Closed-loop Control of DC

Drives with Controlled

Rectifier
1

Outline
Closed Loop Control of DC Drives
Closed-loop Control with Controlled Rectifier

Two-quadrant
Transfer Functions of Subsystems
Design of Controllers
Closed-loop Control with Field Weakening
Two-quadrant
Closed-loop Control with Controlled Rectifier
Four-quadrant
References
2

Closed Loop Control of DC

Drives

Feedback loops may be provided to satisfy

one or more of the following:

Protection

Enhancement of response fast response with

small overshoot
Improve steady-state accuracy

Variables to be controlled in drives:

Torque achieved by controlling current
Speed
Position
3

Closed Loop Control of DC

Drives
Cascade control structure
Flexible outer loops can be added/removed depending on

control requirements.
Control variable of inner loop (eg: speed, torque) can be limited
by limiting its reference value
Torque loop is fastest, speed loop slower and position loop slowest

Closed Loop Control of DC

Drives
Cascade control structure:
Inner Torque (Current) Control Loop:

Maintains current within a safe limit

Accelerates and decelerates the drive at maximum
permissible current and torque during transient Torque
operations
(Current)

Control
Loop

Closed Loop Control of DC

Drives
Cascade control structure
Speed Control Loop:

Ensures that the actual speed is always equal to reference

speed *
Provides fast response to changes in *, TL and supply
voltage (i.e. any transients are overcome within the shortest
feasible time) without exceeding motor and converter
capability

Speed
Control Loop
6

Closed Loop Control with

Current
Control
Controlled Rectifiers TwoTwo-quadrant Three-phase Controlled Loop
quadrant
Rectifier
DC Motor
Speed
Control
Loop

Drives

Closed Loop Control with

Controlled
Rectifiers TwoActual motor speed measured using the tachogenerator (Tach) is
filtered to produce feedback signal
quadrant
The reference speed * is compared to to obtain a speed error

mr

mr

signal
The speed (PI) controller processes the speed error and produces
the torque command Te*
Te* is limited by the limiter to keep within the safe current limits and

the armature current command ia* is produced

ia* is compared to actual current ia to obtain a current error signal
The current (PI) controller processes the error to alter the control

signal vc
vc modifies the firing angle to be sent to the converter to

obtained the motor armature voltage for the desired motor

operation speed
8

Closed Loop Control with

Controlled
Rectifiers

TwoDesign of speed and current

quadrant
controller (gain and time constants) is
crucial in meeting the dynamic
specifications of the drive system
Controller design procedure:
1. Obtain the transfer function of all drive

subsystems
2. Design torque (current) control loop first
3. Then design the speed control loop
9

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

Assume load is proportional to speed

T B
DC Motor and
Load
L

DC motor has inner loop due to induced emf due to

magnetic coupling, i.e. not physically seen

This creates complexity in current control loop design

10

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

Need to split the DC motor transfer function between

DC Motor and

s Load
s I s

Va s

where

Ia s Va s

m s
Kb

Ia s Bt 1 sTm

Ia s
1 sTm
K1
1 sT1 1 sT2
Va s

and Va
(1)

(2)

(3)

This is achieved through

redrawing of the DC motor and load block diagram .

11

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

In (2),
J
T

- mechanical motor time constant: B

DC Motor and Load
m

Bt B1 BL
- motor and load friction coefficient:
In (3),
B
K1 2 t
K b Ra Bt

(4)
(5)
(6)

Ra Bt K b 2
1
1
1 Ra Bt
1 Ra Bt

T1 T2
2 La J
4 La J
JL
JL
a
a

(7)

Note: J = motor inertia, B1 = motor friction coefficient,

BL = load friction coefficient
12

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

Need to obtain linear relationship between control

signal v and delay angleConverter
(i.e. using
Three-phase
cosine wave crossing method)
c

vc

cos
Vcm
1

(8)

where vc = control signal (output of current

controller)
Vcm = maximum value of the control voltage
Thus, dc output voltage of the three-phase converter

3
3
3 VL L, m
1 vc

Vdc VL L, m cos VLL, m cos cos
vc K r vc

Vcm Vcm

(9)
13

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

Gain of the converter

3V
3 2V
V
Three-phase
Converter
K

1.35
L L, m

Vcm

Vcm

Vcm

where V = rms line-to-line voltage

Converter also has a delay
1 60 1
1 1
Tr

2 360 f s 12 f s
where fs = supply voltage frequency
Hence, the converter transfer function
Kr
G r s
1 sTr

(10)

(11)

(12)
14

Transfer Function of
Subsystems

Current Feedback
H
Transfer function:
Current
and
Speed
No filtering is required in most cases
If filtering is required, a low pass-filter can be
Feedback
included (time constant < 1ms).
c

