What is a drive system?

The drive system, in the most general sense, can be defined as a system
that converts energy into viable and usable forms.

ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEMS The circuits, mechanisms, or apparatus that provide energy to the next
element in a system loop are called as drives.
A drive system basically provides motion control for any mechanical
INTRODUCTION load. Motion control is required in industry as well as domestic
applications like transportation system, rolling mills, paper mills, textile
mills, machine tools, fans, pumps, robots, washing machines etc.
Motion control may be translational, rotational or combination of both.

The basic structure of a drive system
A drive system basically consists of a mechanical load, a transmission
system and a prime mover.
The basic structure of a drive system
The basic structure of a drive system
There are several types of prime mover in drive systems such as:
- Internal combustion (IC) engines (mainly for traction and standby power)
- Steam engines (superseded by around 1960s)
- Gas turbines (mainly for aviation)
- Hydraulic engines (famous for their extreme power per volume)
- Pneumatic drives (famous for their simplicity, softness and hissing sound)
- Electric motors (via electrical to mechanical power conversion)
- Etc.
The most commonly used prime mover is an electric motor.

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Advantages of electric motors as prime mover
• Simple construction
• Flexible control characteristics (Electrical drives can be made to
conform to precise user requirements. This may, for example, be in
relation to realizing a certain shaft speed or torque level.)
• High efficiency (as high as 96%)
• Starting and braking is easy and simple
• Providing a wide range of torques over a wide range of speeds (both
ac and dc motor)
• Capable of full torque at standstill, hence no clutches are required.
What is an Electric Drive System?
• If prime mover in the drive system is an electric motor, we call the
drive system as electric drive system.
• An electric drive is a system providing an electromechanical
conversion using an electric motor and including all the peripherals
necessary for transmission, supply and control.
• An electric drive performs the conversion of electrical energy to
mechanical energy (in motoring) or vice versa (in generator braking)
for running various processes such as: production plants,
transportation of people or goods, home appliances, pumps, air
compressors, computer disc drives, robots, music or image players,
etc.
Advantages of electric motors as prime mover
• Overload capability for small period (e.g. mixer, grinder, etc.)
• Availability in large power range (W to MW)
• Capable of operating in all four quadrants of torque–speed plane (Motor-
and braking-mode are both possible in forward or reverse direction)
• Design compatibility/flexibility to load requirements (e.g. in-wheel
application for EVs)
• Reliability
• Low service requirement: (not require regular service, they have a long life
expectancy, typically in excess of twenty years.
• Clean operation: No exhaust gases emitted, no oil-spills to be expected,
low acoustic noise
Components of Electric Drive System
The block diagram of the modern electric drive system
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Components of Electric Drive System Components of Electric Drive System
• Power source • Mechanical load: Any mass we want to move can be called as a mech. load.
• Safety and protection elements (fans, compressors, machine tools, lifted weight, transported mass,etc.)
• Power converter • Mechanical loads exhibit wide variations of speed-torque characteristics.
• Electric motor Load torque are generally speed dependent.
• Controller • The purpose of the drive is to meet specific mechanical load requirements.
• Transmission It is important to fully understand the nature of the load and the user
requirements, which must be satisfied by the drive.
• Mechanical load
• The nature of the load may be translational or rotational or combination of
• Sensors both. Furthermore, the load may need continuous or intermittent
• Input command interface operation.

Components of Electric Drive System Components of Electric Drive System

• Electric motor: Electric motor provide mechanical energy required for
the mechanical load.
• Generally, electric motor can be DC machine, AC machine or variable
reluctance machine.
• Electric motors exhibit wide variations of speed-torque
characteristics.
• In electric drive applications, electric motors should be selected to
match the intended performance of the loads.
• Power converter: This unit contains a set of power electronic
switches which are used to transform the waveform of a power
source to that required by an electric motor in order to achieve the
desired performance.
• Most converters provide adjustable voltage, current and/or frequency
to control the speed, torque or power of the motor.
• Four basic types of converters are as follows.
• AC to DC Converter (Controlled Rectifier)
• DC to DC Converter (DC Chopper)
• AC to AC Converter (Cycloconverter)
• DC to AC Converter (Inverter)

