Speed Control of DC Machine

Dr. Sushma Gupta

Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
MANIT, Bhopal
 Series DC Motor
• In case of series motor, the field current is the same as
armature current therefore, field flux is function of the
armature current.
Ia

S1 S2 Ia
A1

+
Va
-

A2

• The series motor has poor speed regulation.

• They are inexpensive to manufacture and are used in variable
speed applications like sewing machines, power tools, traction
applications.
 Applications of Series Motor

• The series DC motor is an industry workhorse for

both high and low power, fixed and variable speed
electric drives.
• Applications range from cheap toys to automotive
applications.
• They are inexpensive to manufacture and are used in
variable speed household appliances such as sewing
machines and power tools.
• Its high starting torque makes it particularly suitable
for a wide range of traction applications.
• high speed tools.
 Shunt Wound
• The shunt motor has common voltage supply to the motor but in
this case the field winding is connected in parallel with the
armature winding.

A1 Ia If
F1

+
Va
-
F2
A2

• In case of shunt motor, an independent control of field and

armature voltage can be obtained by inserting a resistance in the
field circuit. This is an inefficient method of control the voltage.
• Fixed speed applications such as automotive windscreen wipers
and fans.
 Separately Excited DC Drives
• The separately excited motor has independent voltage supplies to
the field and armature windings allowing more control over the
motor performance.
Ia If

A1 F1
+
+ - Vf
Va
-
F2
A2

• The voltage on either the field or the armature windings can be

used to control the speed and torque of a separately excited motor.
• Rolling mills, Machine Tool and other loads where large
momentary toque is required.
 Steady-State Speed Torque Relation
• Steady-state equivalent
circuit of a armature of DC
machine is shown in figure. Ia Ra

• For series motor, armature

A1
resistor is sum of armature
and series field winding + E = KeW m
resistance. V
-
• For separately excited and A2
shunt motor, armature
resistor (Ra) is equal to the
resistance of the armature
winding.
 V = Ra Ia + E (1)
E = Ke φ ωm (2)
T = Ke φ I a (3)
Where φ = Flux per pole, webers
Ia = Armature current, A
V = Armature Voltage, V
Ra = Resistance of the armature circuit, Ω
ωm = Speed of armature, rad./sec.
T = Torque developed by the motor, N-m
Ke = Constants
From Eq. (1)-(3)
ωm = V / Ke φ - Ra Ia/ Ke φ (4)

= V / Ke φ - Ra T/ (Ke φ)2 (5)

