Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers
B. M. VINAGRE
Department of Electronics and Electromechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering School,
University of Extramadura, E-06071 Badajoz, Spain
P. O’LEARY
Institute of Automation, Montanuniversität Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
L’. DORČÁK
Department of Informatics and Process Control, BERG Faculty, Technical University of Košice,
04200 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract. An approach to the design of analogue circuits, implementing fractional-order controllers, is presented.
The suggested approach is based on the use of continued fraction expansions; in the case of negative coefficients
in a continued fraction expansion, the use of negative impedance converters is proposed. Several possible methods
for obtaining suitable rational appromixations and continued fraction expansions are discussed. An example of
realization of a fractional-order Iλ controller is presented and illustrated by obtained measurements. The suggested
approach can be used for the control of very fast processes, where the use of digital controllers is difficult or
impossible.
Keywords: Fractional calculus, fractional differentiation, fractional integration, fractional-order controller, real-
ization.
1. Introduction
Although digital controllers are used more and more frequently for controlling many types of
complex processes, the role of analogue controllers should not be undervalued. Indeed, digital
controllers have some natural limitations, coming from their discrete nature, such as the length
of the sampling period and the time of computation, which should be significantly less than
the length of the sampling period. This sometimes makes the use of digital controllers prac-
tically impossible, especially in case of fast processes, such as vibrations, and the alternative
approach to controlling fast processes is represented by analogue controllers.
In this paper we describe an approach to the design of analogue fractional-order controllers.
The paper is organized as follows. First, we recall some basic relationships for describing
fractional-order systems and fractional-order controllers. Then we discuss some uses of con-
tinued fraction expansions, including their applications in the control theory. Finally, we show
how continued fraction expansions can be used for designing analogue circuits, implementing
Partially supported by grant No. VEGA 1/7098/20 of the Slovak Grant Agency for Science.
Partially supported by FEDER Research Grant No. IFD97-0755-C02-01.
Partially supported by a research grant of the Austrian Institute for Central and Eastern Europe.
282 I. Podlubny et al.
In this section we discuss some applications of continued fractions. First we recall their use
for approximating functions and investigating stability of linear systems. Then we introduce a
new relationship between continued fractions and multiple nested-loop systems.
It is well known that the Continued Fraction Expansions (CFE) is a method for evaluation
of functions, that frequently converges much more rapidly than power series expansions, and
converges in a much larger domain in the complex plane [11]. The result of such approxima-
tion for an irrational function, G(s), can be expressed in the form:
b1 (s)
G(s) a0 (s) +
a1 (s) + b2 (s)
b3 (s)
a2 (s)+ a (s)+···
3
It is also known that continuous fraction expansions can be used for investigating stability of
linear systems. For this, the characteristic polynomial Q(s) of the differential equation of the
system should be divided in two parts, the ‘even’ part (containing even powers of s) and the
‘odd’ part (containing odd powers of s):
Then these two parts of the characteristic polynomial are used for creating its test function in
the form of a fraction, in which the highest power of s is contained in the denominator:
m(s) n(s)
R(s) = or R(s) = .
n(s) m(s)
The rational function R(s) should be written in the form of a continuous fraction:
1
R(s) = . (8)
1
b1 s +
1
b2 s +
............
1
bn−1 s +
bn s
If bk > 0, k = 1, . . . , n, then the system is stable. If some bk is negative, then the system
is unstable.
Considering the continued fraction (8) as a tool for designing a corresponding LC circuit,
we can conclude that stability of a linear system is equivalent to realizability of its test function
R(s) with the help of only passive electric components.
Let us now establish an interesting new relationship between continued fractions and nested
multiple-loop control systems.
We first recall the known fact that the transfer function R(s) of the control loop with a
negative feedback shown in Figure 2 is given by [7]
G(s)
R(s) = . (9)
1 + G(s)H (s)
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 285
From (9) it immediately follows that the transfer function of the circuit shown in Figure 3
is
1 1
P2n (s) = ∗ = , (10)
1 + 1 · Y2n (s) Y2n(s)
∗
where Y2n (s) = Y2n (s) + 1.
Using Equations (9) and (10) we obtain the transfer function of the system shown in
Figure 4:
1
Q2n−1 (s) = Z2n−1 (s) + P2n (s) = Z2n−1 (s) + . (11)
Y2n(s)
Combining Equations (9) and (10) we find the transfer function of the nested multiple-loop
system shown in Figure 5:
Q2n−1 (s) 1
P2n−2 (s) = =
1 + Q2n−1 (s)Y2n−2 (s) 1
Y2n−2 (s) +
Q2n−1 (s)
1
= (12)
1
Y2n−2 (s) +
1
Z2n−1 (s) + .
