DC DRIVES

Prin c iple o f o pe rat io n an d c o n s t ru c t io n a re v ie w

DC m a ch in e con s is t s of

s t a t or s t a t ion a r y wh er e t h e field flu x is p r od u ced

r ot or r ot a t in g wh er e t h e a r m a t u r e win d in g is p la ced .

Field flu x is ob t a in ed eit h er fr om p er m a n en t m a gn et or fr om field win d in g excit a t ion . Field flu x

in t er a ct s wit h cu r r en t ca r r yin g con d u ct or s in a r m a t u r e t o p r od u ce t or qu e. Com m u t a t or in
a r m a t u r e cir cu it will en s u r e t h a t t h e t or qu e p r od u ct ion is a lwa ys m a xim u m , r ega r d les s of r ot or
p os it ion .

Mo de lin g o f DC m o t o r

Th e t or qu e is p r od u ced a s a r es u lt of in t er a ct ion of field flu x wit h cu r r en t in a r m a t u r e

con d u ct or s a n d is given b y

Te = k t i a (1 )

wh er e k t is a con s t a n t d ep en d in g on m ot or win d in gs a n d geom et r y

is t h e flu x p er p ole d u e t o t h e field win d in g

For t h e m ot or wit h wou n d field , t h e flu x ca n b e va r ied t o con t r ol t h e s p eed , b u t for p er m a n en t

m a gn et m ot or , t h e flu x is fixed a n d t h u s ca n b e wr it t en a s :

T e = Kt i a

wh er e Kt d ep en d s on t h e p er m a n en t m a gn et m a t er ia l
Th e d ir ect ion of t h e t or qu e p r od u ced d ep en d s on t h e d ir ect ion of t h e a r m a t u r e cu r r en t
Wh en t h e a r m a t u r e r ot a t es , t h e flu x lin k in g t h e a r m a t u r e win d in g will va r y wit h t im e a n d
t h er efor e a ccor d in g t o Fa r a d a ys la w, a n em f will b e in d u ced a cr os s t h e win d in g. Th is gen er a t ed
em f, k n own a s t h e b a ck em f, d ep en d s on s p eed of r ot a t ion a s well a s on t h e flu x p r od u ced b y
t h e field a n d is given b y:

ea = k t (2 )

S im ila r ly, for p er m a n en t m a gn et , t h is ca n b e wr it t en a s :

1
 e a = Kt

Th e p ola r it y of t h e b a ck em f d ep en d s on t h e d ir ect ion of t h e m ot or r ot a t ion

For s ep a r a t ely excit ed DC m ot or , t h e a r m a t u r e cir cu it is s h own :

Ra La

+ +

vt ea

R a lu m p ed a r m a t u r e win d in g r es is t a n ce
La s elf in d u ct a n ce of t h e a r m a t u r e win d in g
e a a s d efin ed b efor e, is t h e b a ck em f of t h e m ot or

Us in g KVL,
di a (3 )
v t = ia R a + La + ea
dt
In s t ea d y s t a t e con d it ion ,

Vt = I a R a + E a (4 )

In t er m s of t or qu e a n d s p eed t h e s t ea d y s t a t e equ a t ion ca n b e wr it t en a s :

T (5 )
Vt = R a + k t
k t

wh ich gives :
Vt T
= Ra (6 )
k t (k t )2

Th u s t h r ee m et h od s ca n b e u s ed t o con t r ol t h e s p eed : Vt , a n d R a

S p eed con t r ol u s in g a r m a t u r e r es is t a n ce b y a d d in g ext er n a l r es is t or R ext is s eld om u s ed ,

es p ecia lly for la r ge m ot or d u e t o t h e los s es a s s ocia t ed wit h Ia 2 R ext . Vt is n or m a lly con t r ol for
s p eed u p t o r a t ed s p eed . Beyon d r a t ed s p eed , for s ep a r a t ely excit ed DC m ot or , t h e s p eed con t r ol
is a ch ieved b y flu x con t r ol, . Wh en s p eed con t r ol b y flu x con t r ol is u s ed , t h e m a xim u m t or qu e
ca p a b ilit y of t h e m ot or is r ed u ced s in ce for a given m a xim u m a r m a t u r e cu r r en t , t h e flu x is les s
t h a n t h e r a t ed va lu e a n d t h u s t h e m a xim u m t or qu e p r od u ced is les s t h a n t h e m a xu m u m
t or qu e. Als o it s h ou ld b e n ot ed t h a t , wit h p er m a n en t m a gn et excit a t ion , s p eed con t r ol u s in g
flu x wea k en in g is n ot p os s ib le t h u s m a xim u m s p eed of p er m a n en t m a gn et m ot or is lim it ed .

