Lag & Lead Compensators

Refer Textbook
Control Systems Engineering by
Nagrath, Gopal
Control System Design Problem
• The control systems are designed for specific application should to meet certain
performance specifications.

Figure 1: Antenna Tracking Control System

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Continued…
• The plant alone in the system cannot achieve the specifications.
• A corrective subsystem is used which forces the plant to meet the requirements,
such subsystems are called compensators.
• Role of the compensator is to compensate the deficiency in the performance
of the plant.

Given a plant and set of specifications , design a suitable compensators so that the
overall system will meet the required specifications

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Continued…
What a control engineer will have in hand when he starts the design??

• Set of performance specifications,

• Time domain specifications 𝜁, 𝑀𝑝 , 𝜔𝑛 , 𝑡𝑟 , 𝑡𝑠 𝑒𝑡𝑐. . , or,
• Frequency domain specifications 𝑀𝑟 , 𝜔𝑟 , 𝜔𝐵𝑊 , 𝑃𝑀, 𝐺𝑀

Next what should he decide??

• Select the compensation techniques or select type of compensators

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Compensators
• Compensators are subsystems introduced into the system to meet design
specifications.
• The compensator may be electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or other
types.
• Electrical compensators are widely used in many control systems.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Figure: Electrical Lag Compensator

Figure: Pneumatic Lag Compensator

Figure: Mechanical Lag Compensator

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Necessities of compensation

• A system may be unsatisfactory in：

Stability.
Speed of response.
Steady-state error.
• Thus the design of a system is concerned with the alteration of the frequency
response or the root locus of the system in order to obtain a suitable system
performance.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Compensator Configurations
1. Series (cascade)Compensation 2. Parallel (feedback) Compensation

3. Series parallel compensation

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
 Types : Compensators
1. Lead compensators

• A lead compensator is an electrical circuit that when provided with a

sinusoidal input generates a sinusoidal signal as output with a phase lead in
comparison to that of the applied sinusoidal signal.

2. Lag compensators

• A lag compensator is a circuit that is designed to generate a steady-state

sinusoidal signal having a phase lag to the applied input sinusoidal signal

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Types : Compensators
3. Lag–lead compensators

• A lag lead compensator is a type of electrical network that generates phase

lag as well as phase lead in the output signal at different frequencies.

• Phase lag occurs in the low-frequency region and

• Phase lead occurs in the high-frequency region.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Compensators
• Lead compensators: (to speed up transient response, margin of stability)

• Lag compensators:(to improve error constant or steady-state behavior – while

retaining transient response)

• Lag–lead compensators: (A combination of the above two i.e. to improve

steady state as well as transient).

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
1.Lead Compensator
Nature : Provides leading phase angle for all input sinusoidal frequencies.
• Transfer function of lead compensator

✓A lead compensator has a pole and a dominating zero.

✓Dominating zero → nearer to the origin
✓Both pole & zero → present on negative real axis.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Lead Compensator
• Lead compensators have a transfer function of the
form

(1)

1 1
• It has zero at 𝑠 = − & a pole at 𝑠 = −
𝜏 𝛼𝜏
𝟏
• Corner frequency of zero 𝝎𝒄𝟏 =
𝝉
𝟏
• Corner frequency of pole 𝝎𝒄𝟐 =
𝜶𝝉
• “ 𝝉” → Time constant
• “𝜶” → Attenuation constant
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Lead Compensator: Electrical Network
• Lead compensator can be realized by an electrical network

Figure: Electrical Lead Network

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Continued…
𝜏𝑠+1
• Consider the sinusoidal transfer function of 𝐺𝑐 𝑠 = 𝛼 from equ (1)
𝛼𝜏𝑠+1
1 + 𝑗𝜔𝜏
𝐺𝑐 𝑗𝜔 = 𝛼 ;𝛼 < 1
1 + 𝑗𝜔𝛼𝜏
• At 𝜔 = 0,the network has gain of 𝛼 < 1, let us cancel this dc attenuation of the
1
network with an amplification factor of 𝐴 =
𝛼

Figure: Phase Lead Network with Amplifier

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Continued…
• Connecting amplifier in series with the electrical network we get,
1 + 𝑗𝜔𝜏
𝐺𝑐 𝑗𝜔 = ;𝛼 < 1
1 + 𝑗𝜔𝛼𝜏
(3)
• Finding the phase angle function for the transfer function in equation (3) we have
• 𝜙 = tan−1 𝜔𝜏 − tan−1 𝛼𝜔𝜏 (4)

