Transfer Function of a Process with a Single Output

The dynamic behaviour of the process is described by an nth-order linear (or linearized nonlinear)
differential equation;

dny d n 1 y dy
an n
a n 1 n 1
....a1 a0 y bf (t )........................ (7)
dt dt dt

Where y(t) F(t) are the output and input of the process respectively. Both are expressed in terms of
deviation variables. Assume that the system is initially at steady-sate. That

(8)

After taking the laplace transform of both sides of equation (7) and using the initial conditions
dy d 2 y d n 1 y
eqn(8),we find th y ( o ) 2 ..... n 1 ................ at
dt t o dt t o dt t 0

y( s) b
G( s ) n 1
.......................(9)
f (s) a n s a n 1 s
n
..... a1 s a 0

If the process has two inputs, f(t) and f(t),its dynamic model is

dny d n 1 y dy
a n n a n 1 n 1 .....a1 a 0 y b1 f 1 (t ) b2 f 2 (t ).....................(10)
dt dt dt

With same initial conditions eqtn(8). From Equation(10) we have

b1 b2
y( s) n 1
f 1 (t ) n 1
f 2 (t )..............(11)
a n s a n 1 s ... a1 s a 0
n
a n s a n 1 s .... a1 s a 0
n

Or equivalently y ( t ) G1( s ) f 1 ( s ) G2 ( s ) f 2 ( s )..............................(12)

G 1(s) and G 2(s) are the two transfer functions which relate the output of the process to each one of its
two inputs. Thus G 1(s) relate s the y(s) to the first input f 1(s) ,and G 2(s) relates y(s) to the other input f2(s).
Generally transfer function is
,
G(s) = ,
(13)
 Process Diagram Block Diagram

f(t) process y(t) f(s) y(s) single input

input output G(s) single output

F1(s)
G1(s) + Two input
F1(t) process y(t) Y(s) Single output
F2(t) F2(s) G2(s) +

NOTE; (1) It describes completely the dynamic behaviour of the output when the corresponding input
changes are given ,Thus ,for a particular variation of the input f(t), we can find its transform f(s), and
from eqn(13) we see that the response of the system is y (s) =G (s)f (s) .Take the inverse transform of
G (s)f (s) and you have the response Y(t) in the time domain.

(2) To find the transfer function for a nonlinear system, it must first be linearized around a steady-
state and be expressed I terms of deviation variables.

Example The mathematical model of the stirred tank heater in terms of deviation variables is

dT 1
aT Ti kTst ...............................(14)
dt

1 1 F UAt
Where T ,Ti , T st are deviation variables, a1nd a k, i , k
V VC p

1
Taking laplace transform of both sides, sT( s ) aT( s ) Ti ( s ) kTst ( s )

1 1 / k
( s a )T( s ) Ti ( s ) kTst ( s ) , T( s ) Ti ( s ) Tst ( s )
sa sa

T( s ) T( s )
Define the two transfer functions as G1( s ) , G2 ( s ) , ; T( s ) G1( s ) Ti ( s ) G2 ( s ) Tst ( s )
Ti ( s ) Tst ( s )
 G 1(s)

1 /
sa
T i(s)

G 2(s) T (s)

k
T st(s)
sa

Block diagram of a tank heater

Note; G 1(s) relates the temp of the liquid in the tank to that of the inlet stream, while G 2(s) relates the
temp of the liquid in the tank to that of the stream.

Transfer Function Matrix of a Process with Multiple Outputs