Regulation – 2017 Industrial Drives &

Application(17EE82) Module-4

Module-4

INDUCTION MOTOR DRIVES(continued)

Voltage Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor:

Variable frequency and variable voltage supply for induction motor control can be obtained either
from a voltage source inverter (VSI) or a cycloconverter. Voltage Source Inverter Control of
Induction Motor are described here and cycloconverter fed drives.

VSI Induction Motor Drives:

Voltage Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor allows a variable frequency supply to be
obtained from a dc supply. Below Fig. shows a VSI employing transistors.

Voltage Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor can be operated as a

stepped wave inverter or a pulse-width modulated (PWM) inverter. When

operated as a stepped wave inverter, transistors are switched in the

sequence of their numbers with a time difference of T/6 and each transistor

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is kept on for the duration T/2, where T is the time period for one cycle.

When supply is dc, variable dc input voltage is obtained by connecting a chopper between dc
supply and inverter (Fig.(a)). When supply is ac, variable dc input voltage is obtained by
connecting a controlled rectifier between ac supply and inverter (Fig.(b)). A large electrolytic filter
capacitor C is connected in dc link to make inverter operation independent of rectifier or chopper
and to filter out harmonics in dc link voltage.

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 Because of low frequency harmonics, the motor losses are increased at all speeds
causing derating of the motor.
 Motor develops pulsating torques due to fifth, seventh, eleventh and thirteenth
harmonics which cause jerky motion of the rotor at low speeds.
 Harmonic content in motor current increases at low speeds. The machine saturates at
light loads at low speeds due to high (Vlf ) ratio. These two effects overheat the
machine at low speeds, thus limiting lowest speed to around 40% of base speed.
Harmonics are reduced, low frequency harmonics are eliminated, associated losses are reduced
and smooth motion is obtained at low speeds also when inverter is operated as a pulse-width
modulated inverter.

The fundamental component in the output phase voltage of a PWM inverter operating with
sinusoidal PWM is given by

where m is the modulation index.

The harmonics in the motor current produce torque pulsation and derate the motor. For a given
harmonic content in motor terminal voltage, the current harmonics are reduced when the motor
has higher leakage inductance, this reduces derating and torque pulsations. Therefore, when fed
from Voltage Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor with large (compared to when fed from
sinusoidal supply) leakage inductance are used.

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Cycloconverter Control of Induction Motor:

Cycloconverter Control of Induction Motor allows variable frequency and variable voltage supply
to be obtained from a fixed voltage and frequency ac supply.

A half-wave Cycloconverter Control of Induction Motor is shown in Fig. along with the nature of its
output voltage waveform. Because of low harmonic content when operating at low frequencies,
smooth motion is obtained at low speeds.

Harmonic content increases with frequency, making it necessary to limit the maximum output
frequency to 40% of the source frequency. Thus, maximum speed is restricted to 40% of
synchronous speed at the mains frequency.

A motor with large leakage inductance is used in order to minimize derating and torque pulsations
due to harmonics in motor current.

The drives has regenerative braking capability. Full four-quadrant operation is obtained by
reversing the phase sequence of motor terminal voltage. Since cycloconverter employs large
number of thyristors, it becomes economically acceptable only in large power drives.

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Cycloconverter Control of Induction Motor drive has applications in high power drives requiring
good dynamic response but only low speed operation e.g. in ball mill in a cement plant.

The low speed operation is obtained by feeding a motor with large pole numbers from a
Cycloconverter Control of Induction Motor operating at low frequencies. These drives are called
gearless drives because, unlike conventional drives, the low speed operation of load is obtained
without a reduction gear, thus eliminating the associated cost, space and maintenance.

Closed Loop Speed Control of Induction Motor Drives:

A Closed Loop Speed Control of Induction Motor Drives is shown in Fig.

