EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

3.0 OPEN-LOOP AND CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS.

Topics:
 Open and closed –loop control systems

Objectives:
 To be able to identify an open-loop and closed-loop control system.

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Control systems are in essence systems for controlling other systems. There are two general
classifications of Control Systems.

1. Open Loop System for which the control action is independent of the output.
2. Closed Loop System for which the control action is dependent, in some way, on the output.

3.2 OPEN LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

Desired
input system Output

Figure 3-1: Open-loop control system

Open loop system is when control action of the system is independent of the output. Some features of
open-loop control system are as follows;
- they are simple
- their accuracy is determined by the calibration of their elements
- they are not generally troubled with instability.

Open loop systems have two important features.

1) They depend on their calibration for accurate operation.
2) They are not normally affected by stability problems. There is very little risk that an input will
result in an unexpected output result.

eg. - a car-wash machine, all cars receive the same amount of washing irrespective of how dirty they
are. The output is the cleanliness of the cars, which corresponds to a given setting of the machine
(amount of water and washing time).
- blind man trying to walk in a straight line marked on the floor.
- lighting of a room.

An open-loop control system utilizes a controller or control actuator to obtain the desired response. The
primary role of the controller is to counteract the effects of the disturbances. Figure 3-2 shows the input-
output configuration of a control system (open loop).

Figure 3-2: Basic components of an open loop control system

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

3.3 CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

Comparator
Desired system output
Input

Feedback

Figure 3-3: Closed-loop control system

Closed-loop or feedback control system is when the control action of the system is somehow dependent
on the output. Some features of closed-loop control systems are as follows;

- they are highly accurate

- they are more complex
- non-linearities and distortion are greatly reduced
- they have wide bandwidth
- they suffer from instability problems.

eg. A human being washing cars. He makes sure that the dirtier cars receive more attention than the
others. He is therefore a closed-loop control system.

- refrigeration
- room heating system.

Closed loop systems are also called feedback systems. They are often complicated to analyse requiring
differential calculus.

In contrast to an open-loop control system, a closed-loop control system utilizes an additional measure of
the actual output to compare the actual output with the desired output response. The measure of the
output is called the feedback signal. A simple closed-loop feedback control system is shown in Figure 3-
4.

Figure 3-4: Closed-loop feedback control system

A feedback control system is a control system that tends to maintain a prescribed relationship of one
system variable to another by comparing functions of these variables and using the difference as a
means of control.

A feedback control system often uses a function of a prescribed relationship between the output and
reference input to control the process. Often the difference between the output of the process under
control and the reference input is amplified and used to control the process so that the difference is
continually reduced. The feedback concept has been the foundation for control system analysis and
design.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

With an accurate sensor, the measured output is equal to the actual output of the system. The difference
between the desired output and the actual output is equal to the error, which is then adjusted by the
control device. The output of the control device causes the actuator to modulate the process in order to
reduce the error. The sequence is such, for instance, that if a ship is heading incorrectly to the right, the
rudder is actuated to direct the ship to the left. The system shown in Figure 3-5 is a negative feedback
control system, because the output is subtracted from the input and the difference is used as the input
signal to the control device.

Figure 3-5: A negative feedback system block diagram. The control device is often called a “controller”

Due to the increasing complexity of the system under control and the interest in achieving optimum
performance, the importance of control system engineering has grown in the past decade. Furthermore,
as the systems become more complex, the interrelationship of many controlled variables must be
considered in the control scheme.

A common example of an open-loop control system is an electric toaster in the kitchen. An example of a
closed-loop control system is a person steering an automobile by looking at the auto’s location on the
road and making the appropriate adjustments.

The concept of feedback is the important feature that distinguishes closed loop systems from open loop
systems. The systems that produce the feedback, the methods of comparing the feedback with the
desired (input) variables and the actions resulting from the comparisons are the basis of closed loop
control systems.

Most control systems used by man are basic manual control system e.g. opening a tap to fill a tank with
water and then closing the tap. This basic system includes a number of parameters.
 The input requirement - Filling the tank to a set water level
 The feedback signal - Viewing the level of water in the tank
 Signal comparison - Comparing the tank water level with the required level
 Control Output - Decision to open /close filling valve
 Plant operation - Opening /closing the filling valve
 Output - Level of water in tank

This control system is typical of most engineered control systems. In practice there is no economic basis
to provide an engineered system for this duty. However are many control requirements which are done
more economically by computers and machines and the notes below relate to these systems. A typical
control system is illustrated by the following diagram.

Figure 3-6: A typical closed-loop control system

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

The control system notes below relate to linear control systems in which the relationships can be
described with linear differential equations with constant coefficients. In the real world systems generally
include non-linearities e.g slip-stick ,non constant delays, hysteresis effects. These are difficult to analyse
and the overall system performance can often be closely approximated by using linear techniques.

3.4 FEEDBACK CHARACTERISTICS

Including feedback into the control of a system results in the following advantages:
 Increased accuracy. The output can be made to reproduce the input
 Reduced sensitivity to system characteristic
 Reduction in effect of non-linearities
 Increased bandwidth. The system can be made to respond to a larger range of input.

The major disadvantages resulting from feedback are the increase risk of instability and the additional
cost of design and implementation.

Control systems are classified in a number of ways, depending on the purpose of classification. But
according to the method of analysis and design, control systems are classified as:
 Linear and Nonlinear Control Systems
Strictly speaking, linear systems do not exist in practice, since all physical systems are nonlinear
to some extent. Linear feedback control systems are idealized models fabricated by the analyst
purely for simplicity of analysis and design. In the design of control systems, it is practical first to
design the controller based on the linear-system model by neglecting the nonlinearities of the
system. The designed controller is then applied to the nonlinear system model for evaluation or
redesign by computer simulation.

 Time-Invariant and Time-Varying Control Systems

When the parameters of a control system are stationary (constant, unchanging) with respect to
time during the operation of the system, the system is called a Time-Invariant system. In practice,
most physical systems contain elements that drift or vary with time. For example, the winding
resistance of an electric motor will vary with temperature (with time), the mass of the missile
decreases as the fuel on board is being consumed (with time).

 Continuous and Discrete Control Systems

A continuous system is one in which the signals at various parts of the system are all functions of
the continuous time variable. A discrete system differs from the continuous system in that the
signals at one or more points in the system are in the form of either a pulse train or a digital code.

 Single Variable and Multivariable Control Systems

A single variable control system has a single input and a single output. A multivariable control
system has multiple inputs and multiple outputs. A block diagram depicting a multivariable control
system is shown in Figure 3-6.

Figure 3-6: Multivariable control system

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

3.5 CONTROL MODELS

In the study of control systems the systems are generally modeled using

1. Differential equations and other mathematical devices

2. Block Diagrams
3. Signal Flow Diagrams

Block diagrams and signal flow paths are shorthand graphical representations of either the schematic
representation of the physical system or the set of mathematical equations characterising the component
parts of the system.

The block diagram generally includes the following elements...

3.5.1 The Block

Symbol usually contains a description or name of the element or the symbol for the mathematical
operation to be performed. The arrows represent direction of information or signal.

The Summing Point

This has appropriate arrows representing flow of information or signals and a + or - to indicate if sign of
the operations to be performed on the signals."" The summing point generally has two or more inputs and
one output to which the sum of the inputs is routed.

3.5.3 The Take-off point.

In order to route the same variable to a number of blocks or summing points a take-off is used as shown
below..

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

A generalised feedback control system based on the above symbols is shown below;

3.6 EXAMPLES OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

The purpose of the control system usually identifies or defines the output and input. If the output and
input are given, it is possible to identify or define the nature of the system’s components. Control systems
may have more than one input or output. Often all inputs and outputs are well defined by the system
description. But sometimes they are not. For example, an atmospheric electric storm may intermittently
interfere with radio signals, producing an unwanted output from a loudspeaker in the form of static. This
“noise” output is not usually specified for the simple identification of a radio receiving system, but is part
of the total output as defined above. For the purpose of simply identifying a system, spurious inputs
producing undesirable outputs are not normally considered as inputs and outputs in the system
description. But it is usually necessary to carefully consider these extra inputs and outputs when the
system is examined in detail.

There are three basic types of control systems:

1. Man-made control systems

2. Natural, including biological control systems
3. Control systems whose components are both man-made and natural.

Example 3.6.1.

An electric switch is a man-made control system, controlling the flow of electricity. By definition, the
apparatus or person flipping the switch is not a part of this control system. Flipping the on or off may be
considered as the input. That is, input can be in one of two states – on or off. The output is the flow or
nonflow (two states) of electricity.

Example 3.6.2

A thermostatically controlled heater or furnace automatically regulating the temperature of a room or

enclosure is a control system. The input to this system is a reference temperature, which is usually
specified by appropriately setting a thermostat. The output is the actual temperature of the enclosure.
When the thermostat detects that the output is less than the input, the furnace provides heat until the
temperature of the enclosure becomes equal to the reference input. Then the furnace is automatically
turned off.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Example 3.6.3

The seemingly simple act of pointing at an object with a finger requires a biological control system
consisting chiefly of the eyes, the arm, hand and fingers, and the brain of the man. The input is the
precise direction of the object (moving or not) with respect to some reference, and the output is the actual
pointed direction with respect to the same reference.

