ECE 402 Controls Lab

JSG - November 30, 2001

ECE 402 - Lab #5

Gain Compensation - Bode Plots & Nichols Charts
Purpose:
This lab looks at using frequency-domain techniques to find a feedback gain. Specifically, gain
compensation using Bode Plots and Nichols Charts will be presented.

Introduction
If you are trying to control a dynamic system, it can be represented by a transfer function in 's'. One way
to interpret a gain, G(s), is to let s → jω. This results in the system behaving as a filter with the gain of
G(jω).
If a dynamic system has feedback, as shown below, two questions arise:
"How large can you make the gain and have a stable system?"
"How large should the gain be for some desired damping ratio?"
If interpreted using root-locus techniques, stability results from keeping the poles in the left-half plane. If
interpreted using frequency domain techniques, stability results from the closed-loop gain being finite.

R Y
G(jw)
-

With the feedback loop, the gain from R to Y at some frequency ω is

Y = (G(jω) − G 2 (jω) + G 3 (jω) − G 4 (jω) + ....)
If G(jω) = a∠180 0, the signals add in phase and the gain is
Y = −(a + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + ...)R
For a<1, this is finite and becomes
 a
a<
Y=  1+a

 ∞ a≥
Similarly, from a frequency-domain standpoint,

For a system to be stable, the gain must be less than 1.000 when the phase of the open-loop
system is 1800 .

In addition to being stable, a system should also behave well. 'Well' typically means the damping ratio
must be at least some value (meaning the resonance is less than XdB, the overshoot is less than Y%, etc.)
To find the gain which keeps the resonance less than XdB, a Nichols chart is used.
 ECE 402 Controls Lab
JSG - November 30, 2001

Nichols Charts
The relationship which converts the gain of the open-loop system to the closed-loop gain is

G(jω) →  1+G (jω) 

G(jω)

For example, if the gain of G is 0.9∠ − 150 0 at some frequency, the closed-loop gain at that frequency will
be 1.7958∠ − 86.11 0  = 1+0.9∠−150
0.9∠−150 0 
0 . Since this is a nonlinear mapping, a Nichols Chart is useful to show

G
how G maps into 1+G .

To read a Nichols chart,

The open-loop gain, G, is read on the outer coordinates. For example, the gain 0.9∠ − 150 0 is
marked as point 'A' on the following plot.
The closed-loop gain is read from the ovals (termed M-circles). The point marked is slightly
outside of the 6dB M-circle. Hence, the closed-loop gain is about 5dB (1.79).
Note: The M-circles are for convenience. All points on the 6dB M-circle have a closed-loop gain of 6dB.

Gain (dB)
20

G(jw)
15 1dB

3dB
10
0dB

5 6dB
9dB
12dB
15dB
0 A

-5

-10

-15

-20
-220 -210 -200 -190 -180 -170 -160 -150 -140 -130 -120 -110 -100
degrees

To use a Nichols chart,

The open-loop gain G(jω) is plotted using the outer coordinates on the Nichols chart.
Stability can be read by checking the gain when the phase is 180 degrees. To be stable, the gain
must be less than 1 when the phase is 180 degrees. For the system plotted above, the gain is
-12dB when the phase is 180 degrees. Hence, this system is stable.
 ECE 402 Controls Lab
JSG - November 30, 2001

The resonance can be read by finding the point closest to -1 as read by the M-circles. (0dB,
-1800 .) For this system, the largest closed-loop gain is close to point, 'A', with a resonance of
about 5dB closed-loop.

To design a gain compensator using a Nichols chart,

Translate the design requirement to the desired resonance (Mm) using 2nd-order
approximations.
Plot G(jw) on the Nichols Chart.
Adjust the gain until the open-loop gain is less then 1.000 when the phase is 180 degrees.
Adjust the gain (slide G(jw) up and down on the Nichols chart) until G(jw) is tangent to the
desired M-circle.
k is then how much you slid G(jw) up or down.
For example, if a resonance of 12dB is desired for the closed-loop system, you need to slide G(jw) up
+7dB as shown below. K is then +7dB = 2.2387.

Gain (dB)
20

G(jw)
15 1dB

3dB
10
0dB

5 6dB
9dB
12dB
15dB
0 A

-5
GK
-10
K
-15

-20
-220 -210 -200 -190 -180 -170 -160 -150 -140 -130 -120 -110 -100
degrees
 ECE 402 Controls Lab
JSG - November 30, 2001

Bode Plots:
A Bode Plot is a plot of gain and phase vs. frequency. Ideally, you would like the gain to be 1.000 at al
frequencies, meaning that the output tracks the input. Unfortunately, this often is not the case. To make
the gain 1.000, feedback can be used with high gains.
With feedback, the gain becomes

G(jω) →  1+G (jω) 

G(jω)

This is approximately:

 G(jω)  ≈  1 G >>
 1+G(jω)  G <<
 G
Hence, if you make the gain large, the closed-loop gain will be approximately 1.000 as desired.
From previous results, there is a limit on how much gain you can tolerated, however. As a result, the trick
to designing a feedback system using frequency domain techniques is to
Crank up the gain as much as possible. A Nichols chart is a useful tool to determine how large
the gain can be.
This results in the closed-loop system having a gain of about 1.000 when the open-loop gain is
greater than 1. This will likewise be the 'passband' of your closed-loop system.

For example, consider G(s) =  (s+1)(s+10)(s+50)

5000s  . The open-loop and closed-loop gain  G(jω)  are plotted
  1+G (jω) 
below. Note that
When |G|>1,  1+G
G 
 ≈1
At the corner (when G=1), a resonance occurs. The amplitude of this can be seen on the
Nichols chart if G(jw) were plotted on this chart.
 ECE 402 Controls Lab
JSG - November 30, 2001

30

Open-Loop
20

10

dB
0
Closed-Loop

-10

-20

-30
0.01 0.1 1 rad/sec 10 100 1000
 ECE 402 Controls Lab
JSG - November 30, 2001

Lab #5: Prelab

Step 1) Build the following circuit

1M R

100k
10k
R 0.01
2
100k
100k
100k 741 Y
6
741
3
0.01 0.01 0.01
100k

R
k =
1M
10k

Open in Step 2
10k
Close in Step 4+
10k 2

6
741
3

Lab #5: Procedure:

Step 2) With the feedback gain removed, find the gain and phase from point R to Y. Be careful to
measure the gain with the phase is close to -180 degrees.
Step 3) Plot the gain on a Bode plot. Plot the gain and phase of G(s) on a Nichols chart. From the
Nichols chart, determine K so that the closed-loop system has a resonance of 3dB.
Step 4) Add the feedback loop and apply the gain found in step #3. Measure the gain vs. frequency for
the closed-loop system.
Step 5) Apply a step input to the closed-loop system and measure the % overshoot and settling time.
Why does/does't the step response behave as expected?

Write-up:
If you design a compensator using frequency domain techniques, what information do you need?
Do you need to know the transfer function of the system to design a feedback compensator using
frequency domain techniques?
Was the gain vs. frequency 'flatter' with feedback or without? Why was this so?
How does designing a compensator using a Nichols chart compare to a similar design using Root Locus
techniques?
Gain (dB)
20

15 1dB

10 3dB
0dB

5 6dB
9dB
12dB
15dB
0

-5

-10

-15

-20
-220 -210 -200 -190 -180 -170 -160 -150 -140 -130 -120 -110 -100
degrees