Faculty of Built and Environment.

Department of Chemical Engineering

Bellville Campus

General Engineering for Chemical Engineers 3

(CET 460S)

PRACTICAL TITLE

Speed Control of DC motor by field resistance control

Student names & Surname Kalala muleya

Student number 215086597

Lecturer: Mr Hangone Gregory

Due date: August 08th , 2020

Abstract

DC motor is a machine easily used to convert electric energy into mechanical energy, it can be
used in power tools, toy cars, even in cooling fans. This motor is powered from direct current
(DC) such as batteries, DC power supplies, etc. the motor is constructed with brushes and a
commutator, which add to the maintenance, limit the speed and usually reduce the life
expectancy of brushed DC motors. The speed is controlled by varying the armature winding’s
current. A virtual practical has been conducted to prove the speed variation in a DC shunt motor
using a website called virtual lab. The results proved that in a DC shunt motor the speed was
decreasing (from 2500 to 1015) with an increase in current ( from 0.1 to 1A).
Table of Contents

1. Introduction........................................................................................................................... 5

2. Literature review................................................................................................................... 6

3. Procedure/ method used......................................................................................................9

4. Results and Discussion........................................................................................................ 9

5. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 11

6. References......................................................................................................................... 12
 1. Introduction

For many years now, DC motor has been used for different purposes in many various factors
such as automotive, automation, industrial and manufacturing application, stepper drives, and
so on. The motors are categorized according to the field excitation or action, which reliant on the
field winding connections comparable to the armature winding.

There are two methods which can be used to control the speed in a DC motor which are the
field control and the armature control method. For this investigation, the field control is used
where the resistance changes to control the motor speed.

The electrical DC motor has two main circuits which are parallel or shunt circuit and series
circuits. Therefore, the armature windings and the field windings in DC motors are made parallel
known as DC shunt motor (1111111). The speed characteristics, construction, and operation
are considered in the difference between DC shunt motor and DC series motor. This motor
gives features like easy reversing control, speed regulation, and starting torque is low. Thus,
this motor can be used for belt-driven applications within automotive as well as industrial
applications ((((elprocus))).

The aim of this investigation is to control the speed of a given DC shunt motor by field control
method also to graphically prove the field method statement based on the result.
 2. Literature review

Because of the parallel connection of the field windings to the armature windings, thus the
explanation of both windings to the same voltage supply. The DC motor keep the speed
constant with any type of load.

The DC shunt motor is designed as any other DC motor with a rotor (armature), fa stator (field
windings), and a commutator. A DC Shunt Motor working principle of is based on, the flowing of
a direct current, once a DC motor is ON, throughout field windings as well as the armature. The
armature and the pole are generated by the flowing current. Two magnetic fields exist in the air
gap between field shoes and armature; therefore they will interact with each other to ratate the
armature. The commutator overturns the armature current flow direction at ordinary gaps. So,
the armature field is repelled with pole field for all time, it keeps revolving the armature within
the equal direction

Consider the supply of a current and a voltage from the electrical terminal to the motor to be
noted by I and E respectively.

With a constant voltage through both windings, the supply current is divided into 2 parts in the
shunt DC motor Ish whch flow through the field winding of resistance R sh and Ia, which flow
through the armature winding of resistance Ra.

Itot =Ia + Ish

Ish = E/Rsh

Ia =Itot - Ish = E/Ra

 Or E =Eb + IaRa thus, E =Eb + (Itot - Ish )Ra

Speed control by varying field current

2.1. Speed control of a DC

i i i i

The ispeed icontrol iof ia iDC imotor iis iaccomplished ieither iby ithe iuser imanually, ior iby ian ielectronic
control iunit. iIt iis idistinct ifrom ispeed iregulation, iwhereby ispeed iattempts ito ibe iretained i(or
i

regulated) iagainst ithe inormal ivariation iof ispeed irelated ito ia ishaft iload ishift. I To derive the speed
i

of a DC motor, we start with the equation for the DC motor’s EMF (Electromagnetic Force). We
know that the EMF equation of DC motor is equal to:

NP ∅ Z
E=
60 A

PZ
K=
60 A

E
thus , N =
K∅

The ispeed iof ia iDC imotor i(N) iis iequivalent ito: i

V −I a Ra
N=
k∅

the ispeed iof ithe ithree iforms iof iDC imotors-shunt, iseries iand icompound-may itherefore ibe
regulated iby iadjusting ithe iamounts ion ithe iright iside iof ithe iabove iequation. And ialso ithe ivelocity
i

can ibe ichanged iby: Armature iterminal ivoltage,(V). Outside iresistance iin icircuit iarmature
i