Wh en d es ign in g con t r oller s for DC m ot or d r ives u s ed in s er vo or h igh p er for m a n ce a p p lica t ion s ,

a s m a ll s ign a l m od el of t h e m ot or is r equ ir ed . A s ep a r a t ely excit ed DC m ot or wit h fixed field
excit a t ion , or a p er m a n en t m a gn et DC m ot or , is d es cr ib ed b y equ a t ion s (3 ), (1 ) a n d (2 ). If a s m a ll
p er t u r b a t ion a r ou n d a DC op er a t in g p oin t is in t r od u ced , t h es e equ a t ion s ca n b e wr it t en a s (7 )-
(9 ). Th e ~ in d ica t es a s m a ll p er t u r b a t ion , wh ich is a d d t o t h e DC com p on en t s of v t , ia , e a , Te , TL
and :
2
 Vt + ~
~
v t = ( I a + ia ) R a + L a
( ~
d I a + ia )
+ ( E a + ~ea ) (7 )
dt

~
Te + Te = k E ( I a + i a )
(8 )

E e + ~ee = k E ( +
~)
(9 )

E qu a t ion d es cr ib in g t h e d yn a m ic of t h e m ech a n ica l s ys t em is given b y:

d m (1 0 )
Te = Tl + J
dt
wh er e Tl = TL + B

Tl is t h e loa d t or qu e com p os ed of wor k in g t or qu e of t h e loa d , TL a n d t or qu e d u e t o fr ict ion , B .

Th e fr ict ion a l t or qu e d ep en d s on t h e r ot a t ion a l s p eed , wh ile TL d ep en d s on t h e n a t u r e of t h e
loa d b ein g d r iven . S im ila r ly, if a s m a ll p er t u r b a t ion is in t r od u ced in Te a n d TL a n d , equ a t ion
(1 0 ) ca n b e wr it t en a s :
~
~ ~
Te + Te = T L + T L + B ( + ~ ) + J d ( + )
dt (1 1 )

S ep a r a t in g t h e DC a n d s m a ll p er t u r b a t ion or AC com p on en t s in (7 )(9 ) a n d (1 1 ), t h e s t ea d y s t a t e

a n d s m a ll s ign a l equ a t ion s d es cr ib in g t h e DC m ot or ca n b e ob t a in ed :

AC com p on en t s DC com p on en t s
~
~v = ~i R + L d ia + ~e Vt = I a R a + E a
t a a a a
dt

~ ~ Te = k E I a
Te = k E ( ia )

~e = k (
~) Ee = k E
e E

~
~ ~ ~ + J d ( )
Te = TL + B Te = TL + B( )
dt

Th e t r a n s fer fu n ct ion of t h e DC m ot or is ob t a in ed b y t a k in g t h e La p la ce t r a n s for m of t h e s m a ll

s ign a l equ a t ion s .

Vt (s ) = Ia (s )R a + La s Ia + E a (s ) (1 2 )

Te (s ) = k E Ia (s ) (1 3 )

E a (s ) = k E (s ) (1 4 )

Te (s ) = TL(s ) + B (s ) + s J (s ) (1 5 )

3
Th u s t h e b lock d ia gr a m r ep r es en t in g t h e DC m ot or is s h own :

Tl (s )
I a (s ) -
Va (s ) 1 Te (s ) 1 (s )
kT
+ Ra + sLa + B + sJ
-

kE

Po we r e le c t ro n ic c o n v e rt e rs in DC driv e s

Th e p ower elect r on ic con ver t er s a r e u s ed t o ob t a in a n a d ju s t a b le DC volt a ge a p p lied t o t h e

a r m a t u r e of a DC m ot or . Th er e a r e b a s ica lly t wo t yp es of con ver t er n or m a lly em p loyed in DC
d r ives : (i) con t r olled r ect ifier (ii) s wit ch m od e con ver t er .

