CONTROL OF DC MOTOR

 Principle of Operation of a D.C. Motor

The principle of operation of a d.c. motor can be stated in a single statement as 'when a
current carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field; it experiences a mechanical force'.
In a practical d.c. motor, field winding produces a required magnetic field while armature
conductors play a role of a current carrying conductors and hence armature conductors
experience a force. As conductors are placed in the slots which are on the periphery, the
individual force experienced by the conductors acts as a twisting or turning force on the
armature which is called a torque. The torque is the product of force and the radius at
which this force acts. So overall armature experiences a torque and starts rotating. Let us
study this motoring action in detail. Consider a single conductor placed in a magnetic field
as shown in the Fig. 2.1 (a). The magnetic field is produced by a permanent magnet but in a
practical d.c. motor it is produced by the field winding when it carries a current.

Now this conductor is excited by a separate supply so that it carries a current in a

particular direction. Consider that it carries a current away from an observer as shown in
the Fig. 2.1 (b). Any current carrying conductor produces its own magnetic field around it,
hence this conductor also produces its own flux, around. The direction of this flux can be
determined by right hand thumb rule. For direction of current considered, the direction of
flux around a conductor is clockwise. For simplicity of understanding, the main flux
produced by the permanent magnet is not shown in the Fig. 2.1 (b). Now there are two
fluxes present, 1. The flux produced by the permanent magnet called main flux. 2. The flux
produced by the current carrying conductor.

 Types of DC MOTOR
A Direct Current Motor, DC is named according to the connection of the field winding
with the armature. Mainly there are two types of DC Motors. First, one is Separately
Excited DC Motor and Self-excited DC Motor. The self-excited motors are further classified
as Shunt wound or shunt motor, Series wound or series motor and Compound wound or
compound motor.

Separately Excited DC Motor

As the name signifies, the field coils or field
windings are energised by a separate DC
source as shown in the circuit diagram shown.

Self Excited DC Motor

As the name implies self-excited, hence, in this
type of motor, the current in the windings is
supplied by the machine or motor itself. Self-
excited DC Motor is further divided into shunt
wound, and series wound motor. They are
explained below in detail.

Shunt Wound Motor

This is the most common types of DC
Motor. Here the field winding is
connected in parallel with the armature.
The armature and field winding are
connected in parallel. The armature
voltage and field voltage are the same.

Series Wound Motor

In the series motor, the field winding is connected
in series with the armature winding. The
connection diagram is shown below. The field
winding and armature winding are connected in
series. The field winding carries the same current
as the armature winding. A series wound motor
is also called a universal motor. It is universal in
the sense that it will run equally well using either
an ac or a dc voltage source. Reversing the
polarity of both the stator and the rotor cancel
out. Thus the motor will always rotate the same
direction irregardless of the voltage polarity.
 Compound Wound Motor
A DC Motor having both shunt and series field
windings is called a Compound Motor. In a
compound machine, the series field winding is
connected in series with the armature, and the
shunt field winding is connected in parallel. Two
types of arrangements are possible in compound
motors:

Cumulative compounding - If the magnetic

fluxes produced by both series and shunt field
windings are in the same direction (i.e.,
additive), the machine is called cumulative
compound.

Differential compounding - If the two fluxes

are in opposition, the machine is differential
compound. In both these types, the connection
can be either short shunt or long shunt.

 DC Motor Equivalent circuit

The schematic diagram for a DC motor is shown below. A DC motor has two distinct
circuits: Field circuit and armature circuit. The input is electrical power and the output is
mechanical power. In this equivalent circuit, the field winding is supplied from a separate
DC voltage source of voltage Vf. Rf and Lf represent the resistance and inductance of the
field winding. The current If produced in the winding establishes the magnetic field
necessary for motor operation. In the armature (rotor) circuit, VT is the voltage applied
across the motor terminals, Ia is the current flowing in the armature circuit, Ra is the
resistance of the armature winding, and Eb is the total voltage induced in the armature.
 Introduction-
In many practical applications, it is necessary to have variable speed drive.
In such a case it is necessary to control the speed of d.c. motor which is used as a
drive. Hence the various methods of controlling the speed of d c motors must be
studied. The speed can be controlled by the two methods,
1. Conventional methods 2. Solid state methods
 Field Flux Control Method:
As indicated by the speed equation, the
speed is inversely proportional to the flux. The
flux is dependent on the current through the
shunt field winding. Thus flux can be controlled
by adding a rheostat (variable resistance) in
series with the shunt field winding, as shown in
the Fig. 4.1.

At the beginning the rheostat R is kept at

minimum indicated as start in the Fig. 4.1. The
supply voltage is at its rated value. So current
through shunt field winding is also at its rated
value. Hence the speed is also rated speed also
called normal speed. Then the resistance R is
increased due to which shunt field current 15h
decreases, decreasing the flux produced. As
the speed of the motor increases
beyond its rated value.

Thus by this method, the speed control

above rated value is possible. This is shown in
the Fig. 4.2, by speed against field current curve.
The curve shows the inverse relation between N
and ɸ as its nature is rectangular hyperbola.

Advantages of Flux Control Method:

# This method is easy and convenient.

# As the shunt field is very small, the power loss in the shunt field is also small.

# It provides relatively smooth and easy control.

# Speed control above rated speed is possible.

# As the field winding resistance is high, the field current is small. Hence power loss
(Ish2.R) in the external resistance is very small, which makes the method more
economical and efficient.
# As the field current is small, the size of the rheostat required is small.

Disadvantages of Flux Control Method

1. The speed control below normal rated speed is not possible as flux can be
increased only upto its rated value.

2. As flux reduces, speed increases. But high speed affects the commutation making
motor operation unstable. So there is limit to the maximum speed above normal,
possible by this method.

3. The flux cannot usually be increased beyond its normal values because of the
saturation of the iron. Therefore, speed control by flux is limited to the weakening of
the field, which gives an increase in speed.

4. This method is applicable over only to a limited range because if the field is
weakened too much, there is a loss of stability.