(Ra).The iflux iper-pole

Terminal ivoltage iand iexternal iresistance irequire ia itransition iinfluencing ithe iarmature iconnection,
while iflux iimplies ia imagnetic ifield ishift. iHence iDC imotor ispeed iregulation ican ibe idivided iinto:
i

Armature iControl iMethods

Field iControl iMethods

The ispeed iof iDC ishunt imotors iand iDC iseries iengines iare iregulated iby iall iof ithese iapproaches.
 2.1.1.Speed control of DC Series System
i i i i i

2.1.1.1. Armature Controlled DC Series system

i i i i

Speed ivariation ithrough iarmature icontrol iof ia iDC iseries imotor ican ibe iachieved ithrough:

a) Armature iResistance icontrol iprocess

This iis ithe imost icommon iprocess iemployed. iHere ithe iregulating iresistance iis idirectly iconnected
to ithe imotor isupply iin iseries, ias iseen iin ithe ifig.
i

The ipower iloss iin ithe icontrol iresistance iof ithe iDC iseries imotor imay ibe iignored ibecause ithis
control isystem iis iused ito iminimize ithe ispeed iunder ilight iload isituation ifor ia isignificant iportion iof
i

time. iThis ispeed icontrol imethod iis imost icost iefficient ifor iconstant itorque. iThis ispeed iregulation
i

system iis iused iby imotor-driving icranes, ihoists, itrains ietc. iin ithe iDC iseries. i
i

b) Shunted iArmature iControl i

In ithis isystem iof ispeed iregulation iis iinvolving ithe icombination iof ia irheostat ishunting ithe iarmature
and ia irheostat iin iseries iwith ithe iarmature. iThe ivoltage iadded ito ithe iarmature idiffers ithrough
i

rheostat iin ispecific isequence. iThe iexciting icurrent imay ibe iadjusted iby iadjusting ithe ishunting
i

resistance iR2 iof ithe iarmature. iThis ispeed icontrol isystem iis inot ifeasible ibecause iof isignificant
i

power ilosses iin ispeed icontrol iresistances. iHere ispeed iregulation iis iachieved iover ia ibroad irange
i

but ilower ithan istandard.

i
 c) Voltage icontrol iat ithe iArmature iTerminal

DC iseries imotor ispeed icontrol imay ibe iachieved iby isupplying ithe iinput ifrom ia idifferent ivariable
voltage isource ito ithe iengine. iThis iapproach ientails ihigh icosts, iand iis ithus irarely iused.
i

2.1.2.DC Speed Control Shunt Valve

i i i i

The icategory iof ispeed icontrol itechniques ifor ia iDC ishunt imotor iis iidentical iwith ithose ifor ia imotor
in ithe iDC iseries. iThese itwo imethods iare:
i

2.1.2.1. Armature Controlled DC Shunt motor

i i i i

Controlled iDC ishunt imotor iwith iarmature ican ibe iworked iin itwo iways:

a) Control iof iArmature iResistance

A ivariable iresistance iis iapplied ito ithe iArmature icircuit iin ithe idirection iof iarmature iresistance.
Field iis ilinked idirectly ithrough ithe isupply iand iflux iis inot imodified idue ito iseries iresistance
i

variations. iIt iis idone ifor imotor iwith iDC ishunt. iThis iapproach iis iused iin iprinting ipresses, icranes,
i

hoists iwhere ispeeds iare ionly iused ifor ia ibrief iperiod iof itime ilower ithan irating.
i

b) Control iof iArmature iVoltage

This ispeed icontrol isystem iincludes ia ivariable ivoltage isupply, iisolated ifrom ithe isupply ithat
supplies ithe ifield icurrent. iThis iprocess ireduces ithe irisks iof ilow ispeed iregulation iand iweak
i

performance iof icontrol isystems ifor iarmature-resistance.

i

The isimple idynamic imethod iof ioperation iof iarmature ivoltage ifor ispeed icontrol iis iachieved iby
means iof ia ivariable ivoltage igenerator inamed ithe iWard iLeonard iMethod. iThis iapproach iinvolves
i
the iuse iof ia iseries iof imotor-generators. iThis iapproach iis iideally iadapted ito irolling imills ibuilt iof
i

steel, iwriting imachines, ielevators, imine ihoists, ietc. iThis isystem iis ireferred ito ias iWard iLeonard
i

Process.
i

Advantages iof iControlled iDC iShunt iMotor iArmature

- Really igood ispeed iregulation iin iboth idirections iover iwhole irange
- Acceleration iis istandardized
- Great ispeed icontrol
- It ihas iregenerating ibraking icapabilities
Disadvantages iof iControlled iArmature iDC iShunt iMotor

- Expensive iarrangement iis inecessary, ifloor ispace iis imuch imore inecessary
- Weak iefficiency iat imoderate iloads
- Drive icreated imore inoise.

