Speed Control with DC Choppers

Course: Electrical Drives

Instructor: Dr. Hiren H. Patel
Sarvajanik College of Engg. &Tech., Surat
 Type A Chopper : 1st quadrant

Equivalent Circuit during two modes (S/w ON and OFF)

Type A Chopper : Continuous and Discontinuous Mode

Motor terminal voltages and armature current

Current Ripple
Since average voltage across inductor is zero in steady state

Where Va is the terminal voltage across the motor, E is the back EMF and Ia is the average
armature current .

(1)

Where V is the supply/source voltage i.e. input to the chopper

Hence,

As (2)

and (3)

Speed-Torque characteristics can be expressed as following using (1), (2) and (3)
 No load speed Slope

As ẟ decreases

ẟ =1 can be considered for natural characteristic if supply voltage is same

as the rated voltage.
Starting of DC Motor : With starting resistances
 Smooth Starting of DC Motor

• Initially no back emf and hence current Ia = ẟV/Ra.

• Current can be limited by slowly increasing terminal voltage Va = ẟV

• Duty cycle ẟ is increased slowly/smoothly or in steps to reach the

desired motor terminal voltage.

• Operation can be maintained at the maximum permissible current to

reach the steady state operation quickly without overheating the
machine.

• Imax corresponds to maximum possible torque Tmax while Ilow

corresponds to lower torque Tlow which is decided based on the how
fast the operation is desired. Basically a current limit control
principle.

• Tlow can be kept as close to Tmax for the fastest operation indicating
that the armature current is kept maximum till the operation is
shifted to the final characteristic.
 Desired operating point (speed)
wm

Duty cycle increases

smoothly

Tm
Tlow Tmax

Ilow Imax
 Step-Up (Boost Converter)
Switch ON
• FD reverse biased.
• Voltage across inductor= Edc > 0.
• Current increases.
• Energy stored in inductor
• Source is disconnected from the load.
Switch OFF
• Voltage across L : vL< 0 as di/dt < 0.
• Inductor current decreases
• (Edc - vL) >E0
• FD is forward biased and conducts to
provide path for current.
• Voltage across inductor= (Edc-E0)
• Energy stored in inductor is released and
supplied to the load.
• Direct energy transfer also occurs.
 Step-Up (Boost Converter)
Switch ON
Switch OFF

v L  E dc v L  E dc - E o
Average voltage across (or energy stored in) is zero

E dc  TON  E dc - E o  TOFF  0
E dc  TON  TOFF   E o  TOFF   0
E dc  T  E o  TOFF  E o  T  TON 
T 1
E o  E dc   E dc 
T  TON  1   
 2nd Quadrant Operation with Class B
Chopper (Step-Up Converter)

Power Flow
Power Flow
Motor inductor acts like the main inductor of the Boost Chopper

Active load
V Va
E i.e. Eb >Va
Regenerative operation
For speed greater than N.L. speed
2nd Quadrant Operation
 (1)
When switch is ON 0 ≤ t < Ton
(2)

When switch is OFF Ton ≤ t < T (3)

(4)

As machine is working as a generator (5)

For Step-Up Converter (6)

From (5) and (6) (7)

Hence, (8)

Regenerated Power is given as

 Class C Chopper
Or
Two Quadrant Type A chopper

Used when smooth transition from motoring to braking or vice-versa is required.

S1-D1 constitute Chopper-1.
S2-D2 constitute Chopper-2.
Both choppers conduct simultaneously for motoring or braking/regenerative operation.

Motoring current is conducted by S1 & D1 while braking current is conducted by S 2 & D2.
 Two Quadrant: Forward Motoring & Braking

0<t<ẟT : Va =V ; either S1 or D2 conducts

dia/dt is positive.
is = ia

ẟT<t<T : Va =0 ; either D1 or S2 conducts

dia/dt is negative.
is = 0

Motoring when: ẟ > (E/V); Ia >0

Regeneration when: ẟ < (E/V); Ia < 0
No load operation : ẟ = (E/V); Ia = 0
 Class D Chopper
Or
Two Quadrant Type B chopper
Class D Chopper (Forward Motoring)

1st quadrant operation

When S1 and S2 conduct

dia/dt is positive.
Va = V

When S1 and D2 conduct

dia/dt is negative.
Va = 0

and
Class D Chopper (Reverse Regeneration)

4th quadrant operation

When S1 and D2 conduct

Energy stored in motor inductor
dia/dt is positive.
Va = 0

When D1 and D2 conduct

Energy supplied to source
dia/dt is negative.
Va = - V S

and
Class E Chopper
 Class E Chopper
Method 1:
•If S2 always On. S1 and S4 are controlled.
Gives Class C Chopper. Positive votlage.
Quadrant 1 & 2 operation.

•If S3 always On. S1 and S4 are controlled.

Negative voltage. Quadrant 3 & 4 operation.

Steps for transition from forward motoring to reverse motoring:

In 1st quad. S2 is always ON and S1 and S4 are being controlled. Now ẟ is reduced to minimum.
Motor current reverses and reaches –I max. Motor decelerates with negative maximum torque and
reaches the zero speed.

Now S2 is turned OFF and S3 is always ON. S1 and S4 are being controlled. Motor accelerates at
maximum torque in reverse direction. Finally it settles at desired speed,

Disadvantages:
Utilization factor of the switches is low.
Commutation problem may occur (for S1 and S4) especially if thyristors are used,
Minimum output voltage and minimum rotor speed is restricted.
Requires two switching operation during a cycle of the output voltage.
Maximum frequency of operation is restricted.
 Class E Chopper
Method 2:
•S1 and S2 alongwith D1 and D2 provide
Class D Chopper. Quadrant 1 & 4 operation.

•S3 and S4 alongwith D3 and D4 provide

Quadrant 2 & 3 operation.

Steps for transition from forward motoring to reverse motoring:

In 1st quad. S1 and S2 are controlled with 0.5< ẟ <1.0. i a is positive. Now S1 and S2 are turned
OFF. Armature current flows through D1 and D2 and falls to zero.
Now, S3 and S4 are controlled with 0< ẟ <0.5. ia is negative and reaches negative maximum
(-Imax). Motor decelerates with negative maximum torque and reaches the zero speed.

Now ẟ is set according to the desired speed. The motor accelerates at the maximum torque and
settles at the desired speed in reverse direction.

Advantage: No limitation on minimum output voltage and minimum rotor speed.

Frequency of operation can be higher
Swithching loss is less as one switching per cycle of output voltage compared to
earlier one.
Switches has better utilization factor.
Thank You