• In case of separately excited motor, field
voltage is maintained constant so the flux is
assumed practically constant in spite of change
in torque. Let
Ke φ = K (constant) (6)
From eq. (1)-(6)
T = K Ia (7)
E = K ωm (8)
ωm = V / K - Ra Ia/ (K) (9)
= V / K - Ra T/ (K)2 (10)
• The no-load speed ωm0 is determined by the
values of armature voltage and field excitation.
• Speed decreases as torque increases and speed
regulation depends on the armature circuit
resistance.
• In case of medium size motor, the drop in
speed from no-load to full-load is of the order
of 5 %.
• Separately excited motors are employed in
applications where good speed regulation is
required.
• In case of series motor, the flux is a function of
armature current. In the unsaturated region of
the magnetization char., φ is considered as
proportional to Ia . Thus
φ = Kf Ia (11)
Substituting the value of ‘φ’ in eq. (3), (4) and (5)
T = Ke Kf Ia2 (12)
ωm = V / Kf Ke Ia – Ra / Kf Ke (13)
= V / (Kf Ke)½(T)½ - Ra / Kf Ke (14)
Here armature circuit resistance (Ra) is sum of
the armature and field winding resistance.
• In case of series motor, increase in torque is
accompanied by an increase in the armature current
and flux.
• If flux increases with torque then speed must drop to
maintain a balance between the induced voltage and
the supply voltage. Therefore, series motor char. is
highly dropping.
• Series motors are suitable for high starting torque
applications.
• Flux increases with torque therefore for the same
increase in torque, the increase in motor current is
less compared to that in a separately excited motor.
 Numerical
• Q. 1 A 200 V, 10.5 A, 2000 rpm shunt motor has the armature and
field resistance of 0.5 and 400 Ω respectively. It drives a load whose
torque is constant at rated motor torque. Calculate motor speed if the
source voltage drops to 175 V.
• Q. 2 A 220 V, 800 rpm, 80 A separately excited motor has an
armature resistance of 0.12 Ω. Motor is driving under rated
conditions, a load whose torque is same at all speeds. Calculate
motor speed if the source voltage drops to 200 V.
• Q. 3 A 220 V, 960 rpm and 80 A DC series motor is driving a load
which has the same torque at all speeds. Resistance of armature and
field are each 0.05 Ω. Calculate magnitude and direction of motor
speed and current if motor terminal is changed from 220 to -220 V
and the number of turns in field winding is reduced to 80%. Will
motor speed reverse? Assume linear magnetic circuit.
• Ans: Q. 1- 1985.5 rpm, Q.2-723.95 rpm, Q.3-971.8 rpm and 89.44 A
• During heavy torque and starting, the power
overload on the source and the thermal
overloading of the motor are kept limited to
reasonable values.
• In compound motor, no-load speed depends on
the strength of the shunt field and the drop in
speed depends on the strength of the series
field.
• Suitable values of no-load speed and drop in
speed can be obtained by properly choosing
the relative strength of two fields.
• The compound motors are used where a
dropping char. similar to a series motor is
required and at the same time the no-load
speed must be limited to a safe value.
• It is used in intermittent load applications,
where load varies from no-load to very heavy
loads. Lifts, winches etc. In this applications a
flywheel is mounted on the motor shaft.
• The natural speed-torque char. is obtained
when a motor is operating at rated voltage and
flux.
• Methods of Speed-Control
– Armature voltage control
– Field flux control
– Armature resistance
 Armature Voltage Control

• This is general circuit diagram

of DC motor speed control for
single-phase source.
• The firing angle control of
converter 1 regulates the
armature voltage and variation
of delay angle α1 gives speed
control below base speed.
• Variation of delay angle α2 of • An inductor is inserted in
converter 2 installed in the series with armature circuit to
field circuit gives speed reduce the ripple in the
control above base speed. armature current and to make
• At high values of α1, armature the armature current
current may become continuous for low value of
discontinuous. motor speeds.
 Power Converters Configurations
• Depending upon the type of power electronic
converter used in armature circuit, single-
phase DC drives may be subdivided as:
– Single-phase half-wave converter drives.
– Single-phase semi-converter drives.
– Single-phase full-wave converter drives.
– Single-phase dual converter drives.
Single-phase half-wave converter drives
• For Single-phase half-wave converter, average output voltage
of converter
Vm
Vo  Vt  1  cos α  For 0 < α < π
2π
Where Vm = maximum value of source voltage
• For single-phase semi-converter in the field circuit, the
average output voltage is given by:
Vm
Vo  1  cos α 1  For 0 < α1 < π
π

• The rms armature current value is Ia

• The rms value of thryistor or source current :
1
π α  π α  2
Isr  I2
a  Ia  
2π  2π 
 This drive is used upto
0.5 kW DC motor
A separately-excited DC motor is supplied from 230 V, 50 Hz source through a single-
phase half-wave controlled converter. Its field is fed through 1-phase semi-converter with
zero degree firing-angle degree. Motor resistance ra = 0.7 Ω and motor constant = 0.5 V-
sec/rad. For rated load torque of 15 Nm at 1000 rpm and for continuous ripple free
current, determine:
(a) Firing-angle delay of the armature converter.
(b) rms value of thyristor and freewheeling diode currents
(c) Input power factor of armature converter.
Single-phase Semi-converter Drives

This drive is used upto

15 kW DC motor
 • For single-phase semi-converter, average output voltage is given by:

