Machine Drives
Introduction to the lecture
Lecture Objectives
1. Introduction to Drive Systems
– Drive System Overview
– System Considerations
– Drive Applications
2. D C Drives
– introduction/review of D C motor principles
– operation of 1, 2, and 4 quadrant chopper drives
– operation of controlled rectifier drives
– design of current and speed control loops
3. Induction Motor Drives
– introduction/review of IM principles
– discussion of variable frequency variable voltage sources
– open loop control, slip control
Topic 1: I n t r o d u ct ion t o D r i v e S y s t e m s
Electronic D r i v e s - I nt rodu ction
• Commonly known as Variable Speed Drives (VSD), Adjustable Speed
Drives (ASD)
Variable Speed Drives (VSD) are used to control the speed and/or torque of
induction and synchronous motors at the power generation facility when
speed control or torque control is required for the application.
• What does a typical V S D look like?
Electronic D r i v e s - I nt rodu ction
Mains
Supply
Also need protection functions eg.
for firing angle > i (overcurrent) > temperature
To control operation of a > wr (overspeed) loss of mains
rectifier for example
Signal Feedback (Measurements)
• Current
– Current shunt (resistor) (Adds losses and cheap)
– Current transformer (Cannot do DC)
– Hall effect transducer (Efficient, can do AC and DC, but expensive)
• Speed
–Tachogenerator – dc generator which gives voltage proportional to speed
–Digital encoder - a slotted disk and light source giving a pulsetrain which
has a frequency proportional to speed eg 1 0 0 0 pulses per revolution (PPR)
A p p l i c a t i o n s of Electronic D r i v e s
• L o w p o w e r ( μ W to 1 0 0 s W )
PC fans, disc drives, household tools (eg. 5 0 0 W electric drill), electric
tooth brush and analouge watches
• k W to M W
Manufacturing industry: lift, hoist, crane, conveyors, fans, machine
tools, robots
Electric Vehicles: Tesla 2 0 0 k W
• M W upwards
Trains 4 M W
Wind turbine 6 M W
Ship 2 0 M W and Power Station 2GW
D e s i g n of a n Electronic Driv e
• M e c h a n i c a l Specification
– must know what the mechanical system is to decide what demands
will be made of the power supply R E G A R D L E S S of the t y p e of
motor/controller
– the mechanical system (load) is seen as the torque that must be
applied to the shaft by the motor coupling
– It is very important to match the drive to the load !! ie match the
torque and speed capabilities
• It is usual to define the relationship of drive to load using the Four
Q u a d r a n t Torque S p e e d C u r v e s
Four Q u a d r a n t o p e r a t ion
• Motoring
– Load torque opposes the direction of motion
– Energy transferred from supply to load
– Te – torque developed by the motor –
Reverse Forward
is in the direction of motion Generating Motoring
• Generating Speed
Reverse Forward
– Load torque in the direction of motion Motoring Generating
– Energy transferred from load to supply
– Te – torque developed by the motor –
opposes the direction of motion
Mechanical S y st e m s
• The mechanical system comprises co mm o n elements associated with the drive
motor and the load system, and the specific load torque (TL) to be driven (the
application)
• C o m m o n elements include:-
– Friction - torque to drive the mechanical system without doing additional
mechanical work e g bearings
T f =B f . wr (Bf = frictional coefficient)
• NOTE - friction is a resistive torque at zero speed which reduces when the motor
turns
– W i n d a g e - torque which m o v e s the air surrounding the moving parts of the drive
T =B . w2 (Bw = windage coefficient)
w w r
– Acceleration - torque developed to overcome the mechanical inertia and change
its speed
dw (j = moment of inertia)
T a= j r
dt
T e =T L+T f +T w +T a
E x a m p l e s of Specific L o a d S y s t e m s (TL)
C h a r a c t e r is t ics of M o t o r s / D r i v e s
• We have defined the load as having a torque/speed characteristic
• The mechanism which drives the load must be capable of matching
the load’s torque speed characteristic, to achieve stable system
operation.
– the motor and/or electronic drive system is therefore also defined
in terms of the torque speed characteristic
– Drive must be rated to provide extra torque for acceleration,
or overload if required
O p e r a t i n g E n v e l o p e ( R a n g e ) of a M o t o r
• Torque (Te) is usually a function of current
– maximum torque is proportional to rated current, which is
determined by cable size
• There is usually a maximum voltage which can be applied to the
motor
– usually related to the supply voltage, and influencing flux level,
winding structure, insulation
• There is usually an induced back-emf in the motor, proportional to
speed and flux level
– high speed operation is related to maximum motor voltage and
flux level
• Absolute maximum speed is determined by mechanical construction
O p e r a t i n g E n v e l o p e of a M o t o r Drive
Note: base speed is usually defined a s speed at rated voltage and rated flux.
