2017 IEEE PES-IAS PowerAfrica

Seventy Amp Mixed Current Control Unit

LA Mtungwa, P Dongbaare SP Daniel Chowdhury
Dept. of Electrical Engineering Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Tshwane University of Technology Tshwane University of Technology
Pretoria, South Africa Pretoria, South Africa
[email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract:-The City of Johannesburg in South Africa has a rate. Feeders are grouped into different types of feeders
challenge of moving bulk components (solids) all around the depending on the way of firing, either by Half Wave Mode
mines, making life easier for the separation of waste products and (HWM) or Full Wave Mode (FWM).
good products. This paper covers the basic component unit called
a Mixed Current Vibration Feeder (MCVF) and discusses the Half Wave Mode: This type of feeders could previously be
controller used to run such feeders depending on the type of controlled by a variac and a single diode rectifier or a sine wave
feeder used. Most feeders are used in mines and vary in size or a "chopped" half sine wave. In the case of a variac control,
(rating) according to the maximum current the feeder can draw. the magnitude of the half sine is varied while in the thyristor the
Therefore, this paper seeks to look at a feeder as a whole and a degree of chopping varies the vibration amplitude. In both
way of controlling its speed depending on the amount of load to cases, the frequency of the mechanical vibration is 50Hz and
be moved at that particular time. Further, it determines if the the mechanical design is optimised for the frequency. If the
very same controller would be durable for other types of load thyristor type is now controlled by means of the control card,
(material). In this paper, the design of the feeder controller is the full automatic features of the card may be utilised by
presented, calculations made, built, tested and validated. connecting only one thyristor to fire the card.
Full Wave Mode: This type of feeders, in the past, were
Key wordsAggregation Techniques, Mixed Current Vibration often controlled by means of a variac so that the applied voltage
Feeder, Mixed Current Control Unit, Vibration, Feeders was a sine wave reduced in magnitude by the variac to achieve
the correct vibration amplitude.
I. INTRODUCTION This type of feeder may now be automatically controlled by
This paper looks at how to vary the speed and vibration of means of a card (YV183 control card) together with a back to
a mixed current feeder using both Alternating Current (AC) and back thyristor power module. Although a 50Hz fundamental
Direct Current (DC) [1, 2]. AC will cause the feeder to "hum" voltage is applied, the poles actually vibrate at 100 Hz and the
while DC makes the feeder to vibrate at any desired vibration. feeder is designed for mechanical vibration frequency of 100
This depends on the type of load to be moved either to a tunnel Hz. Some designs employ mechanical resonance to enhance the
or conveyor belt with any calculated weight within the vibration at the working frequency [5].
permissible mechanical limits of the tunnel or conveyor [3]. As
Mixed Current Mode: In this type of feeders, variac
seen in previous studies, the feeding or conveying velocity of
transformers and a full bridge rectifier is used or a transformer
parts is influenced by the vibration amplitude of the trough or
and a controlled thyristor bridge. The DC voltage generated by
bowl. Generally, most vibratory feeders are used at the resonant
this combination is then injected in series with the AC supply
or near-resonant frequency of the mechanical system to
circuit of the feeder across a low reactance filter (capacitor-
improve feeding efficiency [4]. Therefore, it is very desirable
resistance combination). DC injected current is increased so the
to predict the natural frequency of the feeder. This report mainly
poles of the feeder are drawn closer together by the constant
focuses on the control aspects of how the feeder speed can be
circulating DC injection [5, 6]. In this type of feeder, the
varied on a control card [4].
mechanical design is such that the system rejects 100 Hz
Most vibratory feeders function for long periods of time vibrations and tends to resonate at 50Hz [2]. Details of how the
without attention, without maintenance and little contact is mixed current mode is run with a feeder with current varying
made with them by the people who are responsible for their from 0-70A using either a remote or local operation will be
performance. Feeders usually feed parts into equipment of discussed.
processes many times more expensive than the feeder itself.
Indeed, during visits to plants, it is often found that a machine II. METHOD OF OPERATION
with an initial cost of R50, 000 will be operating at 70% of its Electrical impulses through the magnet circuit, creates a
capacity because a feeder is not putting out parts at a sufficient series of interrupted magnetic pulls. Each magnetic pull attracts

