Block Diagram & Signal Flow

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia

Specially prepared for the following courses:

Process Control & Instrumentation
Chemical Process Control

Fundamentals of Block Diagram

Rectangular block:
Represents the cause-and-effect
relationship between the input and
output of a physical system.
Control element:
Represents any of the system
components such as controller,
process,
sensor,
transmitter,
transducer, control valve, metering
pump, solenoid valve, etc.
Arrow:
Represent the direction of signal
flow.

Input

Control
Element

Output

Controller

%TO
%CO

%CO

Control valve

%PV

Fundamentals of Signal Flow

Take off point:
A point where the signal is
channeled to various operators or
control elements.
Circle:
Represents the signals operation. A
negative or positive sign is placed
inside the circle to represent
deduction or addition of the
respective signals, respectively.

x y

x
+

Examples of Block Diagram & Signal Flow

Example No. 1:
Draw a block diagram for the
following equation:

x1

a1

x 3 = a 1 x 1 + a 2x 2 5

x2

a2

where, a and x are the control

elements and signals, respectively.
Example No. 2:
Draw a block diagram for the
following equation:
dx
x4 x1 dt 2
dt
where,
the
integrator
and
differentiator are the control
elements; while x is the control
signal.

x3

+
+

x4

x1

x2

dt
d

dt

Examples of Block Diagram & Signal Flow

Example No. 3:
Draw a block diagram for the
following equation:
x4 x1 dt

d 2 x1
dt

x1

where, the integrator, differentiator

and square root extractor are the
control elements; while x is the
control signal.

x1

dt
d

dt

dt

+++

x4

Examples of Block Diagram & Signal Flow

Example No. 4:
Find Xn/X1 for the following system.

10
( s 1)

x1

x2

1
( s 1)

xn

Answer:
x2

10
x1
( s 1)

. (1)

xn

1
x2
( s 1)

. (2)

Put (1) into (2):

xn

1
1
10
10
x2
x1 2
x1
( s 1)
( s 1) ( s 1)
( s 1)

Tutorial of Block Diagram & Signal Flow

Question No. 1:
Find Xn/X1 for the following system.

x1

1
( s 1)

x2

10
( s 1)

xn

Answer:

xn

10
10
1
10
x2
x1 2
x1
( s 1)
( s 1) ( s 1)
( s 1)

Question No. 2:
Find Xn/X1 for the following system.

x1

Answer:

10
( s 1)
xn

x2

20
x1
s ( s 1) ( s 1)

1
( s 1)

x3

2
s

xn

Feed back Loop in Block Diagram

Feed back loop:
A signal splits from a stream and
goes to a control element which
later added to the original stream.
Question:
What are the relationship between
these variables: r, e, b & c.
Answer:
Perform balance at summing junction:

e=r+b

(1)

Perform balance at G block:

c=eG

. (2)

Perform balance at H block:

b=cH

. (3)

Solving (1), (2) and (3) simultaneously:

c
G

r 1 GH

Feed back Loop in Block Diagram

Feed back loop:
A signal splits from a stream and
goes to a control element which
later added to the original stream.
Question:
What are the relationship between
these variables: r, e, b & c.
Answer:
Perform balance at summing junction:

e=r-b

(1)

Perform balance at G block:

c=eG

. (2)

Perform balance at H block:

b=cH

. (3)

Solving (1), (2) and (3) simultaneously:

c
G

r 1 GH

Feed back Loop in Block Diagram

Mathematical equivalent.

Block diagram.
(i) Closed loop

c
G

r 1 GH

(ii) Open loop

G
1 GH

Rules for Block Diagram

1. Summing junction
2. Associative and commutative properties
3. Distributive property
4. Blocks in parallel
5. Positive feed back
6. Negative feed back

Examples of Mathematical Equivalent of Block

Diagrams

Examples of Mathematical Equivalent of Block

Diagrams

Examples of Mathematical Equivalent of Block

Diagrams

Examples of Mathematical Equivalent of Block

Diagrams

Tutorials
Question:
Calculate C/R of the following system.

Tutorials
Question:
Calculate C/R of the following system.

Tutorials
Question:
Calculate C/R of the following system.

Tutorials

Choose a layout
then click the placeholders to add your own pictures and captions.