DC DRIVES
Department of Electrical Engineering
Institute of Technology
NIRMA UNIVERSITY
Ahmedabad
Flow of Presentation
• Components of Load Torque
• Speed-Torque Conventions of Drive
• Multi Quadrant Operation of Drive
• Concept of Load Equalization
• Summary
Components of Load Torque
Components of Load Torque Tl can be further divided into
following components:
➢ Friction torque, TF
➢ Windage torque, Tw
➢ Torque required to do the useful mechanical work, TL
(i) Friction torque TF :
Friction will be present at the motor shaft and also in
various parts of the load. TF is equivalent value of various
friction torques referred to the motor shaft.
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➢ Classification of Load Torques
• As we know already, the nature of Classification of Load
Torques depends on particular application
• A low speed hoist is an example of a load where the
torque is constant and independent of the speed. At low
speeds, windage torque is negligible. Therefore, net
torque is mainly due to gravity which is constant and
independent of speed.
• There are drives where coulomb friction dominates over
other torque components. Consequently, torque is
independent of speed, e.g. paper mill drive.
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Cont…
• Fans, compressors, aeroplanes, centrifugal pumps, ship-
propellors, coilers, high speed hoists, traction etc. are
example of the case where load torque is a function of
speed.
• In fans, compressors and aeroplanes, the windage
dominates, consequently, load torque is proportional to
square of the speed
• Windage is the opposition offered by air to the motion.
Similar nature of Classification of Load Torques can be
expected when the motion is opposed by any other fluid,
e.g. by water in centrifugal pumps and ship-propellors,
giving the same characteristic shown in figure. 1
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Cont…
Figure. 1 Figure. 2
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Figure. 3 Figure. 4
Cont…
• In a high speed hoist, viscous friction and windage also
have appreciable magnitude, in addition to gravity, thus
giving the speed-torque curve of Figure. 2
• Nature of speed-torque characteristic of a traction load
when moving on a levelled ground is shown in Figure. 3.
Because of its heavy mass, the stiction is large. Near zero
speed, net torque is mainly due to stiction
• Torque in a coiler drive is also a function of speed. It is
approximately hyperbolic in nature as shown in Figure. 4.
The developed power is nearly constant at all speeds.
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Cont…
Coiler Air Compressor
Drive
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Ship Propellers
Multi quadrant Operation
➢ For consideration of multi quadrant operation of drives, it
is useful to establish suitable conventions about the signs
of torque and speed. A motor operates in two modes –
Motoring and braking.
➢ In motoring, it converts electrical energy into mechanical
energy, which supports its motion. In braking it works as
a generator converting mechanical energy into electrical
energy and thus opposes the motion.
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• let us consider operation of hoist in four quadrants as
shown in the figure
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Cont..
➢ A hoist consists of a rope wound on a drum coupled to
the motor shaft one end of the rope is tied to a cage which
is used to transport man or material from one level to
another level . Other end of the rope has a counter weight.
➢ Weight of the counter weight is chosen to be higher than
the weight of empty cage but lower than of a fully loaded
cage
➢ Forward direction of motor speed will be one which gives
upward motion of the cage
➢ Load torque line in quadrants I and IV represents speed-
torque characteristics of the loaded hoist.
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➢ The load torque in quadrants II and III is the speed torque
characteristics for an empty hoist
➢ The quadrant I operation of a hoist requires movement of
cage upward, which corresponds to the positive motor
speed which is in counter clockwise direction here
➢ This motion will be obtained if the motor products
positive torque in CCW direction equal to the magnitude
of load torque
➢ Since developed power is positive, this is forward
motoring operation. Quadrant IV is obtained when a
loaded cage is lowered
Load Equalization
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Cont…
• In application such as electric hammer, pressing job, steel
rolling mills etc, load fluctuates widely within short
intervals of time
• In such drives, to meet the required load the motor rating
has to be high or the motor would draw the pulse current
from the supply
• Such pulse current from the supply gives voltage
fluctuations which affects to the other load connected to it
and affects to the stability of the source
• The above problem can be met by using a flywheel
connected to the motor shaft for non-reversible drives
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Cont…
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Summary
➢ Components of load torque and four quadrant operation
of drive are analyzed
➢ Concept of load equalization is discussed
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