It employs inner slip-speed loop with a slip limiter and outer speed loop. Since for a given current,
slip speed has a fixed value, the slip speed loop also functions as an inner current loop. Further it
also ensures that the motor operation always occurs on the portion of speed-torque curve between
synchronous speed and the speed at the maximum torque for all frequencies, thus ensuring high
torque to current ratio.

The drive uses a PWM inverter fed from a dc source, which has capability for regenerative braking
and four-quadrant operation. The drive scheme is however applicable to any VSI or cycloconverter
drive having regenerative or dynamic braking capability. The drive operation is explained below.

The speed error is processed through a PI controller and a slip regulator. PI controller is used to
get good steady-state accuracy, and to attenuate noise. The slip regulator sets the slip speed

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command ω*sl, whose maximum value is limited to limit the inverter current to a permissible value.
The synchronous speed, obtained by adding actual speed ωm and slip speed ω*sl, determines the
inverter frequency. The reference signal for the Closed Loop Speed Control of Induction Motor
Drives of the machine terminal voltage V* is generated from frequency f using a function generator.
It ensures nearly a constant flux operation up to base speed and the operation at a constant
terminal voltage above base speed.

A step increase in speed command ω*m produces a positive speed error. The slip speed command
ω*sl is set at the maximum value. The drive accelerates at the maximum permissible inverter
current, producing the maximum available torque, until the speed error is reduced to a small value.
The drive finally settles at a slip speed for which the motor torque balances the load torque.

A step decrease in speed command produces a negative speed error. The slip speed command is
set at the maximum negative value. The drive decelerates under regenerative braking, at the
maximum permissible current and the maximum available braking torque, until the speed error is
reduced to a small value. Now the operation shifts to motoring and the drive settles at the slip
speed for which the motor torque equals the load torque.

The drive has fast response because the speed error is corrected at the maximum available torque.
Direct control of slip assures stable operation under all operating conditions.

For operation beyond the base speed, the slip speed limit of the slip regulator must be increased
linearly with the frequency until the breakdown value is reached. This is achieved by adding to the
slip regulator output an additional slip speed signal, proportional to frequency and of appropriate
sign. For frequencies higher than the frequency for which the breakdown torque is reached, the
slip speed limit is kept fixed near the breakdown value.

When fast response is required the maximum slip can be allowed to be equal to sin, because
induction motors can be allowed to carry several times the rated current during transient
operations of short duration. The inverter and its front end converter are built using
semiconductor devices whose transient and steady-state current ratings are the same. Then the
ratings of inverter and front end converter will have to be chosen several time the motor current
rating. This will substantially increase the drive cost. When fast transient response is not required,
current ratings of inverter and front end converter can be chosen to be marginally higher than that
of motor.

Variable Frequency Control From Current Source:

Control of induction motor employing variable frequency voltage sources was considered in
previous section. This section considers motor control by Variable Frequency Control From
Current Source (VFCS). An equivalent circuit for motor fed from a current source is obtained when
voltage source V is replaced by a current source Is

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Motor speed-torque curves for various values of Is and natural speed-torque curve, which
corresponds to the operation at rated constant flux, are shown in Fig. (a). For a given Is, operation
of motor above the natural characteristic takes place for a flux higher than rated and below it at
lower than rated. Since rated flux operation is preferred due to reasons explained already, the
natural characteristic is locus of preferred, operating points. From Eq., one can obtain a
relationship between Is and rotor frequency (sf) for rated Im (or rated flux). This relationship,
which is independent of frequency, is shown in Fig.(b). Drive is operated such that relationship of
Fig. (b) is maintained between stator current Is and rotor frequency (sf), when frequency is
changed to control the speed.

When operating at a constant flux, the operating points are located mostly on the part of speed
torque curve, which gives unstable operation with most loads (Fig. (a)). Hence, closed loop control
is mandatory. Since motor is constraint to operate at constant flux, its steady-state behavior is
identical to that with VFVS. Thus at a given slip speed (or rotor frequency), the motor draws a
constant current and develops a constant torque at all frequency, as explained already.

