Scalar Control of Ac Drives

ECE 8830 - Electric Drives
Topic 12: Scalar Control of AC Induction
Motor Drives
Spring 2004
Introduction
Scalar control of an ac motor drive is only due to variation in the magnitude of the control variables. By contrast vector control involves the variation of both the magnitude and phase of the control variables. Voltage can be used to control the air gap flux and frequency or slip can be used to control the torque. However, flux and torque are functions of frequency and voltage, respectively but this coupling is disregarded in scalar control.
Introduction (contd)
Scalar control produces inferior dynamic performance of an ac motor compared to vector control but is simpler to implement. In variable-speed applications in which a small variation of motor speed with loading is tolerable, a scalar control system can produce adequate performance. However, if precision control is required, then a vector control system must be used.
Speed Control
Three simple means of limited speed control for an induction motor are: 1) Reduced applied voltage magnitude 2) Adjusting rotor circuit resistance (suitable for a wound rotor machine and discussed earlier) 3) Adjusting stator voltage and frequency These are discussed in section 9.2 Ong text and are not presented further here.
Constant Air Gap Flux

Generally, an induction motor requires a nearly constant amplitude of air gap flux for satisfactory working of the motor. Since the air gap flux is the integral of the voltage impressed across the magnetizing inductance, and assuming that the air gap voltage is sinusoidal,
ag vag dt Vag sin tdt
Vag
cos t
Thus a constant volts/Hz ratio results in a constant air gap flux.
Constant Air Gap Flux (contd)

The torque-speed curves with a constant air gap flux at different excitation frequencies are shown below:

From the curves on the previous slide, it can be seen that we will obtain the same torque at the same value of slip speed if we operate at a constant air gap flux. This is the basis for constant volts/Hz control of an induction motor. This type of control may be implemented either in open loop or in closed loop.

A set of 6-step voltage waveforms illustrating constant volts/Hz is shown below:
Ref: D.W. Novotny and T.A. Lipo, Vector Control and Dynamics of AC Drives
Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter

Three regions of operation for the induction motor are possible: 1) Holds slip speed constant and regulates stator current to obtain constant torque. 2) Holds stator voltages at its rated value and regulates stator current to obtain constant power. 3) Holds stator voltage at its rated value and regulates slip speed just below its pull-out torque value.
Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

The open loop volts/Hz control of an induction motor is very popular because of its simplicity. A block diagram of such a control system is shown below:
Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter

The power circuit comprises: 1) A diode rectifier supplied by either a single-phase or three-phase supply 2) An LC filter 3) A PWM voltage-fed inverter. The primary control variable is the frequency er. The commanded phase voltage Vs* is generated by a gain stage based on the speed e to maintain a constant air gap flux.

As the frequency becomes small at low speed, the voltage drop across the stator resistance can no longer be neglected and so a boost voltage V0 needs to be supplied allowing the rated flux (and thus the full torque) to be available down to zero speed. The effect of the boost voltage is negligible at higher frequencies.

The drives steady state performance for a fan or pump-type load (TL=Kr2) is shown below:

As the frequency is increased the speed increases almost proportionally and we move along the load torque curve from points 1->2->3 etc. moving smoothly through the different operating modes of the induction motor.

Let us now look at the effects of dynamic variations in load torque and line voltage. Suppose the load torque is changed from TL to TL for the same frequency command, the speed will drop slightly from r to r. This type of speed variation can easily be tolerated by a fan or pump.
Now suppose the operating point is a and the line voltage drops so that the operating point moves to b. Again the speed is tolerable for some applications.

The safe acceleration/deceleration characteristics are shown below:

Assume a pure inertia type load and the motor initially operating at point 1. A small step increase in command frequency will initially move the operating point to point 2 (the rated torque) and then steadily increase to point 3. The frequency can then be decreased slightly to achieve the steady state operating point 4. All of these transitions are done in a gradual manner to prevent the machine from becoming unstable. Decrementing the frequency command in a step will shift the operating point from 1 to 5 due to a negatively developed torque.

The motor torque and speed are related by:
Te TL r dt J
where J = moment of inertia, Te = torque developed by motor, and TL = load torque
With the rated Te the slope of the acceleration curve dr/dt is determined by J. The higher J, the smaller the slope.

