Microprocessor based DC drive:

1) Microprocessors are used in electrical drives to replace logic circuits, analog

circuits used for signal processing and closed loop control implementation.
2) The power circuit consists of a thyristorised controlled converter. The output of
the converter is driving the dc motor armature. The field supply can be obtained
by using a separate converter. Armature voltage control method is used here.
3) There are two control loops that are implemented. 1. Inner current loop which
controls the net armature current 2. Outer speed loop which controls the speed
of the motor. The diagram shows block diagram of control system.
4) Various feedback signals used are speed feedback that is taken from speed sensor

like tacho-generator and armature current sensor gives armature current

feedback. Analog to Digital converters are used for this purpose. In addition to
this, there is line voltage feedback that is required for synchronization. Line
voltage feedback is taken with the help of a zero crossing detector and pulse
shaping circuit. Zero crossing signal of mains voltage is required to produce
precise, synchronous firing pulses.
5) Speed error is calculated by considering set speed and actual speed of the motor.
Depending upon the error signal, microprocessor calculates the required firing
angle of the converter switches and the sends switching signals to the firing
control circuit.
6) The firing circuit produces SCR firing pulses that are input to pulse amplifier circuit
which increases strength of the pulse and provides isolation between control and
power side.
7) The entire system operates in closed loop manner to control speed and torque
produced by the dc motor.

8) Advantages :

Small size
Fast response
Less power consumption
Accurate and efficient
Controlling range increased
System reliability is much more than conventional one.
economical
Phase lock loop control of dc motor:
1. Basic PLL (phase lock loop): Phase-locked loops have been intensively used in
communication system where accurate frequency synchronization is required. In
its basic form a phaselocked loop (PLL) consists of a phase detector, a low-pass
filter and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) as shown in Fig. 1(a). The VCO
output signal is compared with the reference signal by the phase detector, which
produces an error signal to indicate the phase difference. The phase error signal
is filtered by the low-pass filter to providing a voltage proportional to the phase
difference between the two signals. This voltage is used to vary the VCO
frequency in such a direction that reduces the phase difference. An equilibrium
state is reaches when the VCO frequency is exactly equal to the frequency of the

reference-input signal.
2. The PLL principle described can be used with advantage in dc motor speed
control, providing an effective means to synchronize motor speed to a precise
clock signal. The PLL basic configuration, in which the VCO is replace by the
combination of dc motor (with the motor driver) and speed encoder which
generated a pulse train of frequency proportional to motor speed.
Microprocessor controlled AC drive:
1) Microprocessors are used in electrical drives to replace logic circuits, analog
circuits used for signal processing and closed loop control implementation.
2) The power circuit consists of three phase controlled/uncontrolled ac-dc
converter. The output of converter is filtered by an LC filter. The DC output is
inverted to produce variable frequency variable PWM voltage output.

3) There are two control loops in the control circuit. 1. To control the dc voltage and
2. For controlling PWM inverter as shown in the following block diagram.
4) Various feedback signals used are speed feedback that is taken from speed sensor
like tacho-generator and armature current sensor gives armature current
feedback. Analog to Digital converters are used for this purpose. In addition to
this, there is line voltage feedback that is required for synchronization. Line
voltage feedback is taken with the help of a zero crossing detector and pulse
shaping circuit. Zero crossing signal of mains voltage is required to produce
precise, synchronous firing pulses.
5) Speed error is calculated by considering set speed and actual speed of the motor.
Depending upon the error signal, microprocessor calculates the required firing
angle of the converter switches and the sends switching signals to the firing
control circuit.