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The motor, therefore, operates in constant torque mode from zero to base speed. At base speed,
either rated machine voltage is reached or VFCS voltage saturates. In either case machine operates
at a constant terminal voltage above base speed, providing constant power mode. Variable
frequency current supply is provided by a Variable Frequency Control From Current Source
inverter.

Current Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor:

A thyristor Current Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor (CSI) is shown in Fig. . Diodes D1-
D6 and capacitors C1-C6 provide commutation of thyristors T1-T6, which are fired with a phase
difference of 60° in sequence of their numbers. It also shows the nature of output current
waveforms. Inverter behaves as a current source due to the presence of large inductance Ld in dc
link.

The fundamental component of motor phase current from Fig. (b) is

For a given speed, torque is controlled by varying dc link current Id by changing the value of Vd.
Therefore, when supply is ac, a controlled rectifier is connected between the supply and inverter
and when supply is dc, a chopper is interposed between the supply and inverter (Fig. ). The
maximum value of dc output voltage of fully-controlled rectifier and chopper are chosen so that the
motor terminal voltage saturates at rated value.

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The major advantage of Current Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor is its reliability. In case
of VSI (Fig. (a)), a commutation failure will cause two devices in the same leg (e.g. Tr1 and Tr4) to
conduct. This connects conducting devices directly across the source. Consequently, current
through devices suddenly rises to dangerous values. Expensive high speed semiconductor fuses
are required to protect the devices.

In case of Current Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor, conduction of two devices in the
same leg does not lead to sudden rise of current through them due to the presence of a large
inductance Ld. This allows time for commutation to take place and normal operation to get
restored in subsequent cycles. Further, less expensive HRC fuses are good enough for protection of
thyristors.

Motor current rise and fall are very fast. Such a fast rise and fall of current through the leakage
inductance of the motor produces large voltage spikes. Therefore, a motor with low leakage
inductance is used. Even then voltage spikes have large value. The commutation capacitors C1-
C6 reduce the voltage spikes by reducing the rate of rise and fall of current. Large value of
capacitors is required to sufficiently reduce the voltage spikes. Large commutation capacitors have
the advantages that cheap converter grade thyristors can be used but then they reduce the
frequency range of the inverter, and therefore, speed range of the drive. Further, due to large
values of inductor Ld and capacitors, the Current Source Inverter Control of Induction Motor drive
is expensive and has more weight and volume.

Current Regulated Voltage Source Inverter:

Current Regulated Voltage Source Inverter operates with current controlled PWM. In current
controlled pulse-width modulation, machine phase current is made to follow a sinusoidal reference
current within a hysteresis band. Fig. (a) shows a sinusoidal reference current i*A = Im sin ωt.

Two bands, separated from i*A by an amount Δl, are shown in the figure. Switching in the inverter is

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carried out such that the actual motor current iA remains within these two bands. For this voltage
source inverter of Fig. (a) is employed.

In this inverter phase A current iA is shaped by transistors Tr1 and Tr4. When Tr1 is on (Tr4 is off),
phase A is connected to.the positive terminal of dc source, hence the rate of change of current
iA will be positive and when Tr4 is on (Tr1 is off), phase A is connected to negative terminal of the dc
source, hence rate of change of current iA will be negative. In Fig. (a) current iA is falling along the
path mn when Tr4 is on. When iA reaches the lower band at n, Tr4 is turned off and Tr1 is turned on.
This makes rate of change of iA to be positive and it rises along the path no. When iA reaches the
upper band at 0, Tr1 is turned off and Tr4 is turned on.

This makes rate of change of iA to be negative and it falls along op. This way actual current iA is
constraint to remain within two hysteresis bands. Reference current for phases B and C are chosen
to be i*B = Im sin(ωt -120∘) and i*C = Im sin(ωt – 240∘) and by controlling respective transistors
iB and iC are made to follow i*B and i*C within hysteresis bands.

