Module 3 (6 hours)

Chopper control of DC drives - two quadrant and four quadrant chopper drives - motoring
and regenerative braking - chopper fed DC series motor drive - closed loop speed control for
separately excited dc motor.

3.1 CHOPPER CONTROLLED SEPARATELY EXCITED DC MOTOR

Choppers are used for the control of DC motors because of number of advantages such as high
efficiency, flexibility in control, light weight, small size, quick response, and regeneration down to very
low speeds. Chopper controlled DC motors have applications in servos and traction.
Chopper offers a number of advantages over controlled rectifiers. Because of the higher frequency of
the output voltage ripple, the ripple in the motor armature current is less and the region of the
discontinuous conduction in the speed-torque plane is smaller. Reduction in the armature current ripple
reduces the machine losses and its derating. A reduction or elimination of discontinuous conduction
region improves speed regulation and transient response of a drive.
A chopper can be operated at comparatively high frequencies. With power transistors, operating
frequency can be 2.5 kHz and with power MOSFETs, operating frequency can be upto 200kHz. The
rectifier output voltage and current have a much lower frequency – 100Hz in the case of a 1-phase
rectifier and 300Hz in the case of a 3-phase fully-controlled rectifier-when the ac source frequency is
50Hz.

3.1.1 MOTORING CONTROL (CLASS A CHOPPER)

The circuit diagram of step down (motoring)

chopper and its waveforms are shown
respectively in Fig. 3.1 and 3.2.

During ON period of the switch, armature voltage, va = V. Armature current increases from Ia1 to Ia2.
di
Ra ia  La a  E  V , 0  t  ton  3.1
dt
At t = ton, switch is turned off. Motor current freewheels through diode D F. Armature voltage is zero
during this interval.
di
Ra ia  La a  E  0, ton  t  T  3.2
dt
Motor current decreases from Ia2 to Ia1.
t
Duty ratio, D  on  3.3
T
t
1 on
Average armature voltage, Va   Vdt  DV  3.4
T 0
Va Ra DV Ra
Speed, m  K  K 2 T  K  K 2 T  3.5
3.1.2 REGENERATIVE BRAKING (CLASS B CHOPPER)

The circuit diagram of step up (regenerative braking) chopper with separately excited DC motor and
its waveforms are shown respectively in Fig. 3.3 and 3.4.
During ON period of the switch, armature voltage, va = 0. Armature current increases from Ia1 to Ia2.
DC machine works as a generator and a part of the energy is stored in the armature inductance and
remainder is dissipated in armature resistance.
When switch is turned off, armature current flows through diode D and source V and armature current
decreases from Ia2 to Ia1. The stored energy in the inductance and the energy supplied by the machine is
fed to the source.
T  ton toff
Duty ratio, D    3.6
T T
T
Average armature voltage, Va  1 Vdt  DV  3.7
T t
on
DV Ra
Speed, m  K  K 2 T  3.8

3.1.3 TWO QUADRANT CHOPPER (CLASS C)

The circuit diagram of two quadrant (motoring and regenerative braking) chopper with separately
excited DC motor and its waveforms are shown respectively in Fig. 3.5 and 3.6. Although switching
from class A to class B configuration is a satisfactory method of obtaining regenerative braking for
some applications, in others a smooth transition from motoring to braking is essential. This is frequently
the case in servo drives and machine-tool drives. A combination of class A and class B choppers
provides the required drive.
For first quadrant operation, Tr1 and D1 will be operated. If the average armature current Ia (hence
torque) is high enough, Tr2 and D2 will not conduct, even though Tr2 receives gate signal.
For second quadrant operation, Tr2 and D2 will be operated. If the average armature current Ia (hence
torque) has sufficiently large negative value, Tr1 and D1 will not conduct, even though Tr1 receives gate
signal.
The circuit parameters and value of ton may be such that it would result in discontinuous current in the
single-quadrant step-down chopper. Current in the class C chopper, however, cannot be discontinuous
because under these conditions Tr2 and D2 conduct for part of the cycle. When the current in D 1 falls to
zero, emf E drives negative current through Tr2 to store energy in inductance La. When Tr2 is
commutated, the fall in this stored energy induces a negative emf eL, which, in conjunction with emf E,
supplies energy to source V until the negative current becomes zero and the energy in inductance La is
exhausted. Positive load current ia then resumes through Tr1.

3.1.4 FOUR QUADRANT CHOPPER (CLASS E CHOPPER)

The circuit diagram of four quadrant chopper with separately excited DC motor and its graph are shown
respectively in Fig. 3.7 and 3.8. In this chopper, both the armature voltage and armature current may be
either positive or negative. Equivalent circuits are shown in Fig. 3.9 to 3.12. The devices conducting
in each quadrant is tabulated below.

