EEE 4227: Power Electronics

DC Drives
Contents

• Introduction
• Speed control of DC Motors
• Single Phase drives
• Three-Phase drives
• Chopper drives

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Introduction
Direct current (dc) motors have variable characteristics and are used extensively in
variable-speed drives. DC motors can provide a high starting torque and it is also possible
to obtain speed control over a wide range. The methods of speed control are normally
simpler and less expensive than that of ac drives. DC motors play a significant role in
modern industrial drives. Both series and separately excited dc motors are normally used
in variable-speed drives; however, series motors are traditionally employed for traction
applications. Due to the commutators, DC motors are not suitable for very high-speed
applications and require more maintenance than do ac motors.
Controlled rectifiers provide a variable dc output voltage from a fixed ac voltage, whereas
choppers can provide a variable dc voltage from a fixed dc voltage. Due to their ability to
supply a continuously variable dc voltage, controlled rectifiers and dc choppers made a
revolution in modern industrial control equipment and variable-speed drives, with power
levels ranging from fractional horsepower to several megawatts.

DC drives can be classified, in general, into three types:

I. Single-phase drives
2. Three-phase drives
3. Chopper drives
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Speed Control of DC Motors
Separately excited DC motors

Figure 10-1 Equivalent circuit of separately excited dc motors.

The speed of a separately excited motor can be
found from

We can notice from Eq. (10-7) that the motor speed

can be varied by
(1) controlling the armature voltage, Va, known as
voltage control;
(2) controlling the field current, If, known as field
control; or
(3) torque demand, which corresponds to an 4
armature current, Ia, for a fixed field current, If·
Speed Control of DC Motors
DC series motors

Figure 10-4 Equivalent circuit of dc series motors.

The speed of a series motor can be determined
The speed of a dc series motor can be
from Eq. (10-9):
varied by:
(10-9): 1. Controlling the armature voltage, Va,
known as voltage control, or
2. The armature current Ia, which is
measure of the torque demand, for a
fixed field current If.

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Speed Control of DC Motors
Four Quadrants Operation of Separately excited DC Motor
In forward motoring (quadrant I), Va, Eg, and Ia are all
positive. The torque and speed are also positive in this
quadrant.
During forward braking (quadrant II), the motor runs in
the forward direction and the induced emf Eg will
continue to be positive. For the torque to be negative
and the direction of energy flow to reverse, the
armature current must be negative. The supply voltage
Va should be kept less that Eg.

In reverse motoring (quadrant III), Va, Eg, and Ia are all

negative. To keep the energy flow from the source to
the motor, the back emf Eg must satisfy the condition
⎢Va⎢>⎢Eg⎢. The polarity of Eg can be reversed by
changing the direction of field current or by reversing
the armature terminals.

During reverse braking (quadrant IV), the motor runs in

the reverse direction. Va and Eg will continue to be
negative. The induced emf Eg must satisfy the condition
⎢Va⎢ < ⎢Eg ⎢

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Single Phase Drives
Introduction to single phase drives
If the armature circuit of a dc motor is connected to the output of a single-phase
controlled rectifier, the armature voltage can be varied by varying the delay angle of
the converter, αa. The forced-commutated ac-dc converters can also be used to
improve the power factor and to reduce the harmonics. The basic circuit agreement for
a single-phase converter-fed separately excited motor is shown in Fig. 10-6.
At a large delay angle, the armature current may be discontinuous, and this would
increase the losses in the motor. A smoothing inductor, Lm, is normally connected in
series with the armature circuit to reduce the ripple current to an acceptable
magnitude. A converter is also applied in the field circuit to control the field current by
varying the delay angle, αf.

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Figure 10-6 Basic circuit arrangement of a single-phase dc drive.
Single Phase Drives
Classifications
Depending on the type of single phase converters, single-phase drives may be
subdivided into:
1. Single-phase half-wave-converter drives
2. Single-phase semi-converter drives
3. Single-phase full-converter drives
4. Single-phase dual-converter drives

Figure 10-6 Basic circuit arrangement of a single-phase dc drive.

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Single Phase Drives
Effect of Armature current waveform

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Single Phase Drives
Effect of Armature current waveform

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Single Phase Drives
Single Phase Dual-Converter drives
Two single-phase full-wave converters are connected as shown in Fig. 10-11. Either converter 1
operates to supply a positive armature voltage, Va, or converter 2 operates to supply a negative
armature voltage, - Va. It is a four-quadrant drive and permits four modes of operation: forward
powering, forward braking (regeneration), reverse powering, and reverse braking
(regeneration). It is limited to applications up to 15 kW. The polarity of field current is reversed
during forward and reverse regenerations. The field converter could be a full-wave, a semi- or a
dual converter (to allow reversing the direction of field current).

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Single Phase Drives
Single Phase Dual-Converter drives

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Single Phase Drives
Example 10.4

Armature ckt Field Ckt 13

Single Phase Drives

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Single Phase Drives

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Three Phase Drives
The armature circuit is connected to the output of a three-phase controlled
rectifier or a forced-commutated three-phase ac-dc converter. Three-phase drives
are used for high-power applications up to megawatts power level. The ripple
frequency of the armature voltage is higher than that of single-phase drives and it
requires less inductance in the armature circuit to reduce the armature ripple
current. The armature current is mostly continuous, and therefore the motor
performance is better compared to that of single-phase drives.

