Characteristics of motor

• The performance of a motor can be easily estimated from its

speed-torque characteristics.
• For the construction, x-axis represents torque, y-axis represents
speed.
• +ve sense of rotation is taken as anticlockwise direction.
• Load torque always oppose motor torque.
Braking
•To bring the driving motor completely to rest in a given
amount of time and at exactly specified points. While doing
so, the K.E. is fed back to the mains.

• To restrict the speed to safe values. This arises normally

while lowering loads using a hoist or crane. While
maintaining constant speed the excess of K.E. and P.E. of the
load tending to accelerate the motor is fedback to the mains.
Types of braking
Three main method of electric braking
1. Dynamic or rheostatic braking
2. Plugging or counter current braking
3. Regenerative braking
Dynamic or rheostatic braking
In this method of braking the motor which is at a running condition is
disconnected from the source and connected across a resistance.
When the motor is disconnected from the source, the rotor keeps
rotating due to inertia and it works as a self-excited generator. When
the motor works as a generator the flow of the current and torque
reverses.
Plugging or counter current braking
In this method the terminals of supply are reversed, as a result the
generator torque also reverses which resists the normal rotation of the
motor and as a result the speed decreases.

During plugging external resistance is also introduced into the circuit to

limit the flowing current. The main disadvantage of this method is that
here power is wasted.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking takes place whenever the speed of the motor
exceeds the synchronous speed (no load speed) or terminal voltage can
be momentarily decreased (ward leonard method). This braking
method is called regenerative braking because here the motor works as
generator and it supplies power to the source.
 DC Shunt motor Braking
• Dynamic braking

The field remains connected to the supply with full excitation, and the induced voltage in
the armature has the same polarity. The armature current reverses and flows in a direction
opposite to the current during motoring, developing a braking torque. The braking is
effective and the motor stops very fast if the field is available at its full value, for which
reason it is separately excited. If the field is shunt excited, the field current falls with speed
leading to very poor braking below critical speed.
• The supply to the field winding is maintained, but the armature is
disconnected from the supply voltage and reconnected to an external
resistor.
• The machine acts as a generator, converting kinetic energy stored in
its moving parts to electrical energy, which is dissipated as heat in the
resistor.
Plugging
• Polarity of the supply voltage to the armature is reversed while the
motor is running and at the same timing field connection unchanged.
• To stop the motor, the supply has to be switched off as soon as the
speed is zero at point C, otherwise, the motor will accelerates in
reverse direction.
Regenerative braking
DC series motor
1. Dynamic braking
2. Plugging
3. Regenerative braking is not possible because back emf can not be
greater than supply voltage.
Dynamic Braking
• When dynamic braking is employed the armature current would reverse.
Obviously the field mmf also reverses, causing demagnetisation. To avoid this, the
field connections are reverse connected before the series combination of armature
and field is switched on to the braking resistance.
• At the instant of initiating the braking, the current is more and hence the flux
builds up. The torque developed is approximately proportional to the square of the
armature current. At this instant the braking effect is more and there may be a
jump in the torque developed, causing an objectionable shock to the load. In case
this torque is objectionable, dynamic braking is employed by separately exciting
the field.
Counter current braking
• When the supply to the armature of a dc series motor is reversed, care must be taken to see
that the field current retains its direction, for effective braking. To limit the current during
braking, an external resistance may be required in the armature circuit. Compared to dc
shunt motors the braking torque of dc series motor falls very rapidly with speed and below
a certain speed braking may not be effective, because the field flux also decreases with
speed. In the case of shunt motors the flux is constant in the complete braking region.
• The braking of the motor by this method is effective only if the load torque is less than the
short circuit developed torque. Alternatively, the field may be separately excited during
braking. The braking characteristics in this case are obviously similar to those of a
separately excited motor.
 Regenerative braking
• An increase in speed of a dc series motor is followed by a decrease in the
armature current and field flux. The induced emf cannot be greater than the
terminal voltage. Regeneration is not possible in a plain dc series motor since the
field current cannot be made greater than the armature current.
• The regeneration in such cases is achieved by separately exciting the field.