Y2n (s)
The transfer function of the system shown in Figure 6 is then given by the relationship
Continuing this process, we obtain the transfer function of the nested multiple-loop control
system shown in Figure 7 in the form of a continued fraction expansion, which is identical
with the Equation (24):
1
Z(s) = Z1 (s) +
1
Y2 (s) +
1
Z3 (s) +
1
Y4 (s) +
.................................
1
1
Y2n−2 (s) +
1
Z2n−1 (s) + .
Y2n (s)
Similarly to the above considerations, we can obtain a continued fraction expansion of
the transfer function of the other interesting type of a nested multiple-loop control system,
depicted in Figure 8:
1
Z(s) = (14)
1
Z1 (s) +
1
Y2 (s) +
1
Z3 (s) +
.................................
1
1
Y2n−2 (s) +
1
Z2n−1 (s) + .
Y2n (s)
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 287
Both types of nested multiple-loop systems, presented in this section, can be used for
simulations and realizations of arbitrary transcendental transfer functions. For this, the transfer
function should be developed in a continued fraction, which after truncation can be represen-
ted by a nested multiple-loop system shown in Figures 7 or 8.
In general [12], a rational approximation of the function G(s) = s −α , 0 < α < 1 (the frac-
tional integral operator in the Laplace domain) can be obtained by performing the CFE of the
functions:
1
Gh (s) = , (15)
(1 + sT )α
1 α
Gl (s) = 1 + , (16)
s
where Gh (s) is the approximation for high frequencies (ωT
1), and Gl (s) the approxima-
tion for low frequencies (ω 1).
EXAMPLE 1. Performing the CFE of the function (15), with T = 1, α = 0.5, we obtain
0.3513s 4 + 1.405s 3 + 0.8433s 2 + 0.1574s + 0.008995
H1 (s) = .
s 4 + 1.333s 3 + 0.478s 2 + 0.064s + 0.002844
EXAMPLE 2. Performing the CFE of the function (16), with T = 1, α = 0.5, we obtain
s 4 + 4s 3 + 2.4s 2 + 0.448s + 0.0256
H2 (s) = .
9s 4 + 12s 3 + 4.32s 2 + 0.576s + 0.0256
Besides using continued fractions, there are also other methods [13] for obtaining rational
approximations of fractional-order systems. However, since a ratio of two polynomials can be
expressed in the form of a finite continued fraction, any rational approximation is equivalent
to a certain finite continued fraction.
The method proposed by Carlson in [14], derived from a regular Newton process used for
iterative approximation of the α-th root, can be considered as belonging to this group. The
starting point of the method is the statement of the following relationships:
(H (s))1/α − (G(s)) = 0; H (s) = (G(s))α . (17)
Defining α = 1/q, m = q/2, in each iteration, starting from the initial value H0 (s) = 1,
an approximated rational function is obtained in the form:
(q − m) (Hi−1 (s))2 + (q + m)G(s)
Hi (s) = Hi−1 (s) . (18)
(q + m) (Hi−1 (s))2 + (q − m)G(s)
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 289
EXAMPLE 3. Starting from H (s) = (1/s)1/2 , H0 (s) = 1, after two iterations, we obtain
EXAMPLE 4. With G(s) = (1/s)1/2 , finitial = 1, ffinal = 100, fk = {1, 1.7783, 3.1623,
5.6234, 10, 17.783, 31.623, 56.234, 100}, we obtain
H (s) = s δ , δ ∈ R+ (21)
by a rational function
N
1 + s/ωk
(s) = C
H , (22)
k=−N
1 + s/ω k
Let us consider the circuit depicted in Figure 9, where Z2k−1 (s) and Y2k (s), k = 1, . . . , n, are
given impedances of the circuit elements. The resulting impedance Z(s) of the entire circuit
can be found easily, if we consider it in the right-to-left direction:
1
Z(s) = Z1 (s) + (24)
1
Y2 (s) +
1
Z3 (s) +
1
Y4 (s) +
.................................
1
1
Y2n−2 (s) +
1
Z2n−1 (s) + .
Y2n (s)
The relationship between the finite domino ladder network, shown in Figure 9, and the con-
tinued fraction (24) provides an easy method for designing a circuit with a given impedance
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 291
Z(s). For this one has to obtain a continued fraction expansion for Z(s). Then the obtained
particular expressions for Z2k−1 (s) and Y2k (s), k = 1, . . . , n, will give the types of necessary
components of the circuit and their nominal values.
s 4 + 4s 2 + 1
Z(s) = , (25)
s3 + s
we have to develop Z(s) in continued fraction
s 4 + 4s 2 + 1 1
Z(s) = =s+ (26)
s +s
3 1
s+
1
3 9 1
s+
2 2
s.
