ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a variety of issues concerning the design and implementation of analog electrical compensators. Since the sensors’ outputs and the actuators’ inputs are most often analog electrical signals, it is convenient and economical to make the command summers and the compensators analog. Breadboarding and testing digital microcontroller takes, typically, an order of magnitude less time than doing so with a digital controller. Programs for calculating element values and plotting frequency responses for Sallen–Key, multiple-feedback, and state-space filters are available from many manufacturers. Nonlinear dynamic links can be designed by combining nonlinear and linear links. Since the size of capacitors in analog circuitry is limited by economy considerations, to achieve the required large time constants, the resistors must be big. The feedback bandwidth is limited by the flexible modes of the cooler armature. Signal distortion, noise, and signal interference may result from improper grounding. Attention needs to be paid to maintaining proper ground configuration.