Speed Feedback
Transfer function:
G s

K
1 sT

(13)

where K = gain, T = time constant

Most high performance systems use dc
tachogenerator and low-pass filter
Filter time constant < 10 ms
15

Design of Controllers
Block Diagram of Motor
Drive

Speed Control
Loop

Current
Control
Loop

Control loop design starts from inner (fastest)

loop to outer(slowest) loop

Only have to solve for one controller at a time

Not all drive applications require speed control (outer
loop)
Performance of outer loop depends on inner loop

16

Design of Controllers
Current Controller
Controll
er

Convert
er

DC
Motor &
Load

K c 1 sTc

G
s

PI type current controller: c

sTc
(14)
Open loop gain function:
K1 K c K r H c
1 sTc 1 sTm
GH ol s

T
c

s1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

(15)

From the open loop gain, the system is of 4 th order (due

to 4 poles of system)
17

Design of Controllers
Current
Controller
If designing without
computers, simplification is
needed.
Simplification 1: Tm1 issT
in order
of 1 second. Hence,
m sTm
(16)
Hence, the open loop gain function becomes:
K1 K c K r H c
1 sTc 1 sTm
GH ol s

Tc

s 1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

K1 K c K r H c

1 sTc sTm

T
c

s 1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

1 sTc
GH ol s K
1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

K1 K c K r H cTm
(17)
where K
Tc

i.e. system zero cancels the controller pole at origin.

18

Design of Controllers
Current
Controller
Relationship between
the denominator time constants
in (17):
Tr T2 T1
Simplification 2: Make controller time constant
equal to T2
Tc T2
Hence, the open loop gain
becomes:

1 function
sTc
GH ol s K
1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

(18)

1 sT2
K
1 sT1 1 sT2 1 sTr

K
KK K HT
where K 1 c r c m
1 sT1 1 sTr
Tc
i.e. controller zero cancels one of the system poles.
GH ol s

19

Design of Controllers
Current
Controller
After simplification,
the final open loop gain function:
GH ol s
where
(20)

K
1 sT1 1 sTr

(19)

K1K c K r H cTm
Tc

The system is now of 2nd order.

G cl s
From the closed loop transfer function:

,
the closed loop characteristic
is:
1 sT1 1 sTr equation
K

T1 Tr
T1Tr s s
or when expanded becomes:
T1Tr

(21)
2

GH ol s
1 GH ol s

K 1

T1Tr

20

Design of Controllers
Current
Design
the Controller
controller
by
comparing

system
characteristic equation (eq. 21) with the standard 2 nd
order system equation:
s 2 2 s 2
n

Hence,

2 n

(22)

(23)

So, for a given value of :

use (22) to calculate n
Then use (23) to calculate the controller gain KC
21

Design of Controllers
st
Current
loop
1
order
To design the speed loop, the 2 order model of
current loop must be replaced with an
approximation
nd

approximate 1st order model

Why?
To reduce the order of the overall speed loop gain
function

2nd order
current loop
model
22

Design of Controllers
st
Current
loop
1
order
Approximated by adding T toTT T T
approximation
r

3 1

Hence, current model transfer function is

K c K r K 1Tm
1
by:

Ia s

*
Ia s

1 sT3 Ki
Tc
K c K r K 1 H cTm
1

1 sTi
1
1 sT3
Tc

1st order
approximati
on of
current loop
given

(24)
Full derivati
on available
here.

23

Design of Controllers
Current loop 1st Torder
where
T
(26)
1 K
approximation
3

fi

Ki
K fi

K fi

1
H c 1 K fi

(27)

K1K c K r H cTm
Tc

(28)

1st order approximation of current loop used in

speed loop design.

If more accurate speed controller design is required,
values of Ki and Ti should be obtained experimentally.
24

Design of Controllers
Speed Controller

DC
Motor &
Load

PI type speed controller:

G s s

(29)

K s 1 sTs
sTs

Assume there is unity speed feedback:

H
G s
1
1 sT

1st order
approximat
ion of
current
loop

(30)
25

Design of Controllers
Speed Controller

DC
Motor &
Load

Open loop gain function:

K B K s Ki

1 sTs
GH s

B
T

t s
s 1 sTi 1 sTm

1st order
approximat
ion of
current
loop

(31)

From the loop gain, the system is of 3rd order.