3
From this expansion it follows that
9 1 2
Z1 (s) = s, Z3 (s) = s, Y2 (s) = s, Y4 (s) = s.
2 3 3
Therefore, for the analogue realization in the form of the first Cauer’s canonic LC circuit
[17] we have to choose the following values of coils and capacitors:
9 1 2
L1 = 1 [H ], L3 = [H ], C2 = [F ], C4 = [F ].
2 3 3
EXAMPLE 7. The function Z(s) given by Equation (25) can be written also in the form
s 4 + 4s 2 + 1 1 1
Z(s) = = + (27)
s +s
3 s 1
+
1
3s 9 1
+
2s 2
.
3s
From this expansion it follows that
1 9 1 2
Z1 (s) = , Z3 (s) = , Y2 (s) = , Y4 (s) = .
s 2s 3s 3s
Therefore, for the analogue realization in the form of the second Cauer’s canonic LC circuit
[17] we have to choose the following values of coils and capacitors:
2 3
C1 = 1 [F ], C3 = [F ], L2 = 3 [H ], L4 = [H ].
9 2
EXAMPLE 8. To design a circuit with the impedance
s 4 + 3s 2 + 8
Z(s) = , (28)
2s 3 + 4s
292 I. Podlubny et al.
The previous example shows that the use of CFE for analogue realization of arbitrary transfer
functions may lead to the appearance of negative impedances. This observation is not un-
known. For example, in the paper [12], Dutta Roy recalls Khovanskii’s continued fraction
expansion for x 1/2 found in [18] and makes a remark that
. . . if x is replaced by the complex frequency variable s, then the realization would
require a negative resistance. Thus, the [Khovanskii’s] CFEs do not seem to be useful
for realization of fractional inductor or capacitor.
Then he describes a method for circumventing this difficulty, which gives a continued fraction
expansion with positive coefficients.
However, the possibility of realization of negative impedances in electric circuits has been
pointed out by Bode [19, chapter IX]. Later, in 1970s, operational amplifiers appeared, which
significantly simplified creation of circuits exhibiting negative resistances, negative capa-
citances, and negative inductances. Such circuits are called negative-impedance converters
[20].
The simplest scheme of a negative-impedance converter (or current inverter) is shown in
Figure 10. The circuit consists of an operational amplifier, two resistors of equal resistance R,
and a component with the impedance Z. The entire circuit, considered as a single element,
has negative impedance −Z. This means that Iin = Vin /(−Z)).
For example, taking a resistor of resistance RZ instead of the element Z, we obtain a circuit,
which behaves like a negative resistance −RZ . The negative resistance means that if such an
element of negative resistance, for instance, −10 k: is connected in series with a classical
20 k: resistor, then the resistance of the resulting connection is 10 k:.
Let us now recall Example 8. Using negative-impedance converters, it is possible to design
a circuit with the required impedance Z(s), which will contain a negative capacitance C4 and
a negative inductance L3 .
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 293
Figure 13. Time response of the I1/2 controller to unit step input (measurements).
to the square input signal (unit step). We used frequency 100 Hz and amplitude ±10 V. It can
be seen from Figure 12 that the realized analogue of fractional-order Iλ controller provides a
good approximation in the frequency range [102 rad/sec, 5 · 102 rad/sec].
Measurements were done using IWATSU Digital Storagescope DS-8617 100 MHz, Hew-
lett Packard 35670A dynamic signal analyzer, Hewlett Packard 33120A 15 MHz function/
arbitrary waveform generator, power supply Thurlby-Thandar PL320QMD.
Analogue Realizations of Fractional-Order Controllers 295
8. Conclusion
In this paper we have demonstrated that the suggested use of continued fraction expansions
is a good general method for obtaining analogue devices (fractances) described by fractional
differential equations or by fractional-order transfer functions. Moreover, this approach can
be used for realization of other types of systems with transcendental transfer functions, which
can be developed in continued fractions. Furthermore, it has been shown that any rational
approximation of the transfer function can be used for designing the corresponding analogue
circuit, even if some of the coefficients of the resulting continued fraction are negative.
We have also introduced two types of nested multiple-loop systems, which can be easily
used for modelling, simulation, and realization of fractional-order systems and controllers,
and more generally for modelling, simulation and realization of systems, for which a rational
approximation of the transfer function can be obtained.
The exposition has been illustrated with several examples, including analogue realization
of an Iλ controller, for which experimental results were presented.
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