978-1-5090-4746-8/17/$31.00 2017 IEEE 523

 2017 IEEE PES-IAS PowerAfrica

the vibratory bars towards the magnetic circuit. Opposing this increases the intensity and duration of the magnetic waves
pull is a restoring force or spring tension-built up by bending of without loss of controllability. By its use vibration frequency is
the vibratory bars [2]. This opposing force causes the vibratory reduced to half that provided by straight alternating current. At
bars to snap away from the magnet with each interruption or this lower frequency, a longer stroke is feasible.
change of the current. The momentum thereby acquired springs
the bars into a slight reverse curve-indicated by AC [7]. Thus, III. MODELING AND SIMULATION
the bars complete one full vibration from AB to AC and then The mixed current control unit basically will run in both AC
back to AB with each electrical impulse. The bars and magnet and DC. Mainly the AC will start the feeder and DC will be
never come in actual contact. Figure 1 shows how the magnets introduced to control the speed of vibration. Figure 2 shows the
of the feeders are situated together with the coils and armature cable modelling of the mixed current control unit as a whole.
windings.

Figure 1: Mixed current feeders [2].

The balancing of the spring tension or restoring force of the

vibrator bars against the weight to be vibrated is required. This
balance is obtained by selection of the proper combination of Figure 2: Block diagram mixed current control unit
bars according to thickness and number. The balance does not
vary because it is dependent on the elastic property of the
selected bars. The bars are designed to withstand the force IV. SIMULATION AND RESULTS
applied to them without exceeding the fatigue limit of the steel. YV200 (Control card)
Alternating Current Operation This part of the design will be used to control every event
of the controller by firing the thyristors. This card has eight
The part that the individual electrical impulses play can be outputs and each one of them can be controlled via a
visualised. Alternating current in the mixed current controller potentiometer. This card will run on a Contactor. It consists of
of a horse shoe magnet offers the same intermittent magnetic 2 auxiliary contacts for a healthy signal to the unit during both
action [7]. We use alternating current as the basis of magnetic the starting and running of the unit.
action because it is universally available and its application is Capacitors
simple and accurate. Alternating current provides a series of
individual electrical impulses since the current alternately Four 33000 F capacitors are connected in parallel mainly
changes its direction of flow [8]. Each alternation of the current to reduce the impedance to a very low resistance so that the
causes one vibration of the bars and the attached handling deck. desired maximum voltage is achieved.
As there are two alternations in each cycle, the frequency of a
60 cycle alternating current affords 120 vibrations or strokes per
second or 7200 strokes per minute. A 25 cycle alternating
current provides 50 strokes per second or 3000 strokes per
minute.
Mixed Current Operation Resistor

This particular design depends on the purpose of the unit.

Direct current is superimposed on the alternating current. This

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It is connected in series with the total capacitance and helps

in reducing the impedance of the circuit to the desired
maximum current of the vibration feeder.
Transformers

The following formulas had been used based on [1].

Given:

Rated Voltage (V), Rated Apparent Power (KVA) and output

current (A):

Calculate:

Where:

= Line to Line Voltage

= Line Current

=

= =

Stack

It consists of 3 thyristors that will be fired by the control

card. The heat sink will be used to keep the control as cool as Figure 3: Control mixed current unit
possible as it also consists of a 220 VAC fan.
The following figure shows the connections of the card
Shunt before it was wired into the panel itself.

0-50 mV at 75A shunt will be connected in series to

measure the total output current drawn by the feeder connected
to the unit.
The microchip was programmed with a software to be
written by a software developer. The card will be designed in a
manner that in can also read MODBUS communication and can
be connected via an HMI. The hardware of the card will be
designed by L. A. Mtungwa with guidance from Sagaran
(Director of Micropower Modulek).
Figure 3 shows the actual mixed current control unit.