𝜔𝜏−𝛼𝜔𝜏
• tan 𝜙 = (5)
1+𝛼𝜔2 𝜏2
• Using 𝑑𝜙ൗ𝑑𝜔 = 0 for equ (4), we find the maximum phase lead occurring
frequency, 𝜔𝑚
1 1 1
• 𝜔𝑚 = = × → geometric mean of two corner frequencies, 𝝎𝒄𝟏 & 𝝎𝒄𝟐
𝜏 𝛼 𝜏 𝛼𝜏

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Continued…
1
• The maximum phase lead is obtained by substituting ω = 𝜔𝑚 = in equation
𝜏 𝛼
(5),
𝜔𝑚 𝜏(1 − 𝛼) (1 − 𝛼)
tan 𝜙𝑚 = 2 2
=
1 + 𝛼𝜔𝑚 𝜏 2 𝛼
(1−𝛼)
• sin 𝜙𝑚 = (6)
(1+𝛼)
(1−sin 𝜙𝑚 )
• Equation (6) gives 𝛼 in terms of 𝜙𝑚 , 𝛼=
(1+sin 𝜙𝑚 )
• The magnitude of 𝐺𝑐 (𝑗𝜔) at 𝜔𝑚 is

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Continued…
• The magnitude of 𝐺𝑐 (𝑗𝜔) at ω = 𝜔𝑚 in decibels is,
1 1
𝐺𝑐 (𝑗𝜔) 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐵 = 20 log = 10 log
𝛼 𝛼
• As ω ⟶ ∞, the magnitude of 𝐺𝑐 (𝑗𝜔) in decibels becomes,
1
𝐺𝑐 (𝑗𝜔) 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐵 = 20 log
𝛼

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
 This plot is for 𝜶 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Advantages of LEAD compensator
• Lead compensator provides dominant zero and a pole.

• It provides attenuation, improves damping of the overall system hence overshoot

is reduced -> improves transient response.

• The rise time and settling time reduces

• Addition of phase improves phase margin

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Disadvantages of LEAD compensator
• Lead network introduces attenuation to nullify that some gain enhancement has to
be done.

• A single lead network can be used to give a maximum phase of 60° ,for additional
phase shift cascading of multiple lead networks is required.

• It increases bandwidth, hence susceptible to noise.

• Signal to noise ratio at the output of the lead compensator is poorer. (gain at high
1
frequencies 20 log )
𝛼

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Lag Compensator
• Lag compensators have a transfer function of the
form,
𝑠+𝑧𝑐 𝑠+1Τ𝜏 𝜏𝑠+1 𝑧𝑐 (7)
𝐺𝑐 𝑠 = = = 𝛽( ); 𝛽= > 1, 𝜏 > 0
𝑠+𝑝𝑐 𝑠+1ൗ𝛽𝜏 𝛽𝜏𝑠+1 𝑝𝑐

• A system which has one zero and one dominating

pole ( the pole which is closer to origin) is known as
lag network.
𝟏
• Corner frequency of zero 𝝎𝒄𝟏 =
𝝉
𝟏
• Corner frequency of pole 𝝎𝒄𝟐 =
𝛽𝝉
• Where, 𝝉 and β are respectively the time constant
and DC gain

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Phase function
• The sinusoidal transfer function of lag compensator can be obtained by
𝝉𝒋𝝎+𝟏
substituting 𝑠 = 𝑗𝜔 in eqn (9) , 𝑮𝒄 𝒋𝝎 =
𝜷𝝉𝒋𝝎+𝟏
• Lag network has a DC gain of unity.
1
• It offers high frequency gain of , since 𝛽 > 1 the high frequency noise is
𝛽
attenuated as it passes through the network and signal to noise ratio is
improved, typical choice for 𝛽 is 10 .

