SPEED CONTROL OF DC
MOTORS
contents
• Introduction
• Nature of speed control
• Speed control of DC motor
• Speed control of DC shunt motor
• Speed control of DC series motor
Introduction
• In practical applications, a motor may be
required to perform a number of desirable
jobs conforming different load conditions and
speed requirements.
Nature of speed control
Some drives require a continuously variable
speed over the range from
• Zero to full speed, such drives are known as
variable-speed drives.
• only two to three fixed speeds over a region,
such drives are known as multi-speed drives.
• setting up the work on driven machine only
for a few revolutions per minute. Such a speed
is known as creeping speed
Speed control of DC motor
• The speed of DC motors can be regulated by
varying φ, R, or V
• The speed of DC motors can be controlled by
the following methods
1. Field control or flux control method.
2. Armature control method.
3. Applied voltage control
Speed control of DC shunt motor
• Speed of DC shunt motor can be controlled by
varying the flux, armature resistance, and
applied voltage to the armature terminals.
1. Field control method.
2. Reluctance control method
3. Armature control method.
4. Armature diverter or potential divider method
Field control method
• The external resistance (Re)
connected in series with the
field winding
• The variation of 'Re’ in the
reduces the field current and
hence the flux 'φ' also
reduces
• The reduction in flux will
also results in an increase in
the speed
Armature diverter method
• When the variable rheostat
is at minimum position, the
voltage across the
armature is zero.
• If the rheostat is moved
toward maximum position,
the voltage across the
armature increases then
speed also increases
Armature control method
• A variable resistance
connected in series with the
armature is known as
controller resistance
• The speed is directly
proportional to the voltage
applied across the armature
• As the controller resistance is
increased, the P.D. across the
armature is decreased
thereby decreasing the
speed.
Speed control of DC series motor
• The speed control of DC series motor can be
obtained by changing the series field current,
flux or voltage applied across the armature.
1. Field control method.
2. Armature control method.
3.Tapped filed method
4.Series-parallel connection of field coils
Field control method
• The series field winding is
shunted by a variable resistor
‘R’ known as series field
diverter.
• Some amount of current can
be passed through the
diverter by adjusting its
resistance.
• The flux decreases and speed
of the motor is increased
Armature diverter method
• The armature of the
motor is shunted with
an external variable
resistance (R)
• If armature current is
reduced due to
armature diverter then
flux (φ) must increase
Tapped field method
•The flux change is achieved
by providing a number of
tapings from the field winding
•The selector switch ‘SW’ is
provided to select number of
turns
This method is used in
electric traction
Series-parallel connection of field
coils
• If the field coils are
arranged in series or
parallel, the MMF
produced by the coils
changes
• The flux produced also
changes. Hence, the
speed is controlled
Armature control method
• By increasing the
resistance in series with
the armature, voltage
drop across this resistance
occurs.
• The voltage applied across
the armature terminals
can be decreased and the
speed is reduces
Ward–Leonard method of speed
control
• The speed control of DC motor accomplished
by means of an adjustable voltage generator is
called the Ward−Leonard system.
• It is desired to have wide and very sensitive
speed control, then this system is more
generally used.
Circuit diagram
