Abstract
While working on constant speed propellers for the Curtiss Electric Propeller Co. during World War II, Ralph Kochenburger became interested in their cyclic behavior—a limit cycle, in which the propeller would periodically change speed due to the action of its “bang-bang” controller. The controller commanded an electric motor to mil full-tilt either forward or reverse to change the pitch of the propeller, enabling it to take a larger or smaller “bite” of the air and, correspondingly, decrease its speed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Kochenburger, Ralph J., A frequency response method of analyzing and synthesizing contactor servomechanisms, Transactions oftheAIEE, 69, 270–284 (1950).
Members of E. E. Dept. of MIT, Applied Electronics, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1943).
Goldfarb, L. C, Concerning some nonlinear phenomena in control systems, Automatica and Telemechanica 8, 344–383 (1947).
Tustin, A., The effects of backlash and of speed dependent friction on the stability of closed cycle control systems, Journal of the Institute of Electrical Engineering (British) 94, pp. 143–151 (May 1974).
Oppelt, W., Locus curve method for regulators with friction, Journal of the Institute of Electrical Engineers (London), 94, Part IIA, 1 and 2 (May 1947).
Aleksandrov, A. D., et al., Mathematics: Its Content, Methods, and Meaning, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1965), pp. 300–301.
Wylie, C. Ray, Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Fourth edition, McGraw-Hill, New York (1961).
Truxal, John G., Automatic Feedback Control System Synthesis, McGraw-Hill, New York (1955), pp. 601–611.
Stern, Thomas E., Theory of Nonlinear Networks and Systems, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts (1965).
Atherton, Derek P., Stability of Nonlinear Systems, Wiley, New York (1981).
Gille, J. C, Pelegrin, M. J., and Decaulne, P., Feedback Control Systems, McGraw-Hill, New York (1959), pp. 419–420.
Lerman, Robert A., and Rosen, Fred K., The Describing Function and Asymmetrical Nonlinearities, Hamilton Standard Report Publication (May 19, 1966).
Anon., 1130 Continuous System Modelling Program, IBM Applications Program, H20-0282-1 (circa 1964).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Van Nostrand Reinhold
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kolk, W.R., Lerman, R.A. (1992). The Describing Function. In: Nonlinear System Dynamics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6494-8_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6494-8_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-6496-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6494-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive