ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces an alternative way to analyze process dynamics through frequency response. This procedure yields a powerful tool not just for analyzing dynamic processes but also for designing/tuning controllers. In this chapter, the basic elements of frequency response analysis are introduced starting with the representation of complex numbers in polar form. This is followed by the development of frequency responses for first-order and second-order processes to explain the mechanics of the derivations. Frequency response of processes is best expressed through Bode and Nyquist diagrams that offer a graphical representation of the process dynamics in the frequency-domain. These plots are generated for various process systems including systems in series.
