Advanced Electric Drive

CH-III: Controlled Rectifier DC

Drives
06/04/2025 Advanced Electric Drive_EPC-6204 1
Outline
Power Electronics Converters for DC Drives
Controlled Rectifier Fed DC Drives
Single Phase
 Two-quadrant

 Four-quadrant

Three Phase
 Two-quadrant

 Four-quadrant

References
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Power Electronic Converters
for DC Drives
Speed Control Strategy:
below base speed: Va control
above base speed: flux control via Vf control
Power electronics converters are used to obtain variable
voltage
Highly efficient
Ideally lossless
Type of converter used is depending on voltage source :
AC voltage source  Controlled Rectifiers
Fixed DC voltage source  DC-DC converters
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 Controlled Rectifier Fed DC Drives
To obtain variable DC voltage from fixed AC source
DC current flows in only 1 direction
Example of a drive system

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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Single-phase DC Drives
Two-quadrant drive
 Limited to applications up to 15 kW
 Regeneration (Q4) only be achieved with loads that can drive the motor in reverse (-ve )

Q2 Q1

Q3 Q4 T

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Controlled Rectifier Fed
ia
– Single-phase DC Drives +
Two-quadrant drive Single-
phase Va
For continuous current: supply
Armature voltage 
2Vm
Va  cos a
 2Vm
where Vm = peak voltage 

Armature current Va  Ea
Ia 
Ra 90o 180o


Field voltage 2Vm

Vf  cos f 2Vm
 


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Controlled Rectifier Fed
ia
– Single-phase DC Drives + +
Two-quadrant drive Single-
phase Va Ea
For Quadrant 1 operation: supply 
 
 positive  Ea and Va positive
a  90 2Vm
Va  cos  a
Ia positive 2Vm 

Rectifier delivers power to motor, Q1
i.e. forward motoring. 90o 180o


2Vm


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Controlled Rectifier Fed
ia
– Single-phase DC Drives  
Single-
Two-quadrant drive phase Va Ea 
supply
For Quadrant 4 operation: + +
 negative  Ea negative
a > 90  Va negative 2Vm
Va  cos  a
Ia positive (still in same direction)
2Vm 


Rectifier takes power from motor,

i.e. regenerative braking. 90o 180o


Q4
2Vm


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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Single-phase DC Drives 
Four-quadrant drive
 Converter 1 for operation in 1st and 4th quadrant Q2 Q1
 Converter 2 for operation in 2nd and 3rd quadrant Q3 Q4 T
 Limited to applications up to 15 kW

+
Single- ia Single-
phase Va phase
supply supply


Two rectifiers
Converter 1 Converter 2 connected in anti-
parallel across
motor armature
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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Single-phase DC Drives
Four-quadrant drive
For continuous current:
 Both converters are operated to produce the same dc voltage across the
terminal, i.e.: V1 V2 0
2Vm 2Vm
V1  cos  a1 V2  cos  a 2
where  and 

(Vm = peak supply voltage)

 Hence, firing angles of both converters must satisfy the following:
 a1   a 2 
+ 
Va  Ea
Ia 
Ra V1 V2
 Armature current
2V
V f  m cos f  +

 Field voltage Converter 1 Converter 2
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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Three-phase DC Drives 
Two-quadrant drive
Q2 Q1
Limited to applications up to 1500 kW
Q3 Q4 T
Regeneration (Q4) only be achieved with loads that can
drive the motor in reverse (-ve )

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Controlled Rectifier Fed ia
– Three-phase DC Drives +
For continuous current: 3-phase
supply Va
Armature voltage

3VL-L, m
Va  cos a

where VL-L, m = peak line-to-line voltage 3VL-L, m

Armature current Va  Ea
Ia 
Ra 
90o 180o
Field voltage 3VL-L, m
Vf  cos f
 
3VL-L, m

(assuming a three-phase supply is used for
field excitation)
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Three-phase Controlled Rectifier 2Q DC
Drive – Example
Example 1.
A 220 V, 1500 rpm, 50 A separately excited motor with armature resistance of
0.5 ohm, is fed from a 3-phase fully-controlled rectifier. Available ac source
has a line voltage of 440 V, 50 Hz. A star-delta connected transformer is used
to feed the armature so that motor terminal voltage equals rated voltage
when converter firing angle is zero.
(i) Calculate transformer turns ratio.
(ii) Determine the value of firing angle when:
(a) motor is running at 1200 rpm and rated torque;
(b) when motor is running at - 800 rpm and twice the rated torque.
Assume continuous conduction
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Solution
3VL-L, m
Va  cos a

i. Vm =π/3 * Va/cos α, at α =0 --> Vm=230.4 V and Vm rms = 230.4/sqrt2 = 162.9 V.
For star –Delta transformer connection, ratio of turns b/n phase wdg of primary and secondary =
(440/sqrt3)/162.9 =1.559
ii. (a) at rated speed, 1500 rpm, E = 220 – 0.5*50 = 195 V,
Then, at 1200 rpm, E = 1200/1500 * 195 = 156 V.
Va = E + Ia*Ra = 156 + 50*0.5 = 181 V.
α = cos-1 (π/3 *Va/Vm) then α = 34.65°
ii. (b) at -800 rpm, E= -800/1500 *195 = -104 v
then Va = -104 + 100* 0.5 = -54v
α = cos-1 (π/3 *Va/Vm)
= 104.20°