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When the band is small, motor currents will be nearly sinusoidal. As the band reduces, harmonic
content in phase currents reduces but then switching frequency increases. Thus, inverter with fast
switching devices will have lower harmonic content.

Fig. (b) gives block diagram of Current Regulated Voltage Source Inverter. Based on current
amplitude command I*m and frequency command f*, reference current generator generates
sinusoidal reference currents i*A, i*B and i*C. These reference currents are compared with respective
motor currents, iA, iB and iC in comparators with hysteresis to generate base drives for switches.

Since the magnitude and waveforms of motor currents are independent of changes in motor
impedance and source voltage, the inverter essentially operates as a current source inverter. The
closed-loop speed control scheme of CSI drive (Fig.) is therefore used for Current Regulated
Voltage Source Inverter drive also and is shown in Fig. . A servo drive for closed-loop position
control is obtained by adding a position loop around the speed loop in Fig.

Although Current Regulated Voltage Source Inverter operates as a CSI, it does not use large dc inductor
and filter capacitors, hence it has lower weight, volume and cost and faster dynamic response.
This drive has applications in servo control systems.

Single Phase Induction Motors Working Principle:

Single Phase Induction Motors Working Principle are inferior in performance and lager in weight
and volume compared to three-phase motors of the same rating. However, they are simple, robust,

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reliable and less expensive for small ratings. They are employed in low power drives in small
industries and domestic and commercial applications, where only single-phase supply is available.
They are generally available up-to 1 kW rating. Applications are many such as compressors in
refrigerator and air-conditioners, washing machines, dryers, fans, pumps, domestic appliances,
small machine tools, printing machines, tape recorders.

A Single Phase Induction Motors Working Principle has a cage rotor and a single phase winding in
the stator. The pulsating magneto motive force (mmf) produced by ac current in stator winding
can be considered to be equivalent to two constant amplitude mmf waves revolving in opposite
directions at synchronous speed. Each of these revolving mmf wave induces its own rotor current
and produces induction motor action just as in a 3-phase motor.

Fig. shown torques produced by the two revolving fields and also net torque produced by the
motor. When the rotor is stationary, it reacts equally to both waves, and no torque is developed.
Therefore, a Single Phase induction motor with single stator winding inherently has no starting
torque. But if started by auxiliary means, it will develop torque and continue to run. When the
rotor is running, induced rotor currents are such that their mmf opposes the reverse stator mmf to
a greater extent than they oppose the forward stator mmf. Result is that the forward flux wave,
which develops forward torque is bigger than the reverse flux wave which develops reverse
torque. Net torque (difference between the forward and reverse torques) produced maintains the
motion. As the speed increases, forward torque increases and reverse torque decreases. Therefore,
net torque progressively increases with speed. When started from its zero speed, first it builds up
slowly but later accelerates fast to a speed near synchronous. Backward rotating field increases the
full load slip and therefore reduces efficiency and power factor. Interactions between forward
rotating field and rotor currents induced due to reverse rotating field, and reverse rotating field
and rotor currents induced due to forward rotating field produce second harmonic torque
pulsations which cause vibrations and noise.

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Figure shows equivalent circuit of a Single Phase Induction Motors Working Principle with single
winding. Rotor equivalent circuits accounting for the forward and backward rotating fields are
indicated in the figure. When rotor moves in forward direction with a slip s (with respect to
forward rotating field) then the slip sn (with respect to backward field) will be

Hence for backward field the rotor resistance has been divided by (2 — s) in the equivalent circuit
from which stator current Is can be computed for any assumed value of slip when the motor
impedance and applied voltage are known.

Let

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Power transferred to the rotor (or air-gap power) due to forward field

Torque due to forward field

Power transferred to the rotor (or air-gap power) due to backward field

Torque due to backward field

Torque of the backward field is in opposite direction to that of forward field. Therefore, net
developed torque

Speed Control of Single Phase Induction Motors:

Speed of a single-phase induction motor is generally controlled by controlling its stator voltage
which can be controlled by connecting a variable resistance in series with the stator. Because of
poor efficiency the resistance control is now rarely used. Stator voltage can, also be controlled by
the use of ac voltage controllers we know already. The speed of the motor can also be controlled by
variable frequency control. However, it is rarely used because for most of the variable speed
applications of single-phase motors, the stator voltage control is good enough.

