INABB/ATDPL1/ac drive basics 1

AC Drives Basics

Course content
Topics covered in this section AC Drive (Variable Frequency Drive) subsystems
Rectifier,
Inverter,
Motor,
Control Interface,
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Cable
Software tools, Efficiency,
Applications of AC Drives(VFD)

Variable Frequency Drive ( VFD ):

An adjustable frequency AC drive converts an input line

constant voltage and frequency to an adjustable voltage
and frequency output .
Normally speed and current control are provided.

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More sophisticated drives also provide torque control.

Main components of AC Drive :

Equipment

W
aveform

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Line

Operation
Line voltage

Line Supply
Unit

Rectification

DC bus,
capacitor
and choke

Smoothing

Inverter
Unit

Inversion

Motor

M
3

Functional principle of the drive system

Motor

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Output waveform of AC Drive

Variable Frequency Drive ( VFD )Panel:

I/P SWITCH
& FUSE(OPTIONAL)

SEMICON
FUSE

FREQ. CONVERTER
MODULE
O/P CONTACTOR

3 PHASE
SUPPLY
3 PHASE
SC IM

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I/P CONTACTOR
(OPTIONAL)
Plus: CONTROL TRAFO,
CONTROL FUSES, METERS,
PUSH BUTTONS, INDICATIONS,
CABLES,AUX. CONTACTORS ETC.

dU/dT
FILTER
(OPTIONAL)

DOL BYPASS CONTACTOR

(OPTIONAL)

AC Drive Technology
AC Drive Types
Current Source Invertors (CSI)
Constant current principle
Large inductor in DC link
Types
Six Step

Voltage Source Invertors (VSI)

Constant voltage principle
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Large capacitor in DC link

Types
Six Step (Variable Voltage)
Pulse Width Modulated (PWM)

Our Focus

AC Drive Control principles

AC Drive Control Principles
Scalar (simple constant volts per hertz i.e. V / f )
Vector (field oriented)
Sensorless Vector

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Direct Torque Control (ABB exclusive)

AC Drives Control principles

Flux vector control

Flux vector control can calculate torque

control only at 1-3 ms intervals.
A modulator is needed to calculate
switching times
Control response is around 10 ms

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Direct Torque Control DTC

DTC can calculate torque control at 0.025
ms intervals
Each switching is directly activated by
torque control
Control response is around 1 ms

AC Drives
AC Drive Capabilities:
Controllable Speed
Controllable Acceleration / Deceleration
Electronic Reversing
Current Limiting
Torque Limiting
Intelligent Process Interfacing
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Integral Process Control Possible

Multiple Motors Possible
Bypass Possible
Programmable Settings

AC Drives
AC Drive Performance Advantages:
Accurate Speed Regulation
Dynamic Speed Response
High Process Efficiency
High Input Power Factor

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Low Operating Cost

Application Types
Constant Torque Applications

100

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%
Torque
& HP

Constant Torque (CT) Constant Power (CP)

Torque

HP

Torque

50

50

100
(Base)
% Speed

150

Constant torque applications

Example: Positive Displacement
Pumps,Conveyors,Mixers,
Extruders, Cranes,etc.
Features
High starting torque
Intermitent overloads
Typical kW Range - 0.12 to 2800
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Typical Speed Range - 10 to 100%

Speed Controlled with Coast to Stop/ Regeneration /braking
Chopper
Typical Speed Regulation is 1 to 5%
Acceleration Time From 2 to 90 Seconds
Breakaway Torque From 150% to 225%

Application Types
Constant Power (CP)
HP

100
%
Torque
& HP

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50

HP

Torque

100
(Base)

150

200
% Speed

Application Types
Example: Winders (Center Driven)
Speed is Slow

Speed is Low
Speed is High

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Low
Torque Required
High Torque Required

Application Types
Variable Torque (VT)

100
%
Torque,
Flow,
& HP

Torque (square)
50

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Flow

HP (cube)

50
% Speed

100
(Base)

Application Types
Example: Centrifugal Fan
Move Air or Other Gaseous Materials
Typical kW Range >2.2 to 3000kW
Speed Range From 25 to 100%
Coast To Stop
Speed Controlled With 3 to 5% Speed Regulation
Acceleration From 2 to 90 Seconds
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StartingTorque From 50 to 100%

No overload requriments

Application Types
Example: Centrifugal Pump
Move Air or Other Gaseous Materials
Typical kW Range >2.2 to 3000kW
Speed Range From 25 to 100%
Coast To Stop
Speed Controlled With 3 to 5% Speed Regulation
Acceleration From 2 to 90 Seconds
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StartingTorque From 50 to 100%

No overload requriments

Application Types
Fan Operation
125

Operating
Point

100
%
Pressure

Fan
Curve

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50
System
Curve

50

100
% Flow

150

Application Types
Volume Control Methods : Outlet Dampers
: Inlet Guide Vanes
: Variable Frequency Drives
Power Requirements For All Types

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%
Input
Power

Energy saving - Example

Throttling by a valve

By-passing by a valve
On-off control of the pump

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Variable speed control of the pump