2.2. DC Shunt motor controlled in field

i i i i i

Using ithis iapproach ithe ispeed iof ia iDC iShunt imotor iis iregulated iusing imeans iof ia irheostat
region.
i

2.2.1.Field rheostat controlled DC Shunt motor

i i i i i

In ithis isystem ispeed ivariance iis idone iby imeans iof ia ivariable iresistance iadded iwith ithe ishunt
field iin iseries. iAn irise iin iregulating iresistances idecreases ithe icurrent iin ithe isystem iwith iflux
i

decrease iand ispeed ichange. iThis ispeed icontrol isystem idoes inot idepend iof ithe iload ionto ithe
i

motor. iPower iexpended iin imanaging iresistance iis ivery ihigh, ibecause ithe icurrent iin ithe ifield iis ia
i

low iamount. iThis ispeed icontrol isystem iis ioften iused iin iDC icompound imotor.
i

a) Field irheostat iDisadvantages icontrolled iDC iShunt iMotor

- Creeping ivelocities iare inot iobtainable.
- Maximum ispeeds ireached ieven iwith idecreased itorque.
- The ispeed iis ioptimum iat ilow iflux ivalue, iand iis iregulated iby ithe ifield imagnetising iimpact iof
armature ireaction.
i
 2.2.2.Solid state speed Control
i i i

Many iof ithe idisadvantages iof ithe iclassical imethod, istatic iWard iLeonard idrives iare iused ithese
days. iRotating iM-G isets iare isubstituted iby isolid istate iadapters iwhich icontrol ithe ispeed iof ithe iDC
i

motor.
i

2.3. DC-generator output i

Efficiency iis idefined isimply iby ithe iratio iof ioutput ipower ito iinput ipower. iDC igenerator ioutput iis
illustrated iin ithe iline idiagram ibelow.
i

2.3.1.Losses in DC motor
i i i

Most of this theory has been taken from one source which is circuitglobe.com, therefore it will be intext
reference once only

The ilosses ithat itake iplace iin ia iDc imotor iis iclassified iinto ifive ispecific igroups. iElectrical ior icopper
losses i(I2R ilosses), ibrush ilosses, istray iload ilosses, icore ilosses ior iiron ilosses, imechanical
i

losses. iThose ilosses iare idescribed iin idetail ibelow.

i
 a) electric ior icopper ilosses

These ilosses iare imostly iknown ias iWinding ilosses, isince ithe icopper iloss ihappens idue ito iwinding
resistance. iThe iohmic iloss ioccurs ifrom ithe icurrent imovement ithrough ithe iwindings. iIn iaddition ito
i

the iarmature iwindings, ithe iwindings iwhich iare ipresent iare ithe ifield iwindings, iinterpoles iand
i

windings iwhich icompensate.

i

2
Losses iof iarmature icopper i=i I a R a where iIa iis ipresent iof iarmature, iand iRa iis iresistance iof
armature. iThese ilosses irepresent inearly i30 iper icent iof ithe ioverall ilosses iin icomplete iload.
i

2
In ishunt iDC imotor, ithe ishunt ifield iCopper iloss iis i I sh R sh, iwhere iIsh iis ithe icurrent iin ithe ishunt ifield,
and iRsh iis ithe ishunt ifield iwinding iresistance. iRsh iis iincluded iin ithe ishunt iregulating iresistance.
i

2
In ia iseries isystem, ithe ifailure iof icopper iin iseries iwindings iis i I se Rse iwhere, ivia ithe iseries ifield
windings, iIse iis ithe icurrent, iand iRse iis ithe iresistance iof iseries ifield iwindings.
i

