Power Electronics Controlled Electric Drives

An Introduction

Dr. Bishnu Prasad Muni

Vasavi College of Engineering,
Hyderabad
 Power Electronics Controlled Electric Drives

• About 50% of electrical energy used for drives

• Can be either used for fixed speed or variable speed

• 75% - constant speed, 25% variable speed (expanding)

• Variable speed drives typically used PEC to supply the motors

DC motors (brushed) AC motors

SRM - IM
BLDC - SM
- PMSM
Motion control is required in large number of industrial and domestic
applications like transportation systems, rolling mills, paper machines, textile
mills, machine tools, fans, pumps, robots, washing machines etc.

Systems employed for motion control are called DRIVES, and may employ any
of prime movers such as diesel or petrol engines, gas or steam turbines, steam
engines, hydraulic motors and electric motors, for supplying mechanical energy
for motion control.

Drives employing electric motors are known as ELECTRICAL DRIVES.

Classical Electrical Drive for Variable Speed Application :

• Bulky
• Inefficient
• inflexible
Classification of Electric Drives

According to Mode of Operation

Continuous duty drives

Short time duty drives
Intermittent duty drives

According to Means of Control

Manual
Semi automatic
Automatic

According to Number of machines

Individual drive
Group drive
Multi-motor drive
According to Dynamics and Transients

Uncontrolled transient period

Controlled transient period

According to Methods of Speed Control

Reversible and non-reversible uncontrolled constant speed.

Reversible and non-reversible step speed control.
Variable position control.
Reversible and non-reversible smooth speed control.
Advantages of Electrical Drive

1. They have flexible control characteristics. The steady state and dynamic
characteristics of electric drives can be shaped to satisfy the load requirements.

2. Drives can be provided with automatic fault detection systems. Programmable

logic controller and computers can be employed to automatically control the drive
operations in a desired sequence.

3. They are available in wide range of torque, speed and power.

4. They are adaptable to almost any operating conditions such as explosive and
radioactive environments

5. It can operate in all the four quadrants of speed-torque plane

6. They can be started instantly and can immediately be fully loaded

7. Control gear requirement for speed control, starting and braking is usually simple
and easy to operate.
Selection of Electrical Drives

Choice of an electric drive depends on a number of factors. Some of the

important factors are:

1. Steady State Operating conditions requirements : Nature of speed torque

characteristics, speed regulation, speed range, efficiency, duty cycle,
quadrants of operation, speed fluctuations if any, ratings etc.

2. Transient operation requirements: Values of acceleration and deceleration,

starting, braking and reversing performance.

3. Requirements related to the source: Types of source and its capacity,

magnitude of voltage, voltage fluctuations, power factor, harmonics and
their effect on other loads, ability to accept regenerative power.
4. Capital and running cost, maintenance needs life.

5. Space and weight restriction if any.

6. Environment and location.

7. Reliability.
Group Electric Drive

This drive consists of a single motor, which drives one or more line shafts
supported on bearings. The line shaft may be fitted with either pulleys and belts or
gears, by means of which a group of machines or mechanisms may be operated.
It is also some times called as SHAFT DRIVES.

Advantage: A single large motor can be used instead of number of small motors
Disadvantages: There is no flexibility. If the single motor used develops fault, the
whole process will be stopped.

Individual Electric Drive

In this drive each individual machine is driven by a separate motor. This motor
also imparts motion to various parts of the machine.

Multi Motor Electric Drive

In this drive system, there are several drives, each of which serves to actuate one
of the working parts of the drive mechanisms.

Complicated metal cutting machine tools

Paper making industries,
Rolling machines etc.
 PE Controlled Drive System

Power Electronic Converters Electric Motor

Electric Energy Electric Energy Electric Mechanical
- Unregulated - - Regulated - Energy Energy

POWER IN Power
Moto Load
Electronic r
Converters

feedback

Reference
Controller
A modern variable speed electrical drive system has the following components:

Electrical Motor and loads

Power Modulator / Power Converter
Power Source
Controller (Drive Controller, Sensing Units, Diagnostics & Protection)
Power Modulators / Power Converters

Functions:
Modulates flow of power from the source to the motor in such a manner that
motor is imparted speed-torque characteristics required by the load.