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Components of Electric Drive System
• Controller: The controller supervises the operation of the entire
system to enhance overall system performance and stability.
• Typically a digital signal processor (DSP), micro-controller or PLC
• Controller monitors system variables, compares them with some
desired values, and then readjusts the converter output by providing
appropriate control signals until the system achieves a desired
performance.
Components of Electric Drive System
• Sensors: Sensors measure the system variables (pressure, current,
voltage, torque, speed, etc.) and provide feedback information to the
controller.
• Input command interface: By using input command interface, the
operator enters the desired values of the operation variables
(position, speed, torque, etc.) to the controller.
• Safety and protection elements: These elements provide main
protections for the drive system such as thermal protection, over-
speed protections, overload, over current protections, etc.
Components of Electric Drive System
• Power source: The power source provides the energy the drive
system needs. It may be dc or ac (singlephase or three-phase).
• Transmission: Transmission transmits the mechanical power from
motor to the load directly or by changing the torque/speed
magnitude and/or by changing the direction of the motion.
• The main elements of transmissions are gears, belts, pulleys and
shafts, etc.
Components of Electric Drive System
• Often, design engineers do not select the mechanical loads or power
sources.
• Rather, the mechanical loads are determined by the nature of the
industrial operation, and the power source is determined by what is
available at the site.
• However, designers usually can select the other components of the
drive systems (electric motor, converter, controller, transmission,
safety and protection equipments, sensors)
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Classification of Electric Drives-1 Classification of Electric Drives-2
Electric drives may be classified into four groups depending on their Electric drives in industrial applications may be classified into three
types of electric motors: types:

• DC motor drives 1. Group drive

• Induction motor drives 2. Individual drive
• Synchronous motor Drives 3. Multi-motor drive
• Electronically commutated motor drives (PMDC brushless motors,
stepping motors, switched-reluctance motors, etc.)

Classification of Electric Drives-2 Classification of Electric Drives-2

1. Group drive: 2. Individual drive:

Hard disk drive Most of electric vehicle Washing machine

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 Classification of Electric Drives-2 Classification of Electric Drives-3
3. Multi-motor drive: Electric drives can be divided into two groups depending on their
operational speed conditions:

1. Constant speed electric drive

2. Variable speed electric drive

Mars rover Industrial robots 3D printers

Classification of Electric Drives-3 Classification of Electric Drives-3

1. Constant speed electric drive: 2. Variable speed electric drive:

Mechanical transmission

Safety and
Power Mechanical
Protection Motor
Source Load
Elements

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Applications of Electric Drives Applications of Electric Drives
Drilling and belt conveyor Electric shipboard propulsion

Applications of Electric Drives Applications of Electric Drives

Electric bike Hybrid electric vehicles

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 Applications of Electric Drives Applications of Electric Drives
Full electric vehicles Robotics

Mobile Robots Legged robots Humonoid robots

Applications of Electric Drives Applications of Electric Drives

Industrial Robotics Drones

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Applications of Electric Drives
Underwater Robotics
Remotely Operated Vehicles
Basic criteria in design of electric drive systems
•The first step in determining a drive system is the calculation of the
mechanical energy and power required for the work machine.
•The load and its characteristics are the basic parameters for determining the
motor rating. The load may be of continuous or intermittent type. The
magnitude of the load can be constant or variable.
•Considering both steady state and transient operation conditions,
performance requirements are determined and appropriate electric motor
and related drive components are selected.
•The motor determines the characteristic of the drive, and it also determines
the power converter, control and protection circuits requirements. The
selected drive system must meet these requirements.
Applications of Electric Drives
Underwater Robotics
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
Basic criteria in design of electric drive systems
In choice /design of an electric drive system, the following factors should be
taken into account:
• Steady state operation requirements (nature of speed-torque
characteristics, speed regulation, speed range, efficiency, duty cycle,
quadrants of operation, speed fluctuations, rating, etc.)
• Transient operation requirement (values of acceleration and deceleration,
starting, braking, speed reversing, peak torque capability)
• Requirement of sources: (types of source, its capacity, magnitude of
voltage, power factor, harmonics, etc.)
• Capital and running cost, maintenance needs, life periods
• Space and weight restrictions (volume of the motor, power-to-weight ratio)
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Basic criteria in design of electric drive systems
• Environment and location (External temperature, humidity, density of
dust and dirt, vibrations and shocks, hazardous environment, etc.)
• Thermal capability
• Reliability Thanks for your attention..
• Robustness

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