The speed of a 15 hp, 220 V, 1000 rpm DC series motor is controlled using a 1-phase half-
controlled bridge converter. The combined armature and field resistance is 0.2 Ω. Assuming
continuous and ripple free motor current and speed of 1000 rpm and k = 0.03 Nm/A2, determine
(a) motor current (b) motor torque and (c) input power factor for a firing angle α = 30o. AC
voltage is 250 V. Derive any formula used.
Single-Phase Full-Converter Drives

This drive is used upto

15 kW DC motor
 The input pf depends on the firing angle α

A 220 V, 1500 rpm, 10 A separately-excited DC motor has an armature resistance of 1

ohm. It is fed from a single-phase fully-controlled bridge rectifier with an AC source
voltage of 230 V, 50 Hz. Assuming continuous load current, compute: (a) motor speed at
the firing angle of 30o and torque of 5 Nm. (b) developed torque at the firing angle of 45o
and speed of 1000 rpm.
Single-Phase Dual Converter Drives

This drive is used upto 15 kW DC motor

• A single-phase dual converter is obtained by connecting two full-converters
connected in anti-parallel. It offers four-quadrant operation.
• In first and fourth quadrants, converter 1 is in operation.
• For second and third quadrants, converter 2 is in operation.
• Four-quadrant operation requires that field winding of the motor is
energised from single-phase full converter.

• Converter 1 with α1 < 90o operates the motor in forward motoring mode
(Quadrant 1).
• Converter 1 with α1 > 90o and with field excitation reversed operates the
motor in forward regenerating mode (Quadrant 4).
• Converter 2 with α2 < 90o operates the motor in reverse motoring mode
(Quadrant 3).
• Converter 2 with α2 > 90o and with field excitation reversed operates the
motor in reverse regenerating mode (Quadrant 2).
Chopper Circuits
 Control Techniques

• There are mainly two techniques or methods to control the

output voltage of a chopper:
• Time Ratio Control Method and
• Current Limit Control.
• The output voltage of chopper depends on the duty cycle.
• By changing the duty cycle, the output voltage can be varied.
• Time Ratio Control is realized in two different strategies-
Constant Frequency System and
Variable Frequency System.
• Time Ratio Control Constant Frequency System

Vo = αVs α= Ton/ Ton+Toff

Variable Frequency System or Frequency Modulation
Scheme

Vo = αVs
• Disadvantage of Frequency Modulation Scheme:
– The chopping frequency has to be varied over a wide range
for control of output voltage in frequency modulation.
– Filter design for such wide frequency variation is quite
difficult.
– There is always a chance of interference with signaling and
telephone lines in frequency modulation scheme.
– The large off time in this scheme may make the load
current discontinuous which is undesirable
 Current limit control
• The maximum current and minimum current pass through
chopper is determined in order to turn on and turn off it.
• When the current is equal to maximum current limit, the
chopper becomes OFF.
• Similarly when the current reaches at minimum current limit,
the chopper becomes ON.
• The semiconductor switching losses are higher due to high
chopping frequency.
 Numerical
• A Chopper circuit is operating on TRC at a frequency
of 2 kHz on a 460 V supply. If the load voltage is 350
volts, calculate the conduction period of the thyristor
in each cycle.
• Input to the step up chopper is 200 V. The output
required is 600 V. If the conducting time of thyristor
is 200 µsec. Compute – Chopping frequency, – If the
pulse width is halved for constant frequency of
operation, find the new output voltage.
 Operating Modes of Chopper
• Power Control or motoring control
• Regenerative braking control
 Power Control or motoring control

Average Motor Voltage = Vo = Vt = (TON/ T) Vs = α Vs = f TON Vs

For the motor armature circuit

V t  αV s  E a  I a R  K e ω m  I a R

αVs  I a R
ωm 
Ke

So by varying the duty cycle α of the chopper, armature terminal voltage

can be controlled and thus speed of the DC motor can be regulated.
 Regenerative-Braking Control
• In regenerative braking control, the motor acts as a generator
and the kinetic energy of the motor and connected load is
returned to the supply.
• During motoring mode, armature current
Ia = (Vt –Ea)/ra armature current is positive and motor consumes power
• In case, load speed is such that, average value of motor counter
emf Ea (= Ke.ωm) exceeds Vt, Ia is reversed and power is
delivered to the DC bus and motor is operating in regenerating
braking mode.
• A DC series motor is fed from 600 V DC source through a chopper. The
DC motor has the following parameters:
ra = 0.04 Ω, rs = 0.06 Ω, k = 4 X 10-3 Nm/A2
The average armature current of 300 A is ripple free. For a chopper duty
cycle of 60%, determine: (a) input power from the source (b) the equivalent
input resistance of chopper drive (c) motor speed and (d) motor torque.

