CHAPTER 2

SPEED CONTROL OF DC MOTOR

DR FIZATUL AINI PATAKOR

https://scholar.google.com.my/citations?user=lnlf4VQAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fizatul_Aini_Patakor/research
INTRODUCTION

• The dc machine is popular in a number of drive applications due to its

simple operation and control. The starting torque of dc machines is
large, which is the main reason for using it in several traction
applications.
• A large number of appliances and power tools used at home, such as
circular saws and blenders, are dc machines.
• The main components of the dc machine: field circuit, armature
circuit, commutator, and brushes.
• The field is normally an electric magnet fed by a dc power source.
INTRODUCTION
• Direct current (DC) motors have several intrinsic properties, such as
the ease by:
which they can be controlled, their ability to deliver high starting
torque.
near-linear performance.
• Direct current motors are widely used in applications such as
actuation, manipulation, and traction.
INTRODUCTION
• DC motors have drawbacks that may restrict their use in some applications. For
example:
DC motors are relatively high-maintenance machines due to their commutation
mechanisms,
DC motors are large and expensive compared to other motors, such as the induction.
DC motors may not be suitable for high-speed applications due to the presence of
the commutator and brushes.
• Also, because of the electrical discharging between the commutator segments and
brushes, dc machines cannot be used in clean or explosive environments unless they
are encapsulated.
INTRODUCTION
• Nevertheless, DC motors still hold a large share of the ASD (adjustable
speed drive) market.
• Newer designs of dc motors have emerged that eliminate the
mechanical commutator. Eg: Brushless DC motor
INTRODUCTION
• Direct current motors can be classified into four groups based on the
arrangement of their field windings. Motors in each group exhibit
distinct speed-torque characteristics and are controlled by different
means. These four groups are:
• Separately excited machines.
• Shunt machines.
• Series machines.
• Compound machines.
 SEPARATELY EXCITED MOTORS

Basic equation

is power developed
is torque developed

where ɸ is the flux, which is almost proportional to for 2.1

separately excited motors.
The constant K is dependent on design parameters such as the
number of poles, number of conductors, and number of 2.2
parallel paths.
SEPARATELY EXCITED MOTORS
SPEED CONTROL METHODS OF DC
SEPARATELY EXCITED MOTORS
The speed control by adding resistance
The speed control by adjusting armature voltage
The speed control by adjusting field voltage
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADDING
RESISTANCE
• A setup for speed change by • Effect of adding an armature
adding an armature resistance resistance on speed
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADDING
RESISTANCE
• Assume that the field and
armature voltages are constant.
• At point 1, no external resistance
is in the armature circuit.
• If a resistance is added to the
armature circuit, the motor
operates at point 2, where the
motor speed
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADDING
RESISTANCE
• If the added resistance keeps
increasing, the motor speed
decreases until the system
operates at point 4, where the
speed of the motor is zero.
• The operation of the drive system
at point 4 is known as "holding."
• It is quite common to operate the At this point
motor under electrical holding
conditions in applications such as
robotics and actuation.
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADDING
RESISTANCE
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADJUSTING ARMATURE
VOLTAGE
• A setup for changing speed by adjusting the
armature voltage
• This method is highly efficient
and stable and is simple to
implement.
• When the armature voltage is
reduced, the no-load speed is
also reduced.

The only controlled variable is the armature voltage

of the motor, which is depicted as an adjustable-
voltage source.
CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADJUSTING ARMATURE
VOLTAGE
• Motor characteristics when • Note that we are assuming the field voltage is
unchanged when the armature voltage varies.
armature voltage changes
• Electric holding can be done if the armature
voltage is reduced until is equal to .
 CONTROLLING SPEED BY ADJUSTING FIELD
VOLTAGE
• Setup for controlling speed by
adjusting field voltage
If we reduce the field voltage, the field current
and consequently the flux are reduced.
• Equation 2.1 & 2.2 show the
dependency of motor speed on
the field flux.
• The no-load speed is inversely
proportional to the flux, and the
slope of Equation (2.1)is
inversely proportional to the
square of the flux.
 CONTROLLING SPEED BY
ADJUSTING FIELD
VOLTAGE
• Effect of field voltage on motor
• When motor speed is controlled by adjusting
the field current, the following
speed considerations should be kept in mind
1. The field voltage must not exceed the
absolute maximum rating.
2. Since dc motors are relatively sensitive to
variations in field voltage, large re-ductions
in field current may result in excessive
speed.
3. Because the armature current is inversely
proportional to the field flux (, reducing the
When the field flux is reduced, the no-load field results in an increase in the armature
speed is increased in inverse proportion to current (assuming that the load torque is
the flux, and the speed drop is also increased. unchanged).
 PRINCIPLES OF SOLID STATE CONTROL (THYRISTOR
CONTROLLED)