• The phase function is , 𝝓 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 𝝎𝝉 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 𝜷𝝎𝝉, since 𝛽>1 steady state
output lags the input sinusoidal input.
𝝎𝝉−𝜷𝝎𝝉
• The tangent of the phase is, 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝝓 =
𝟏+𝜷𝝎𝟐 𝝉𝟐
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Maximum Phase Lag
• The frequency (𝜔𝑚 ) at which maximum phase lag 𝜙𝑚 can be obtained by ,
𝑑𝜙 1 1 1
• = 0, we get 𝜔𝑚 = = ×
𝑑𝜔 𝜏 𝛽 𝜏 𝜏𝛽

• The maximum phase-lead 𝜙𝑚 is given by,

𝜔𝑚 𝜏(1−𝛽) (1−𝛽)
• tan 𝜙𝑚 = =
1+𝛽𝜔𝑚 2 𝜏2 2 𝛽
(1−𝛽)
• sin 𝜙𝑚 =
(1+𝛽)

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
 Bode plot of Phase Lag Network

Lag network acts like a low

pass filter attenuating high
frequencies by −𝟐𝟎𝒍𝒐𝒈β 𝒅𝑩

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
 Electrical Lag Network
• The lag compensator can be realized by the following electrical
network
1
𝐸𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑅2 +𝑠𝐶 1 𝑠+ 1Τ𝑅2 𝐶
• = 1 = 𝑅1 +𝑅2 1 (8)
𝐸𝑖 (𝑠) 𝑅1 +𝑅2 + 𝑠+ 𝑅 +𝑅
𝑠𝐶 𝑅2 1 2 𝑅 𝐶
𝑅2 2

𝑅1 +𝑅2
• Comparing eqns. (7) & (8) we get, 𝜏 = 𝑅2 𝐶 , 𝛽 = >1
𝑅2
𝐸𝑜 (𝑠) 1 𝑠+1Τ𝜏 𝜏𝑠+1
• = 𝐺𝑐 𝑠 = =
𝐸𝑖 (𝑠) 𝛽 𝑠+1ൗ𝛽𝜏 𝛽𝜏𝑠+1 Figure : Electric Lag Network
(9)

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Important NOTE
• The primary function of a lag compensator is to provide attenuation in the high
frequency range to give a system sufficient phase margin.

• The phase-lag characteristic is of no consequence in lag compensation.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Advantages of LAG compensator
1.A phase lag network offers high gain at low frequency.

• It performs the function of a low pass filter.

2.The introduction of this network increases the steady-state performance of the

system.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Disadvantages of LAG compensator
1.In lag compensator, the attenuation offered by it shifts the gain crossover
frequency to a lower point, thereby decreasing the bandwidth.

2.Bandwidth reduces → response is quite slow.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Steps- Design of Lead Compensator
• Specifications – System error & Phase Margin (𝝓𝒔 ).

• STEP1: Draw the magnitude and phase (Bode) plots for uncompensated system
G(s)
• Determine the phase margin, (𝝓𝑷𝑴 ) and gain crossover frequency (𝝎𝒈𝒄 ) of
uncompensated plant.
• Phase margin of uncompensated network falls short of specified phase margin
𝝓𝒔 .

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Steps- Design of Lead Compensator
• STEP2:Determine the phase lead required

✓𝝓𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 = 𝝓𝒔 − 𝝓𝑷𝑴 + 𝜺
✓𝜀 , margin of safety to account for the reduction in the phase angle of
uncompensated network
✓𝜀 = 5° − 10° for slope -40dB/dec , 𝜀 = 15° − 20° for slope -60dB/dec

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Steps- Design of Lead Compensator
• STEP3: Let maximum phase lead that as to be provided by lead network be
𝜙𝑚 = 𝜙𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑
✓ Determine the 𝛼 parameter
1 − sin 𝜙𝑚
𝛼=
1 + sin 𝜙𝑚

• STEP4:
• Calculate 𝟏𝟎𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝟏Τ𝜶
• Locate the frequency at which uncompensated system has a gain of −𝟏𝟎𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝟏Τ𝜶
• The new cross over frequency 𝝎𝒈𝒄𝒏𝒆𝒘 = 𝝎𝒎

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Steps- Design of Lead Compensator
1 1
• STEP6: Two corner frequencies 𝜔𝑐1 = = 𝜔𝑚 𝛼, 𝜔𝑐2 = = 𝜔𝑚 / 𝛼,
𝜏 𝜏𝛼
1
• find 𝝉 =
𝜔𝑐1

• STEP7:
• The transfer function of the compensator
1 + 𝜏𝑠
𝐺𝑐 𝑠 =
1 + 𝛼𝜏𝑠
• STEP8: Check the phase margin of compensated network, If the phase margin is still low
increase ϵ and go to step 3.
• The transfer function of the compensated system

𝐺𝑐 𝑠 G(s)
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Problem 1- Lead Compensator
➢Design a lead compensator for a unity feedback system with an open loop transfer
function
10
𝐺 𝑠 =
𝑠(𝑠+1)
• For PM=36 degrees

