Chapter - 1

INTRODUCTION
To
ELECTRICAL DRIVES
Presented by,

K.Padukolai
ASP, Dept. of EEE

INTRODUCTION
Motion control is required in large
number of industrial and domestic
applications.
Ex: Robot, fans, washing m/c, mills
etc.
Drives systems employed for
motion control are called as drives.
Motion Control Prime Movers.
Diesel or petrol engines, gas or steam
turbines, steam engines, hydraulic
motors and electric motors .
Also for supplying mechanical energy
for motion control.
Electric Drives Drives employing
Electric Motor as Prime Movers.

Motion Control

Prime Movers

Electric Drives
Electric Motors
Prime Movers

has

ELECTRIC DRIVES
An electric drive is defined as a machine equipment
designed to convert electrical energy into mechanical
energy and provide electrical control of this process.

(Or)
An electric drive can be defined as an
electromechanical device for converting electrical
energy into mechanical energy to impart motion to
different machines and mechanisms for various kinds
of process control.

ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC DRIVES

They have flexible control characteristics. The steady state and
dynamic characteristics of electric drives can be shaped to satisfy
the load requirements.
Drives can be provided with automatic fault detection systems.
Programmable logic controller and computers can be employed to
automatically control the drive operations in a desired sequence.
Available in wide range of speed, torque and power.
High efficiency, lower noise, low maintenance requirements, no
load losses and short time overloading capability.
Can operate in all the four quadrants of speed-torque plane.
Electric braking gives smooth deceleration.
Regenerative braking is possible.

ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC DRIVES

Electric energy can be generated and transported
to the desired point economically and efficiently.
Do not pollute environment.
They can be started instantly and can immediately
be fully loaded
They are adaptable to almost any operating
conditions such as explosive and radioactive
environments

MODERN ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM

With the advancement of power electronics,
microprocessors and digital electronics, typical
electric drive systems nowadays are becoming
more compact, efficient, cheaper and versatile .
The voltage and current applied to the motor can
be changed at will by employing power electronic
converters.
AC motor is no longer limited to application where
only AC source is available, however, it can also be
used when the power source available is DC or vice
versa

BASIC BLOCK DIAGRAM ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM

A modern electrical drive system has the following

components
1. Electrical machines and loads
2. Power Modulator or
Processor
3. Sources
4. Control unit
5. Sensing unit
Power
Processor
(Power
Electronic
Converters)

Power
Source

Control
Unit

Feedback

Contr
ol

Motor

Loa
d

CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRIC
DRIVE
In general, electric drives may be classified into three
categories: Group drive, Individual drive & Multimotor drive.
GROUP ELECTRIC DRIVE
This drive consists of a single motor, which drives (actuates)
several mechanisms by means of one or more line shafts supported
on bearings.
The line shaft may be fitted with either pulleys and belts or gears,
by means of which a group of machines or mechanisms may be
operated. It is also some times called as SHAFT DRIVES.

CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRIC
DRIVE
Disadvantages
There is no flexibility. If the single motor used develops
fault, the whole process will be stopped.
Addition of an extra machine to the main shaft is difficult.
The level of noise produced at the worksite is quite high.

Considerable power loss

transmitting mechanisms.

take

place

in

the

energy

Advantages
A single large motor can be used
instead of number of small motors.
The rating of single large motor may
be appropriately reduced taking into
account the diversity factor of load.

CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRIC DRIVE

Individual Electric Drive
In this drive each individual machine is driven by a separate motor.
This motor also imparts motion to various parts of the machine.

The initial cost will usually be less with individual drive

under the following conditions:
1. Where the machines are isolated and line-shafting is impracticable.
2. Where the roof construction will not safely support line-shafting and
the floor structure does not admit of hanging the line-shafting beneath.
3. Where the speed of the machines must be independently variable.
4. Where it is necessary to move the machines from one location to
another frequently.
In addition to the foregoing considerations it should be remembered
that group drive with open belting presents some personal hazard.
Furthermore, where good appearance and working conditions are of
great importance, the individual drive is preferable because of the
absence of belts and line-shafting.

Multi Motor Electric Drive

In this drive system, there are several drives, each of
which serves to actuate one of the working parts of the
drive mechanisms.
E.g.:
Complicated metal cutting machine tools
Paper making industries,
Rolling machines etc.