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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Three-phase DC Drives 
Four-quadrant drive
Converter 1 for operation in 1st and 4th quadrant Q2 Q1
Converter 2 for operation in 2nd and 3rd quadrant Q3 Q4 T
Ia +ve, Ia -ve,
Va +ve or -ve Va +ve or -ve
Converter 1 Converter 2

+
ia
3-phase 3-phase
supply Va
supply


Two rectifiers
connected in anti-
parallel across
motor armature
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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Three-phase DC Drives
Four-quadrant drive +
ia
For continuous current: Va
3VL L , m
Va  cos  a
 

Converter 1 Converter 2

where VL-L, m = peak line-to-line voltage.

 a1   a 2 
 Similar to single-phase drive:
Converter 2: Converter 1:
90   a 2  180  0   a1  90
Ia -ve, Ia +ve,
 a1    a 2 Va +ve Va +ve  a 2    a1
Q2 Q1
T
Q3 Q4

0   a 2  90 Converter 2: Converter 1: 90   a1  180

Ia -ve, Ia +ve,
 a1    a 2  a 2    a1
Va -ve Va -ve
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 Controlled Rectifier Fed
– Three-phase DC Drives
For continuous current:
 Armature current I Va  Ea
a
Ra
 Field voltage 3VL-L, m
Vf  cos f

L1
Disadvantages:
 Circulating current + ia
 Inductors L1 and L2 Va
added to reduce
circulating currents 

 Slow response
L2
Converter 1 Converter 2

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Three-phase Controlled Rectifier 4Q DC
Drive – Example
EXAMPLE 2
Motor of Example 1 is fed from a circulating current dual converter with ac
source voltage (line) = 165 V. Determine converter firing angles for the
following operating points:
(i) Motoring operation at rated motor torque and 1000 rpm.
(ii) Braking operation at rated motor torque and 1000 rpm.
(iii) Motoring operation at rated motor torque and (- 1000) rpm.
(iv) Braking operation at rated motor torque and (- 1000) rpm.

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 Solution
From Example 1 at 1500 rpm, E = 195 V
i. At 1000 rpm, E = 1000/1500 * 195 = 130 V, then Va = E + Ia*Ra = 130 + 50*0.5 =155 V,
now Va =3/π * Vm cosα -> α = 45.9 and α2= 180 – 45.9 = 134.1
ii. Va = E – Ia*Ra = 130 - 50*0.5 = 105 V,
cosα = Va/Vm * π/3 = 105/165*sqrt2 * Pi/3 => take inverse of this and α1= 61.9°
and α2 = 180- 61.9 = 118.1°
iii. For negative speed, α2 < 90 and α1 > 90, hence from part I, α1 = 134.1 and α2 = 45.9
iv. Here also the two controller will interchange their operations compared to (ii). i.e. α1
= 118.1 and α2 = 61.9

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 Controlled Rectifier Fed 

– Three-phase DC Drives Q2 Q1
Four-quadrant drive Q3 Q4 T
One controlled rectifier with 2 pairs of contactors
M1 and M2 closed for operation in 1st and 4th quadrant
R1 and R2 closed for operation in 2nd and 3rd quadrant

ia R1
M1
ia
3-phase
supply
+ Va -
R2 M2

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Cont….
Forward motoring :- Q1
 T1 and T2 operate; T3 and T4 off.
 T1 and T2 turn on together: the supply voltage appear across the motor
terminal. Armature current rises.
 T1 and T2 turn off: the armature current decay through D3 and D4
Regeneration :- Q2
 T1, T2 and T3 turned off.
 When T4 is turned on, the armature current rises through T4 and D2.
 When T4 is turned off, the motor, acting as a generator, returns energy to the
supply through D1 and D2.
Reverse motoring :-Q3
 T3 and T4 operate; T1 and T2 off.
 When T3 and T4 are on together, the armature current rises and flows in reverse
direction.
 Hence the motor rotates in reverse direction.
 When T3 and T4 turn off, the armature current decays through D1 and D2.
Reverse generation :- Q4
 T1, T3 and T4 are off.
 When T2 is on, the armature current rises through T2 and D4.
 When T2 is turned off, the armature current falls and the motor returns energy
to the supply through D3 and D4.
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Rectifier Fed DC Drives Problems
1. Distortion of Supply
Controlled rectifier introduces harmonics to supply currents and
voltages which cause:
 heating and torque pulsations in motor
 resonance in power system network – interaction between rectifier RL with

capacitor banks in system

Solution - eliminate most dominant harmonics by:
 install LC filters at input of converters – tuned to absorb most dominant
harmonics (i.e. 5th and 7th harmonics)
 Use 12-pulse converter – consists of two 6-pulse controlled rectifiers

connected in parallel
 Selective switching of supply input using self-commutating devices (eg. GTOs,