O p e r a t i n g E n v e l o p e – Field W e a k e n i n g
• Usually operate a motor at its rated flux density ( < 1 .5 T)
– Higher – causes magnetic saturation and extra flux related losses in the
motor core
– Lower – means that you are not maximising torque/amp ratio
(rated.torque ≈ rated.current * rated.flux)
• At rated voltage and “base” speed
– Rated.voltage ≈ base.speed * rated.flux
• Can potentially g o faster by reducing flux, e g reduce flux to 9 0 % of rated
value, speed will increase to (base.speed/0.9) = 1.11*base.speed
– Rated.voltage ≈ (1.11*base.speed) * (0.9*rated.flux)
• Always a compromise – m a x torque available reduces
– Max.available.torque ≈ (rated.current) * (0.9*rated.flux)
Other Important D e s i g n Features
• S t e a d y state: accuracy of speed holding, torque ripple and duty
cycle.
• Dynamic: speed of response to speed demand change, overshoot
and stability.
• Su pply : power quality, s a g s and swells m a y influence drive, reactive
power requirements and drive requirement from supply.
• Environment: temperature, noise and spark (eg. petrol application)
• Others: weight, size ( transport, offshore)
cost and robustness
Conclusions
• Electronic Drives usually comprise motor, power converter, sensors
and controller
• Need to understand both the load requirements and the
system/environment requirements when selecting and designing the
drive
– Torque speed analysis
Further R e a d i n g
- Electric Motors and Drives
• Hughes (Newnes)
E x a m p l e of M e c h a n i c a l S y s t e m Specification
• A variable speed drive system is used to drive a fan which has the
load characteristic
TL = Bw .wr²
• Where TL is the load torque (Nm), Bw is the windage coefficient and
wr is the mechanical speed (rad/s). The rated speed of the fan is 1500
rpm.
• Bw is 0.000284 Nm/(rad/s)²
- Sketch the torque-speed characteristic of the load as seen by the
motor
- Determine the required motor power rating. As sum e that the drive
can provide 1 5 0 % of rated torque for 6 0 s to help acceleration or short
term overload.
A p p l i c a t i o n s of Variable S p e e d D r i v e s
A p p l i c a t i o n s of Variable S p e e d D r i v e s
A p p l i c a t i o n s of Variable S p e e d D r i v e s
E x a m p l e of M e c h a n i c a l S y s t e m Specification (1)
A drive system is used in the take-up roll in a paper making process
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/paper-mill-worker-uses-compre
ssed-air-to-cut-new-stock-video-footage/98908719
The paper is wound on a drum such that the radius from empty to full
varies from 0.5m to 1.5m. The drum is driven through a 4:1 reduction
gearbox (assumed 1 0 0 % efficient) by the drive motor. The process
requires that the tension in the paper is maintained at 1 0 0 N and the
paper velocity is 20m/s.
• Sketch the torque-speed characteristic of the load a s seen by the motor
• Determine the required motor power rating
• Determine the required motor power rating if a different drive is used
which has field weakening and which allows a ma ximum speed of 1 5 0 % of
the base speed.
E x a m p l e of M e c h a n i c a l S y s t e m Specification (2)
A drive is employed in a hoist system that is used to raise and lower weights of
up to 5 0 0 k g at velocities up to ±2m/s. The weight hangs from a cable that is
wound on a drum that m ay be assum ed to have a constant radius of 0.5m. The
drum is driven by the drive motor through a gearbox that has an efficiency of
8 5 % (assumed independent of load and speed). The maximum speed of the
motor is ± 1 5 0 0 rp m . Determine:
• The nearest integer gearbox ratio that will match the maximum speed of the
motor to the maximum velocity of the hoist.
• The torque and power provided by the motor
when lifting the maximum weight at the maximum velocity.
• The torque and power provided (absorbed) by the
motor when lowering the maximum weight at the
maximum velocity.
References
1. Electric Motors and Drives, Austin Hughes, Butterworth Heinemann,
ISBN 0 7 5 0 6 1 7 4 1 1
2. SUMNER, MA RK 2015, Introduction to Drive Systems, lecture notes,
Energy Convertion for Motor and Generator Drivies, The University of
Nottingham, delivered October 2015.