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Solution
• STEP1: draw the magnitude and phase Bode plots of uncompensated
network

10
•𝐺 𝑠 =
𝑠(𝑠+1)

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
 𝝓𝒑𝒎𝟏 =17 degrees
𝝎𝒈𝒄𝟏 =3.3 rad/sec

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Solution
• Specifications –Phase Margin 𝝓𝒔 =36 degrees

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Solution
• STEP2:Determine the phase lead required

✓𝝓𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 = 𝝓𝒔 − 𝝓𝑷𝑴 + 𝜺 =𝟑𝟔° − 𝟏𝟕° + 𝟓° = 𝟐𝟒°

• STEP3: Let maximum phase lead that as to be provided by lead network be

𝜙𝑚 = 𝜙𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑
✓ Determine the 𝛼 parameter
1 − sin 𝜙𝑚 1 − sin 𝟐𝟒°
𝛼= = °
= 0.4217
1 + sin 𝜙𝑚 1 + sin 𝟐𝟒

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Solution
• STEP5:
• Calculate 𝟏𝟎𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝟏Τ𝜶 = 𝟏𝟎𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝟏Τ𝟎. 𝟒𝟐𝟏𝟕 = 𝟑. 𝟕𝟓 𝒅𝑩
• Locate the frequency at which uncompensated system has a gain of −𝟑. 𝟕𝟓 𝒅𝑩
• The new cross over frequency 𝝎𝒈𝒄𝟐 = 𝝎𝒎 = 4 rad/sec

• STEP6: Two corner frequencies

1
• 𝜔𝑐1 = = 𝜔𝑚 𝛼 = 2.6 rad/sec
𝜏
1 𝜔𝑚
• 𝜔𝑐2 = = = 6.16 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝜏𝛼 𝛼
1 1
• 𝝉= =( )
𝜔𝑐1 2.6
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Solution
• STEP7:
• The transfer function of the compensator
1
1 + 𝜏𝑠 1 + ( )𝑠 1 + 0.385𝑠
𝐺𝑐 𝑠 = = 2.6 =
1 + 𝛼𝜏𝑠 1 1 + 0.162𝑠
1+( )𝑠
6.16

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Solution
• STEP8:
• OLTF of lead compensated system
10 (1 + 0.385𝑠)
𝐺𝑐 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠 =
𝑠(𝑠 + 1)(1 + 0.162𝑠)

𝜙 = tan−1 0.385𝜔 − 𝟗𝟎° − tan−1 𝜔 − tan−1 0.162 𝜔 → 𝜔=4 rad/sec

• 𝜙 = −𝟏𝟒𝟐° → New PM = −𝟏𝟒𝟐° + 𝟏𝟖𝟎° = 𝟑𝟖°

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,
Mysuru
Overall Observations
• It adds a pole and a zero (with zero to the right of pole) to the forward path
transfer function.
• Cross over frequency is increased.
• Bandwidth of closed loop system is increased, hence an improvement in the speed
of response of the system results.
• The rise time and settling time reduces
• Improves the phase margin and gain margin of the closed loop system

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Assignment
Design a lead compensator for a unity feedback system with an open loop transfer
function
12
𝐺 𝑠 =
𝑠(𝑠+1)
For specifications PM=40 degrees

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Various Effects & Limitations of Lag
Compensator
• Acts as a low pass filter, provides high gain at low frequencies.
• In lag compensation, the attenuation characteristics is used for the compensation.
(Phase lag characteristics is of no use in the compensation)
• The attenuation due to lag compensator shifts the gain cross over frequency to a
lower frequency point. Thus the BW of the system gets reduced.
• Reduced BW leads to slower response. Thus rise & settling time are usually
longer.
• The transient response lasts longer.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Various Effects & Limitations of Lead
Compensator
Effects
• Lead compensator adds dominant zero and pole. This increases damping of the
closed loop system.
• Increased damping causes less overshoot, low rise & settling time. Thus it
improves the transient response.
• It improves the phase margin of closed loop system.
• The gain cross over frequency is increased & hence the BW increases.
• More BW faster is the response.
• The steady state error is not affected

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru
Various Effects & Limitations of Lead
Compensator
Limitations:
• Larger gain is required, this increases number of components, space & cost.
• More BW sometimes may be undesirable, because noise may entering into the
system may become objectionable.

Course Instructor: Deepthi M S, Assistant Professor, NIE,

Mysuru