During transient operation, such as starting, braking and speed reversal, it

restricts source and motor currents with in permissible limits.
It converts electrical energy of the source in the form of suitable to the motor.

Selects the mode of operation of the motor (i.e.) Motoring and Braking.

Types of Power Modulators

In the electric drive system, the power modulators can be any one of the
following types:

Controlled rectifiers (ac to dc converters)

Inverters (dc to ac converters)
AC voltage controllers (AC to AC Voltage Regulators)
DC choppers (DC to DC converters)
Cyclo converters, Matrix Converters (Frequency conversion)
Converters for Motor Drives

Configurations of Power Electronic Converters depend on:

Sources available

Type of Motors

Drive Performance - applications

- Braking
- Response
- Ratings
Electrical Sources

Very low power drives are generally fed from single phase sources.

Low, medium and high powered from a 3 phase source.

Low and medium power motors are fed from a 415, 3-pahse supply.
High Power Drives are fed from 6.6 kV, 11 kV and 33 kV feeders

Drives can also be fed from:

Battery
Solar PV Array
Fuel Cell pack
 Power Electronic Converters in ED Systems
Converters for Motor Drives
(some possible configurations)

DC Drives AC Drives

AC Source DC Source AC Source DC Source

DC-AC-DC DC-DC

AC-DC AC-DC-DC AC-DC-AC AC-AC DC-AC DC-DC-AC

Const. Variable
DC DC
Controller

It controls entire drive system. Control functions can be achieved with

Conventional Analogue and Digital Circuits, Micro Processor, Micro
Controller, Digital Signal Controller, FPGA etc.

Sensing Units

Speed Sensor (From Motor)

Torque Sensor
Position Sensor
Current and Voltage Sensors
Temperature Sensor
Examples of VSD application

Electric motor consumes more than half of electrical energy in the US

Fixed speed Variable speed

Improvements in energy utilization in electric motors give large

impact to the overall energy consumption

HOW ?
Replacing fixed speed drives with variable speed drives
Using the high efficiency motors

Improves the existing power converter–based drive systems

Applications of Electrical Drives

Paper mills
Cement Mills
Textile mills
Sugar Mills
Steel Mills
Electric Traction
Petrochemical Industries
Electrical Vehicles
 Example on VSD application

Constant speed Variable Speed Drives

valve

Supply
motor pump

Power out

Power
In

Power loss
Mainly in valve
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems
Example on VSD application

Constant speed Variable Speed Drives

valve

Supply Supply
motor pump motor
PEC pump

Power out
Power out
Power
Power
In
In

Power loss
Power loss
Mainly in valve
Classification of Power Electronics Controlled Electric Drives

(a) AC Motor Drive, (b) DC Motor Drives and (c) Special Motor Drives

DC drives: Electrical drives that use DC motors as the prime mover

Regular maintenance, heavy, expensive, speed limit
Easy control, decouple control of torque and flux

AC drives: Electrical drives that use AC motors as the prime mover

Less maintenance, light, less expensive, high speed

Coupling between torque and flux – variable spatial angle

between rotor and stator flux

Special Motor Drives: Switched Reluctance, Stepper Motor etc.

Overview of AC and DC drives

Before semiconductor devices were introduced (Before 1950)

• AC motors for fixed speed applications
• DC motors for variable speed applications

After semiconductor devices were introduced (1960s)

• Variable frequency sources available – AC motors in variable
speed applications
• Coupling between flux and torque control
• Application limited to medium performance applications –
fans, blowers, compressors – scalar control

• High performance applications dominated by DC motors –

tractions, elevators, servos, etc
Overview of AC and DC drives

After vector control drives were introduced (1980s)

• AC motors used in high performance applications – elevators,
tractions, servos
• AC motors favorable than DC motors – however control is
complex hence expensive
• Cost of microprocessor/semiconductors decreasing –predicted
30 years ago AC motors would take over DC motors
Overview of AC and DC drives

Extracted from Boldea & Nasar

Classification of Load Torques
Various load torques can be broadly classified into two categories.

(a) Active Load Torque

(b) Passive Load Torque

Load torques which have the potential to drive the motor under equilibrium
conditions are called active load torques.

Such load torques usually retain their sign when the direction of the drive rotation
is changed.

Torque due to force of gravity

Torque due tension
Torque due to compression and torsion etc

Load torques which always oppose the motion and change their sign on the
reversal of motion are called passive load torques.

