Chapter 6: Speed Control of Direct

Current Motors
 Speed Control Variables
Vt Ra
   T   o   
K   K  2

• Resistance in armature circuit: When a resistance is

inserted in the armature circuit, the speed drop ()
increases and the motor speed decreases.
• Terminal voltage (armature voltage): Reducing the
armature voltage of the motor reduces the motor speed.
• Field flux (or field voltage): Reducing the field voltage
reduces the flux. The motor speed then increases.
 Attributes of good speed controller

• Soft transition
• Sufficient speed damping
• Over-voltage must not exceed the tolerable limit
of the system components.
• The magnitude of the inrush current should be
kept under control
• Natural electromechanical oscillations should be
avoided.
Concept of Speed Control by Adding
Resistance
If Radd

Ia
Ea
Vf Rf Vt

Ra
Speed

Radd1<R add2<R add3

Ra

2
Ra + R add1

3
Ra + R add3
Ra + R add2
4
Torque

Vt Ra  Radd
2  T   o   2
K ( K  )2
 Example 6.1
A 150 V, dc shunt motor drives a constant-
torque load at a speed of 1200 rev/min. The
armature and field resistances are 1  and
150  respectively. The motor draws a line
current of 10 A at the given load.
a. Calculate the resistance that should be added to
the armature circuit to reduce the speed by 50%.
b. Calculate the resistance that must be added to
the armature circuit to operate the motor at
holding condition.
 Speed

Solution: Part a Radd1<Radd2<Radd3

Ra

150 2
I a1  I1  I f  10  9 A Ra + Radd1

150 Ra + Radd3
3
Ra + Radd2
4
E a1  K  1  V  I a1 Ra Torque

E a 2  K  2  V  I a 2 ( Ra  Radd 1 ) I

Td
Ia  I a1  I a 2 Ra
K
If Rf Vt
Ea1  1 n1 V  I a Ra Ea
Ia
  
Ea 2  2 n2 V  I a ( Ra  Radd 1 )

1200 150  9  1
 Radd 1  7.83 
0.5  1200 150  9  ( 1  Radd 1 )
 Speed

Radd1<Radd2<Radd3

Solution: Part b
Ra

2
Ra + Radd1

3
Ra + Radd3
Ra + Radd2
4
Torque

K  V  I a ( Ra  Radd )  0

V 150
Radd   Ra   1  15.67 
Ia 9
Concept of Speed Control by Adjusting
Armature Voltage
1f

1a

Ea
Vf Rf Vt

Ra
 

V1>V2>V3>V4
V1

o1 1
V2
o2 2

o3 3 V3
V4
o4 4
Torque

Ttot

Vt Ra
   T
K  ( K  )2
Concept of Speed Control by Adjusting
Field Voltage
If

Ia

Vf Ea

Rf Vt

Ra
 

o3 Vf3
Vf1>Vf2>Vf3

Vf2 3
o2
2
Vf1
o1 1

Torque
Ttot

Vt Ra
   T
K  ( K  )2
 Example 6.3

• A 150 V, dc shunt motor drives a constant-

torque load at a speed of 1200 rev/min.
The armature and field resistances are 2 
and 150  respectively. The motor draws a
line current of 10 A. Assume that a
resistance is added in the field circuit to
reduce the field current by 20%. Calculate
the armature current, motor speed, the
value of the added resistance, and the
extra field losses.
 Solution
I

150
I a1  I  I f 1  10  9A
150 Ra

If Rf Vt
Ia
Ea
 
Solution o2 Vf2 Vf1>Vf2

2
Td  K1 I a1  K 2 I a 2
Vf1
 o1 1
I a 2  1 I a1
2
If1 1
I a2  I a1  9  11 .25 A Td Torque
If2 0.8
Ea1  K1 1  V  I a1 Ra 1 n1 V  I a1 Ra

2 n2 V  I a 2 Ra
E a 2  K  2  2  V  I a 2 Ra
1 1200 150  9  2

0.8 n2 150  11 .25  2

n2  1448.86 rpm
Solid-State Control

Converter

Rectifier
& Filter
Field
Motor
 Single-Phase, Half-Wave Drives
VAK

Ra

Vt
VS La

Ea

vt  vs (u  u  )  Ea [1  (u  u  )]
vt  (Vmax sin  t ) (u  u  )  Ea [1  (u  u  )]
200.00

