System Modeling Coursework

Class 31-32: Modeling of Gyroscope

P.R. VENKATESWARAN
Faculty, Instrumentation and Control Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal
Karnataka 576 104 INDIA
Ph: 0820 2925154, 2925152
Fax: 0820 2571071
Email: pr.venkat@manipal.edu, prv_i@yahoo.com
Web address: http://www.esnips.com/web/SystemModelingClassNotes
 WARNING!

• I claim no originality in all these notes. These are the

compilation from various sources for the purpose of
delivering lectures. I humbly acknowledge the
wonderful help provided by the original sources in
this compilation.
• For best results, it is always suggested you read the
source material.

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 Contents

• Description of Gyroscope
• Principles and Types of gyroscope
• Modeling of gyroscope

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 Principle of Gyroscope

• A spinning wheel in the absence of external torque,

maintains the direction of its spin in space. Such a spinning
wheel is known as a gyro.
• When a torque is applied to an axis inclined to the spin axis
of a wheel, the wheel rotates in the plane of the two axes in
a direction tending to align the spin axis with the input
torque axis. This rotation is termed as precession.
• The basic principle behind this spinning gyro wheel which
has an angular momentum of Hs remains fixed in space
even though the frame in which it is fixed is turning.

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 Principle
• The gyro wheel can be used as reference in space to measure the
angular displacement of the frame. This is true only when there is no
friction in the bearings of the gyro wheel.
• There will be gradual drift in the gyro wheel due to the friction in the
bearings. Therefore the measurement is limited to short duration and
smaller angles (approximately does not exceed 100).
• The gradual drift velocity in the gyro wheel is proportional to the
frictional torque Tf in the bearing and inversely proportional to the
angular momentum Hs of the gyro wheel.
T
• That is the velocity of the angular drift ωd is ω = Therefore
d
f

H s
high angular momentum Hs is required to reduce the drift

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 Gyroscope representation

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 Schematic of Gyroscope

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 Types of Gyroscope

• Two types
– Free and restrained gyro

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 Free type gyroscope

• Free gyros there are no restraining forces in any direction of

the gyro and the gyro wheel remains in fixed space.
• The angular motion of supporting frame is not transmitted
to gyro wheel. Hence the gyro measures the angular
motions of the vehicle with respect to the gyro as a
reference.
• This type of gyros are used in automatic plotting, inertial
navigational equipment, artificial horizons, stable platform
etc.

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 Restrained gyro

• Restrained gyro
– rate gyro or integrating gyro.
– The restrained gyros are employed to provide either derivative or
integral feedback from roll, pitch or yaw to damp out vehicle
oscillations about these axes.
• In rate gyro, a helical spring is connected between outer
gimbal and the frame and a synchro is fitted on the outer
frame such that the shaft of the synchro transmitter is
coupled to the z-axis of the outer gimbal. Now, if the gyro
wheel turns by an angle Φ about z axis then the signal
developed in the synchro mounted on the gyro will be
proportional to dΦ/dt. Hence this called rate gyro.

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 Integrating gyro

• In integrating gyro, only one axis is free to move

and the gyro has a single degree of freedom with
respect to the frame.
• The outer gimbal of a gyro is fixed to the frame to
convert it into an integrating.
• In integrating gyros it can be proved that the angular
motion about y-axis is proportional to integral of the
angle through which gyro wheel turns about the z-
axis.

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 General applications of gyroscope

• Gyroscope instruments are used in ships and

aircrafts either as gyroscopes or/and turn and bank
indicators.
• It is also used to measure drilling direction in oil well
drilling. In this case it is attached to the drilling
string.

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 Representation of gyroscope

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 Analysis of gyroscope

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 Analysis of Gyroscope
• The analysis of gyroscope is too complex but simple relations can be
obtained for smaller angular displacements.
• The previous Figure shows a gyro wheel whose gimbals (inner and outer
gimbals) displaced small angles θ and Φ with respect to XZ plane and Z axis
respectively. Newton’s law states that the sum of torque is equal to the rate
of change of angular momentum.
• The x axis and y axis components of angular momentum are considered
separately. For the x axis components, the angular velocity dΦ/dt (due to
motion of entire system attached to outer gimbals or outer frame) and
moment of inertia Ix of the entire system attached to outer gimbals are
responsible for angular momentum in addition to the momentum of
spinning wheel about x-axis. On applying Newton’s Law we have
d dΦ
Tx = ( H s sin θ + I x )
dt dt

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• Similarly for y axis components, the angular velocity dθ/dt (due to the
motion of all subsystems attached to inner gimbals or inner frame) and
moment of inertia Iy of the subsystems attached to the inner gimbals are
responsible for angular momentum in addition to the angular momentum of
spinning wheel. dθ d dθ
Ty − B = (− H s cos θ sin Φ + I y )
dt dt dt
• Where B is the frictional coefficient in the bearing. When θ and Φ are very
small then cosθ =1, cosΦ=1, sinθ = θ and sinΦ=Φ. Therefore the equation
becomes

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• Similarly, Ty becomes

• Taking laplace transform on both sides, the above equations yield,

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• Eliminating θ(s) from the above equations we have

• Considering Tx and Ty separately we have

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• Similarly eliminating Φ(s) from the equation, we get.

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 Block diagram representation of the system

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• In practical situation there is no outer gimbal. The body of the ship or

aircraft acts as outer gimbal. Therefore the two axes (Tx and Ty) gyros
are replaced by single axis gyros. The torque Tx is input, the angle Φ is
the displacement due to Tx.
• θ is the angle proportional to Φ. There is no torque is applied along
Ty. Therefore we can neglect Ty. Considering the equations, we have

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 Analysis of Gyroscope

• It is a first order system. In this case input is Φ(s)

(angular displacement of outer gimbal or body of
ship or aircraft) and the output is θ(s). In other
words, θ(s) is measure of Φ(s). To measure the
position of an aircraft or ship we need three angular
measurements with respect to x-axis, y-axis and z-
axis.

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 References

• Control Systems – Anantha Natarajan and Ramesh

Babu
• www.gyroscopes.org (for videos)

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 And, before we break…

• Hence, that general is skillful in attack whose

opponent does not know what to defend; and he is
skillful in defence whose opponent does not know
what to attack
– Sun Tzu

Thanks for listening…

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