Ch8 - DC Drives

EE428 Industrial Process Control
Part 4: Variable Speed Drives

Dr. Ammar Hasan
Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Variable Speed Drives
• Most of the machines used in industry are
powered by motors.
• Some production process applications require
that a motor maintain constant speed
regardless of the physical load placed on it.
• Other situations require the motor to change
speeds either very quickly or very slowly.

• Mechanical mechanisms were the first devices
used to control motors.
• For example, gear reducers were used to slow
the speed of motors.
• When a speed alteration was required, the
motor system was shut down while gears and
belts were changed.
• When a gear mechanism was used for
controlling position, backlash limited the
accuracy
• Electronic motor drive systems, commonly
known as the drive, use integrated circuits.
• The drive is capable of controlling the speed,
torque, horsepower, direction, and position of
motors with more precision than mechanical
devices.
• The benefits of accurately controlling a motor
are energy savings, increased productivity, and
better quality.

EE428 Industrial Process Control
Chapter 8: DC Drives
Dr. Ammar Hasan

DC Drives Fundamentals
• DC drive systems are divided into following
major parts: operator controls, drive
controller, DC motor, and feedback.

DC Drives: Operator Control
• The operator control provides the
user/operator a way to start, stop, and change
the direction and speed of the motor.
• The controls used may be an integral part of
the controller in the form of switches, push
buttons, potentiometers, or a handheld
keypad.

DC Drives: Driver Controller
• The drive controller converts an AC source
voltage to an adjustable DC voltage, which is
then applied to a DC motor armature.
• Regulation characteristics of the controller will
run the motor at a desired speed, torque, and
horsepower set by a reference input.
• Additional circuits can be used to protect the
drive system from overloads and various
circuit faults.
DC Drives: DC Motor
• The RPM and direction of the motor shaft are
determined by the magnitude and polarity of
the adjustable voltage applied to the motor.
• The motor shaft is usually coupled to a
transmission device, which is then connected
to the driven machine.

DC Drives: DC Motor
• The DC motor in a typical drive control system
is usually a shunt wound or permanent
magnet type.
• An adjustable voltage supply is connected to
the armature of both types of motors to
primarily control speed.
• For Shunt Motor, an adjustable field control
can be added to provide higher speed and
better torque control of the motor.
DC Drives: Feedback
• The speed of the motor is regulated by a
closed-loop circuit.
• The desired speed of the motor is determined
by a reference set by the operator control
input device.

DC Drives: Feedback
• Two methods are used to monitor the speed
of the motor: internal and external.
• Each method produces a feedback voltage
proportional to the motor velocity.
• The internal method uses armature current as
the feedback signal.
• The external method uses a tachometer to
produce a DC feedback voltage.

DC Drives: Feedback
• The external method is more accurate
because it monitors the entire closed-loop
system.
• The external loop provides speed regulation as
low as 1%.
• The most popular DC drive is the variable
voltage drive. It controls motors by regulating
the amount of voltage applied to the armature
winding, shunt field winding, or both.
Variable Voltage DC Drive: Rectifier
• A simple speed control circuit, called the half-
wave speed control, consists of a motor
armature and an SCR.
• The SCR controls the amount of current that
flows through the DC motor armature.
• Therefore, the speed of the motor can be
controlled, since it is directly proportional to
the current that flows through the armature.


Variable Voltage DC Drive
• The half-wave rectifier is rarely used because
of motor noise and excessive heating.
• By supplying power to the motor armature
with full-wave rectification, the overall
performance of the motor is significantly
improved

• A full-wave rectifier that can supply current to
the armature during each alternation. It
consists of two rectifier diodes and two SCRs

• If the motor is shunt wound, a field supply is
also required. Provided by full bridge D3-D6.

Variable Voltage DC Drive: Trigger
• A firing circuit consisting of UJT is usually used
for triggering SCRs. Here Q1 is used as a
variable resistor

Variable Voltage DC Drive: Speed
Reference
• Speed reference is set with a potentiometer

Regulation
• For feedback, the armature voltage can be
used since it depends on CEMF.
• The armature voltage feedback network
consists of two resistors, R8 and R9.
• The feedback signal develops at the junction
between the resistors and is amplified by
noninverting-op amp before it is applied to
summing op amp input resistor R4.