• Solid-state control is used for enhanced efficiency and for versatile

operation of electric drive systems.
• For dc machines, converters are often used in the armature circuit to
control the terminal voltage of the motor. In some cases, the
converter is also used to control the field voltage.
 PRINCIPLES OF SOLID STATE CONTROL (THYRISTOR
CONTROLLED)

In this chapter, we will analyzed the DC separately excited motor when

energized by:
• SINGLE-PHASE, HALF-WAVE DRIVES
• SINGLE-PHASE, FULL-WAVE DRIVES
 SINGLE-PHASE, HALF-WAVE DRIVES
The armature circuit of the motor is
connected to the converter, which is fed from
an ac source. The field circuit of the motor is
excited from the ac source through a full
wave rectifier circuit, which may contain
filters.
The converter in this case is a simple SCR
triggered by a control circuit not shown in the
figure.
 SINGLE-PHASE, HALF-WAVE DRIVES
Before the triggering of the SCR at , the
instantaneous voltage across the motor
terminals , is equal to . During the SCR
conduction, is equal to the instantaneous
source voltage .
is the angle at which the instantaneous current
reaches its zero crossing.
is the conduction period
SINGLE-PHASE, FULL-WAVE DRIVES

A full-wave drive can be realized by using one of the two circuits

shown above
 SINGLE-PHASE, FULL-WAVE DRIVES
• The switching of the SCRs is dependent on the polarity
of the source voltage The current (solid lines) flows
when the ac waveform of the source voltage is in the
positive half-cycle, and SCRs S1 and S2 are triggered.
• Similarly, current (dashed lines) flows when the
waveform of the source voltage is in the negative half,
and and are triggered.
• In either half of the cycle, the current will flow in the
same direction inside the motor.
 SINGLE-PHASE, FULL-WAVE DRIVES
• Figure shows center-tap transformer as another
alternative where two SCRs are used.
• The secondary of the transformer should have double
the voltage rating of the motor; that is, V1 = V2 =
rated armature voltage.
• When the source voltage Vs, is in the positive half of
its cycle and S1 is triggered, i1 flows in the upper half
of the transformer's secondary windings.
• When the source voltage is in the negative part and
S2 is closed, i2 flows in the lower half of the
secondary windings.
• Again, in either half of the source waveform, the
armature current of the machine is unidirectional.
 SINGLE-PHASE, FULL-WAVE DRIVES
• The equation of armature circuit are
PRINCIPLES OF SOLID STATE CONTROL (CHOPPER)

There are two control strategies employed in DC chopper

o Time ratio control
o Current limit control
Time ratio control- value of TON/T is varied. This is effected in two ways-
variable frequency operation & constant frequency operation.
1. TON or TOFF is kept constant
2. TON or TOFF are varied
PRINCIPLES OF SOLID STATE CONTROL (CHOPPER)

Control Strategy of DC Chopper

• Current limit control- the chopper is switched ON and OFF so that
the current in the load is maintained between two limit.
• When the current exceed upper limit, the chopper switched OFF.
• When the current reached lower limit, the chopper switched ON.
• During the OFF period the load current freewheels and decreases
exponentially.
Time ratio control & Current limit control
Show time ratio controlled choppers for DC series motors

Average load Voltage is given by

  V0    = Ton/ (Ton +Toff) * Vs   = (Ton/T) V = A Vs

Ton  : on -time
Toff  :  off- time
T = Ton +Toff= chopping period
 A =  Ton /T   = duty cycle

So we know that the load voltage can be

controlled by varying the duty cycle A.  equation
above shows that the load voltage is independent
of load current it can be also written as

