Module-1 Notes.

Introduction
Electric Drives-
Motion control is required in large number of industrial and domestic applications. Systems employed for getting the required motion and their smooth control is called Drives.
Drives require prime movers like Diesel or petrol engines, gas or steam turbines, hydraulic motors or electric motors. These prime movers deliver the required mechanical energy for getting the motion and its control. Drives employing Electric motors as prime movers for motion control are called Electric Drives.

Block Diagram of Electric Drive

The block diagram of an electric drive is shown below, and the load in the diagram signifies different kinds
of equipment which can be built with an electric motor such as washing machine, pumps, fans, etc. The
electric drive can be built with source, power modulator, motor, load, sensing unit, control unit, an input
command.

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 Classification of Electric Drives
1. Based on Supply
There are two types available in this category. They are
AC Motor drives
 AC drive is a device used to control the speed of an electric motor such as a three-phase induction motor by
changing the frequency of the electrical supply to the motor.
 AC drive is also called Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) or Variable Speed Drive (VSD)
DC Motor drives
 It is basically speed control system of a DC electrical motor that supplies voltage to the motor to operate at
desired speed.
 DC drives are classified as analog DC drives and digital DC drives.
 Digital DC drive can offer precision control.

2. Based on Number of Motors

There are three types available in this category. They are
Individual
There will be a separate drive motor for various parts of a machine. Example: Lathe machine.
Multi Motor
Separate motors are provided for actuating different parts of a machine. Example: Cranes.
Group Drive
 In a group drive, one motor is used as a drive for two or several machines.
 The motor is connected by a single shaft, other machines are connected to the shaft by belts and pulleys. (Eg
Flour Mill)
 Group drive is most economical.

3. Based on Speed
a. Constant Speed drive
Machine tools require more or less constant speed drives, squirrel cage induction motor along with the manual
controls are used.
b. Variable Speed drive
 The main purpose of variable speed drive is to control speed along with acceleration, deceleration, torque and
finally the direction of machine.
 They are used to reduce power consumption.


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 4. Based on Control Parameters
a) Vector Control Drive
 In this control mode, torque and speed controlled using pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques in
an inverter.
 These are used for AC synchronous and induction motors.
 Vector control is most accurate than any other kind of variable frequency drive (VFD).

b) Constant Power Drive

When a motor while carrying rated current in its armature provides constant power at all speeds in a certain range of
speed control it is known as constant power drive in that range of speed control.

c) Constant Torque Drive

Constant torque load type drive is distinctive when fixed volumes are being handled.
Examples are screw compressors, feeders, and conveyors.

Advantages of Electric Drives:

 Enough overload capacity without loss of life of machine.
 Four quadrant operation.
 Modifiable torque-speed characteristics.
 No requirement of warming up period.
 Higher efficiency.
 Easy control.
 Clean operation, no pollution.
 Wide range of speed control.
 They have flexible control characteristics.
 Electric braking can be employed
 Electric drives can be provided with automatic fault detection systems.
 Electric motors have long life lower noise, lower maintenance requirements and cleaner operation.
 Adoptable to almost an operating conditions such as explosive and radio active, submerged in liquids etc.
 They can be started instantly and immediately can be fully loaded.
 No down time for speed control.

Disadvantages of Electric Drives:

 High initial cost due to the presence of power converters and controller electronics.
 Regular maintenance and high attention are required.
 Skilled an authorised employees are needed.

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The figure below shows the four-quadrant operation of drives:

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Operation of hoist in four quadrants

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Dynamics of Electric Drives
 Dynamics of Electrical Drives Definition: The dynamics of electrical drives
explain how motors and loads interact, especially when their speeds differ.
 Key Components: Important components include the polar moment of inertia
(J), angular velocity (Wm), motor torque (T), and load torque (T1).
 Fundamental Torque Equation: This equation shows that motor torque
balances load torque and dynamic torque, which is crucial during changes in
motion.
 Dynamic Torque: Dynamic torque, J (dωm/dt), appears only during transient
operations like starting or stopping, indicating acceleration or deceleration.
 Impact on Motion: By analyzing dynamic torque, we can determine if the motor
is accelerating or decelerating, which is essential for efficient drive operation.

For drives with constant inertia

This equation shows that motor torque balances both load torque and dynamic
torque, represented as J (dωm /dt). Dynamic torque appears only during transient
operations, like starting or stopping. This equation helps us determine if the drive is
accelerating or decelerating. During acceleration, the motor supplies both load
torque and additional dynamic torque. Understanding this balance is crucial for
effective electrical braking.