(i) Con t r olled r ect ifier

Con t r olled r ect ifier ca n b e op er a t ed fr om a s in gle p h a s e or t h r ee p h a s e in p u t
Ou t p u t volt a ge con t a in low fr equ en cy r ip p le wh ich m a y r equ ir e a la r ge in d u ct or in s er t ed in
a r m a t u r e cir cu it , in or d er t o r ed u ce t h e a r m a t u r e cu r r en t r ip p le. A la r ge a r m a t u r e cu r r en t r ip p le
is u n d es ir a b le s in ce it m a y b e r eflect ed in s p eed r es p on s e if t h e in er t ia of t h e m ot or loa d is n ot
la r ge en ou gh . Con t r olled r ect ifier h a s low b a n d wid t h . Th e a ver a ge ou t p u t volt a ge r es p on s e t o a
con t r ol s ign a l, wh ich is t h e d ela y a n gle, is r ela t ively s low. Th er efor e con t r olled r ect ifier is n ot
s u it a b le for d r ives r equ ir in g fa s t r es p on s e, e.g. in s er vo a p p lica t ion s .
In t er m s of qu a d r a n t of op er a t ion s , a s in gle p h a s e or a t h r ee p h a s e r ect ifier is on ly ca p a b le of
op er a t in g in fir s t a n d fou r t h qu a d r a n t s wh ich is n ot s u it a b le for d r ives r equ ir in g for wa r d
b r ea k in g m od e. To b e a b le t o op er a t e in a ll fou r qu a d r a n t s , con figu r a t ion s u s in g b a ck t o b a ck
r ect ifier s or con t a ct or s s h own b elow m u s t b e em p loyed .

Con ver t er A Con ver t er B

+
3-phase 3-phase
supply supply Converter Converter
Va
B A
- T
Converter Converter
B A

F1 R1
3 p h a s e R1 and R2 F1 and F2
s u p p ly are closed are closed
T
+ Va - R1 and R2 F1 and F2
R2 F2 are closed are closed
Con ta ctor

(ii) S wit ch m od e con ver t er

S wit ch m od e con ver t er s n or m a lly op er a t e a t h igh fr equ en cy. As a r es u lt of t h is , (i) t h e a ver a ge
ou t p u t volt a ge r es p on s e is s ign ifica n t ly fa s t er t h a n t h e con t r olled r ect ifier , in ot h er wor d s t h e
b a n d wid t h of a s wit ch m od e r ect ifier is h igh er com p a r ed t o t h e con t r olled r ect ifier , a n d (ii) t h e
a r m a t u r e cu r r en t r ip p le is r ela t ively les s t h a n t h e con t r olled r ect ifier cir cu it wh en t h e s a m e
a m ou n t of in d u ct a n ce p r es en t in t h e a r m a t u r e cir cu it . Th e s wit ch -m od e con ver t er is t h er efor e
s u it a b le for a p p lica t ion s r equ ir in g p os it ion con t r ol or fa s t r es p on s e, for exa m p le in s er vo
a p p lica t ion s , r ob ot ics , et c. In t er m s of qu a d r a n t of op er a t ion s , 3 p os s ib le con figu r a t ion s a r e
p os s ib le: s in gle qu a d r a n t , t woqu a d r a n t a n d fou r qu a d r a n t con ver t er s t h es e a r e s h own b elow.

Q2 Q1 Q2 Q1
+ T + Q3 Q4 T
va Q3 Q4
va

Single-quadrant
Two-quadrant

+ va Q1
Q2
Q3 Q4 T

Four-quadrant

Reference:
N. Mohan, Electric Drives: An integrative approach, University of Minnesota Printing services, 2000.
N. Mohan, Power Electronics: Converters, applications and design John Wiley and Sons, 1995.