Regulation
• Suppose that the motor RPM decreases. The
CEMF decreases, causing the net voltage
applied across the armature to increase.
• The result is that the summing amp output
goes more negative, and causes the SCR to fire
sooner.
• More current flows through the armature,
which speeds the motor back up to its desired
RPM.
Regulation

Variable Voltage DC Drive: Internal
Resistance Compensation
• The voltage across R10 is proportional to the
motor current and the load. In the event that
the motor slows down, the CEMF decreases,
causing the current through the armature and
R10 to increase.

Variable Voltage DC Drive: Internal
Resistance Compensation
• The IR voltage at R11 increases and is amplified by op
amp before being-fed back to summing op amp input
resistor R3.
• The effect is that the timing circuit fires the SCRs
sooner, which speeds the motor back to the desired
RPM.
• Potentiometer R11 is used to adjust the feedback
voltage at a level that properly compensates for any
load variances. By moving the wiper arm of R11 to
the right, increased compensation will be obtained.
Variable Voltage DC Drive: Current
Limiting
• If a malfunction develops that causes the motor to
stall or slow down far below its rated speed, the
current through the armature will become excessive.
• These large currents occur because the slow rotation
of the motor reduces the CEMF so that the net
voltage at the armature becomes very high.
• Either the semiconductors or the armature windings
are destroyed. To limit the current to a safe amount,
a current limiting circuit is used.

Variable Voltage DC Drive: Current
Limiting
• Armature current has two
paths
• If the current becomes two
high Q2 and Q3 turn ON, which
turns increases resistance of
Q1.
• The high current threshold is
adjusted with a potentiometer
at the base of Q2.

Variable Voltage DC Drive
• A firing circuit consisting of UJT is usually used
for triggering SCRs
Blue: Rectifier and Trigger, Purple: Error Comparator, Red: Speed Regulation (based on CEMF),
Yellow: Speed Regulation (based on Armature current), Green: Current Limiting,
High Speed/ Low Speed Limit
• There are some applications
that should avoid maximum
motor speed.
• By adding two rheostats to the
reference generation circuit,
the max/min speed could be
set.

Acceleration/Deceleration limiting
• If reference speed is changed
suddenly, a high current could
flow through the armature,
damaging the coils or circuitry.
• By placing a resistor and
capacitor circuit, the maximum
rate of change of reference
speed could be adjusted.
• This is called a soft start.

Field Current Speed Control
• The speed of a DC motor is primarily controlled by
changing the voltage applied to the armature
• In a DC shunt motor, the speed can also be varied by
changing the field voltage
• It is possible to increase the motor speed up to five
times the base speed.
• However, weakening the field by reducing the field
voltage also reduces motor torque.

Field Current Speed Control
• The field current may be varied manually or
automatically.
• The control circuit uses a rheostat or an SCR bridge
to regulate the amount of current flow.
• DC drives with this capability are frequently called
field drives.

Load Characteristics
• An adjustable drive is selected based on the type of
load the motor will be driving.
• Motor loads are classified into three main categories,
depending on how the torque and horsepower
requirements vary with changing operating speed.
• These three groups are constant torque, constant
horsepower and variable torque loads.

Load Characteristics: Constant
Torque Load
• Constant torque loads account for about 90 percent
of industrial applications.
• In this group, the torque required by the load is
constant throughout the speed range.
• The amount of torque required at low speeds is the
same as the amount required at high speeds.
• Examples of constant torque loads are conveyors,
extruders, and hoists.

Torque Load
• The graph showing the relatively constant torque
demanded by the load over the rated speed range.
• Speed is adjustable from 0 to 100 percent by
controlling the armature voltage

Horsepower Load
• In this category, the horsepower required by the load
is constant.
• To hold the horsepower constant, it may be
necessary for the motor to run above the base
speed.
• According to the following basic horsepower formula,
to keep the horsepower constant the speed must
increase as the torque decreases

Horsepower Load
• The RPM of the motor is controlled to stay at three
or four times base speed by weakening the motor
field.
• An application for a constant horsepower load is a
machine tool lathe.
• It requires slow speed and high torque for rough
cuts, and high speed with less torque for fine cuts
where little material is removed.