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Factors influencing the choice of Electric Drives

1. Cost - cost of your motor and how it fits into your budget.
2. Electric Supply, Motor - supply available is AC, Pure DC Or Rectified DC, AC /DC operation,
3. Nature of Load,Torque -Whether load required light or heavy starting torque OR load having high inertia,
require high starting torque for long duration or constant load /Speed applications. Torque is necessary for
driving electric motor start up and acceleration speeds.
4. Maintenance- Consideration for maintenance involves evaluating the ease of service and the availability of
professional support.
5. Ambient Temperature and environmental- The environmental temperature will affect a motor's duty
cycle. The environment in which motor will operate can have a significant impact on its performance and
lifespan.
6. Braking- Starting, Running, Speed control and braking characteristics of electric drive should be studied
based on the applications.
7. Duty Cycle- The duty cycle of a motor is an indicator of its ability to operate continuously without
overheating or experiencing fatigue.
8. Transient operation:- Transient operation requirements: Values of acceleration and deceleration, starting,
braking and reversing performance.
9. Types of Bearings:- Mechanical Considerations: Types of enclosure, Types of bearing, Transmission of
mechanical power, Noise and load equalization.
10. Efficiency- Efficiency is the often measurable ability to avoid making mistakes or wasting materials,
energy, efforts, money, and time while performing a task.

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Selection of Motors

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 Load variation factors.
Speed: Most electric Motors operate at quite high speeds, say between 500 r/min and 3000 r/min. Special
motors usually in association with power electronic systems which can operate at lower speeds or at higher
speeds, but these are not especially common. Often it is easier to change speed by means of mechanical
gears.
Most motors operate within small speed range e.g. an induction motor might operate between 1430 r/min
and 1470 r/min according to load. At the extreme condition, a comparable synchronous motor would run at
1500 r/min regardless of the load. On the other hand commutator motor with series winding are able to
accept wide speed variation as instanced by railway trains which seldom operate at constant speed such is
the nature of railway operation.
In a number of specialist applications, precise speed control is essential. In the past, this requirement gave
rise to a wide range of specially designed motors which were extremely complicated in their design they
were a tribute to the ingenuity of engineer in time gone by. However improvements in power electronics
systems have consigned such motors to the scrap yard and we will meet methods of controlling the speed of
d.c shunt motors and cage rotor induction motors.

Power rating and duty cycle: Basically, a motor is expected to operate continuously with a rated power
output. The rating is dependent on the ability of the motors to dissipate waste heat. i.e the heat which comes
from the loss in the windings, the eddy current losses in the rotor and stator cores and windage and friction.
The losses cause the windings to become warmer and if the insulation gets too warm it will break down.
Thus the rating depends on limiting the load such that it will not overheat the winding insulation. The motors
instanced are those which provide simple drives. Let us consider that would happen if a motor were cold and
it were loaded to its rated value. It would not immediately heat to the maximum permitted temperature rather
there would be a considerable period of time until that temperature was reached. The time would be in
excess of an hour.

Motor Load torques: Load torques can be considered under two categories:
1. Constant torque
2. Fan or pump-type torque
The constant torque load can be instanced by the passenger lift. Let the assume loads causing a force of 5000
N in the lifting cable. If the lift were to rise at a speed of 1 m/s then the power required is 5000W. This
requires that the motor produces 2πn1T, where n is the motor rotational speed and T the torque required. If
the speed were to be doubled to 2 m/s. then the power would be 10000W= 2πn2T. However the rotational
speed will be double to provide twice the rising speed for the lift hence we find that the torque remains the
same i.e it is constant.

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Classification of Load Torques
Different types of loads exhibit different speed torque characteristics. However, most of the industrial loads
can be classified into the following four categories.
i) Torque proportional to speed (Generator Type load- Frictional torque)
ii)Torque proportional to speed (Constant torque)
iii)Torque proportional to square of the speed (Fan type load)
iv)Torque inversely proportional to speed (Constant power type load)

2. Constant load Torque Most of the working machines that have mechanical nature of work like
shaping, cutting, grinding or shearing, require constant torque irrespective of speed. Similarly cranes
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during the hoisting and conveyors handling constant weight of material per unit time also exhibit this
type of Characteristics

Heating and ooling Curves

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Classes of Motor Duty in Electrical Drives:
Eight standard Classes of Motor Duty in Electrical Drives:

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Methods for the determination of motor ratings.
The four commonly used methods are:
1. Methods of average losses
 The method consists of finding average losses Q av in the motor when it operates according to the
given load diagram.
 These losses are then compared with the Q, the losses corresponding to the continuous duty of the
machine when operated at its normal rating.
 The method of average losses presupposes that when Q av = Q nomn , the motor will operate without
temperature rise going above the maximum permissible for the particular class of insulation. Average
loss is given by

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2. Equivalent current method
The equivalent current method is based on the assumption that the actual variable current may be replaced
by an equivalent current i eq which produces the same losses in the motor as the actual current.

3. Equivalent torque method

Assuming constant flux and power factor, torque is directly proportional to current.

4. Equivalent power method

The equation for equivalent power method, power is directly proportional to torque.

Problem

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