150.00 Ea+i Ra vt

100.00
Ea
50.00 vt
i i
0.00

0 90 180 270 360 450 540
-50.00

100.00

150.00 vs
200.00
Angle

vt  vs (u  u  )  Ea [1  (u  u  )]
vt  (Vmax sin  t ) (u  u  )  Ea [1  (u  u  )]
 vt  Ea
i
Ra  jX a

vt  vs (u  u  )  Ea [1  (u  u  )]
 VAK
vt  Ea  v L  i Ra
Vt ave  Ea  VL ave  I ave Ra
Ra

Vt ave  Ea  I ave Ra VS
Vt
La

2 2 Ea
1 Ra
2 0 vt dt  Ea  2 i
0
dt

1    2  Ra
2

  vt dt   vt dt   Ea   i dt

2    2 0
Vmax 
[cos   cos  ]  Ea  Ra I ave
2 2    
Vmax 
[cos   cos  ]  K  Ra I ave
2 2
Vmax 
[cos   cos  ]  K  Ra I ave
2 2

Let
~ 
K  K
2
and
~ Vmax
Vt  [cos   cos  ]
2
Then
~ Ra I a Vt Ra I a
Vt   
  ~  ~ K K
K K
 Example 6.3
• A 1-hp dc shunt motor is loaded by a
constant torque of 10 NM. The
armature resistance of the motor is 5 ,
and the field constant K = 2.5 V sec.
The motor is driven by a half wave SCR
converter. The power source is 120 V,
60 Hz. The triggering angle of the
converter is 60o, and the conduction
period is 150o. Calculate the motor
speed and the developed power.
 Solution
T 10
I ave   4 A
K 2.5
Vmax 
[cos   cos  ]  K  Ra I ave
2 2
2  120 150
 cos( 60 )  cos( 60  150 )   2.5   5  4
2 360

  16.22 rad / sec n  154.88 rpm

Pd  Ea I ave  k I ave  2.5 16.22  4  162 W
Single-Phase, Full-Wave Drives

i1

S1 S4

Ra La
VS Ea

Vt

S3 S2

i2
200.00
150.00  
vt vt
100.00 Ea
50.00 i1 i2
0.00
-50.00 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

-100.00
-150.00 v2 v1

-200.00
Angle
 Vt ave  Ea  I ave  Ra
 
2 2 Ra
2  vt dt  Ea 
2  i dt
0 0

    
1  Ra
  vt dt   vt dt  Ea 
   i dt
   

Vmax 
 cos(  )  cos(  )  Ea  Ra  I ave
 
Vmax 
 cos(  )  cos(  )  K  Ra  I ave
 
Continuous Armature Current
i
Load3

Load2
 Load1

 Angle
180o

Vmax
 cos(  )  cos(   180 )  Ea  Ra  I ave

2Vmax
cos(  )  Ea  Ra  I ave  K  Ra  I ave

Vmax
 cos(  )  cos(  )   K  Ra  I ave
 

2Vmax
cos(  )  K  Ra  I ave


Discontinuous Continuous Current
Current
1

2

3

Torque
4
 Example 6.4
• For the motor in Example 6.3,
assume that the converter is a full-
wave type. The triggering angle of
the converter is 60o, and the
conduction period is 150o.
Calculate the motor speed and the
developed power.
 Solution
T 10
I ave   4 A
K 2.5

2  120 150
 cos( 60 )  cos( 60  150 )   2.5   5  4
 180

  25.82 rad / sec

n  246.56 rpm
 Example 6.5
• A dc separately excited motor has a
constant torque load of 60 NM. The
motor is driven by a full-wave
converter through a 120 V ac supply.
The field constant of the motor K =
2.5 and the armature resistance is 2 .
Calculate the triggering angle  for the
motor to operate at 200 rev/min. The
motor current is continuous.
 Solution
2Vmax
cos(  )  K  Ra I ave

  
  cos 
1
 Ra I ave  K  
 2Vmax 
   T 
  cos 
1
 Ra  K  
 2Vmax  K 

   60 200  
  cos 
1
2  2.5  2    21.7
o

 2 2 120  2.5 60  
Effect of Free-Wheeling Diode
S1

I1
V1

Ra La
VS Ea

V2 Id

S2
 i
ia

Id

  
Angle
During diode conduction
did
Ea  Ra id  La
dt
( t  )  ( t  ) 
Ea 1  e  
id  I (  )e  
Ra  
 
Speed Control of
DC Series motor