 V0 = f. Ton .Vs

 f= 1/T = chopping frequency
Show current limit controlled choppers for separately excited DC motor
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• First Quadrant
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• It is known as first-quadrant chopper or
type A chopper. When the chopper is on, v 0
= VS as a result and the current flows in the
direction of the load. But when the
chopper is off v0   is zero but I0  continues to
flow in the same direction through the
freewheeling diode FD, thus average value
of voltage and current  say V0  and I0  will be
always positive as shown in the graph.
• In type A chopper the power flow will be
always from source to the load. As the
average voltage V0 is less than the dc input
voltage Vs  
• When chopper is ON, supply voltage V is connected across the
load.
• When chopper is OFF, vO = 0 and the load current continues to
flow in the same direction through the FWD.
• The average values of output voltage and current are always
positive.
• Class A Chopper is a step-down chopper in which power
always flows form source to load.
• It is used to control the speed of dc motor.
• The output current equations obtained in step down chopper
• with R-L load can be used to study the performance of Class A
Chopper
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• second Quadrant
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• In type B or second quadrant chopper the
load must always contain a dc source E .
• When the chopper   is on, v0   is zero but
the load voltage E drives the current
through the inductor L and the chopper, L
stores the energy during the time Ton  of
the chopper .
• When the chopper is off , v0 =( E+ L
.  di/dt )  will be more than the source
voltage  Vs . Because of this the diode D2
will be  forward biased and begins
conducting and hence the power starts
flowing to the source. 
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• No matter the chopper is on or off the current I0  will be flowing out of
the load and is treated negative . Since VO  is positive and  the current
I0  is negative , the direction of power flow will be from load to source.
• The load voltage V0  = (E+L  .di/dt )   will be more than the voltage Vs 
so the  type B chopper is also known as a step up chopper .
• When chopper is ON, E drives a current through L and
R in a direction opposite to that shown in figure.
• During the ON period of the chopper, the inductance L
stores energy.
• When Chopper is OFF, diode D conducts, and part of
the energy stored in inductor L is returned to the supply.
• Average output voltage is positive and average output
current is negative.
• In this chopper, power flows from load to source.
• Class B Chopper is used for regenerative braking of dc
motor.
• Class B Chopper is a step-up chopper.
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Two Quadrant operation
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Type C chopper is obtained by connecting type –A  and
type –B choppers in parallel. 
• We will always get a positive output voltage V 0  as the
freewheeling diode FD is present across the load.  
• When the chopper is on the freewheeling diode starts
conducting and the output voltage v0 will be equal to
Vs   .
• The direction of the load current i0 will be reversed.
The current i0  will be flowing towards the source  and  
it will be positive regardless the chopper is on or  the
FD conducts. 
• The load current will be negative if the chopper is or
the diode D2 conducts.  We can say the chopper and
FD  operate together as type-A chopper in first
quadrant. In the second quadrant, the chopper and D2
will operate together as type –B chopper.
• Class C Chopper is a combination of Class A and Class
B Choppers.
• For first quadrant operation, CH1 is ON or D2
conducts.
• For second quadrant operation, CH2 is ON or D1
conducts.
• When CH1 is ON, the load current is positive.
• The output voltage is equal to ‘V’ & the load receives
power from the source.
• When CH1 is turned OFF, energy stored in inductance
L forces current to flow through the diode D2 and the
output voltage is zero.
• Current continues to flow in positive direction.
• When CH2 is triggered, the voltage E forces current to
flow in opposite direction through L and CH2
• The output voltage is zero.
• On turning OFF CH2, the energy stored in the inductance
drives current through diode D1 and the supply Output voltage
is V, the input current becomes negative and power flows from
load to source.
• Average output voltage is positive
• Average output current can take both positive and negative
values.
• Choppers CH1 & CH2 should not be turned ON simultaneously
as it would result in short circuiting the supply.
• Class C Chopper can be used both for dc motor control and
regenerative braking of dc motor.
• Class C Chopper can be used as a step-up or step-down
chopper.

