EEE 471

Universal Motor
Dr. A Hasib Chowdhury
Dept. of EEE, BUET

February 2016
Motor Classification
 Universal Motor

• Similar to a DC motor but designed to operate either

from dc or single-phase ac

• Stator and rotor windings of motor connected in series

through rotor commutator

 therefore UM is also known as an AC series motor or an AC

commutator motor
 Universal Motor Construction

• Consists of a stator having concentrated field

winding connected in series by a commutator
to a wound armature
• Both motor and generator action exist
simultaneously in armature circuit
• These two principles are
(1) instantaneous electromotive force (emf), which is
induced in armature conductors when moving with
a velocity v within a magnetic field
(2) force produced on conductors as result of carrying
an electric current in this same magnetic field
 Universal Motor Construction contd.

One pole of a series motor field winding

Wound armature
Universal Motor Construction contd.
 Universal Motor Construction contd.
Armature
shaft
Commutator

Brush
Stator coil

Armature
coil Armature
coil wire

General construction of
a two-pole-wound field
universal motor Armature
laminated stack Stator lamination stack
 Universal Motor Construction contd.
• Armature slots slanted slightly to reduce AC
buzzing  gives uniform starting
characteristics regardless of armature's initial
orientation relative to field coils
• Stator (field) and armature laminations stacked,
insulated, and wound with magnet wire
• Armature wound in consecutive continuous
loops or coils
• Each coil end connected to a commutator bar
• Field wound with magnet wire and coils are
connected in series such that they will provide
opposite magnetic polarity
• Field connected in series with armature through
brush-commutator connection
 Universal Motor Construction contd.
• Field yoke may be circular, with coils on each
pole
or it may extend from pole to pole only on one
side of armature, in which case there is
usually only one field coil on the leg of yoke
• Permanent-magnet may be used  no field
coils required
• Armature may have 12 slots and a 12-bar
commutator  1 coil per slot (2 coil sides per slot)
 Typically from 8 to 12 slots
• There may be two coils per slot (four coil sides
in each slot) in which case there are twice as
many commutator bars as slots
 Universal Motor Construction contd.

Finite element analysis

showing flux paths
through stator teeth

Note that flux lines utilize the

teeth where there is any part of
the tooth tip over the pole
 Universal Motor Characteristics
• Nearly equivalent performance on DC or AC
• DC series motor can run on AC, but with poor efficiency
• UM can operate on DC with equivalent AC performance
 but with poorer commutation and brush life
• Highest power to weight (hp/kg) ratio  higher operating
speed of motor, higher output power  lower cost per hp
• UM tends to run away when operated without load, speed
being limited only by windage, friction, and commutation
 large UMs connected directly to a load to limit speed
 Universal Motor Characteristics

• On portable tools, load imposed by gears, bearings, and

cooling fan hold no-load speed down to a safe value

• Motor speed sensitive to both voltage and flux changes

• Speed control is simple. May be driven by rheostat, chopper

or phase angle (SCR or Triac) controllers

• High construction complexity

• Low reliability Reliability is the probability of a device performing its

purpose adequately for the period of time intended
• Low efficiency under the operating conditions encountered
 Universal Motor Characteristics

• Terrible EMI (brushes create sparks and ozone)

• Some degree of sensor-less speed control possible

• Life of an UM is usually limited by wear of commutator

and carbon brushes
 Universal Motor Characteristics

• Very high starting torque The higher the rpm, the lower the torque

• Higher torque on DC than AC

– Windings have large reactance at
50 Hz  high voltage drop across
reactance  EA = kφω smaller 
motor slower
– Motor may saturate near voltage
peak  lower rms flux  lower torque
– suitable for battery operated tools
 Back EMF

• Instantaneous force on a conductor of length l carrying a current i in

a magnetic field B is:
• In vector notation:
θ  angle between direction of magnetic field and direction of current
flow in conductor
B in webers per square meter (teslas)
i in amperes

l in meters
• Motors, by design, have armature conductors and magnetic flux at
quadrature to one another  Therefore, force:
 Back EMF contd.
• Assume a situation where a conductor of
length l located in a magnetic field and is
free to move in x direction perpendicular to
the field
• A force is produced on conductor, causing
it to move in x direction  then

• So, differential electrical energy into

conductor less differential i2r loss equals
differential mechanical output energy 
• This force causes movement in conductor,
which in turn causes a voltage to be
induced into that conductor which is
opposite to direction of original current
 Back EMF
• This induced voltage is usually called a counter-emf (cemf) voltage
because of its opposition to the applied voltage
• This example indicates that a reversible energy or power exchange
is possible (i.e., between the mechanical and electrical systems)
• Therefore, same machine may operate as a motor or a generator,
depending on flow of energy in armature
 Back EMF contd.
• Field and armature of dc series motor are supplied with same
current by an applied voltage  a magnetic field produced in
magnetic circuit
• Armature coils located in this field each conductors in field
experiences a force (torque) tending to make it move  a counter
emf (cemf) is produced opposing applied voltage
• Armature circuit also produces a magnetic field of its own
• Armature has a unidirectional current  produces a fixed-direction
mmf
– mmf = effective coil turns on armature x current through those turns
• Armature winding must be considered in developing those ampere-
turns
 there may be parallel paths through armature, with the possibility of
armature coils being wound in series or parallel arrangements
 Hence, there will also be a division of total armature current in each
windings
 Torque-Speed Characteristics

• N  number of conductors per armature path

• Z  total number of conductors (coil sides) on
armature
– Z = number of slots × coils/slot × turns/coil × 2
(conductors/turn)
– a = number of parallel paths through armature
– P = number of poles
– n = armature speed, rpm
– φ = flux per pole, maxwells

Equivalent steady-state
circuit of UM
Developed power:

Torque:
 Torque-Speed Characteristics contd.

• Equivalent circuit voltage equation

• The motor speed equation

• For no load speed:

 Efficiency

• A number of losses occur:

1. Copper loss in the armature winding Ia2ra
2. Copper loss in the series field winding Ia2rf
3. Brush contact loss
4. Friction (brush and bearing friction) and windage
5. Core loss (hysteresis and eddy current)
6. Stray load loss (losses in addition to those above)
• Stray load loss is a function of motor load and changes
in load
– Changes in load produce changes in armature current and
hence affect (1) magnetic saturation in magnetic circuit, (2)
armature reaction changes, and (3) eddy current loss changes
 Efficiency
• Conditions for maximum
efficiency can be related to
those losses which are
considered to be constant
and those that vary with
motor load current
• If losses are segregated as
follows:
– K1 = constant losses
– K2 = losses which vary
linearly with Ia
– K3 = losses which vary as the
square of Ia
• Then efficiency:
 Efficiency

• Equating this to zero gives condition for maximum efficiency

• Thus, for maximum efficiency constant losses must be equal to

those that vary as the square of armature current
• This is typical for all rotational electrical equipment
• Constant losses usually are considered to be core losses, friction,
and windage
• Usually brush loss is small
 Control of UM: Phase-Angle Drive

• UM can be controlled either as a phase-angle drive or as

a chopper drive

Phase-Angle Drive
• Phase-angle control technique is used to adjust voltage
applied to motor
• A phase shift of gate's pulses allows effective voltage,
seen by motor, to be varied
• Phase-angle drive requires just a triac
Control of UM: Phase-Angle Drive
 Control of UM: Chopper Drive

Chopper Drive
• PWM technique is used to adjust voltage applied to
motor
• Modulation of PWM duty cycle allows effective voltage,
seen by motor, to be varied
• Requires a more complicated power stage
– input rectifier
– a power switch
– a fast power diode
• Advantages
– higher efficiency
– less acoustic noise
– better EMC behavior
Control of UM: Chopper Drive
 Comparison

• A ¾ hp induction motor runs at 1075 - 3450 rpm,

is about 6" long x 6" diameter, and weighs about
8.6 kg
• A ¾ hp UM may run at a speed of about 15,000
rpm, is about 6" long x 3" diameter (1/4 of the
volume) and weighs about 1.3 kg (~ 85% less)
 Universal Motor Applications

• UMs have been major source of power for vacuum cleaners

since their early days
• Same is true in many other consumer appliances  motor of
choice for horizontal axis washing machines
• Vacuum cleaners normally run at very high speeds and can
generate much higher horsepower (or kilowatts) per unit
weight than their induction motor counterparts
• High speed allows use of compact impellers to generate a
combination of high airflow when inlet orifice allows, and high
suction when orifice is restricted
• High speed also allows for better cooling of motor
 Electric Motors in Our Life

• Kitchen • Living Room

– Fridge 2-3 – Fan 1
– Clock 1
– Food Processor 1
– Video Player 3
– Hand Blender 1
– CD Player 3
– Coffee Mill 1 – Fish Aquarium 1
– Oven Fan 1
• Bathroom
– Waste disposal 1
– Electric Razor 1
– Washing Mach. 2 – Elec. Toothbrush 1
– Ventilator 1 – Hair Dryer 1
– Electric Knife 1 – Epilator 1
– Vacuum Cleaner 1 – Ventilator 1
– Heating System 2 – Tankless Toilet 1
– Microwave oven 1
 Electric Motors in Our Life

• Study • Others
– Printer 2 – Lawn Mower 1
– Scanner 2 – Hedge Trimmer 1
– Computer 9 – Drill 1
– Train Set 2 – Screw Driver 1
– Camera 2
– Fan 1
– Air Conditioner 1