠) −1

= 1+𝐺 ≅𝐺 ;
𝑇𝑑 (𝑠) 1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐻(𝑠) 1 (𝑠)𝐻(𝑠)
𝐶𝑛 (𝑠) −𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐻2 (𝑠) −1
−𝑇𝑑 (𝑠) = ≅
𝐶𝑑 (𝑠) = 𝑁(𝑠) 1 + 𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠)𝐻1 (𝑠)𝐻2 (𝑠) 𝐻1 (𝑠)
𝐺1 (𝑠)𝐻(𝑠)
If 𝐺1 (𝑠) is made very large, the Therefore, the effect of noise on output is,
−1
effect of disturbance on the 𝐶𝑛 (𝑠) ≅ 𝐻 ⋅ 𝑁(𝑠).
1 (𝑠)
output will be very small
For the optimum performance of the system, the measurement sensor
should be designed such that is maximum. This is equivalent to maximizing
the SNR of the sensor. 13
13/12/2022
• Example

• A position control system is shown below. Assume, K=10, 𝛼 = 2, 𝛽 = 1.

Evaluate: 𝑆𝐾𝑇 , 𝑆𝛼𝑇 , 𝑆𝛽𝑇 . For 𝑟(𝑡) = 2cos(0.5𝑡) and a 5% change in 𝐾,
evaluate the steady-state response and the change in steady-state
response.
𝐾
Here, 𝐺(𝑠) = , and 𝐻(𝑠) = 𝛽
𝑠(𝑠+𝛼)

𝐾 𝑑𝐺 1
𝑆𝐾𝐺 = 𝐺 ⋅ 𝑑𝐾 = 𝑠(𝑠 + 𝛼) ⋅ 𝑠(𝑠+𝛼) = 1;

𝛼 𝑑𝐺 −𝛼 −2
𝑆𝛼𝐺 = 𝐺 ⋅ 𝑑𝛼 = 𝑠+𝛼 = 𝑠+2;

𝛽 𝑑𝐻
𝑆𝛽𝐻 = ⋅ =1
𝐻 𝑑𝛽

14
13/12/2022
15
13/12/2022
THE COST OF FEEDBACK

• The use of feedback has several advantages as outlined in the previous

sections. These advantages have an attended cost due to an increased
number of components and complexity in the system.

• In an open-loop system the transfer function is G(s) and is reduced to

G(s)/[1 + G(s) H(s)] in a feedback (closed-loop) system.

• So, the loss of gain by the same factor of 1/[1 + G(s) H(s)] that reduces
the sensitivity of the system to parameter variations is again an added cost
of using feedback.

16
13/12/2022
Thank you!

17