Figure 4: YV200 card for testing

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The results of the YV200 control card are displayed below. V. RESULTS ANALYSIS
Analysis of the card: The requirements results differ from
design results mainly caused by a delay in firing cycles.
Looking carefully at the required results, the card starts firing
first on the negative cycle of the full wave and looking at the
second signal, the card was then firing on both negative and
positive cycles. Looking at the design, the card fires first on the
positive cycle then on the negative cycle. Basically, the firing
principle of this control is the same but differs when the firing
starts, i.e. the requirements were met and surely the thyristors
should fire as planned.
Analysis of the panel: The output signal was observed after
firing and measuring on the output with the load connected. The
signal got was an increasing sine wave with increase of 0-5 V.
The percentage increases on the HMI when switches are set to
remote. Signals are the same in both cases.

VI. CONCLUSION

Figure 5: YV200 control card results

The objective of the project of running and firing thyristors
using a card that runs on a microprocessor was successful.
The controller was wired up and tested and the following Therefore, such control feeder can run in a mine where it can
setup and graphs are shown in Figure 6 and 7 that were recorded be used to control the speed of a feeder via 0-5V local and via
from an oscilloscope. The required results are of previous HMI remotely. The installation also has made safe switching
designs that are on site and working efficiently. procedures and any fault finding that needs to take place.
Protection measures were taken into consideration in this
control feeder unit.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge Tshwane University
of Technology (TUT), Powertech Batteries, National Research
Fund (NRF), Department of Science and Technology (DST),
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) South
Africa for providing necessary research infrastructure to
conduct this research.

VII. REFERRENCES

[1] Wen, B. 2002. Theory and Dynamic Design Method of Vibrating

Machines. Beijing: Machine Press.
[2] Cox, J. Jefreycrushers,Komatsu.
[3] Xulu, S. software developer.
[4] Wen, B. 1989. Design and Debugging of Vibration Screen, Feeder and
Conveyer. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press.
Figure 6: Controller setup [5] Booth, J.H. and McCallion, H., 1963. On predicting the mean conveying
velocity of a vibratory conveyor. Proceedings of the Institution of
Requirements Design Mechanical Engineers, 178(1), pp.521-532.
[6] Boothroyd, G., & Redford, A.H. 1968. Mechanized Assembly. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
[7] IEEE Standard: C37.112 WG - Inverse-Time Characteristic Equations
for Overcurrent Relays
[8] Power System Analysis, Synchronous Motors, Chapter 3, John J
Grainger, William D Stevenson.

Figure 7: Results of the control unit

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VIII. AUTHORS BIOGRAPHY

Linda A. Mtunga is a graduate in BTech in Electrical

Engineering from Tshwane University of Technology. He has
been working in the electrical field for 5years.

Paul Dongbaare is a BTech, Candidate Technologist with the

Engineering Council of South Africa and is currently enrolled
for MEng at the Tshwane University of Technology. He has
been in the Department of Electrical Engineering as a
laboratory technologist for 3years.

Professor SP Daniel Chowdhury (M02-SM11, PhD(Eng),

CEng, FIET, FIE, FIETE, SMIEEE, SMSAIEE) is presently
with the Electrical Engineering Department, Tshwane
University of Technology, Pretoria West, Staatsartillerie Road,
Building 6-411A, Private Bag X680, Pretoria-0001, Phone:-
+27 (0) 123825149; Cell:+27 (0) 713519332; Fax:-+27 (0)
123825688. (e-mail: [email protected]). He has
been in the profession of Electrical engineering for about three
decades. He has graduated 10 Doctoral, 35 Masters, 48
Graduate students from Jadavpur University, Calcutta,
University of Cape Town, Cape Town and Tshwane University
of Technology, Pretoria with more than 10 current PG students.
He has published more than 320 research papers in accredited
international peer reviewed journals and conferences. He has
co-authored the pioneering research book Microgrids and
Active Distribution Networks published by the IET(UK) in
2009 in the renewable energy series and it has become the
founding stone of global research in Renewable energy and grid
integration as evidenced by its more than 540 Citations with its
Chinese edition since 2015. He has successfully conducted and
completed research projects in the area of energy research
worth more than 2.5M Rupees in India, more than 11M ZAR in
South Africa. He is presently directing his research and project
works to alleviate energy poverty in Africa through smart
microgrids

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