EE462L, Fall 2011 Motor Drives and Other Applications

Three-Phase Induction Motors Reliable Rugged Long lived Low maintenance Efficient

(Source: EPRI Adjustable Speed Drives Application Guide)

Slip frequency (about 5% of no load speed), so induction motors are almost constant speed devices

At no load, the motor spins at grid frequency, divided by the number of pole pairs. Usually this is 3600 / 2 = 1800RPM 3

High slip corresponds to low efficiency

Its much more efficient to reduce operating speed by lowering the frequency of the supply voltage.

But how?

Adjustable-Speed Motor Drives (ASDs)

(Source: EPRI Adjustable Speed Drives Application Guide)

Some Prices for Small 3-Phase, 460V Induction Motors and ASDs

Power 10kW 100kW

Motor $750 $5,000

ASD $2,000 $15,000

$50 - $75 per kW

$150 - $200 per kW

For Comparison, Conventional Generation: $500 - $1,000 per kW Solar: $4,000 - $6,000 per kW (but the fuel is free forever!)
7

Pump Application: Adjustable Flow rate

Bad news inefficient! Equivalent to reducing the output voltage of a DBR with a series resistor

Payback in energy savings is about 1 year

Fixed versus adjustable speed drive

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-8

Per-Phase Representation
(assuming sinusoidal steady state)
Because of the shunt inductance term, we must reduce the applied voltage magnitude in proportion to applied frequency to avoid serious saturation of the iron near the air gap

This is what is called Constant Volts per Hertz Operation, which is the standard operating mode for ASDs

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives

14-9

Torque-Speed Characteristics

The linear part of the characteristic is utilized in adjustable speed drives

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-10

Acceleration Torque at Startup

Intersection represents the equilibrium point

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-11

Torque Speed Characteristics at various Frequencies of Applied Voltage

For a constant torque load

The air gap flux is kept constant

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-12

Adjusting Speed of a Centrifugal Load

The load torque is proportional to speed squared

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-13

Frequency at Startup

An important property of ASDs is the ability to soft start a motor by reducing the applied frequency to a few Hz

Zero speed

The torque is limited to limit current draw

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-14

PWM-VSI System

A three-phase inverter A three-phase DBR

Diode rectifier for unidirectional power flow

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 14 Induction Motor Drives 14-15

Three-Phase Inverter (called a six-pack)

Three inverter legs; capacitor mid-point is fictitious

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 8 Switch-Mode DCSinusoidal AC Inverters 8-16

ThreePhase PWM Waveforms

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 8 Switch-Mode DCSinusoidal AC Inverters

8-17

Three-Phase Inverter Harmonics

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 8 Switch-Mode DCSinusoidal AC Inverters

8-18

Three-Phase Inverter Output

Linear and over-modulation ranges

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 8 Switch-Mode DCSinusoidal AC Inverters 8-19

Improving Energy Efficiency of Heat Pumps

How does inserting an ASD save energy in single-phase applications? But a three-phase motor is 95% efficient, compared to 80% efficiency for a single-phase motor

Some losses

Used in one out of three new homes in the U.S.

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 16 Residential and Industrial Applications 16-20

Loss Associated with ON/OFF Cycling

The big efficiency gain is here
with conventional air conditioners, the first few minutes after start-up are very inefficient as the mechanical system reaches steady-state with ASDs, the air conditioner speed is lowered with demand, so that there are fewer start-ups each day

The system efficiency is improved by ~30 percent

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 16 Residential and Industrial Applications 16-21

Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lamps

Lamps operated at ~40 kHz save energy

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 16 Residential and Industrial Applications 16-22

Induction Cooking

Pan is heated directly by circulating currents increases efficiency

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 16 Residential and Industrial Applications

16-23

Industrial Induction Heating

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 16 Residential and Industrial Applications

16-24

HVDC Transmission

There are many such systems all over the world

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 17 Electric Utility Applications 17-25

HVDC Poles

Each pole consists of 12-pulse converters

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 17 Electric Utility Applications 17-26

HVDC Transmission: 12-Pulse Waveforms

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 17 Electric Utility Applications

17-27

Reducing the Input Current Distortion

Like DBR current (high distortion)

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book

Chapter 18 Utility Interface

18-28

Power-Factor-Correction (PFC) Circuit

The boost converter is operated to make the DBR current look sinusoidal on the AC side To be sold in Europe, this is a necessary feature in high-current single-phase power electronic loads It also permits more power to be drawn from conventional wall outlets because the harmonic currents are minimal
Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 18 Utility Interface 18-29

Power-Factor-Correction (PFC) Circuit

The boost converter is instructed to open close when the current is below the sinewave envelope, and open with the current is above the sinewave envelope

close

Operation during each half-cycle

Source: Ned Mohans power electronics book Chapter 18 Utility Interface 18-30

Power Electronics Has Made Wind Farms Possible

The choices used to be Use an efficient induction generator, which has very poor power factor, or Use a synchronous generator, but constantly fight to synchronize the turbine speed with the grid. Now, Either use a DC bus and inverter to decouple the generator and grid AC busses, or Use a doubly-fed induction motor, operate the wind turbine at the max power speed, and use power electronics to trick the wind generator into producing grid-frequency output. This is what you see in West Texas.
Chapter 18 Utility Interface 18-31