CHOPPER CONTROLLED DC DRIVE

INSTRUCTED BY: Dr. Buddhika

NAME
: D.K.Pathirana
INDEX NO : 080332P
GROUP
: DG7
DATE OF PER : 16/03/2012
DATE OF SUB : 30/04/2012

OBSERVATION SHEET
NAME
: D.K.Pathirana
INDEX NO : 080332P
GROUP
: DG7
DATE OF PER
: 16/03/2012
DATE OF SUB
: 30/04/2012
INSTRUCTED BY : Dr. Buddhika

Observations
(b) Measurement of chopper performance with non back emf load
Speed-Input
Potentiometer Setting
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

VL (V)

IL (A)

7.6
7.6
9.6
16.6
23.6
29
37
45
53
61
62

0.3
0.3
0.36
0.62
0.9
1.12
1.44
1.72
2.02
2.32
2.38

0.021
0.021
0.042
0.085
0.15
0.19
0.26
0.30
0.36
0.44
0.45

Chopper input DC voltage = 131.8V

(c) Measurement of DC motor speed control characteristics
Speed-Input
Potentiometer Setting

Speed (rpm)

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

208
200
193
351
526
706
932
1106
1352
1590
1616

Armature Voltage and Armature Current waveforms corresponding to step 7

Field Voltage and Field Current waveforms corresponding to step 7

(d) Study of control circuit operation

Gate waveform of TH2

Saw tooth waveform

Comparator control input waveform

Comparator output waveform

Gate waveform of TH1

CALCULATIONS
(b) Measurement of chopper performance with non back emf load
VL = . Vdc

Here Vdc = 131.8V

Speed-Input
Potentiometer Setting

Calculated VL (V)

Practical VL (V)

0.021

2.76

7.6

0.021

2.76

7.6

0.042

5.53

9.6

0.085

11.20

16.6

0.15

19.77

23.6

0.19

25.04

29

0.26

34.26

37

0.30

39.54

45

0.36

47.45

53

0.44

57.99

61

10

0.45

59.31

62

Discussion
(1) Explain why there is a voltage at the load even when the speed-input potentiometer at minimum.
In the TH1-ON time period, a voltage is applied to the motor terminal because the armature is
connected to the source. During this period an increasing current flows through the armature. When the
TH1-OFF, motor current freewheels through diode named as Df. During this period the energy stored
in the armature inductance flows through the freewheeling diode and a zero voltage appears across the
armature. And also the motor current is decreases. If the current decreases to zero value before the next
TH1-ON state, discontinuous current conduction occurs. During this period back emf of the armature
winding due to the field flux will appear across the armature. It is the reason for a voltage to be
appeared across the armature even at the speed potentiometer is at minimum.
(2) Why the speed-input potentiometer, in the first few steps did not respond to the motor speed, how
the problem can possibly be eliminated?
In the first few steps, the on-period of TH1 is very small. This result in a small average voltage applied
across the motor. Therefore the average power of the motor becomes small. This results in lower
speeds. Even if there is a small increase in the speed it is not fairly reflected when the speed level is
low. However after the few first steps of the potentiometer settings a fair speed variation can be
identified. This is due to the increased on-period and hence increased average power. The motor is
operating according to the PWM output given by TH1. This problem can be eliminated by setting the
signal range set potentiometer input to a lower value at the beginning.
(3) State why field current waveform contains less ripples compared with the field voltage waveform.
From the observation it can be seen that the field current wave form is almost constant and has less
ripples while the voltage possesses huge ripples. The field winding has a high inductance and this high
inductance will not allow sudden rapid changes in the field current. So it shows a fairly constant
(average) value. But this is not the case in the field voltage waveform.
(4) Comment on the shape of armature voltage and current waveforms of part-(C)
th

The output voltage consists of several harmonics some times up to 9 harmonic. This is a alternating
square wave pulse with frequency 1/T(T is the turn-on time of TH1). Having being a square wave the
field voltage consists of a considerable amount of harmonic contents. But in the current waveform has
near sinusoidal shape causing very low harmonic content. This reason causes the current waveform to
be smoother than the voltage waveform. As shown in the observations the field voltage waveform
looks like more to a square waveform and the field current to a sinusoidal form.
(5) Comment on the control circuit waveforms in part (D)
The reference for the observation of the control circuit waveforms is the pulse generator output.Gate
waveform of TH2 (CT3) is a square wave pulse with a slight distortion. Thyristor 2 is used to turn off
the thyristor 1. Triggering TH2 applies a reverse blocking voltage across TH1.Sow tooth waveform
(CT4) allows setting the duty factor. CT5 is the output waveform, which is given out with respect to
VR5 setting. Changing the VR5 we could set the duty factor as we desired. Comparator outputs a
compensating triggering signal (CT6) to TH1. The gate waveform of thyristor TH1 is a square wave
pulse as expected and is fires at the falling edge of CT6. CT7 is the actual pulse appearing across the
gate, which allows firing the main thyristor.

(6) The functions of potentiometers VR1, VR2, VR3, VR4 and VR5
In dc drives, speed can be sensed without a tachometer when field current is held constant. Use is
made of the fact that the back emf is directly proportional to speed when the flux is held constant. The
back emf is measured by deducting from motor terminal voltage a signal equal to its armature
resistance drop. Accuracy of measurement is affected by difficulty in sensing armature current
accurately due to the presence of ripple, variation of flux due to field supply disturbances and variation
of temperature of field armature windings etc. The use of potentiometer VR1 is to amplify the
armature voltage feed back.
The amplified armature voltage feedback is compared with the set-speed input (the desired output) and
the generated error signal is sent through the potentiometer VR2 by varying as desired.
Armature current fed back is used to compensate for the armature resistance drop and for stability
reasons. Therefore the purpose of potentiometer VR3 is to amplify the armature current feed back. VR2
and VR4 can eliminate the faulty responses that occur due to the transient conditions. VR5
potentiometer adjusts the signal range.
(7) Practical applications of chopper drives
In chopper-controlled dc drives, energy is received from dc sources, such as batteries or overhead
trolley wires. This is useful in battery-driven vehicles, particularly forklift trucks and in traction
systems (which means electric trains and trams). Besides, choppers are used in areas where
controllability of speed is necessary. For example trolley lines, production lines, milling machines and
robotics etc.
One important feature of chopper control is that regenerative braking can be carried out up to very low
speeds even when the drive is fed from a fixed voltage dc source.