Parallel running of Pumps

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Relative Power consumption

Software tools - FanSave, PumpSave

Control Accuracy & Regulation

Speed Regulation
Simple Scalar

1% to 3%

Scalar with Slip Compensation

0.5% to 1%

Vector with Encoder

0.01%

Direct Torque Control (DTC)

0.1% to 0.5%

DTC with Encoder

0.01%

Simple Scalar

3 %s

Scalar with Slip Compensation

3 %s

Vector with Encoder

0.3 %s

Direct Torque Control (DTC)

0.4 %s

DTC with Encoder

0.1 %s

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Speed Response

Application Issues

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Other
Drive Efficiency

98%

Power Factor

0.97 (displacement)

Current Harmonics

35% to 45% THD

(network dependent)

Rectifier Configurations
6-pulse Rectifier

12-pulse Rectifier

12-pulse Rectifier

24-pulse Rectifier

3~

3~

3~
3~

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Current Waveforms

IGBT Rectifier
Best is to use an IGBT rectifier.
IGBT can be switched off if the current starts to grow.
It is full regenerative
It can boost the motor voltage when line voltage is low.
The power factor is 1
Current harmonics are lower due to higher switching frequency.
U+

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U
V
W
U-

Thyristor bridge in motoring

We study how U+ (DC) voltage is developed.
Thyristors are controlled to diode mode( Fully fired ) so the bridge
always selects the highest of AC voltages (U,V,W) for U+
Anyway line inductance L slows down the transfer of current from
phase to phase. This transfer is called commutation.

U+

L
U

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V
W
U-

Thyristor bridge in generating

In generating mode the DC bridge is supporting the current so if the
AC voltage disappears, the current will grow high.
A Thyristor cannot be turned of by control, so it will continue
conducting and the current will increase until the the fuses interrupt
the current.
U+
U

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V
W
U-

Improving commutation
Risk for problems can be reduced by higher AC voltage. This gives
more margin for commutation. The alternatives:
The infeed transformer can be selected to give e.g. 20 % higher
voltage.
There can be an autotransformer in the converter boosting the
generating bridge voltage by 20 %
U
V
W

U+

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UU+

U-

Braking to resistor

line rectifier

motor converter

Net

3
electrical
energy

CH braking chopper
braking resistor

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motor as
generator

mechanical
energy

ACS 600 Power Plates

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Basic construction

P1

P2

P3

ACS 600 Power Plates

Power Plate connections, single inverters
R8, R9

R4 - R7
P1 P2 P3

U V W

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

R10i, R11i
P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

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P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

R12i
Phase module
P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

Phase module
P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

Phase module
P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

ACS 600 Power Plates

Power Plate connections, parallel inverters
2 x R8,R9
R8, R9
P1 P2 P3

R8, R9
P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

P1 P2 P3

4 x R12i
R12i

R12i

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P1
P2P3P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3 P1
P2P3P1
P2P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3P1
P2P3

P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2
P3 P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3

R12i
P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3P1
P2P3

R12i
P1
P2
P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3 P1
P2
P3P1
P2P3P1
P2
P3

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Control Cards - Example

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Control Cards - Example

INABB/ATDPL1/ac drive basics 36

MultiDrive

DSU = Diode Supply Unit

TSU = Thyristor Supply Unit

ISU = IGBT Supply Unit

DBU = Dynamic Braking Unit

ACU = Control Unit

ICU = Main Switch

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Efficiency

INABB/ATDPL1/ac drive basics 38

AC motor general benefits

Robust and simple construction
=>High reliability
Closed structure
=>Protected against harsh
environment
=>Saves cost of additional
clean air cooling system
No brushes or sliprings in the
motor
=>Minimal maintenance
High efficiency
=>Substantial energy
savings

TORQUE

Motor Torque Speed curve

Tmax

nominal torque

1
motor mode
0

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generator mode

SPEED

Typical torque/speed curve of a cage induction motor

Motor Torque Speed curve with Freq.. Conv.

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Torque curves of a cage induction motor fed by

frequency converter

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Motor efficiency - Typical (DOL)

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Motor losses

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Line harmonics

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Cabling

INABB/ATDPL1/ac drive basics 45

Recommended cable types

Fieldbus

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Definition of a Fieldbus

Fieldbus
Fieldbus System
Ethernet, TCP/IP Backbone
Operation
level

HMI

HMI
System Bus

Control
level

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PROFIBUS-DP
Device
level

PROFIBUS-PA

Software tools

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Supporting the lifecycle of drives

DriveSize - Advanced dimensioning
tool for drives
DriveBuilder - Configuration tool
producing cabinet dimensions and
line drawings
DriveWindow - Comprehensive
set of features for
commissioning, maintenance and
training
DriveLink - Communication interface
between Windows-based monitoring
softwares and ABB drives
DriveSupport - Clear, concise service
tool for ABB drives

AC drives are the most eco-efficient products we know of

During the past ten years, ABB AC Drives have been reducing
energy consumption in pumps and fans by about 46 TWh every year.
This corresponds to 38 million tons less CO2 emissions per year.
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994

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1993
1992
1991
1990
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

GWh

5000

6000

7000

8000

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