United States Patent (19) 11) 4,052,648

Nola 45) Oct. 4, 1977

(54) POWER FACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR 56) References Cited
AC INDUCTION MOTORS U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
(75) Inventor: Frank J. Nola, Huntsville, Ala. 3,44,823 4/1969 Schlabach ........................ 318/221 R
73 Assignee: The United States of America as Primary Examiner-Herman J. Hohauser
represented by the Administrator of Attorney, Agent, or Firm-L. D. Wofford, Jr.; George J.
the National Aeronautics and Space Porter; J. R. Manning
Administration, Washington, D.C. 57 ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 706,425 A power factor control system for use with AC induc
22 Filed: July 19, 1976 tion motors which samples line voltage and current
through the motor and decreases power input to the
51) Int. Cl’............................................. HO2K 17/04 motor proportional to the detected phase displacement
52 U.S.C. .................................... 318/200; 318/227; between current and voltage to thereby provide less
318/230 power to the motor, as it is less loaded.
58) Field of Search ............... 318/200, 227, 230, 231,
318/221 R, 216 S 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

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U.S. Patent Oct. 4, 1977 4,052,648

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U.S. Patent Oct. 4, 1977 Sheet 2 of 3 4,052,648
U.S. Patent Oct. 4, 1977 Sheet 3 of 3 4,052,648

