Closed-loop Control of DC Drives

with Controlled Rectifier

Department of Electrical Engineering

Government College University, Lahore
1
Outline
 Closed Loop Control of DC Drives
 Closed-loop Control with Controlled Rectifier –
Two-quadrant
 Transfer Functions of Subsystems
 Design of Controllers
 Closed-loop Control with Field Weakening –
Two-quadrant
 Closed-loop Control with Controlled Rectifier –
Four-quadrant
 References
2
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

3
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 – achieved by controlling voltage
 Position

4
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

6
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
• Two-quadrant Three-phase Controlled Rectifier Control Loop

DC Motor Drives
Speed Control
Loop

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Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers
– Two Quadrant
• The dc output is fed to the armature of the dc motor.
• The field is separately excited, and the field supply can be kept constant or regulated,
depending on the need for the field-weakening mode of operation.
• The dc motor has a tachogenerator whose output is utilized for closing the speed loop.
• The motor is driving a load considered to be frictional for this treatment

9
Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers – Two Quadrant

• Actual motor speed m measured using the tachogenerator (Tach) is filtered to produce feedback
signal mr (To remove ripples)
• 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.

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Transfer Function of Subsystems–DC Motor and Load
• In (2),
- mechanical motor time constant: J (4)
Tm 
Bt
- motor and load friction coefficient: B  B  B (5)
t 1 L
• In (3),
B
K1  2 t (6)
Kb  Ra Bt
2
1  Ra Bt  1  Ra Bt   Ra Bt K b  (7)
2
1 1
 ,             
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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DC Motor and Load Transfer Function - Decoupling
of Induced EMF Loop
• Step 1:

• Step 2:

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DC Motor and Load Transfer Function - Decoupling
of Induced EMF Loop
• Step 3:

• Step 4:

Back
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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)
(8)
1  vc 
  cos  
 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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Transfer Function of Subsystems – 3 phase Converter
 Gain of the converter

3 VLL, m 3 2V V (10)
Kr    1.35
 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      (11)
2 360 f s 12 f s

where fs = supply voltage frequency

 Hence, the converter transfer function
Kr
G r s   (12)
1  sTr 
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Transfer Function of Subsystems –
Current and Speed Feedback
 Current Feedback
 Transfer function: Hc
 No filtering is required in most cases
 If filtering is required, a low pass-filter can be included (time constant < 1ms).
 Speed Feedback
 Transfer function:
K
G ω s   (13)
1  sT 
where K = gain, T = time constant
 Most high performance systems use dc tachogenerator and low-pass filter
 Filter time constant < 10 ms

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Design of Controllers – Block Diagram of Motor
Drive
Current
Speed Control
Control Loop
Loop

 Control loop design starts from inner (fastest) loop to

outer(slowest) loop
 Only have to solve for one controller at a time
 Not all drive applications require speed control (outer loop)
 Performance of outer loop depends on inner loop
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Design of Controllers – Current Controller
DC Motor
Controller Converter & Load

K c 1  sTc 
 PI type current controller: G c s   (14)
sTc
 Open loop gain function:
 K1K c K r H c 
GHol s   
1  sTc 1  sTm  (15)

 T c  s1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
 From the open loop gain, the system is of 4th order (due to 4 poles of
system)
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Design of Controllers–
Current Controller
• If designing without computers, simplification is needed.
• Simplification 1: Tm is in order of 1 second. Hence,
1  sTm   sTm (16)
Hence, the open loop gain function becomes:
 K1 K c K r H c 
GHol s   
1  sTc 1  sTm 

 Tc  s1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 


 K1 K c K r H c  1  sTc sTm 

 T c  s1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
GHol s   K
1  sTc 
where K 
K1 K c K r H cTm
(17)
1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr  Tc
i.e. system zero cancels the controller pole at origin.
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Design of Controllers–
Current Controller
• Relationship between the denominator time constants in (17):
Tr  T2  T1
• Simplification 2: Make controller time constant equal to T2
Tc  T2 (18)
Hence, the open loop gain function becomes:
GHol s   K
1  sTc 
1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
K
1  sT2 
1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
GHol s  
K KK K HT
where K  1 c r c m
1  sT1 1  sTr  Tc
i.e. controller zero cancels one of the system poles.
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 Design of Controllers–
Current Controller
• After simplification, the final open loop gain function:
GHol s  
K (19)
1  sT1 1  sTr 
where K1K c K r H cTm (20)
K
Tc
• The system is now of 2nd order.
GHol s 
• From the closed loop transfer function: G cl s   ,
1  GHol s 
the closed loop characteristic equation is:
1  sT1 1  sTr   K
or when expanded becomes:  2  T1  Tr  K  1 (21)
T1Tr s  s   
  T1Tr  T1Tr 
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Design of Controllers – Current Controller
• Design the controller by comparing system characteristic equation (eq. 21) with the
standard 2nd order system equation:
s 2  2 n s  n2
• Hence,
2 n  (22)

n 
2
(23)

• So, for a given value of :

• use (22) to calculate n
• Then use (23) to calculate the controller gain KC 25
Design of Controllers – Current Controller
• For good dynamic performance, it is an accepted practice to have
a damping ratio of 0.707.
• Hence, equating the damping ratio to 0.707 in equation

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 Design of Controllers–
Current loop 1st order approximation
• To design the speed loop, the 2nd order model of current loop must be replaced with
an approximate 1st order model
• Why?
• To reduce the order of the overall speed loop gain function

2nd order
current loop
model
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Design of Controllers–
Current loop 1st order approximation
• Approximated by adding Tr to T1  T3  T1  Tr

1st order
approximation
of current loop
• Hence, current model transfer function is given by:
K c K r K 1Tm 1
Ia s 

Tc 1  sT3 

Ki
(24)
I*a s 
1
K c K r K 1 H cTm 1 1  sTi 
1  sT3 
Full derivation
Tc available here.
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Design of Controllers–
Current loop 1st order approximation
where T3 (26)
Ti 
1  K fi
K fi 1 (27)
Ki 
H c 1  K fi 

K1K c K r H cTm (28)

K fi 
Tc
• 1 order approximation of current loop used in speed loop
st

design.
• If more accurate speed controller design is required, values of
Ki and Ti should be obtained experimentally.

