DC – DC Converter Fed Drives

To obtain variable DC voltage from fixed DC source

Self-commutated devices preferred (MOSFETs, IGBTs,
GTOs) over thyristors
Commutated by lower power control signal
Commutation circuit not needed
Can be switched at higher frequency for same rating
 Improved motor performance (less ripple, no discontinuous
currents, increased control bandwidth)
Suitable for high performance applications
Regenerative braking possible up to very low speeds
even when fed from fixed DC voltage source
1
Dr. Ungku Anisa, July 2008 EEEB283 - Electrical Machines & Drives 2
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Down Class A Chopper

Motoring
Q2 Q1

Q3 Q4 T

3
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Down Class A Chopper
Motoring
S is ON (0  t  ton)

Duty
Interval
dia - ia 
Raia  La  E V
dt
4
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Down Class A Chopper
Motoring
S if OFF (ton  t  T)

Freewheeling
Interval
dia - ia 
Raia  La E 0
dt
5
DC – DC Converter Fed
- Step Down Class A Chopper
Motoring
ton
Duty cycle k where T  chopper period
T
Duty
Interval Freewheeling
Under steady-state conditions - ia  Interval
Motor side: Va  Ra I a  E - ia 

Chopper side: Va  kV
kV  Va  Ra I a  E
average Va

Hence, kV  E
Ia 
average Ia Ra
kT
6
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Up Class B Chopper 
Regenerative Braking Q2 Q1

Q3 Q4 T

• Possible for speed

above rated speed
and down to nearly
zero speed
• Application:
• Battery operated
vehicles
• Regenerated
power stored in
battery 7
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Up Class B Chopper
Regenerative
Braking
S is ON (0  t  ton)
 Va = 0
ia increases due to E
Mechanical energy
converted to
Energy
electrical (i.e. dia Storage
generator) Raia  La E Interval
dt - ia 
Energy stored in La

8
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Up Class B Chopper
Regenerative
Braking
S if OFF (ton  t  T)
ia flows through diode
D and source V
Energy stored in La &
energy supplied by
machine are fed to dia Duty
the source Raia  La V  E Interval
dt - ia 

9
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Step Up Class B Chopper
Regenerative Braking
Duty cycle ton
k where T  chopper period
T Energy
Storage Duty
Under steady-state conditions
Interval Interval
Generator side:Va E  Ra I a - ia  - ia 
Chopper side: V  1  k V
a

average Va
1  k V  Va  E  Ra I a
Hence,
E  1  k V
Ia 
average Ia Ra T
Dr. Ungku Anisa, July 2008 EEEB283 - Electrical Machines & Drives 10
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Two-quadrant Control 
 Forward motoring Q1 - T1 and D2
 Forward braking Q2 – T2 and D1 Q2 Q1

Q3 Q4 T
+
T1
V D1

+ No Speed
T2 Va Reversal
D2 -
-

11
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Two-quadrant Control
 •Average V positive a
Forward motoring Q1 •Average Va made larger
 T1 conducting: Va = V Q2 Q1 than back emf Eb
Q3 Q4
•Ia positive
T
T1 D1
+
ia  D2 conducting: Va = 0
V

+
 D2
T2
Va T1 D1
+
ia
- V

+
 D2
T2
Va
Va Eb -

Dr. Ungku Anisa, July 2008 EEEB283 - Electrical Machines & Drives 12
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Two-quadrant Control

•Average V positive a

Forward braking Q2 •Average Va made

smaller than back emf
 D1 conducting: Va = V Q2 Q1
Eb
Q3 Q4 T •Ia negative
T1 D1
+  T2 conducting: Va = 0
ia
V

+
 D2 T1
T2 + D1
Va
ia
Vdc
-
+
 D2
T2
Va

Va Eb -

13
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Four-quadrant Control 
Operation in all quadrants
Speed can be reversed Q2 Q1

Q3 Q4 T

D1 D3
T1 T3
+ Va -

T4 T2
D2
D4

14
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Four-quadrant Control 

Forward Motoring Q1 Q2 Q1
 T1 and T2 on T3 and T4 off
Q3 Q4 T
 Va = V
 Ia increases
Reverse Braking Q4
(Regeneration) +
 T1 off but T2 still on D1 D3
T1 T3
 Va = 0 + Va -
 Ia decays thru T2 and D4 V
 T1 and T2 off
T4 T2
 Va = -V D4 D2
 Ia decays thru D3 and D4 -
 Energy returned to supply
15
DC – DC Converter Fed Drives
- Four-quadrant Control 

Reverse Motoring Q3 Q2 Q1
 T3 and T4 on T1 and T2 off
Q3 Q4 T
 Va = -V
 Ia increases in reverse direction
Forward Braking Q2
(Regeneration)
 T3 off but T4 still on +
D1 D3
T1 T3
 Va = 0
+ Va -
 Ia decays thru T4 and D2 V
 T3 and T4 off
 Va = V T4
D2 T2
 Ia decays thru D1 and D2 D4
 Energy returned to supply -
16
Closed-loop Control
Feedback loops may be provided to satisfy one or more of the
following:
 Protection
 Enhancement of speed response
 Improve steady-state accuracy
Variables to be controlled in drives:
 Torque – achieved by controlling current
 Speed
 Position
Controllers are designed based on a linear averaged model

17
Closed-loop Control
Variables to be controlled in drives:
 Torque – achieved by controlling current
 Commonly employed current sensor:
Current shunt – no electrical isolation, cheap

 Hall effect sensor – provides electrical isolation
 Speed is governed by torque: T  T  J d
e L
dt
e.g. With phase-controlled rectifier
+
iref + current vc firing  controlled
- controller circuit rectifier Va

Dr. Ungku Anisa, July 2008 EEEB283 - Electrical Machines & Drives 18
Closed-loop Control
Variables to be controlled in drives:
Speed – with or without current loop
Commonly employed speed/position sensor:
 Tachogenerator – analog based
 Digital encoder – digital based, converts speed to pulses

Torque is governed by speed demand:

 Without current loop: no limit on current – can be too high
 With current loop: current can be limited

19
Closed-loop Control
Variables to be controlled in drives:
Speed control without current loop:
 Simple implementation
 Current can be too high  may damage converter

Power +
* + Speed vc
Electronic
controller va
- Converters Tacho



20
Closed-loop Control
Variables to be controlled in drives:
Speed control with current loop:
 Two controllers required: speed and current
 Current limited by limiting i *
a

* + Power +
Speed ia* + Current vc
Electronic va
controller controller
- Converters
- 
 ia
Tacho

21
References
Rashid, M.H, Power Electronics: Circuit, Devices and
Applictions, 3rd ed., Pearson, New-Jersey, 2004.
Dubey, G.K., Fundamentals of Electric Drives, 2nd ed., Alpha
Science Int. Ltd., UK, 2001.
Krishnan, R., Electric Motor Drives: Modeling, Analysis and
Control, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 2001.
Nik Idris, N. R., Short Course Notes on Electrical Drives,
UNITEN/UTM, 2008.
Ahmad Azli, N., Short Course Notes on Electrical Drives,
UNITEN/UTM, 2008.

22