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 4,052,648
1. 2
POWER FACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AC BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
NDUCTION MOTORS FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic diagram of an em
bodiment of the invention.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 2a-2l are waveforms illustrating aspects of
The invention described herein was made by anem operation of the invention.
ployee of the United States Government, and may be FIG. 3 is a plot illustrating power drawn by a motor
manufactured and used by or for the Government of the for different states of loading and with and without the
United States of America for governmental purposes control system of this invention.
10
without the payment of any royalties thereon or there DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
for. DRAWINGS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An AC induction motor 10 is powered by an alternat
1. Field of the Invention ing current voltage 12 (FIG. 2a) through switch 14 and
This invention relates to power input controls for
15 connectible at terminals 16. The switched AC power is
also applied to transformer 18 and circuit bias power
motors, and particularly to a control which varies input supply 20. Triac 22 is connected in series with motor 10
power to an AC induction motor proportional to load and is triggered for controlled portions of each half
ing on the motor. cycle of power input. A small value resistor 24 of 0.010
2. General Description of the Prior Art 20 to 0.020 ohms is connected in series with motor 10 and
The induction motor is perhaps the most rugged, and serves to develop a signal 26 (FIG.2b) which is propor
is certainly one of the most commonly used motors. It tional to the current flow through the motor. FIG. 2b
runs at an essentially constant speed which, within cer illustrates an instantaneous state of operation after initial
tain limits, is independent of both load and applied volt start-up and with an initial optimum input voltage-load
age. For efficient operation, the applied voltage should 25 relationship, whereby triac 22 is fully on and where,
be a function of the load. Heretofore, this has not been thereafter, loading is substantially decreased. The initial
practically accomplished. Line voltages are a matter of current-voltage phase lag 28 for such optimum state of
availability from a local utility. In the case of nominal operation may vary from motor to motor and would be
115-volt service, line voltage may be typically in the determined for each motor with which this invention is
range of 105 to 125 volts and may not be constant with 30 to be employed. In the present example, initially, opti
the service from a particular source and often varying mum phase lag 28 is approximately 30, and potentiome
significantly over a 24-hour period. In recognition of ter 78 is adjusted to provide the zero error output signal
for the control of the turn on time of triac 22 to maintain
this, typically a 115-volt motor would be designed to the phase angle of this or another selected value. The
deliver its rated load plus a safety margin at an under 35 occurrence of increased current lag 28a at time Tide
voltage condition of 105 to 110 volts. However, in tak picts a sudden decrease in loading of motor 10. The
ing care of the ability of the motor to perform its rated detection of this is used, as will be further explained, to
job at under voltage conditions, it becomes wasteful reduce the average amplitude of input voltage and
when line voltage is in the 120- to 125-volt range. Fur thereby to effect a commanded, optimum, phase lag.
ther, since this type of motor draws essentially the same To further examine the circuitry, transformer 18,
current whether loaded or unloaded, motor efficiency having center tap secondary 32, provides oppositely
goes down when less than a rated load is applied to the phased inputs to square wave shapers 34 and 36, and the
motor. Thus, where a user employs a motor over-rated resulting oppositely phased outputs, square wave 38
for a job or a variable load is applied to the motor, (from shaper 36) shown in FIG.2c and square wave 40
efficiency suffers and waste of electrical power occurs. 45 (from shaper 34) shown in FIG. 2d, which are fed to
3. Object of the Invention saw tooth or ramp wave shapers 42 and 44, respec
It is the object of this invention to provide an electri tively. The outputs of the wave shapers are combined to
cal device which, when placed in circuit with the provide a ramp wave each half cycle of the alternating
power input of an AC induction motor, will effect a 50 current input as shown in waveform 46 of FIG. 2k.
reduction in power normally provided the motor when Waveform 38 is also used as a reference signal for the
operated in either a condition where line voltage is phase of input voltage and is fed to one input of multi
greater than normal and/or motor loading is less than a fed plier 48, functioning as a phase detector, to which is also
rated load. a current reference signal 50 shown in FIG.2g. The
current reference signal is generated as follows. Current
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 55 signal 26 (FIG. 2b) from resistor 24 is fed to isolation
In accordance with the invention, the voltage applied transformer
54, which
52 and from it to square wave pulse shaper
provides square wave 56 (FIG. 2e). This
to an AC induction motor and current through that square wave is differentiated
motor are sampled, the phases of the samples are com vide spike pulses 60 shown ininFIG. differentiator 58 to pro
2.f. and the negative
pared, and a control signal representative of the differ pulses (derived from the trailing edge of square wave
ence is obtained. This signal is then employed to vary 56) are used to trigger one-shot 62, which provides as an
the duty cycle portion of each cycle (portion of each output the square waveform 50 shown in FIG.2g. This
cycle of alternating current) applied to the motor, de square waveform commences at a time corresponding
creasing the duty cycle proportional to phase difference to the trailing or zero crossing point of current signal 26
to thereby regulate phase difference and thus improve 65 (FIG. 2b) and has a duration (determined by the time
the power factor to a more optimum state when there is constant of one-shot 26) corresponding to the length of
otherwise present less than an optimum relationship a half cycle of AC input to the motor. Thus, there is
between line voltage and motor load. generated a square wave current signal which is of the
 3
4,052,648
4.
same duration as a half wave of voltage waveforms 12, negative input of the amplifier, provides the necessary
38, and 40, which is shifted in position proportional to gain and roll off frequency required for system stability.
the phase shift difference between current and voltage Triac 22 is gated "on' by a gating signal coupled from
by virtue of the square wave current responsive signal the secondary of transformer 90 across an input of triac
being commenced at the precise end of (zero crossing) 22. This gating signal is a high frequency signal gener
a half cycle of the current signal, which ending in time ated by oscillator 92 and applied to the primary of trans
thus varies as a function of current lag. former 90 through gate or electronic switch94. Resistor
Multiplier 48 multiplies voltage waveform 38 as 96 and diode 98 are connected in series across the pri
shown in FIG.2c with current waveform 50 shown in mary of transformer 90 in order to suppress inductive
FIG.2g to provide the product output waveform 64 10 voltages to a safe level consistent with the semiconduc
shown in FIG. 2h, This output is integrated and re tors used. Gate 94 is triggered by pulses 100 (shown in
versed in sense in integrator 66. Except for this reversal, FIG. 2, and which illustrates "on' time of oscillator 92)
the output of integrator 66 would be maximum for con from comparator 102 responsive to ramp waveform 46
ditions of no current lag and minimum for large current 15 (FIG.2k) and control input signal 73 (FIG.2k). Output
lags. To achieve the opposite sense, a reference voltage pulses 100 from comparator 102 occur during the inter
vris fed to one input of integrator 66 where it is nega val in which control signal 73 exceeds (is more positive
tively summed with the output of multiplier 48. As a than) ramp voltage 46. Thus, in the present example, the
result, the integrated output of integrator 66 is of a value output of amplifier 70 initially provides a maximum (in
68, shown in FIGS. 2i and 2i, which varies in magnitude a positive direction) output, and pulses 100 would have