Horsepower Load

Load Characteristics: Variable
Torque Load
• In this category, the torque required by the load
varies with the speed.
• In some applications it varies proportionally to the
square of speed
• Examples of loads Speed that demand variable
torque from a motor are large centrifugal fans,
pumps, and punch presses

Motor Braking
• Some industrial applications require that a rotary
mechanism be stopped quickly.
• However, because of inertia, it may be difficult to
stop a mechanism abruptly.
• Two popular techniques are used in drives for
braking motors.
• They are dynamic braking and regenerative braking

Motor Braking: Dynamic Braking
• Dynamic braking uses a resistor to absorb the kinetic
energy from the rotating armature and the load to
which it is connected.
• When the start button is closed, current flows
through the control relay (CR) coil.
• All normally open (N.O.) contacts close and all
normally closed (N.C.) contacts open.
• The control relay parallel to start button also latches


• When the stop button is pressed, current no longer
flows through the CR coil.
• The contacts open and the N.C. contacts close.
• The field coil remains energized, but current no
longer flows through the armature from the motor
control circuitry.
• The armature becomes connected in series with the
load resistor.

• As it spins due to inertia, the armature coil cuts the
shunt field flux lines and consequently becomes a
generator.
• Current induced into the armature now flows in the
opposite direction from the original current.
• The result is that a reverse torque is developed.
• At first, the current and torque are high, so the
motor speed drops quickly.

• The smaller the load resistance, the more current is
drawn from the armature and the faster it slows
down.
• Dynamic braking resistors of small ratings are
typically constructed of wire wound on ceramic so
that they can dissipate the heat produced during
braking.

• When selecting a load resistor, it is necessary to
choose one with-a rating based on the duty it is
required to perform, taking account of load inertia.
• In practice, a load resistor value is chosen so that the
initial braking current is about twice the rated motor
current.
• The initial braking torque is then twice the normal
torque of the motor.

• In newer equipment, it is more common to use solid-
state devices and logic circuits instead of contactors
to perform dynamic braking.
• Dynamic braking action is only active during motor
rotation, and therefore cannot be used as an electric
holding brake.

Motor Braking: Regenerative
Braking
• In regenerative braking, power from the kinetic
energy is returned to the power supply.
• One bridge supplies current to the motor armature in
one direction; the other bridge supplies current in
the opposite direction.

Braking
• Suppose the motor is running in the forward
direction.
• The braking action takes place by shutting the
forward bridge off and then turning the reverse
bridge on, causing the direction of the current flow
through the armature to change.
• This action causes the torque of the armature to
develop in the opposite direction.
• As the torque applied to the motor shaft reverses, it
counters the forward inertia of the motor, causing it
to decelerate quickly.
Braking
• When the motor rotation stops, the reverse SCR
bridge turns off.
• If the reverse bridge is kept on, the motor will begin
rotating in the opposite direction.
• This system is ideal for applications that require rapid
starts and stops or frequent direction reversals.

Braking
• In addition to stopping a motor quickly, the
regenerative motor braking circuit can reduce the
motor down to a slower speed quickly without
stopping it.
• Suppose that the speed adjust knob on a DC drive
without the regenerative circuit is suddenly turned to
a lower RPM setting.
• The firing circuit will turn off the signals applied to
the SCR gates in the bridge circuit. No voltage will be
applied to the motor armature as it coasts to its new
speed setting.
Braking
• However, if a regenerative circuit is present, the
motor decelerates quickly as it is braking.
• When the new speed is reached, the reverse bridge
turns off and the forward bridge turns back on.

Braking
• Regeneration can also provide a precise method of
speed regulation
• The circuit can provide positive or negative current to
armature for improved speed regulation

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Ch8 - DC Drives

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EE428 Industrial Process Control

Part 4: Variable Speed Drives

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

Dr. Ammar Hasan SEECS, NUST

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