IGBTs) in the converter

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Rectifier Fed DC Drives Problems
12-pulse converter – consists of two 6-pulse controlled rectifiers
connected in parallel

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 Rectifier Fed DC Drives Problems
2. Low supply power factor
Power factor related to firing angle  of rectifier
Low power factor especially during low speed operations
Solution:
 Employ pulse-width modulated (PWM) rectifiers using GTOs,
IGBTs
 Highpower factor
 Low harmonic supply currents

 Low efficiency - high switching losses (disadvantage)

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Rectifier Fed DC Drives Problems
3. Effect on motor
Ripple in motor current – harmonics present (most dominant is 6 th
harmonic)
 causes torque ripple, heating and derating of motor
 solution: extra inductance added in series with La
Slow response
Discontinuous current may occur if
L not large enough
a
 Motor is lightly loaded
Effect of discontinuous current
 Rectifier output voltage increases  motor speed increases

(poor speed regulation under open-loop operation)

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Closed Loop Control of DC Drives
Closed loop control is when the firing angle is varied automatically by a
controller to achieve a reference speed or torque
This requires the use of sensors to feed back the actual motor speed and
torque to be compared with the reference values

Reference + Output
signal Controller Plant signal


Sensor

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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

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 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

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 Closed Loop Control of DC Drives
Cascade control structure:
 Inner Torque (Current) Control Loop:
 Current control loop is used to control torque via armature current
(ia) and maintains current within a safe limit
 Accelerates and decelerates the drive at maximum permissible
current and torque during transient operations Torque
(Current)
Control Loop

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 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
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Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers –
Two-quadrant Current
Control Loop
Two-quadrant Three-phase Controlled Rectifier
DC Motor Drives
Speed Control
Loop

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Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers –
Two-quadrant
 Actual motor speed m measured using the tachogenerator (Tach) is filtered to produce
feedback signal mr
 The reference speed r* is compared to mr to obtain a speed error 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

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Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers –
Two-quadrant
Design of speed and current 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
a) DC Motor & Load
b) Current feedback loop sensor
c) Speed feedback loop sensor
2. Design current (torque) control loop first
3. Then design the speed control loop

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Transfer Function of Subsystems –
DC Motor and Load
Assume load is proportional to speed
TL BLm
DC motor has inner loop due to induced emf magnetic coupling, which is not physically seen
This creates complexity in current control loop design

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 Transfer Function of Subsystems –
DC Motor and Load
 Need to split the DC motor transfer function between m and Va

ωm s  ωm s  Ia s 
  (1)
Va s  Ia s  Va s 
 where
ωm s  Kb
 (2)
Ia s  Bt 1  sTm 

Ia s  1  sTm 
K1 (3)
Va s  1  sT1 1  sT2 
 This is achieved through redrawing of the DC motor and load block diagram

[ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVES: Modeling, Analysis, and Control, by R. Krishnan pp 74-

75]
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Transfer Function of Subsystems –
DC Motor and Load
In (2),
J
- mechanical motor time constant: Tm  (4)
Bt

- motor and load friction coefficient: Bt B1  BL (5)

In (3), B
K1  2 t
K b  Ra Bt (6)
2
1  Ra Bt   Ra Bt K b 
2
1 1 1  Ra Bt  (7)
 ,            
T1 T2 2  La J  4  La J   JLa JLa 

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

BL = load friction coefficient
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Transfer Function of Subsystems –
Three-phase Converter
Need to obtain linear relationship between control signal vc and delay angle  (i.e.
using ‘cosine wave crossing’ method)
 vc  (8)
 cos   1

 Vcm 
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   1 vc  3 VL  L, m
Vdc  VL  L, m cos  VL  L, m cos cos   vc K r vc (9)
   Vcm   Vcm

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 Cosine-wave Crossing Control for
Controlled Rectifiers
Input voltage Vm
to rectifier 0  2 3 4

Cosine voltage Cosine wave compared with

Vcm control voltage vc
vc
Vcmcos() = vc

 vc 
Results of  cos  1  
comparison  Vcm 
trigger SCRs

Output voltage
of rectifier 

Back

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Transfer Function of Subsystems –
Three-phase Converter
 Gain of the converter
3 VL  L, m 3 2V V
Kr   1.35 (10)
 Vcm  Vcm Vcm

where V = rms line-to-line voltage of 3-phase supply

 Converter also has a delay
1 60 1 1 1
Tr     
2 360 f s 12 f s
(11)

where fs = supply voltage frequency

Kr
G s  
 Hence, the converter transfer function
r
1  sTr  (12)
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 NB: The design aspect is left for as a reading an assignment
(Krishnan, R., Electric Motor Drives: Modeling, Analysis and Control,
Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 2001).

Next: Chopper Control

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References
Krishnan, R., Electric Motor Drives: Modeling, Analysis and Control, Prentice-Hall,
New Jersey, 2001.
Rashid, M.H, Power Electronics: Circuit, Devices and Applications, 3rd ed., Pearson,
New-Jersey, 2004.
Dubey, G.K., Fundamentals of Electric Drives, 2nd ed., Alpha Science Int. Ltd., UK,
2001.

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 Thanks!!
Next is Controlled DC-Drives closed loop

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