Response of First Order System

in Various Input
MALLARI, DONNA JOY R.
CHE-4202

WHAT IS A FIRST-ORDER SYSTEM?

A first-order system is one whose output, y(t), is

modeled by a first order, linear differential equation

al dy+ aoy = bf(t)

dt
If a0 = 0

al dy+ y = bf(t)
aodt
ao

Where f(t) is the input

(forcing function)

Define

a l = p
and
ao

b = Kp
ao

p dy+ y = Kp f(t)
dt

p is

known as the time constant of the process

Kp is called the steady state gain or static gain or
simply the gain of the process.

The Transfer Function of a first order process is given by;

G(s)= Y(s) = Kp
X(s) s+1
It is defined only for linear time-invariant system. For non-

linear systems, the mathematical model must first be

linearized around a steady state. When defining the transfer
function, all initial conditions must be set to zero.
The time constant is related to the speed of response of the
process once the process starts to responds to a forcing
function. The slower the process the larger is the value of .
A first-order process with a Transfer Function is also known
as: first-order lag, linear lag, exponential transfer lag.

Response of the First Order Systems to Various

Inputs
Standard Process Inputs

a. Step Input
b. Ramp Input
c. Impulse
d. Rectangular Pulse
e. Sinusoidal Input

Step Input
This corresponds to a sudden and sustained input changes

x(t) = 0

t<0 A

x(t) = A
0 t

t0

x(t)

Zero time is the time at which the sudden change in

magnitude A occurs.
Ex. a step change in flow rate can be obtained by the
sudden opening of a valve.

Ramp Input
This corresponds to inputs that drift, that is, they

change relatively slowly upward or downward for

some period with a roughly constant slope.
x(t) = 0 t < 0
x(t) = at t 0

slope=a
x(t)

Impulse
Impulse functions are not encountered in usual plant

operations, nor are they easy to generate physically

by the engineer. To obtain an impulse input it is
necessary to inject a finite amount of energy or
material into a process in an infinitesimal length of
time.
x(t) = A(t)
1/b
(t)=lim u(t)-u(t-b)
b 0
b
b

Rectangular Pulse
This is a sudden but un-sustained type of

disturbance.
x(t) = A Au(t-tw)
A
0

tw

Sinusoidal Input
These inputs vary periodically.

x(t) = 0
t<0
x(t) = ASint t 0

Where: A = amplitude of the sinusoidal function

= the radian frequency ; =2f
P= period is related by P= 2

Response to Step Input of the First Order System

The step input function is given by

x(t)=

0 t 0

{A t>0

where A is the magnitude of step change. Taking the

Laplace transform, the input in the s domain is x(s)= A

s
The response of the system to the first order system is given
y(s)= A = Kp
by the equation

s+1

Getting the inverse Laplace transform of y(s) gives

y(t)= A Kp (1- e-t/)

When t=, t/ =1 and the value of the response of

the system is y()= AKp (1- e-1 )= .632 AKp.

Problem
Example 5.1.

A thermometer having a time constant* of 0.1 min is

at a steady state temperature of 90F. At time t = 0,
the thermometer is placed in a temperature bath
maintained at 100F. Determine the time needed for
the thermometer to read 98.
Answer : 0. 161 min

Problem
Problem 5.9 A thermometer having a time constant of
1 min is initially at 50C. It is immersed in a bath
maintained at 100C at t = 0. Determine the
temperature reading at t = 1.2 min.
Problem 5.10 In problem 5.9, if at t = 1.5 min, the
thermometer is removed from the bath and put in a
bath at 75C, determine the maximum temperature
indicated by the thermometer. What will be the
indicated temperature at t = 20 min?

Impulse Response of the First Order System

Impulse function is given by the equation,
The Laplace Transform of the impulse

function is x(s)=1 .
The response of the first order of the system to
impulse change is y(s)= 1 .

s+1
Taking the inverse Laplace Transform yields
y(t)= e-t/

Unit Impulse Response of a First Order System.

Sinusoidal Response of the First Order

System
The sinusoidal input function is given by the

function
where A is the amplitude and is the frequency of

the sinusoidal input in rad/time

The Laplace transform of the input function is
The output of the first order system to sinusoidal

input is given by

Taking the inverse Laplace Transform of the system,

the response of the first order system to sinusoidal

input in time domain is given by

This equation can be written in another form using

the trigonometric identity

where

Applying this identity to the sinusoidal output

function yields
Where =tan -1 (-t)
As the time approaches infinity, the first term of the

right side of the output equation vanishes and leaves

only the ultimate periodic steady state solution

Comparing the input function and the ultimate periodic

steady state response of the system shows that

1. The output is a sine wave with a frequency w equal

to that of the input signal.
2. The ratio of output amplitude to input amplitude is
l/ 22 + 1. This is always smaller than 1. We often
state this by saying that the signal is attenuated.
3. The output lags behind the input by an angle . It is
clear that lag occurs, for the sign of is always
negative.

Effect of Varying the Amplitude of the Sinusoidal Input

Function to the Response of a First Order System

Problem
Example 5.2. A mercury thermometer having a time

constant of 0.1 min is placed in a temperature bath at

100F and allowed to come to equilibrium with the
bath. At time t = 0, the temperature of the bath
begins to vary sinusoidally about its average
temperature of lOOF with an amplitude of 2F If
the frequency of oscillation is 10/ cycles/min, plot
the ultimate response of the thermometer reading as
a function of time. What is the phase lag?

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in life is to learn how to love
Pope Francis

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