Control of
Time-Delay Systems
Time-Delay Element
Time-Delay
Element
x(t)
x(t - Tl)
Tl = Time-Delay
Time Response
x(t)
unit step
0
y(t)
1
0
Tl
Time-Delay Systems
Example 1
Temperature Measurement of Heat-Exchanger Output
b(t)
d
a(t)
Sensor
Heat
cold in
hot
out
Heat
cold in
v = velocity
d = distance
b(t) = a(t Tl )
hot
out
v
Sensor
Time-Delay Systems
Example 2
Thickness Measurement of Rolled Steel Plate
Thickness
gauge
+
Steel Plate
v
+
Time delay between
change in thickness
and measurement:
d
Tl
v
Difference Between Time-Lag and Time-Delay
(a)
(b)
(c)
e sT
In case (c), transfer function of the block = G s
1 sT
T = time lag, Tl = delay
l
Problem due to Presence of Time-Delay
in a Process Control Loop
Due to the presence of time-delay, any corrective action from
the controller cannot be immediately applied to the process.
Thus during that time, process may buildup a deviation,
sometimes quite large, due to any load disturbance or change
in set-point.
Transfer Function of Time-Delay Element
Time-Delay
Element
x(t)
y(t) = x(t - Tl)
Y s
sT
e
X s
Taking Laplace Transform:
Transfer Function of a Time-Delay Element
Now, e
sTl
12 sTl
1 sT
2 l
sTl
1
1 2 sTl
2!
2
1
2 sTl
1
1 2 sTl
2!
1
2
Using First-Order Pade Approximation:
sTl
1 12 sTl
1 12 sTl
Effect of Time-Delay on Process Loop Response
T.F. of a Process with Time-Delay:
sT
G s G s e
where G/(s) is the transfer function of the delay free part of the
process.
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay
process
controller
R(s)
e sTl
1 sT
Kp = Process Gain
T = Process Time Constant
C(s)
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay (contd )
process
controller
R(s)
e sTl
1 sT
The Characteristic Eqn. of the C.L. System:
C(s)
K p e sTl
1 sT
Using First-Order Pade Approximation:
1
1
K
T
l
p l
K p 1
2
2
2
0
s s
1
1
TT
TTl
2 l
2
1
K p 1 sTl
2
1
0
1 sT 1 1 sTl
2
The standard form:
s 2n s 0,
2
2
n
2 K p 1
TTl
The Natural Freq.
T T K T
2 K 1 T
1
2
1
2
p l
l
The Damping Ratio
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay (contd )
process
controller
R(s)
e sTl
1 sT
C(s)
2T Tl
Tl
The damping ratio becomes zero when:
K p
The system becomes unstable when:
K p
Conclusion:
2T Tl
Tl
Time-delay may cause instability even in
first-order system for large values of Kp.
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay (contd )
R(s)
Root Locus
Ke
Plot
Loop T.F. of the C. L. System:
process
controller
sTl
e
1 sT
C(s)
1 sT
Using First-Order Pade Approximation:
Case I:
sTl
Tl
2
K p =K
K p =0
j
c
1
T
K p =K
Kc: Critical Gain
s-plane
K p =0
2
Tl
K p
2
sT
K p 1 l
T
Tl
2
sTl
1 sT 1 s 1 s 2
2
T
Tl
2
Tl
2 T l
2
Kc
Tl
2T Tl
T
l
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay (contd )
R(s)
Root Locus
Ke
Plot
Loop T.F. of the C. L. System:
process
controller
sTl
e
1 sT
sTl
C(s)
1 sT
K p
2
sTl
K p 1
s
T
2
Tl
sT
1 sT 1 l s 1 s 2
2
T
Tl
Using First-Order Pade Approximation:
Case II: T
Tl
2
K p =K
K p =0
j
c
K p =0
2
Tl
1
T
K p =K
Kc: Critical Gain
s-plane
2
Tl
2 T l
2
Kc
Tl
2T Tl
T
l
Case Study: Proportional Control of a First-Order Process
with Time-Delay (contd )
process
controller
R(s)
e sTl
1 sT
Critical gain K
C(s)
1.67
1
0
The
2T
3T
Critical gain falls with increasing Tl.
Bode Plot
Case I: First Order System without Time-Delay
Kp
Open Loop Transfer Function: G s
1 sT
Kp
G j
1 j T
|G (j)|
1
T
20 log10Kp
odb
phase
0
- 90o
Conclusion: The phase plot never crosses 180 line, hence the system is always stable.