QUADRANT 1
Tr2 & Tr3 are kept OFF;
S4 is kept ON;
Tr1 is operated ON & OFF
Va and Ia are positive

QUANDRANT 2
S1, S3 & S4 are kept OFF;
S2 is operated ON & OFF
Va is positive and Ia is negative
 QUADRANT 3
E is reversed
S1 & S4 are kept OFF;
S2 is kept ON;
S3 is operated ON & OFF
Va and Ia are negative

E is reversed;
S1, S2 & S3 are kept OFF;
S4 is operated ON & OFF
Va is negative and Ia is positive

NOTE : For Quadrant 1, S1 is operated ON & OFF; for Quadrant 2, S2 is operated ON & OFF; for
Quadrant 3, S3 is operated ON & OFF; for Quadrant 4, S4 is operated ON & OFF.
Quadrant Operated Switch
I S1
II S2
III S3
IV S4

3.2 CHOPPER CONTROLLED DC SERIES MOTOR

3.2.1 Motoring Operation :
The circuit diagram of chopper controlled DC series motor and its waveforms are shown respectively
in Fig. 3.13 and 3.14.

Fig. 3.14 Armature voltage and

current waveforms
The back emf e of DC series motor varies with ia Due to saturation of magnetic circuit, the
relationship between e and ia is non linear.
t
1 on t
The voltage equation is given by Va   Vdt   V  3.4 , where   on .
T 0 T
ea  K am
K a  f ( I a ), T  K a I a Since the drop across the inductance La due to DC component
of Ia is zero Va  ea  I a Ra
Va Ra
m   T
Ka Ka2
Va  I a Ra  V Ra
m    T ---3.9
Ka Ka Ka 2
3.2.2 Regenerative Braking Operation:
The circuit and waveforms are shown respectively in Fig. 3.15 and 3.16

Voltage and current waveforms of a

DC series motor for braking operation

In this regenerative braking circuit DC series motor works as a self excited series generator.
The armature current Ia through series field winding must assist residual magnetism. So Field
current should reverse like armature current, when changing from motoring to braking.
T  ton toff
Duty ratio,     3.6
T T
T
Average armature voltage, Va  1 Vdt   V  3.7
T t
on
 V Ra
Speed, m  K  K 2 T  3.10 where T   K a I a  3.11
a a
 Fig. 3.15 Speed torque curves for motoring and braking of a chopper controlled DC series
motor

The nature of the speed torque characteristics in Fig 3.15 gives unstable operation with most
of the loads, so regenerative braking of DC series motor is difficult.

3.3 CLOSED LOOP SPEED CONTROL

For speed control above base speed, field control must be combined with armature voltage control.
Speed control from zero to base speed should be done at the maximum field by armature voltage control
and control above base speed should be done by field weakening at the armature voltage.

In many applications where a constant speed is required, open-loop operation of motors may not be
satisfactory. In open-loop operation, if load torque changes, the speed also will change. In closed loop
system, the speed can be maintained constant by adjusting the motor terminal voltage as the load torque
changes.

The basic closed loop block diagram for current control is shown in Fig.3.16. The Current limit control

scheme is employed to limit the converter and motor current below a rated value during transient
operations. The circuit has a current feedback loop with a threshold logic circuit to set maximum value.
During the transient operations if current exceeds the set maximum value feedback becomes active and
current is brought back below set to maximum value. If the current exceeds the set value again it is
again brought below it by the action of feedback loop. Thus the current fluctuates around a set
maximum limit during the transition operation until the drive condition is such that the current does not
have a tendency to cross the set maximum value its the current value.
The basic block diagram of a closed loop speed control system is shown in Fig. 3.17.

If an additional load torque is applied, the motor speed momentarily decreases and the speed error
increases, which increases the control signal V c. The control signal increases the converter output
voltage (the control signal decreases the firing angle if the converter is a phase-controlled rectifier or
increases the duty ratio if the converter is a chopper). An increase in the motor armature voltage
develops more torque to restore the speed of the motor.
In a dc motor, the armature resistance Ra and inductance La are small. The time constant (La/Ra) of the
armature circuit is also small. Consequently, a small change in the armature terminal voltage may result
in a quick and large change in the armature circuit, which may damage the solid-state devices used in
the converter. An inner current loop can also be provided so that the motor current can be clamped to a
specified value.

Closed loop speed control general block diagram with inner current loop is shown in Fig. 3.18.

The output of the speed controller represents a torque command. Because torque is proportional to
armature current, the output of the speed controller also represents the current command Ia*, which is
then compared with the actual current Ia. A limit on the output of the speed controller will therefore
clamp the value of the motor current Ia.

The circuit diagram for closed loop control DC motor drive is shown in Fig. 3.19.The operation is
similar to as explained above. The basic approach of closed loop speed control below and above the
base speed is shown in the block diagram. The drive employees in inner current and outer speed loop
like in the previous block diagram. The drive will operate at constant field current and variable armature
voltage below the base speed. Also at the constant voltage and variable field current for speed control
above the speed. So both armature and field are there for fed from fully controlled rectifier
The speed controller and current controller can have P or PI control. The selection depends on the
requirements of the drive performance.

The converters in the diagram can be a fully controlled rectifier when the supply is AC. These rectifiers
convert AC into DC and apply to DC motors.
On the other hand if the source is DC, these converters will be DC-DC chopper circuits. These choppers
converts DC to another DC suitable for armature and filed of the motor.

Advantages of closed loop operation are greater accuracy, improved dynamic response and stability of
operation. In closed loop system, the drive characteristics can be made to operate at constant torque or
constant horsepower over a certain speed range. Circuit protection can also be provided in a closed loop
system.