Either ithe ishunt iand ithe iseries ifield ilosses iarise ion ia iCompound iunit. iSuch iinjuries iconstitute
approximately i20 iper icent iof ithe iinjuries iin imaximum iload.
i

b) Magnetic, icore ior iiron ilosses

The icore ilosses iare ithe ilosses ifrom ihysteresis iand ithe ieddy icurrent i. iSuch ilosses iare iassumed
almost isteady, ias ithe idevices iare inormally irun iat iconstant idensity iof iflux iand iconstant irpm. iSuch
i

losses iconstitute iaround i20 iper icent iof ithe ilosses iof icomplete iload.
i

c) Brush iLosses i
the ibrush ilosses iare ithe ilosses ifrom ithe imotor iand ithe ibrushes iwith icarbon i. iThe idrop iin ithe
brush irelies ion ithe idecrease iin ithe ibrush icontact ivoltage ias iwell ias ion ithe iamature icurrent iIa.
i

This iis iprovided iaccording ito ithe iequation ishown ibelow.

i

PBD =V BD . I a

The ivoltage idrop iobserved iacross ia iwide irange iof iarmature icurrents iover ia irange iof ibrushes iis
relatively iconstant iif ithe ibrush ivoltage idrop ivalue iis inot ispecified ias iis igenerally ibelieved ito ibe
i

around i2 ivolts. iAnd ithe iloss ifrom ithe ibrush idecline iis icalculated ias i2Ia.
i

d) Mechanical ilosses

The ilosses iwhich ihappen idue ito ithe imechanical iimpact iof ithe imotor iare idefined ias imechanical
losses. ithese i ilosses iare iseparated iinto iwindage iloss iand i ibearing ifriction iloss. iThe iair ipresent iin
i

the iprocess iand ithe ilosses iwhich iexist iin ithe imoving iparts iof ithe isystem iare iknown ias ilosses iof
i

Windage iand ithey iare ivery ismall ilosses.

i

e) Stray iLosses

In istray-load ilosses, ithe ifollowing ifactors iare iconsidered.

- the iflux idistortion idue ito iarmature ireaction.

- Currents iof ishort icircuit iin ithe iwire, ifollowing icommutation.
It iis ireally idifficult ito ianalyse isuch ilosses. iThus ithe ireasonable ivalue iof ithe istray iloss imust ibe
selected.
i
 3. Experiment set up

Figure 1: Experiment set up/Circuit connections of the experiment

4. Procedure

 All the brushes were connected following the manner given on the virtual practical which
was developed by prof R.S Anand (see figure 3) and was respectively given by : A to K,
A to Y, A to J, B to P, E to M, F to D, G to R, H to I, I to C, C to H and Q to L
 After all the connections, the brushes were checked by clicking the check button in the
figure above once the connections were confirmed to be correct ; the MCB was switched
on (click on “off” see figure 3)
 The Voltmeter was first set by using the second slider (Armature Resistance).
 In order to get corresponding values of Ammeter and Speedometer, the first slider was
moved and press the "Add to table" button to insert the values in table.
 The above step was repeated ten times
 After inserting values on table press, the required graph (from 0.1A to 1A) was plotted
using excel.
 5. Results

Current (A) Speed (r.p.m)

0 0
0.1 2500
0.2 2350
0.3 2100
0.4 1930
0.5 1700
0.6 1575
0.7 1450
0.8 1400
0.9 1270
1 1015
Table 1: Observation table

Speed versus Armature current

3000

2000
Speed rpm

1000

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Current (Ia)

Figure 2: Armature current and motor speed graph (speed control of a DC motor)
 6. Discussion

Two method of speed control can be used in a DC motor which are field controlled method and
armature-controlled method. For the armature controlled method the speed(N) is directly
proportional to E by ∅

E
N∝
∅

E=V −I a R awhen the system is considered to be at no load, thus the I a is going to be very
small and negligeable. in this case the voltage can only be controlled below a specific given
voltage and ca not go above that voltage. Once you reduce the voltage the speed will definitely
decrease, therefore the armature-controlled method is adaptable for reducing the speed.

For the field-controlled method, the speed(N) is indirectly proportional to the flux ( ∅)

1
N∝
∅

And the flux to field current, if the current is minimum then the flux is minimum, and if the flux is
minimum the speed is maximum. Because the current is minimum then there is a chance to
increase the current to its maximum, if the current is reduced then the flux is reduced, and this
will cause an increase in speed.

According to the result the current increase with a decrease in speed at a constant voltage and
this support the theory above

The supply voltage was maintained constant which lead to an increase in current and a
decrease in speed.
7. Conclusion