Torque due to friction, cutting etc.

Components of Load Torques:

The load torque T can be further divided in to following components:

Friction Torque (TF): Friction will be present at the motor shaft and also in various
parts of the load. TF is the equivalent value of various friction torques referred to the
motor shaft.

The friction torque ‘TF’ can be resolved into three components as shown in figure .
Viscous Friction : The first component Tv exists in lubricated bearings due to
laminar flow of lubricant and is called viscous friction. It varies linearly with speed
and is given by the following equation:

Where, B is the viscous friction coefficient.

Coulomb Friction (TC): It is independent of speed, is known as COULOMB

friction.

Static Friction (Ts) : Friction at zero speed is called static friction. In order to start
the drive the motor should at least exceeds static friction.
 Coulomb Friction (TC): It is independent of speed, is known as COULOMB
friction.

Static Friction (Ts) : Friction at zero speed is called static friction. In order to start
the drive the motor should at least exceeds static friction. Since Ts is present only
at stand still, it is not taken into account in the dynamic analysis.

Windage Torque (T ω): When motor runs, wind generates a torque opposing the
motion. This is known as windage torque. It is proportional to speed squared
and is given by the following equation:

Tω = Cωm2

Torque required to do useful mechanical work (TL): Nature of this torque

depends upon particular application. It may be constant or function of speed.

From the above discussions, for finite speed of drive system:

Characteristics of Different types of Loads

One of the essential requirements in the selection of a particular type of motor for
driving a machine is the matching of speed-torque characteristics of the driven
equipment with that of the motor.

Different types of loads exhibit different speed torque characteristics.

Most of the industrial loads can be classified into the following four categories based
on speed torque characteristics.

•Constant torque type load

•Torque proportional to speed (Generator Type load)
•Torque proportional to square of the speed (Fan type load)
•Torque inversely proportional to speed (Constant power type load)
Constant Load Torque characteristics

Most of the working machines that have mechanical nature of work like shaping,
cutting, grinding or shearing, require constant torque irrespective of speed.

Similarly cranes during the hoisting and conveyors handling constant weight of
material per unit time also exhibit this type of Characteristics.

Torque Proportional to speed:

Separately excited dc generators connected to a constant resistance load, eddy

current brakes have torque characteristics proportional to speed.

Torque proportional to square of the speed:

Fans, Rotary pumps, Compressors, Ship propulsion

Torque Inversely proportional to speed:

Certain types of lathes, boring machines, milling machines, steel mill coiler and
electric traction load exhibit hyperbolic speed-torque characteristic.
Multi Quadrant Operation:

A motor operates in two modes – Motoring and braking. In motoring, it converts

electrical energy into mechanical energy, which supports its motion.

In braking it works as a generator converting mechanical energy into electrical

energy and thus opposes the motion.

Motor can provide motoring and braking operations for both forward and reverse
directions.

Power developed by a motor is given by the product of speed and torque.

For motoring operations power developed is positive and for braking operations
power developed is negative.
• In Q-1 both power & speed are positive (forward). Motor works as a
motor delivering mechanical energy to the load. Hence Q-1 operation is
designated as forward Motoring.

• In Q-2 power is negative but speed is positive (forward). Motor works as

a brake opposing the motion. Hence Q-2 operation is designated as Forward
Braking.

• In Q-3 power is positive but speed is negative (reverse). Motor works as a

motor delivering mechanical energy to the load. Hence Q-3 operation is
designated as Reverse Motoring.

In Q-4 both power and speed are negative (reverse). Motor works as a
brake opposing the motion. Hence Q-4 operation is designated as Reverse
Braking.
Torque Equation for Rotating Systems

• Motor drives a load through a transmission system

(e.g. gears, V-belts, crankshaft and pulleys)
• Load may rotate or undergo translational motion
• Load speed may be different from motor speed
• Can also have multiple loads each having different speeds, some may rotate and
some have translational motion
 Torque equation for equivalent motor-load system:

where:
J = inertia of equivalent motor-load system, kgm2
ωm = angular velocity of motor shaft, rad /s
Te = motor torque, Nm
TL = load torque referred to motor shaft, Nm

With constant inertia J,

• First order differential equation for angular frequency (or velocity)

• Second order differential equation for angle (or position)
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