ANS: Power- (a)108 kW (b) 3.333 ohm (c) 2626.1rpm (d) 360 Nm

• A DC chopper is used for regenerative braking of a separately-excited DC

motor. The DC supply voltage is 400 V. The motor has ra = 0.2 Ω, k = 1.2
V-s/rad. The average armature current during regenerative braking is kept
constant at 300 A with negligible ripple. For a duty cycle of 60% for a
chopper, determine: (a) Power returned to the DC supply (b) Equivalent
load resistance of motor acting as a generator (c) Minimum and maximum
permissible braking speed and (d) Speed during regenerative braking.
ANS: (a) 48 kW (b) 0.7333 ohm (c) 50 rad/S or 477.46 rpm & 3660.6 rpm
(d) 1750.7 rpm
 Armature Voltage Control Characteristics

• If armature voltage is reduced in separately or

series excited DC motor, running at a steady-
state speed, then armature current and motor
torque will decrease.
• As the motor torque is less than the load
torque, then motor will decelerate therefore
speed and back emf both will decrease.
• DC motor finally settles at a lower speed at
which motor torque equals to the load torque.
• If the armature voltage of a separately excited DC motor
is reduced drastically then it may become less than back
emf.
• The armature current will reverse and producing
negative torque. The motor will work as a generator.
• This operation will continue until the motor speed
reduced to a value at which applied voltage becomes
equal to the motor back emf.
• In series motor even when the armature voltage is
changed drastically, it does not work as generator.
• Speed of DC motor reduces because the motor torque is
less than the load torque
• If the armature voltage of a DC motor running at
a steady-state speed is increased then armature
current and motor torque will increase.
• Motor will accelerate, motor speed and back emf
will also increase.
• The final speed will be higher than previous
speed at which motor torque is equal to the load
torque.
• To change the speed, armature voltage should be
changed only in small steps.
• A large change in armature voltage causes large
change in armature current which may damage
the commutator and reduce its life.
• A motor can be operated at any speed-torque
combination lying between natural speed-torque curve
and torque axis.
• In separately excited motor, no-load speed changes and
speed-torque curve are parallel straight line.
• This method of speed control is used below based speed.
• The slope of the speed-torque char. remain same with
the change in speed.
• It provides a constant torque because max. permissible
armature current and torque capability remain constant
at all speed.
• Variable DC voltage can be obtained
• Controlled Rectifier (1-ф or 3- ф, Center-tapped & Bridge
type, Half-controlled & full controlled)
• Chopper
Field Control
• If the field of a separately or series excited motor is
weakened then its induced emf decreases.
• Armature current increases by a large amount
compared to the decrease in field flux.
• As a result, in spite of the weakened field, the torque
is increased by a large amount.
• This surplus torque accelerates the motor therefore
back emf is also increased.
• The motor speed will be higher than the previous
speed at which motor torque with the weakened field
becomes equal to the load torque.
• Field of the DC motor must be reduced slowly to
avoid dangerous inrush current.
• At a reduced flux, for the required torque,
armature current increases therefore armature
drop increases by a large amount.
• Therefore back emf and speed drop down by a
large amount. Thus the lesser the flux, greater
is the slope of the speed-torque curves.
• In case of separately excited motor, if flux is
increased then back emf increases therefore
armature current decreases.
• Motor torque is lower than the load torque,
motor will decelerate to a lower speed at which
the motor torque equals to the load torque.
• Field control of DC motor provides a constant
power control.
• Maximum allowable armature current Iamax is
not changed with field weakens.
• At the armature current Iamax , the counter emf
E remains constant for all speeds because
terminal voltage is held constant.
• Maximum power (E Iamax)capability of the
motor remains constant at all speed.
• The maximum allowable torque varies
inversely with the speed.
 Methods of field control
• In separately excited motor, control of flux is
obtained by variation of the voltage across the field
using:
– Controlled rectifier
– Chopper
• In Shunt motor, variation of flux is obtained by
inserting a variable resistance in the field.
• In a series motor, the control of flux is obtained by
connecting diverter resistance across the field
winding.
• Some series motors have taps on the field winding,
hence flux can be controlled by changing the number
of turns in the field winding.
Combined Armature Control and Field Control
• Wide range of speed control is obtained by
combination of armature voltage control and field
control method.
• Armature voltage control is used from stand-still to
base speed. In this case, maximum torque remains
constant at all speed.
• Above base speed, field control method is used.
Power remains constant but torque varies
continuously.
• Examples-Rolling mills, coiler drives, traction etc.
Closed-loop speed control scheme for control below and above base speed
• A 220 V, 500 A, 600 rpm separately excited motor has armature and
field resistance of 0.02 and 10 Ω respectively. The load torque is
given by the expression TL = 2000-2N, N-m, where N is the speed in
rpm. Speeds below the rated are obtained by armature voltage
control and speeds above the rated are obtained by field control. (i)
Calculate motor terminal voltage and armature current when the
speed is 450 rpm. (2) Calculate field winding voltage and armature
current when the speed is 750 rpm.
• A DC separately-excited motor rated at 10 kW, 200 V is to be
controlled by dual converter. The armature circuit resistance is 0.2 Ω
and the machine constant KeΦ is 0.35 V/rpm. For the following
conditions, determine the firing angles of the converter, the back
emf and the machine speed given that for the converter system Vdo =
250 V. Neglect any losses in the converter circuit. (a) Machine
operates in a forward motoring mode at rated current and with
terminal voltage of 200 V. (b) Machine operates at forward
generation mode at rated current and with terminal voltage of 200 V.
 Armature Resistance Control
• Speed-torque characteristics are obtained for various
values of external resistance (Re) in series with armature
for separately excited (or) shunt and series motors.
• The main drawback of this method is poor efficiency.
• Armature resistance control method changes the nature
of the speed-torque characteristics of a separately
excited (or shunt) motor from constant speed at all
torque to variable speed characteristic.
• It is used where motor operates for low speed for short
duration because of simplicity and low initial cost.
 Transient Analysis