A. K. Gautam
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Two Quadrant operation
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• When the two choppers are on the output voltage  v0 will be equal to Vs  . When v0 = –
Vs  the two choppers will be off but both the diodes D1 and D2 will start conducting.
• V0 the average output voltage will be positive when the choppers turn-on  the time
Ton will be more than the turn off time Toff  its shown in the wave form below.
• As the diodes and choppers conduct current only in one direction the direction
• The power flows from source to load    as the average values of both v0 and i0 is positive.
 From the  wave form  it is seen that the average value of V0  is positive  thus the forth
quadrant operation of type D chopper is obtained.
• From the wave forms the Average value of output voltage is given by
V0= (Vs Ton-VsToff)/T  = Vs.(Ton-Toff)/T
• n of load current will be always positive.
• Class D is a two quadrant chopper.
• When both CH1 and CH2 are triggered simultaneously, the
output voltage vO = V and output current flows through the
load.
• When CH1 and CH2 are turned OFF, the load current
continues to flow in the same direction through load, D1 and
D2, due to the energy stored in the inductor L.
• Output voltage vO = - V
• Average load voltage is positive if chopper ON time is more
than the OFF time
• Average output voltage becomes negative if t ON < tOFF .
• Hence the direction of load current is always positive but load
voltage can be positive or negative.

A. K. Gautam
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Four Quadrant operation
• Class E is a four quadrant chopper
• When CH1 and CH4 are triggered, output current
iO flows in positive direction through CH1 and
CH4 , and with output voltage vO = V.
• This gives the first quadrant operation.
• When both CH1 and CH4 are OFF, the energy
stored in the inductor L drives iO through D2 and
D3 in the same direction, but output voltage vO = -
V.
• Therefore the chopper operates in the fourth
quadrant.
• When CH2 and CH3 are triggered, the load current iO
flows in opposite direction & output voltage vO = -V.
• Since both iO and vO are negative, the chopper operates
in third quadrant.
• When both CH2 and CH3 are OFF, the load current iO
continues to flow in the same direction D1 andD4 and
the output voltage vO = V.
• Therefore the chopper operates in second quadrant as
vO is positive but iO is negative.
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Type E or the fourth quadrant chopper consists of four semiconductor
switches and four diodes arranged in antiparallel. 
• The 4 choppers are numbered according to which quadrant they
belong. Their operation will be in each quadrant and the
corresponding chopper only be active in  its quadrant.
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• First Quadrant
• During the first quadrant operation the chopper CH4 will be on .
Chopper CH3 will be off and CH1 will be operated.  AS the CH1 and
CH4 is on the load voltage v0 will be equal to the source voltage
Vs  and the load current i0  will begin to flow . v0 and i0 will be positive
as the first quadrant operation is taking place. As soon as the chopper
CH1 is turned off, the positive current freewheels through CH4  and
the diode D2 .  The type E chopper acts as a step- down chopper in
the first quadrant.

http://www.circuitstoday.com/types-of-chopper-circuits
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Second Quadrant
• In this case the chopper CH2 will be operational and the other three
are kept off. As  CH2 is on  negative current will starts flowing through
the inductor L . CH2 ,E and D4.  Energy is stored in the inductor L as
the chopper CH2 is on.
• When CH2 is off the current will be fed back to the source through
the diodes D1 and D4. Here (E+L.di/dt) will be more than the source
voltage Vs  . In second quadrant the chopper will act as a step-up
chopper as the power is fed back from load to source

http://www.circuitstoday.com/types-of-chopper-circuits
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Third Quadrant
• In third quadrant operation CH1 will be kept off , CH2 will be  on and
CH3 is operated. For this quadrant working the polarity of the load
should be reversed.
• As the chopper CH3 is on, the load gets connected to the source 
Vs and  v0 and i0 will be negative  and the third quadrant operation will
takes place. This chopper acts as a step-down chopper

http://www.circuitstoday.com/types-of-chopper-circuits
Chopper For DC Motor Drives
• Fourth Quadrant
• CH4 will be operated and CH1, CH2 and CH3 will be off. When the chopper
CH4 is turned on positive current starts to flow through CH4, D2 ,E and the
inductor L will store energy.
• As the CH4 is turned off the current is feedback to the source through the
diodes D2 and D3 , the operation will be in fourth quadrant as the load
voltage is negative but the load current is positive. The chopper acts as a
step up chopper as the power is fed back from load to source.

http://www.circuitstoday.com/types-of-chopper-circuits