directly with phase angle. In other words, the greater 20 a 100 percent duty cycle extending over a full ramp
the phase angle the greater the system error which is to period. This would gate "on' oscillator 92 and thereby
be corrected. Output 68 (output 68a after time T) of triac 22 for the entire portion of input voltage cycle as
integrator 66, which is proportional to the phase angle, initially shown for voltage waveform 30 in FIG. 2b.
is fed to the negative input of operational amplifier 70. 25 This, it will be assumed, continues for several seconds
To this same input is also applied an opposite polarity and until time T, at which time the motor loading
phase angle command voltage 69 (FIG. 2i), being ap decreases to near zero. When this occurs, phase lag 28
plied through resistor 76 from potentiometer 78. Poten will increase to some larger value of phase leg 28a, and
tiometer 78 is calibrated to provide an output voltage this will increase, resulting in a shift to the right of
representative of a desired phase angle to be com current pulse waveform 50 (FIG.2g), which in turn will
manded. Thus, when the system is operating with a 30 provide an increased width output pulse 64 from multi
commanded phase angle, the output of integrator 66 plier 48 (at time T2). In turn, this will provide an in
crease in the output of integrator 66 and input to ampli
would be equal and opposite to the command signal fier 70, which will change from a zero level (level 71) to
from potentiometer 78, a condition shown by FIG. 2i as a discrete negative level (level 71a), as shown in FIG.
existing up to time T. At this point, by virtue of in 35 2i.
creased output 64a from multiplier 48 because of in less As a result, amplifier 70 will provide an amplified,
positive, output error signal 73a commencing at
crease phase shift 28, the output of integrator 66 in time T, as shown
creases negatively to a level 68a. Thus, there would parator 102 providesin aFIG. 2k. When this occurs, com
initially be a net zero error voltage input 71 (FIG.2i) to 94, and it triggers "on' triac 22 width
reduced pulse 100a to gate
the negative input terminal of amplifier 70. Then, for periods to produce a change in for like decreased width
the indicated phase lag in excess of the commanded (at time Ts) from that shown byinput voltage, changing
waveform 30 to that
phase lag, there would be a finite negative error signal shown by waveform 30a.
71a applied to this input, as shown. When this occurs, Thus, motor input voltage waveform 30 goes through
amplifier 70, which is a high gain amplifier, provides an a transition
amplified error signal 73a (FIG. 2k) to comparator 102 45 initial phase duringlag 28
the period of T to T, having an
to an increased phase lag 28a and
to effect such decrease in duty cycle of triac 22 neces then back to the commanded phase lag 28, shifting from
sary to retain the commanded, optimum, phase angle, in full width cycles 30 to extremely
a manner to be described. As shown, this is effected input cycles 30a, The shift in input short width duration
voltage has been that
during any interim between times T, and T3. necessary to re-establish the commanded currentvolt
In order to assure that when motor 10 is first turned 50 age phase lag, power factor, to thus maintain
on that it will develop maximum torque for a sufficient mum power input to motor 10. Had this not beenandone, opti
period to bring the motor up to speed, operation of the the phase angle would have increased substantially, and
control system of this invention is initially delayed. This thus the power factor would have decreased substan
delay is achieved by delay circuit 80 consisting of ca tially, resulting in a significant waste of power.
pacitor 82 and resistor 84 connected in series between a 55 FIG. 3 plots the percent of full power applied to
bias output of power supply 20, which power supply is motor 10 versus percent of full load, or torque, and line
energized at the same time as motor 10, that is, by the 112 illustrates a case where the control system of this
closing of switch 14. Resistor 84 is connected between
common ground and the positive input of operational invention is employed. Line 110 illustrates a case where
it is not. The hatched difference between the lines is
amplifier 70. With a positive potential signal applied to indicative of the power saved by employment of the
capacitor 82, the initial charging current through resis invention.
tor 84 is of a value sufficient (determined by the time While the invention illustrated herein is shown as
constant of the combination of resistor 84 and capacitor being usable with a single phase device, it may be con
82) to override a maximum input applied to the negative nected in circuit with each phase of a multi-stage induc
terminal for a period of several seconds or longer, de 65 tion motor. Thus, in the case of a Wye-connected three
pending upon the application. A feedback circuit con phase motor, three of the control systems illustrated in
sisting of resistor 86 and capacitor 88, connected in FIG. 1 will be employed, one being connected in each
parallel between the output of amplifier 70 and the of the three phases with each referenced to ground (the
 4,052,648
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Wye of the motor). In the case of a delta-connected providing a signal proportional to the voltage across
motor, it will be necessary to place a triac and sampling said resistor.
resistor in series with each winding of the motor, and 3. A control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein:
the voltage reference would be obtained for that con said voltage sampling means comprises means for
trol device across the two input power leads to that 5 providing a square wave pulse output at the fre
winding. . quency of the voltage applied to said winding; and
Having thus described my invention, what is claimed said current sampling means comprising means re
S
sponsive to said voltage from said resistor for pro
1. A power factor control system for an AC induction viding square wave output pulses of the width and
motor comprising: O height of said pulses from said voltage sampling
current sampling means including means adapted to means, and each pulse having an edge coinciding
be placed in circuit with each phase winding of a with the zero crossing of said voltage across said
said motor for providing an AC output signal in resistor.
phase with the current through said winding; 4. A control system as set forth in claim 3 wherein
voltage sampling means adapted to sense the voltage 15 said phase detection means includes means for multiply
of an electrical input applied to said winding and for ing the magnitudes of said square wave pulses from said
providing an output signal in phase with said volt voltage and current sampling means.
age across said winding; 5. A control system as set forth in claim 4 wherein
phase detection means responsive to the outputs of said control means includes:
said current sampling means and said voltage sam 20 means responsive to the voltage applied to said wind
pling means for providing an output which varies in
accordance with the difference in phase between ing of said induction motor for providing a saw
said current and said voltage; and tooth wave at double the frequency of said voltage;
a control means adapted to be electrically connected pulse generating means responsive to a comparison of
in series with each said winding of said motor, and 25 said sawtooth voltage and said output of said phase
responsive to the output of said phase detection detection means for providing output pulse bursts
means for varying the duration of "on' time of each of high frequency signal in which the width of the
cycle of input power to said winding inversely pulse bursts is directly proportional to the time in
proportional to the difference in phase between said which said output of said phase detection means
current and said voltage; 30 differs in a selected direction from the value of said
whereby an increase in difference between the magni saw tooth wave; and
tude of said voltage and the magnitude of load switching means adapted to be placed in circuit with
applied to said motor is compensated for by a re said winding of said motor and responsive to said
duction in power to said motor, generally improv pulse generating means for varying the width of
ing its efficiency. 35 half cycles of power applied to said winding of said
2. A control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein motor in accordance with the width of said bursts
said current sampling means includes a resistor adapter of high frequency signal.
to be placed in series with a said winding and means for

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