Typical Volts/Hz drive performance is shown below:
Energy Savings with Variable Frequency Drives

Considerable energy savings can be achieved with variable frequency drives compared to constant frequency drives (see figure below and text).
Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation

An improvement over open loop Volts/Hz control is closed loop Volts/Hz control with slip regulation (see block diagram below).
Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation (contd)

Here the speed loop error generates a slip command sl* via a proportionalintegral controller and limiter. This slip command is added to the feedback speed signal r to get the frequency command e* which, in turn, generates the voltage command through a volts/Hz function generator. Since slip is proportional to torque at constant flux, this approach may be considered as open loop torque control within a speed control loop.

If a step-up speed command is provided, the motor accelerates freely until a slip limit (corresponding to the motors torque limit) is achieved and then settles down to the steady state load-limited torque. If r* is stepped down, the drive behaves as a generator and decelerates with constant negative slip - sl*. However, the value of - sl* must be limited to a safe margin below the slip speed corresponding to the pull-out torque point.

Since the slip speed is relatively small compared to the rotor speed, this mode of operation requires precise measurement of the rotor speed. Also, in negative slip mode of operation, the regenerated power must either be dissipated in a braking resistor or fed back to the ac mains. One disadvantage of this approach is that the flux may drift due to load torque or supply voltage variations.

A speed control system with closed loop torque and flux control is shown below. However, additional feedback control loops increases system complexity and potential stability problems.
Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive

Instead of controlling inverter voltage by the flux loop, the stator current can be controlled which has the benefit of providing inherent overcurrent protection to the switching devices as well as achieving direct control of the motor torque and air gap flux.
A current-regulated VSI drive, with torque and flux control in an outer loop and hysteresis-band current control in the inner loop, is shown on the next slide.
Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive (contd)
Flux control loop -> stator current amplitude Torque control loop -> frequency command Only need 2 current sensors since ia+ib+ic =0 (for an isolated motor neutral).
Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive (contd)

The performance of the drive for subway traction application is shown below:
Traction Drives with Parallel Machines

Multiple voltage-fed inverters can be operated in parallel. An example of such a system for a locomotive drive is discussed in the Bose text, pp. 348-349.
Current-Fed Inverter Control

Some of the same principles for control of voltage-fed inverters can be applied to current-fed inverters. However, the current-fed inverter cannot be operated open loop. The simplest implementation of a closed loop control system for a current-fed inverter, allowing independent control of dc link current Id and slip sl, is shown on the next slide.
Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

In this implementation, the fed back rotor speed r and command slip sl* are added to give the command frequency e*. The dc link current Id is controlled by a feedback loop that controls the output voltage of the rectifier, Vd. With +ve slip, acceleration occurs; with -ve slip, Vd and VI both become -ve and power is fed back to the source. The torque can be controlled either by Id or sl. However, no flux control is possible with this control scheme.

Speed and flux control can be achieved in a current-fed inverter using the below control system.

In this case the speed control loop controls the torque by slip control (as before) but also controls the current Id* by a pre-computed function generator to maintain a constant flux. This open loop approach is satisfactory but the machine flux may still vary with parameter variations. An independent flux control loop (as shown earlier for the voltage-fed inverter) can be implemented for tighter flux control if desired.

A volts/Hz implementation for a current-fed inverter is shown below:
A particular advantage of this approach is that the motor flux is unaffected by line voltage variation.
Efficiency Optimization Control by Flux Program

Normally a motor is operated at its rated flux because the developed torque is high and the transient response is fast. Under light loads, this can lead to poor efficiency of the drive. The rotor flux can be lowered at light loads so that the motor losses are reduced and the conversion efficiency of the drive optimized. See text pp. 352-254 (Bose) to see how this may be achieved.

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ECE 8830 - Electric Drives

Topic 12: Scalar Control of AC Induction

Constant Air Gap Flux

ag vag dt Vag sin tdt

Thus a constant volts/Hz ratio results in a constant air gap flux.

Constant Air Gap Flux (contd)

Constant Air Gap Flux (contd)

Constant Air Gap Flux (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Open Loop Volts/Hz Control of a Voltage-Fed Inverter (contd)

Energy Savings with Variable Frequency Drives

Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation

Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation (contd)

Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation (contd)

Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation (contd)

Closed Loop Volts/Hz Control with Slip Regulation (contd)

Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive

Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive (contd)

Current-Regulated Voltage-Fed Inverter Drive (contd)

Traction Drives with Parallel Machines

Current-Fed Inverter Control

Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

Current-Fed Inverter Control (contd)

Efficiency Optimization Control by Flux Program

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