Bode Plot
Case II: First Order System with Time-Delay
K p e sT K p sT
Open Loop Transfer Function: G s
e G1 s G2 s
1 sT 1 sT
l
Frequency Response of Time-Delay Unit:
Phase
G2 j 1 Tl
Slope = - T
Bode Plot
Case II: First Order System with Time-Delay
K p e sT K p sT
Open Loop Transfer Function: G s
e G1 s G2 s
1 sT 1 sT
l
gain |G (j)|
increasing Kp
GM=0, System becomes oscillatory
Gain crossover freq. (GCF)
20 log10Kp
odb
For a particular gain Kp, for stability,
GM (gain margin)
with Tl = 0
1
T
GCF T
Tl
Phase
0
- 90
increasing Tl
o
Tl 0
(as
Tl
or
PM (phase margin) with Tl = 0
- 180o
Tl = 0
PM = 0, oscillatory system
PM
PM
GCF
is the phase of time-delay)
Smiths Principle for Control of
Time-Delay Systems
Process with
time-delay:
G(s) is the T.F. of the delay free part
of the process and Tl is the time-delay.
G s G s e sTl
y(t)
y(t) represents the unit step response of G(s) in
a unity feedback closed loop system.
y(t-T
0
l)
Smiths
Principle:
The unit step response desired
from the closed loop system
with the delay introduced in
series with G(s) is y (t Tl).
t
T
If response y(t) satisfies the design criteria
for the delay-free case, then the response to
be designed for the system with time-delay is
the same response but delayed by Tl.
Smiths Method
Let the controller in the delay free case be Gc(s).
process without
time-delay
controller
R(s)
G' c (s)
+ _
The closed loop transfer function:
G' (s)
Gc/ s G / s
1 G s G s
/
c
C(s)
with time response y(t).
The time response from a system with closed loop transfer function :
Gc/ s G / s
1 G s G s
/
c
e sTl
will be y (t Tl).
Smiths Method
Let the same response (i.e. y (t Tl)) be available from a controller Gc(s) and
the process with time-delay G(s) in a unity feedback closed loop system.
process with
time-delay
controller
R(s)
+ _
G c (s)
The closed loop transfer function:
C(s)
Gc s G s
with time response y (t Tl).
1 Gc s G s
Gc s G s
Gc/ s G / s e sTl
1 Gc s G s 1 Gc/ s G / s
According to Smiths Method
Substituting G s G s e
G (s)
sTl
Gc/ s
Gc s
1 Gc/ s G / s 1 e sTl
Gc s : T.F. of the required controller for the process with time-delay
Smiths Method
The Realization of the
Controller Gc(s)
G c (s)
E(s)
Error
G' c (s)
M(s)
Controller
output
_
G'(s)
1- e
-sT l
For the above realization of Gc(s), knowledge of G(s) and Tl is required.
In practice, model estimates of G(s) and Tl are used.
Model Estimates:
G s , model of G (s)
Tl
, model of Tl
Smiths Method
The Realization of the
Controller
G (s) Gc(s)
c
E(s)
G'
(s)
M(s)
_
G s
1 e sTl
Gc s : The Controller for Delay-Free Process G(s)
Realisation of the Closed Loop
System with Gc(s)
Scheme I:
Controller
(designed for G'(s)) Process with
time-delay
R(s)
+
_
G'C(s)
C(s)
G(s)
1 e
G s
sTl
Models
GC(s)
+
+
Realisation of the Closed Loop
Scheme II: System with Gc(s)
Controller (Process with time delay)
R(s)
+
+
G'C(s)
G(s)
C(s)
Model of process
with time-delay
sTl
G s e
Model of delay free
process
G s
_
+
+
+
Realisation of the Closed Loop
Scheme III: System with Gc(s)
R(s)
Controller
Process
G'C(s)
G(s)
C(s)
_
+
+
e sTl
Model delay
G s
Model of delay
free process
Smiths method assumes that models are exact, i.e. G s = G s and Tl Tl .
In practice, there is always some mismatch between the model and the actual
parameters, therefore, the closed-loop response may differ depending upon the
degree of mismatch.
Realisation of the Closed Loop
Scheme III: System with Gc(s)
R(s)
Controller
Process
G'C(s)
G(s)
C(s)
_
+
+
e sTl
Model delay
G s
Model of delay
free process
The model of delay free process provides an estimate of output from delay free
process for the controller. The estimate is, in fact, the prediction of the process
output. Thus the term Smiths Predictor is used for such controllers.