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 Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller DC Motor
& Load

1st order
approximation
of current
loop

• PI type speed controller: K s 1  sTs 

G s s   (29)
sTs
• Assume there is unity speed feedback:
(30)
H
G ω s   1
1  sT 
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Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller DC Motor
& Load

1st order
approximation
1 of current
loop
 Open loop gain function:
 K B K s Ki 
GHs   
1  sTs 

 t s  s1  sTi 1  sTm 
B T (31)

 From the loop gain, the system is of 3rd order.

 If designing without computers, simplification is needed.
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Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller
• Relationship between the denominator time constants in (31):
Ti  Tm (32)
• Hence, design the speed controller such that:
Ts  Tm (33)
The open loop gain function becomes:
K K K 
GHs    B s i 
1  sTs 
 BtTs  s1  sTi 1  sTm 


 K B K s Ki  1  sTm 

 B T
t s  s 1  sTi 1  sTm 
GHs  
K K K K
where K  B s i
s1  sTi  BtTs
i.e. controller zero cancels one of the system poles.
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Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller
• After simplification, loop gain function:
K (34)
GHs  
s1  sTi 
where K B K s Ki (35)
K 
BtTs
• The controller is now of 2nd order.
• From the closed loop transfer function: GHs  ,
the closed loop characteristic equation is:G cl s  
1  GHs 
s1  sTi   K
or when expanded becomes: (36)
 2  1  K 
Ti s  s   
  Ti  Ti 
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Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller
• Design the controller by comparing system characteristic
equation with the standard equation:
s 2  2 n s  n2
• Hence:
2 n  (37)

n 
2
(38)

• So, for a given value of :

• use (37) to calculate n
• Then use (38) to calculate the controller gain KS

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Assignment Question

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Closed Loop Control with Field Weakening –
Two-quadrant
 Motor operation above base speed requires field weakening
 Field weakening obtained by varying field winding voltage using
controlled rectifier in:
 single-phase or
 three-phase
 Field current has no ripple – due to large Lf
 Converter time lag negligible compared to field time constant
 Consists of two additional control loops on field circuit:
 Field current control loop (inner)
 Induced emf control loop (outer)

36
Closed Loop Control with Field Weakening –
Two-quadrant
Field weakening

37
Closed Loop Control with Field Weakening –
Two-quadrant Field weakening

Field
current
controller
(PI-type)

Estimated machine -
induced emf
Induced emf
dia
e  Va  Raia  La Induced emf
reference
controller Field current
reference
dt (PI-type with
38
limiter)
Closed Loop Control with Field
Weakening – Two-quadrant
• The estimated machine-induced emf is obtained from:
dia
e  Va  Raia  La
dt
(the estimated emf is machine-parameter sensitive and must be adaptive)
• The reference induced emf e* is compared to e to obtain the induced emf
error signal (for speed above base speed, e* kept constant at rated emf
value so that   1/)
• The induced emf (PI) controller processes the error and produces the field
current reference if*
• if* is limited by the limiter to keep within the safe field current limits
• if* is compared to actual field current if to obtain a current error signal
• The field current (PI) controller processes the error to alter the control
signal vcf (similar to armature current ia control loop)
• vcf modifies the firing angle f to be sent to the converter to obtained the
motor field voltage for the desired motor field flux
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Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers
– Four-quadrant
• Four-quadrant Three-phase Controlled Rectifier DC Motor Drives

40
Closed Loop Control with Controlled Rectifiers
– Four-quadrant
• Control very similar to the two-quadrant dc motor drive.
• Each converter must be energized depending on quadrant of operation:
• Converter 1 – for forward direction / rotation
• Converter 2 – for reverse direction / rotation
• Changeover between Converters 1 & 2 handled by monitoring
• Speed
• Current-command
Inputs to
• Zero-crossing current signals
‘Selector’ block
• ‘Selector’ block determines which converter has to operate by assigning
pulse-control signals
• Speed and current loops shared by both converters
• Converters switched only when current in outgoing converter is zero (i.e.
does not allow circulating current. One converter is on at a time.)
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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 Applictions, 3rd ed., Pearson,
New-Jersey, 2004.
• Nik Idris, N. R., Short Course Notes on Electrical Drives, UNITEN/UTM, 2008.

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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
Dr. Ungku Anisa, July 2008 EEEB443 - Control & Drives 43
Design of Controllers–
Current loop 1st order approximation
K c K r K 1Tm 1 K fi 1
Ia s 

Tc 1  sT3  
H c 1  sT3 
Ia s 
*
K c K r K 1 H cTm 1 1  K fi
1
1
Tc 1  sT3  1  sT3 
K fi K fi 1
Hc H c 1  K fi Ki
  
1  sT3   K fi  T3  1  sTi 
1  s 

 1  K fi 
Back
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