If designing without computers, simplification is

needed.
26

Design of Controllers
RelationshipController
Speed
between the denominator time constants
Ti Tm

in (31):

(32)
Hence, design the speed controller such that:
Ts Tm

(33)

The open loop gain function becomes:

K K K
1 sTs
GH s B s i
BtTs s 1 sTi 1 sTm

K B K s Ki

1 sTm

B
T
t s

s 1 sTi 1 sTm

K
K K K
where K B s i
s1 sTi
BtTs
i.e. controller zero cancels one of the system poles.
GH s

27

Design of Controllers
Speed
Controller
After simplification,
loop gain function:
(34)

K
GH s
s1 sTi
where
(35)

K B K s Ki
K
BtTs

The controller is now of 2nd order.

G s
From the closed loop transfer function:cl

,
the closed loop characteristic
is:
s1 sTi equation
K

GH s

1 GH s

1 K
Ti s s

or when expanded becomes:

(36)
Ti
Ti

28

Design of Controllers
Speed
Controller
Design the
controller by comparing

system
characteristic equation with the standard equation:

s 2 2 n s n2
Hence:

2 n
2

(37)
(38)

So, for a given value of :

use (37) to calculate n
Then use (38) to calculate the controller gain KS
29

Closed Loop Control with

Field
Weakening

TwoMotor operation above base speed requires field

weakening
quadrant
Field weakening obtained by varying field winding
voltage using half-wave controlled rectifier in:
single-phase or
three-phase

Field current has no ripple due to large Lf

Converter time lag negligible compared to field time

constant

Hence, no need for full-wave converter for drives < 100 kW

Consists of two additional control loops on field circuit:

Field current control loop (inner)
Induced emf control loop (outer)
30

Closed Loop Control with

Field
Field Weakening Two- weakening
quadrant

31

Closed Loop Control with

Field
Field Weakening Two- weakening
quadrant
Field
current
controller
(PI-type)
Estimated
machine
-induced emf

dia
e Va Ra ia La
dt

Induced
emf
reference

Induced emf
controller
(PI-type with
limiter)

Field
current
reference

32

Closed Loop Control with

Field Weakening Twodi
quadrant e V R i L dt
The estimated machine-induced emf is obtained from:
a

a a

(the estimated emf is machine-parameter sensitive and must be

adaptive)
The reference induced emf e* is compared to e to obtain the induced
emf error signal (for speed above base speed, e* kept constant at
rated emf value so that 1/)
The induced emf (PI) controller processes the error and produces the
field current reference if*
if* is limited by the limiter to keep within the safe field current limits
if* is compared to actual field current if to obtain a current error signal
The field current (PI) controller processes the error to alter the control

signal vcf (similar to armature current ia control loop)

vc modifies the firing angle f to be sent to the converter to obtained

the motor field voltage for the desired motor field flux
33

Closed Loop Control with

Controlled Rectifiers FourFour-quadrant Three-phase Controlled
quadrant
Rectifier DC Motor Drives

34

Closed Loop Control with

Controlled Rectifiers Fourquadrant
Control very similar to the two-quadrant dc motor drive.
Each converter must be energized depending on quadrant of

operation:
Converter 1 for forward direction / rotation
Converter 2 for reverse direction / rotation
Changeover between Converters 1 & 2 handled by monitoring
Speed
Inputs to
Current-command
Selector
Zero-crossing current signals
block

Selector block determines which converter has to operate by

assigning pulse-control signals

Speed and current loops shared by both converters
Converters switched only when current in outgoing converter is zero

(i.e. does not allow circulating current. One converter is on at a

time.)
35

References
Krishnan, R., Electric Motor Drives: Modeling,

Analysis and Control, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey,

2001.
Rashid, M.H, Power Electronics: Circuit, Devices
and Applictions, 3rd ed., Pearson, New-Jersey,
2004.
Nik Idris, N. R., Short Course Notes on Electrical
Drives, UNITEN/UTM, 2008.

36

DC Motor and Load Transfer

Function - Decoupling of
Step 1:
Induced EMF Loop

Step 2:

37

DC Motor and Load Transfer

Function - Decoupling of
Step 3:
Induced EMF Loop

Step 4:

Back
38

Input voltage
to rectifier 0

Vm

Cosine voltage

Vcm

vc

Cosine wave compared with

control voltage vc
Vcmcos() = vc
vc

Vcm

cos 1

Results of
comparison
trigger SCRs
Output voltage
of rectifier

Back
39

Ia s

*
Ia s

K c K r K 1Tm
1

K fi
1
H c 1 sT3

1
1 K fi
1 sT3
1 sT3

1
1 sT3
Tc
K c K r K 1 H cTm
1
Tc
K fi
Hc

1 sT K
3

fi

K fi
1
H c 1 K fi
1 s

T3

Ki

1 sTi

1 K
fi

Back
40