New mathematical techniques, as well as advances in electronic and computer technologies, made it possible to control significantly more complex dynamical systems than the original flyball governor could stabilize. Elements of control theory had appeared earlier but not as dramatically and convincingly as in Maxwell's analysis.Ĭontrol theory made significant strides over the next century. This demonstrated the importance and usefulness of mathematical models and methods in understanding complex phenomena, and it signaled the beginning of mathematical control and systems theory. In his 1868 paper "On Governors", James Clerk Maxwell was able to explain instabilities exhibited by the flyball governor using differential equations to describe the control system. Milestones among feedback, or "closed-loop" automatic control devices, include the temperature regulator of a furnace attributed to Drebbel, circa 1620, and the centrifugal flyball governor used for regulating the speed of steam engines by James Watt in 1788. The latter includes the automata, popular in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring dancing figures that would repeat the same task over and over again these automata are examples of open-loop control. A variety of automatic devices have been used over the centuries to accomplish useful tasks or simply just to entertain. This certainly was a successful device as water clocks of similar design were still being made in Baghdad when the Mongols captured the city in 1258 CE. It kept time by regulating the water level in a vessel and, therefore, the water flow from that vessel. The first feedback control device on record is thought to be the ancient Ktesibios's water clock in Alexandria, Egypt, around the third century BCE. A system can be mechanical, electrical, fluid, chemical, financial or biological, and its mathematical modelling, analysis and controller design uses control theory in one or many of the time, frequency and complex-s domains, depending on the nature of the design problem.Ĭontrol of fractionating columns is one of the more challenging applicationsĪutomatic control systems were first developed over two thousand years ago. It seeks to understand physical systems, using mathematical modelling, in terms of inputs, outputs and various components with different behaviors to use control system design tools to develop controllers for those systems and to implement controllers in physical systems employing available technology. Control engineering plays an essential role in a wide range of control systems, from simple household washing machines to high-performance F-16 fighter aircraft. It can be broadly defined or classified as practical application of control theory. Modern day control engineering is a relatively new field of study that gained significant attention during the 20th century with the advancement of technology. Multi-disciplinary in nature, control systems engineering activities focus on implementation of control systems mainly derived by mathematical modeling of a diverse range of systems. Systems designed to perform without requiring human input are called automatic control systems (such as cruise control for regulating the speed of a car). The practice uses sensors and detectors to measure the output performance of the process being controlled these measurements are used to provide corrective feedback helping to achieve the desired performance. The discipline of controls overlaps and is usually taught along with electrical engineering and mechanical engineering at many institutions around the world. Or Automation engineering (in Europe) is an engineering discipline that deals with control systems, applying control theory to design equipment and systems with desired behaviors in control environments. Control systems play a critical role in space flightĬontrol engineering or control systems engineering
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |