UTILIZATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

CHAPTER 2: ELECTRIC DRIVES

L-2-1
 ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM

An Electric Drive is a group of electric motor, energy transmitting mechanism and

the control of equipment by which motor characteristics are adjusted to meet the
load requirement.
 Contd.....

I. Source: The commonly available source is AC source, 1-ph or 3-ph 50/60 Hz.
High rating device is normally supplied with 3-ph and low rating with 1-ph. For
single phase motor starter is required while 3 phase induction motors are self-
starting.
II. Modulator: It converts electrical energy in the form suitable to the motor.
AC to DC(rectifier), AC to AC(transformer, voltage regulator), DC to AC(inverter)
& DC to DC (chopper).It modulates flow of power from the source to the motor in
such a manner that motor is imparted with speed torque characteristic required by
the load. It restricts currents within permissible value during transient operations
such as starting, braking & speed reversal. It also selects the mode of operation of
motor i.e. motoring, braking or generating.
 Contd...

III. Control Unit: It provides control signal to the modulator.

IV. Sensing Unit: It senses various parameters of the motor to be adjusted such as
speed, temperature and is used in feedback control system.
V. Motor: Motor should be selected to meet the particular load. Requirements may
depend on various parameters and type of load to handle.
VI. Load: It is a machine designed to complete a particular task.
 2.1 Advantages of Electrical Drive

I. Flexible control characteristics.

II. Available in wide range of torque, speed & power.
III. High efficiency, low noise, low maintenance & cleaner operation.
IV. Electric motor can operate in all four quadrants of speed torque plane.*
V. Adaptable to almost any operating conditions.

* Four Quadrant operation will be studied in subsequent class.

 2.2 Types of Electrical Drives

I. Group Drive
A single electric motor drives a line shaft by means of which an entire group of
working machines may be operated. The line shaft is fitted with multi-stepped
pulleys and belts. The belt connects the pulley to the shaft of the driven machine
and serves to vary the speed.

https://worldofelectricalengineering21.blogspot.com/2019/12/types-of-electric-drive.html
 Contd....

Advantages of Group Drive

I. Economical as single motor of large capacity is used.
II. Improved efficiency and power factor.
III. Can withstand short but sharp overloads.
IV. Power rating of group drives can be often less than the total power ratings of
all individual motors as all the motors may not be used on full load at the
same time.
 Contd....
Disadvantages of Group Drive
I. Difficulty in speed control.
II. Breakdown of single motor can cause the whole operation to be halted.
III. Considerable power loss in energy transmitting mechanism.
IV. Noise is high.
V. Flexibility of layout of the various machines is lost.
VI. Owing to the use of shaft, pulleys & belts do not provide a good appearance.
 2.2 Types of Electrical Drives

II. Individual drive

A single motor is used to drive an individual machine. Though it costs much higher
than group drive, operator has a full command control over the machine to be
operated. The machines can be placed in any desired locations and can be moved
very easily. It also provides good appearance, cleanliness and safety.

https://worldofelectricalengineering21.blogspot.com/2019/12/types-of-electric-drive.html
 Contd....

Advantages of Individual Drive

Flexibility of Layout, breakdown of one machine doesn’t cause the whole
operation to be halted, appealing appearance, speed control of individual machine
can be achieved etc.
Disadvantages
High Initial cost & losses in transmission mechanism.

https://worldofelectricalengineering21.blogspot.com/2019/12/types-of-electric-drive.html
 2.2 Types of Electrical Drives

III. Multi-motor Drive

It consists of several individual drives each of which serves to operate one of many
working members or mechanisms in some production unit. The use of individual
and multi-motor drive has enabled introduction of automation in production
process.
 Contd....

Example: Travelling cranes has three motors, one for hoisting, and another for long
travel motion and the third for cross travel.
Hoisting Motion Travel is used to take the hoist up and down. Cross Travel: -
Cross travel is used to take the hoist left or right. Long Travel: Long travel is used
to take the crane forward or backward.
Again, in case of multi-motor drives any problem in one section might hamper the
whole process.
 2.3 Methods of Power Transfer

The mechanical power available at the shaft of the motor has to be transmitted to
the driven machines and it can be achieved in various ways.
I. Direct drive: The motor shaft is solidly connected to the shaft of the driven
machine. In this case the speed of the driven machine is same as that of driving
machine.
Advantages: Simplest method and requires less space than belt drives. Since there
is no power loss in transmission it is 100 % efficient.
Disadvantages: Accurate alignment is needed for solid coupling. A sudden jerk of
the load is transmitted to the motor. Speed change is not possible since driving and
driven machine must run at same speed.
 Contd....
II. Belt Drive
It transfers the rotary motion between two shafts. The motion of the driving pulley
is transferred to the driven pulley via friction between belt and pulley. It is
employed where speed change is desired in transmission of power.
Advantages: It is least expensive, driven shaft’s speed can be changed by
changing the size of the pulley.
Disadvantages: Relatively high inspection and maintenance is required.
Mechanical power loss is high.
 Contd....
III. Flat belt drive: It is a long distance drive with a limited degree of slip*. They
are made of rubber or polymers and used in conveyors, threshers, saw mills etc.
IV. V- belt drive: It solved the problem of slippage and alignment. It provides
better torque transfer. Power transferred depends upon the size and speed of the
belt.
*Slip in belt drive is a phenomenon of the relative motion between belt and pulley.
Due to insufficient grip of friction b/w pulley and belt, there is some relative
motion in b/w those two, this motion is called slip of belt. Ideally it should be zero.
 Contd....

V. Chain Drive: They are used for high speed ratio and have no slip. They are
normally used to convey power to the wheels of the vehicles such as bicycle and
motorcycle. They are more efficient but expensive than belt drives. It should be
ensured that shafts are parallel and chains run centrally on their sprockets at right
angle to the shaft.
 Contd....

VI. Gear Drive: : Gear drive involves the transmission of motion or torque from
one shaft to another by means of direct contact between toothed wheels. It requires
proper alignment in absence of which the shaft will bent.
 Gear Ratio of a Gear Train

It is the ratio of angular velocity of the input gear to the angular velocity of the
output gear. The torque ratio of gear train also known as its mechanical advantage
is determined by the gear ratio. The velocity, v of the point of contact of the two
pitch circles are the same.
v = r*w
Hence if A is the input gear & B is the output gear
rAwA = rBwB
= = = R ; NB=no. of teeth in output gear, NA = no. of teeth in input gear
This equation shows that if the number of teeth on the output gear is larger than the
input gear, then the input gear must rotate faster than the output gear.
 Fundamental Torque Equation

Motor Load
Here,
J = Moment of Inertia of motor load system referred to motor shaft (kg/m2)
wm = instantaneous angular velocity of motor shaft (rad/s)
T = instantaneous value of developed motor torque
TL= instantaneous value of load torque referred to motor shaft
 Torque = I*α
Contd.... α = angular acceleration
I= moment of inertia

Following differential equation then describes the motor load system,

( )
T – TL = = wm +J ................[1]
Equation [1] is applicable to variable inertia and variable speed drives. The motor
torque is considered as an applied torque & load torque as a resisting torque.
 Contd....

For drive with constant inertia, = 0. Hence, equation [1] reduces to

T – TL = J
Or, T = TL + J .....................[2]
Equation [2] shows that motor torque is counter balanced by a load torque TL & a
dynamic torque, J .
Drive accelerates, if T>TL
Drive decelerates, if T<TL
For faster response motor load system should be designed with a lowest possible
inertia.
 Contd....

The energy associated with dynamic torque, J is stored in the form of kinetic
energy.
During T<TL , dynamic torque is negative. This means that dynamic torque
supports the motor torque to maintain drive speed. It does so by extracting kinetic
energy stored during acceleration which is ½*J*wm2.
End of L-2-1