Similar to the single-phase drives, three-phase drives may also be subdivided into:
1. Three-phase half-wave-converter drives
2. Three-phase semi-converter drives
3. Three-phase full-converter drives
4. Three-phase dual-converter drives

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Chopper Drives
Chopper drives are widely used in traction applications all over the world. A dc
chopper is connected between a fixed-voltage de source and a dc motor to vary
the armature voltage. In addition to armature voltage control, a dc chopper can
provide regenerative braking of the motors and can return energy back to the
supply. This energy-saving feature is particularly attractive to transportation
systems with frequent stops [e.g., mass rapid transit (MRT)]. Chopper drives are
also used in battery electric vehicles (BEYs).
The possible control modes of a dc chopper drive are:
I. Power (acceleration) control
2. Regenerative brake control
3. Rheostatic brake control
4. Combined regenerative and rheostatic brake control

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Chopper Drives
Power (acceleration) control
The chopper is used to control the armature voltage of a dc motor. The circuit arrangement of a
chopper-fed dc series motor is shown in Fig. The chopper switch could be a transistor or forced-
commutated thyristor chopper. This is a one-quadrant drive. The waveforms for the armature voltage,
load current, and input current are shown in Fig. assuming a highly inductive load.

ai ckt diye motoring possible but

breaking possible na.

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Chopper Drives
Regenerative brake control
In regenerative braking, the motor acts as a generator and the kinetic energy of the motor and load is
returned back to the supply. The application of dc choppers in regenerative braking can be explained with
Fig. below. Let us assume that the armature of a series motor is rotating due to the inertia of the motor.
Then if the transistor is switched on, the armature current will rise due to the short-circuiting of the
motor terminals. If the chopper is turned off, diode Dm would be turned on and the energy stored in the
armature circuit inductances would be transferred to the supply, provided that the supply is receptive. It
is an one-quadrant drive and operates in the second quadrant as shown in Fig. 10-15b.

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Chopper Drives
Rheostatic brake control
In a rheostatic braking, the energy is dissipated in a rheostat and it may not be a desirable feature. The
rheostatic braking is also known as dynamic braking. An arrangement for the rheostatic braking of de
series motor is shown in Fig. 10-16a. This is a one-quadrant drive and operates in the second quadrant as
shown in Fig. 10-16b. Figure 10-16c shows the waveforms for the current and voltage, assuming that the
armature current is continuous and ripple free.

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Chopper Drives
Combined Regenerative and Rheostatic Brake Control
Regenerative braking is energy-efficient braking. On the other hand, the energy is dissipated as heat in
rheostatic braking. If the supply is partly receptive, which is normally the case in practical traction
systems, a combined regenerative and rheostatic brake control would be the most energy efficient.
Figure 10-17 shows an arrangement in which rheostatic braking is combined with regenerative braking.
During regenerative brakings, the line voltage is sensed continuously. If it exceeds a certain preset
value, normally 20% above the line voltage, the regenerative braking is removed and a rheostatic
braking is applied. It allows an almost instantaneous transfer from regenerative to rheostatic braking if
the line becomes nonreceptive, even momentarily. In every cycle, the logic circuit determines the
receptivity of the supply. If it is nonreceptive, thyristor TR is turned "on" to divert the motor current to
the resistor, Rb. Thyristor TR is self-commutated when transistor Q1 is turned "on" in the next cycle.

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Chopper Drives
Two Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive
Regenerative control:
Power control: Transistor Q2 and diode D2 operate.
Transistor Q1 and diode D1 operate.
When Q2 is turned on, the series motor acts as a
When Q1 is turned on, the supply voltage
Vs is connected to the motor terminals. generator and the armature current rises. When
When Q1 is turned off, the armature Q2 is turned off, the motor, acting as a generator,
current which flows through the returns energy to the supply through the
freewheeling diode D1 decays. regenerative diode D2.

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Chopper Drives
Four Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive

In industrial applications, four-

quadrant operation, as shown in
Fig. 10-19a, is required. A
transistorized four-quadrant
drive is shown in Fig. 10-19b.

Q2 Q4 Q1 Q2

Q3 Q4 Q2 Q4
(a)

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Chopper Drives
Four Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive

Forward Power Control

• Q1 and Q2 turned ON
• Supply voltage appears across the
motor
• Armature current rises
• Q1 and Q2 turned OFF
• Armature current decays via D3 and
D4

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Chopper Drives
Four Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive

Forward Regeneration
• Q1, Q2, and Q3 turned OFF
• Turn Q4 ON
• Armature current rises and flows
through Q4, D2
• Q4 turned OFF, motor acts as a
generator, returns energy back to the
supply via D1, D2

ia reverses

ECE 442 Power Electronics 25

Chopper Drives
Four Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive

Reverse Power Control

• Q3 and Q4 turned ON
• Supply voltage appears in the
reverse direction across the motor
• Armature current rises and flows in
the reverse direction ia
• Q3 and Q4 turned OFF
• Armature current decays via D1 and
D2

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Chopper Drives
Four Quadrant DC-DC Converter Drive

Reverse Regeneration

• Q1, Q3, Q4 turned OFF

• Q2 turned ON
• Armature current rises through Q2
and D4
ia
• Q2 turned OFF
• Armature current falls and returns
energy via D3 and D4

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Questions?
Confusions!

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