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Operation of Synchronous Motor:

Operation of Synchronous Motor – For any speed other than synchronous speed, the relative speed
between air gap flux wave and the rotor is not zero. Consequently, δ varies from 0 to 360°, and
torque fluctuates between positive and negative values, but its average value remains zero.
Frequency of torque fluctuations depends on the relative speed between air-gap flux wave, which
rotates at synchronous speed, and the rotor. When rotor is at stand-still, the frequency is too high
for the rotor inertia to allow any change in speed. Consequently, the motor is not self starting.

If rotor is brought close to synchronous speed by some starting method and then dc field is excited,
the synchronous torque assisted by the damper winding torque is able to pull the rotor into step
with the rotating field after a short duration of hunting, and the machine then works as a Operation
of Synchronous Motor. The process of pulling rotor into step with the rotating field is called pull-in
or synchronisation.

Starting:

As stated above, the purpose of starting method is to bring rotor speed close to synchronous speed.
One widely used method is to start the synchronous, motor as an induction motor with field
unexcited and damper winding serving as a squirrel-cage rotor. Following should be noted about
this starting method:

 The starting torque and current can be increased and reduced respectively, by
increasing the damper winding resistance. For successful pull-in, the motor speed
while running as an induction motor must be close to synchronous speed. For this the
damper winding resistance must be as low as possible. Further, for damping hunting
oscillations, damper winding resistance must be low. The damper winding resistance
is chosen to provide a compromise between these contradictory requirements.
 During acceleration as an induction motor, because of large number of turns in field
winding, the induced voltage in the field winding may reach several thousand volts,
thus overstressing the insulation of the winding and increasing the voltage rating of
the field supply converter. This undesirable situation is eliminated by keeping the
field circuit closed through a small discharge resistance before dc excitation is
applied. The discharge resistance permits a circulating current
 to flow through the field winding. Though induced voltage is still present, the actual
potential difference between terminals or between turns is reduced to a safe value.
 The field closed through a discharge resistance, acts somewhat as a cage winding and
modifies the starting and pull-in-torques. An increase in the field circuit resistance
increases the starting torque. On the other hand, a decrease in discharge resistance
reduces the potential difference appearing in the field circuit. The value of discharge
resistance is chosen to obtain a compromise between these two constradictory
requirements.
 dc excitation should not be applied during acceleration as an induction motor
because while it produces no net motoring torque, it does produce braking torque

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(braking torque is produced by the currents that are induced in stator by the dc
field). dc field should be applied only after the motor has reached close to full speed.
 When rotor has salient pole construction, the damper winding can have conductors
only over the pole arc. This leads to a dip in the speed-torque curve at half of
synchronous speed.
 When started with full supply voltage, the starting current can be 7 to 10 times of full
load Except in small size motors, such a high starting current causes fluctuations in
supply voltage. In case of large size motors, such a high starting current may cause a
large drop in the terminal voltage, thus reducing the already low starting torque
further. Starting current can be reduced by employing any one of the reduced voltage
starting methods employed for induction motors. Reduction in starting current is
obtained at the expense of reduction in starting torque. When started at a reduced
voltage, the transition to full voltage can be made before or after the pull-in. Former
is preferred as it improves pull-in performance due to two reasons: (1) with full
voltage the speed attained as induction motor is closer to synchronous speed and (2)
the pull-in torque increases in proportion to voltage squarred, consequently pull-in
can be achieved faster and with larger motor loads.
Another method of starting is to use a low power auxiliary motor coupled to the synchronous
motor shaft. With the help of auxiliary motor, the rotor speed is brought near, synchronous speed
and then dc field is switched-in. This method has a very low starting torque.

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