Example 3.6.4

A part of the human temperature control system is the perspiration system. When the temperature of the
air exterior to the skin becomes too high the sweat glands secrets heavily, inducing cooling of the skin by
evaporation. Secretions are reduced when the desired cooling effect is achieved, or when the air
temperature falls sufficiently. The input to the system is “normal” or comfortable skin temperature. The
output is the actual skin temperature.

Example 3.6.5

The control system consisting of a man driving a car has components which are clearly both man-made
and biological. The drive wants to keep the car in the appropriate lane of the roadway. He accomplishes
this by constantly watching the direction of the car with respect to the direction of the road. In this case,
the direction or heading of the road, represented by the painted guide line or lines on either side of his
lane may be considered as the input. The heading f the car is the output of the system. The drive controls
this output by constantly measuring it with his eyes and brain, and correcting it with his hands on the
steering wheel. The major components of this control system are the driver’s hands, eyes and brain and
the vehicle.

More Advanced Control Systems (Modern Control Systems)

Speed Control Systems

Robot Control Systems
Numerical Control Systems
Temperature Control Systems
Computer Control Systems
Traffic Control Systems
Biological Control systems
Inventory Control Systems
Business Control Systems, etc.

EXAMPLES OF OPEN AND CLOSED LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS.

1.0 Position Control

Error
Detector
Input Amplifier Motor Output
Pot Load

Output
Pot

Figure 3-7: Block diagram representation of closed-loop position control system.

In the position control system an output quantity is required to follow, as close as possible, the movement
of an input quantity.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

The above simple remote position control system has the input potentiometer, acting as a transducer,
provides a voltage proportional to the angle through which both the input shaft is rotated and the output
shaft is required to rotate. The error detector is a simple analogue summer and provides the error
voltage  = V - V . The error is amplified by the d.c amplifier which provides the current to drive
R fb
the motor. A gear system is used for speed reduction and viscous friction is employed to damp the
system. The output shaft is linked to the output potentiometer which provides a voltage proportional to
the angular position of the wiper. This voltage is fed back and is compared with the input voltage.

When the input is moved through an angle i, the error voltage causes the motor to rotate until the output
shaft becomes in line with the input, at which time the error becomes zero and the motor will stop.

Applications of Position Control

military:- radar tracking

gun directors
missile launders and
guidance systems
industrial &
commercial:- machine-tool control
profile cutting
positioning of aerials
servomultiplier
automatic piloting of aircrafts

scientific research:- automatic handling of radioactive materials

remote control of T.V. commerce and mechanical robots.

2.0 Speed Control

Amplifier Motor Tacho Load
Input
potentiometer Gen.

velocity feedback

Figure 3.8: Block diagram of closed-loop speed control system

Constant speed under varying load conditions is one of the requirements of many control systems. In
such systems the output speed is compared with the desired speed and adjustments are made when
necessary.

The above speed control system uses a field-controlled motor with constant armature current. The
tachogenerator is coupled to the output shaft and provides a voltage Vfb which is proportional to the
speed. The potentiometer provides a voltage VR which sets the required speed.

From the diagram;

VR =  + Kso
  = VR - Kso
where  is the error voltage applied to the amplifier and Ks is the tachogenerator constant.

eg. If the speed falls, the voltage fed back from the tachogenerator will also fall. The error voltage
applied to the amplifier will increase and the motor will be driven faster, thus restoring the original
fall.
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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Under steady-state condition on no-load, the torque required to maintain a constant speed is zero. Thus
from the above equation, VR = Kso

Under load conditions, for steady output speed, the motor torque must equal the load torque. Thus

Tm = TL

 × KA × Kt = TL

TL
then = where
KAK t
KA is the amp. transconductance (ms), Kt is the motor torque constant (N-m/mA) and TL is the
load torque (N-m)

3.0 Numerical Control of Machine Tools

A modern and sophisticated application of position and speed control, used in conduction with
digital computers.

Applications: milling machines, drilling machines and lathes.

4.0 Process Control System

In process control systems, quantities such as pressure, flow, liquid level or temperature are
under control.

Figure 3.9: A closed-loop industrial process control system.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Other applications of automatic control:-

Automatic steering control,

Lathe tracer control,
Automatic control of train-brake system,
Metallurgical industry,
Mining industry,
Warehousing and inventory control,
Biomedical experimentation,
Space travel and research,
etc.

Open-loop and closed-loop control systems

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Figure 3.10: Open and closed-loop control systems.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Figure 3.11: Open and closed-loop control systems.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Figure 3.12: Open and closed-loop control systems.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Figure 3.13: Open and closed-loop control systems.

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EE411 – CONTROL SYSTEMS Open and Closed Loop Control Systems

Figure 3.14: A chemical processing control system.

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