• Starting, braking, reversing, speed changing and load

changing are the transient operation which occurs in
an industrial drives.
• Designers are interested in knowing how current,
torque, speed of the driving motor and energy losses
(responsible for heating) and time taken under these
transient operations.
• These information are required for selecting suitable
rating of motor, control equipments and types of
protective devices.
• Dynamic equivalent circuits of dc motors are shown in Fig.

• Source voltage v motor armature current ia and back emf ‘e’

are denoted by lower case letters to emphasize that these are
instantaneous values of time varying quantities.
• B and J are respectively the coefficient of viscous friction in
Nm/rad/sec and polar moment of inertia in kg-m2 of the motor
load system referred to the motor shaft.
• Voltage equation of the armature circuit under transient is given by:
• (1)
• From the dynamics of motor load system
•
(2) (3)
 Transient Analysis of Separately Excited Motor with
Armature Control
• When field current is kept constant, flux remains constant. Replacing
KeΦ by a constant K in Eqs. (1) to (2), yields
(4)

(5)

• Differentiating Eq. (5) gives

(6)

• Substituting in Eq. (4) for dia/dt from (6) and rearranging terms gives
(7)

• Differentiating Eq. (4) gives

 (8)

• Substituting in Eq. (5) for dωm/dt from Eq. (8) and rearranging
the terms yields
(9)

• where

• Equations (7) and (9) are second order linear differential

equations and can be solved if the appropriate initial
conditions are known. Once ia vs t relation is obtained from
Eq. (9), T vs t relation can be obtained.
 Starting of DC Motor

