Closed-loop Control of DC Drives with

Controlled Rectifier
By
Mr.M.Kaliamoorthy
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
PSNA College of Engineering and Technology

Solid State Drives 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
Solid State Drives 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

Solid State Drives 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
 Position

Solid State Drives 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

Solid State Drives 5

 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
Torque
current and torque during transient operations
(Current)
Control Loop

Solid State Drives 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
Solid State Drives 7
 Closed Loop Control with Controlled
Rectifiers – Two-quadrant
Current
• Two-quadrant Three-phase Controlled Control Loop

Rectifier
DC Control
Speed Motor Drives
Loop

Solid State Drives 8

 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

Solid State Drives 9

 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
Solid State Drives 10
 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

Solid State Drives 11

 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  (3)
 K1
Va s  1  sT1 1  sT2 

• This is achieved through redrawing of the DC motor and load block diagram.

Back
Solid State Drives 12
 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  1  Ra Bt   Ra Bt K b 
2
1 1
 ,              (7)
T1 T2 2  La J  
4  La J   JLa JLa 

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

Back
BL = load friction coefficient
Solid State Drives 13
 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)
1  vc 
(8)
  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 (9)
Vdc  VLL, m cos  VLL, m cos cos   vc  K r vc
   Vcm   Vcm

Solid State Drives 14

 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      (11)
2 360 f s 12 f s
where fs = supply voltage frequency
 Hence, the converter transfer function
(12)
Kr
G r s  
1  sTr  Back

Solid State Drives 15

 Transfer Function of Subsystems –
Current and Speed Feedback
 Current Feedback
 Transfer function: H c
 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 tacho generator and low-
pass filter
 Filter time constant < 10 ms

Solid State Drives 16

 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
Solid State Drives 17
 Design of Controllers–
Current Controller
DC Motor
Controller Converter & Load

K 1  sTc 
 PI type current controller: G c s   c (14)
 Open loop gain function: sTc
 K1K c K r H c 
GH ol 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)
Solid State Drives 18
 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 
GH ol 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 
GH ol 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.
Solid State Drives 19
 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:

GH ol s   K
1  sTc 
1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
K
1  sT2 
1  sT1 1  sT2 1  sTr 
GH ol 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.
Solid State Drives 20
 Design of Controllers–
Current Controller
• After simplification, the final open loop gain function:
GH ol s  
K
(19)
1  sT1 1  sTr 
where K1K c K r H cTm (20)
K
Tc
• The system is now of 2nd order.
GH ol s 
• From the closed loop transfer function: G cl s   ,
1  GH ol 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  T T
1 r 

Solid State Drives 21

 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 s   2
n n

• Hence,  T1  Tr 
 
K 1    T1Tr 
n 
2
(22) (23)
T1Tr K 1
2
T1Tr
• So, for good dynamic performance =0.707
– Hence equating the damping ratio to 0.707 in (23) we get

Solid State Drives 22

  T1  Tr 
 
0.707   T1Tr 
Squaring the equation on both sides
K 1
2
T1Tr
2
  T1  Tr  
2 2
 T1  Tr   T1  Tr 
       
  T1Tr    T1Tr   1   T1Tr 
0.5     0.5  K 1 K 1
 2 K 1  2x2x 2x
 T T  T1Tr T1Tr
 1 r 

2
 T1  Tr 
 
T1  Tr 
2
 T1  Tr 
2
K 1 
 T1Tr   K  1   
T1Tr
 K  1 
 TT X
2
 1r  2 2T1Tr
23
T1Tr
 2
 T1  Tr 
 
T1  Tr 
2
 T1  Tr 
2
K 1 
 T1Tr   K  1   
T1Tr
 K  1 
 TT X
2
 1r  2 2T1Tr
T1Tr

An approximation K >> 1 & T1  Tr Which leads to

2
T1 T1
K 
2T1Tr 2Tr
Equating above expression with (20) we get the gain of current
controller
K1 K c K r H cTm T1 T1Tc  1 
 Kc   
Tc 2Tr 2Tr  1 r c m
K K H T
Back

24
 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
Solid State Drives 25
 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)
Ia s 
*
1
K K
c r 1 K H T
c m 1 
1  sTi 
Tc 1  sT3  Full derivation
available here.
Solid State Drives 26
 Design of Controllers– Current Controller
• After simplification, the final open loop gain function:

GH ol s  
K K K1 K c K rTm
 Where K
1  sT1 1  sTr  1  sT1  Tr   s 2T1Tr Tc

GH ol s  
K T1  Tr  T3
Since
1  sT3   s 2T1Tr

Therefore GH ol s  
K
and since T1  Tr
1  sT3

Solid State Drives 27

 Design of Controllers–
Current loop 1st order approximation
T3
where Ti  (26)
1  K fi
K fi 1
Ki 
H c 1  K fi 
(27)

K1K c K r H cTm
K fi  (28)
Tc
• 1st order approximation of current loop used in speed loop
design.
• If more accurate speed controller design is required, values of
Ki and Ti should be obtained experimentally.
Solid State Drives 28
 Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller
DC Motor
& Load

1st order
approximation
of current
loop

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

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

1st order
approximation
1 of current
loop

 Open loop gain function:

 
GH s  
 K B K s Ki  1  sTs 

 BtTs  s1  sTi 1  sTm  (31)

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

 If designing without computers, simplification is needed.
Solid State Drives 30
 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.
Solid State Drives 31
 Design of Controllers–
Speed Controller
• After simplification, loop gain function:
K (34)
GHs  
s1  sTi 
K B K s Ki
where K  (35)
BtTs
• The controller is now of 2nd order. GH s 
• From the closed loop transfer function: G cl s   ,
1  GH s 
the closed loop characteristic equation is:
s1  sTi   K

or when expanded becomes:  2  1  K  (36)

Ti s  s   
  Ti  Ti 
Solid State Drives 32
 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
Solid State Drives 33
 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)
Solid State Drives 34
Closed Loop Control with Field
Weakening – Two-quadrant
Field weakening

Solid State Drives 35

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

Field
current
controller
(PI-type)

Estimated machine -
induced emf
Induced emf
dia
e  Va  Ra ia  La Induced emf
reference
controller Field current
reference
dt (PI-type with
Solid State Drives 36
limiter)
 Closed Loop Control with Field
Weakening – Two-quadrant
• The estimated machine-induced emf is obtained from:
dia
e  Va  Ra ia  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

Solid State Drives 37

 Closed Loop Control with Controlled
Rectifiers – Four-quadrant
• Four-quadrant Three-phase Controlled
Rectifier DC Motor Drives

Solid State Drives 38

 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
Inputs to
– Current-command
‘Selector’ block
– Zero-crossing current signals
• ‘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.)
Solid State Drives 39
 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.

Solid State Drives 40

 DC Motor and Load Transfer Function -
Decoupling of Induced EMF Loop
• Step 1:

• Step 2:

Solid State Drives 41

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

• Step 4:

Back
Solid State Drives 42
 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
Solid State 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  sT   K  T3  1  sTi 
1  s 
3 fi

1  K 
 fi 
Back
Solid State Drives 44
 220
Go to x10  7.09
310.5
Go to
Go to

Go to