• Maximum current is limited by the maximum

armature current that can be commutated without
sparking.
• In uncompensated machine, current is limited to
twice of the rated value and in specially designed
or compensated machines, it is allowed to 3.5
times of the rated speed.
• If started with full voltage, motor will draw heavy
current. Heavy current may damage the motor
due to heavy sparking.
• It can be avoided either by reducing the voltage
across motor terminals or gradually increasing it as
the motor speed increases.
• The motor voltage is reduced either by decreasing
the source voltage or dropping a part of source
voltage across a series connected resistance.
• Controlled rectifier is used to supply the controlled
voltage at the armature terminal.
• Starter is other option for limiting the current.
• Insert an extra sectionalized resistance in the
armature circuit and to cut it gradually such that
motor current does not exceed a safe value and at the
same time developed motor torque should be higher
than the load torque.
Starting of DC Motor
 Braking
• If by some means, the armature current is
reversed while maintaining the flux in same
direction, the motor torque is reversed and
machine will work as a generator.
• Generator takes mechanical energy from the
load and convert in to electrical energy.
• The braking operation is classified according
to the electrical energy is disposed of-
– Regenerative Braking
– Dynamic Braking or rheostatic Braking
– Plugging or reverse voltage Braking
 Regenerative Braking (Separately Excited
Motor)
• The induced emf E is made greater than the source
voltage, the current will reverse.
• The machine will work as a generator and source
will act as a sink of energy, thus giving regenerative
braking.
• The source-motor circuit should have ability to carry
current in either direction.
• The source must have ability to absorb energy.
• In applications, where motor is supplied through
controller than motor voltage is kept below the E
from zero speed to rated speed, the field current is
maintained at the rated value.
 Cont……..
• For speed greater than rated value, armature voltage is
fixed at rated value and field current is varied to adjust the
desired braking torque.
• In some application source voltage can not be changed and
kept constant.
• In this type of application, regenerative braking occurs
when the value of E is greater than V.
• This happens when speed increases beyond rated speed.
• For speed substantially greater than the rated speed, field
must be weakened to restrict the braking current and
torque.
• Speed lower than rated speed, E can exceed V only
strengthening the field.
• Regenerative braking is employed above base speed.
 Dynamic braking
• Dynamic braking is obtained by disconnecting the
source and closing the armature circuit through a
suitable resistance.
• Motor can be operated as separately excited or
self-excited mode.
• When motoring at rated speed, the induced emf is
nearly equal to the supply voltage.
• If braking is initiated, a resistance equal to the
starting resistance is required to limit the current.
• Speed-torque curve is obtained by
– ωm = V / K - Ra T/ (K)2where V = 0 and Ra is sum of
braking resistance and armature winding resistance.
 Cont……..
• Torque decreases with speed.
• In self-excitation, induced voltage and therefore
armature and field currents decreases with speed.
• Decrease in torque in self-excitation for a given
change in speed is large compared to separately
excitation.
• In the case of self-excitation, torque become zero at a
finite speed.
• Braking time in self-excitation is more than the
separately excitation.
• Self-excitation is used only for emergency stop.
• When quick braking is required, variable resistance is
used.
 Plugging
• The armature terminals (or supply polarity) of
separately excited (or shunt) motor when running
are reversed.
• The supply voltage and induced voltage will act in
the same direction and the motor current will
reverse, producing braking torque.
• In case of series motor, either the armature terminal
or field terminal should be reversed.
• At the initiation of braking, the total voltage in the
armature circuit is 2V.
• To limit the current twice of stating resistance will
be required.
 Cont…..
•Braking torque is sufficiently
large from rated to zero
speed.
•Braking torque is not zero at
zero speed.
•Additional arrangement is
required to disconnect the
motor from the supply at or
near zero speed for stopping
the motor.
•Plugging is a highly
inefficient method of braking.
Single-Phase Fully Controller Rectifier for
Separately Excited DC Motor
Speed-Torque Characteristics of Single-
Phase Fully Controlled Rectifier
Two-Quadrant Operation of DC
Drive