AC and DC Drives
Applications
DC DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS
DC DRIVE INTRODUCTION
A variable speed DC Drive Control converts AC line voltage to
an adjustable DC voltage, which is then applied to a DC motor
armature. A typical DC drive also provides the DC shunt
wound motor with a constant DC field excitation voltage. The
armature voltage is varied by the user or a control system, by
applying a low level (typically 0 to 10V) reference voltage to the
drive regulator. This low level unipolar control signal is essen-
tially amplified by the drive control or power amplifier to achieve
the desired motor speed.
Throughout the industry today there are two fundamental
types of DC drive controls commonly applied to satisfy various
application oriented problems. The two types are
Regenerative and Non-Regenerative.
NON-REGENERATIVE DRIVES
In most DC drive applications, the DC motor rotates in only
one direction and is supplying rotational energy or torque into
the load. Loads such as product mixer or extruder (relatively
high frictional or viscous loads) require torque to properly work
the material. In this case, electrical energy flows from the AC
line through the drive control (in varying amounts required by
the load) and into the motor to produce the desired mechan-
ical energy. If the drive reference were suddenly reduced to
zero, the mechanical load would stop the motor rotation rather
quickly and have no tendency to cause further motor rotation.
If it were desired, the load could be slowly decelerated to zero
speed by adjusting the drives decel time. This would be an
ideal application for a non-regenerative drive. Since there is a
strong natural braking force or tendency, good speed regula-
tion characteristics are obtainable. Non-regenerative drives
can be configured to rotate the motor in the reverse direction
with the application of armature polarity reversing power
contactors. In order to properly implement a reversal
command, reversing circuitry makes certain that the motor is
at, or near, zero speed before reversing the applied armature
voltage provided by the drive. For example, the driver of a car
would wait until a cars motion is stopped before attempting to
reverse directions.
High inertia loads, such as a flywheel, however, would tend to
continue motor rotation even though the drive reference is zero
and no more electrical energy is being applied to the load. In
this case, it is said that we have an “Overhauling Load” or a
load which applies mechanical energy of rotation to a motor.
In these instances, a braking torque is required. Often in such
cases, Dynamic Braking (DB) is applied. All DC motors are by
definition DC generators as well. When a DC motor armature
is rotating within a magnetic field (set-up by fixed field or
permanent magnet excitation), the motor becomes a DC
voltage generator. As in the case of the flywheel above, if it is
desired to stop the mechanical energy of motion, the drive
controller would be turned off and a large wattage resistor
would be applied to the generator (motor) via a DB contactor.
This would cause the mechanical energy of the load (being
converted to electrical energy by the generator/motor), to be
dissipated in the form of heat by the DB resistor. The DB resis-
tive load must be sized appropriately so that the required
braking torque is created in order to decelerate the rotating
load in the desired time frame. This type of braking method
has several characteristics:
1) There must be field excitation to cause generator action.
Therefore, if there were a power failure, there would be no
braking torque unless the DC motor was a permanent
magnet type or if the field were being maintained by a UPS
(uninterruptible power supply).
2) Braking torque is highest at high speed and diminishes
exponentially to zero at zero speed.
In the flywheel application example, one can see that precise
decelerating speed control (speed regulation) of the load is not
achievable in this application using a non-regenerative drive. It
is like having a car that has no braking ability other than letting
off the accelerator. Dynamic braking would be analogous to
pulling on the emergency brake suddenly but letting it off grad-
ually as your speed diminishes. Many flywheel applications
such as large punches or stamping presses have no need for
precise deceleration. Therefore, a non-regenerative drive with
dynamic braking may be sufficient for this application.
REGENERATIVE DRIVES
A regenerative drive is one which can both deliver and remove
electrical energy to or from a motor. In this manner, rotational
mechanical energy can be supplied to or be removed from a
load. A regenerative DC drive can invert the DC electrical
energy produced by a generator/motor, and in a controlled
manner, drive it back into the power lines as energy produc-
tion. Therefore, a regenerative drive has the ability to hold back
“overhauling loads” such as a raised load held up by a crane
or hoist. A regenerative drive could also be used in the
press/flywheel example and would exhibit much better decel-
eration control, if it were necessary. A regenerative drive would
be much like having two gas pedals and two engines in a car.
One gas pedal would be to go forward and the other to go
reverse. There would be no need for a forward/reverse gear
selector or for that matter a brake pedal. To accelerate the
driver would press the forward gas pedal. If his speed was a
little too high he could leave off the forward pedal and coast or
depress a little on the reverse pedal. This would cause the
speed of the car to slow down more quickly than simply
coasting. While going forward it would be possible to depress
the reverse pedal and in effect brake to a stop or to go right
through zero speed and accelerate in the reverse direction. As
long as both forward and reverse engines were working prop-
erly a separate brake pedal would not be necessary. If an
engine failure should occur one may also like to have an emer-
gency brake (such as a DB resistor). The above scenario is a
basic analogy of the operation of a regenerative drive.
A DC armature regenerative drive can deliver both positive and
negative voltage to a motor armature without the need for
external armature polarity reversing contactors. The electronic
circuitry is designed to accept a bi-polar (positive or negative)
drive reference speed signal. Regenerative drives offer supe-
rior load-speed regulation possibilities over non-regenerative
drives however they employ more sophisticated electronic
control schemes and are generally more expensive.
Nonetheless, certain applications mandate the use of regener-
ative drives.
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 AC and DC Drives
Applications

DC DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS
CONSTANT TORQUE APPLICATIONS
Armature voltage controlled DC drives are constant-torque
drives. They are capable of providing rated torque at any
speed between zero and the base (rated) speed of the motor.
Horsepower varies in direct proportion to speed, and 100%
rated horsepower is developed only at 100% rated motor
speed with rated torque.
CONSTANT HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS
Armature Controlled DC Drives—Certain applications
require constant horsepower over a specified speed range. Figure 7 - Constant Torque
Since an armature voltage controlled DC drive has constant
torque characteristics, the drive must be oversized to handle
these applications. A drive required to deliver constant horse-
power over a 2:1 speed range has to be rated at twice the
required horsepower since it only develops 50% of its rated
horsepower at half speed. The horsepower rating required for
any constant torque drive operated in a constant horsepower
application can be easily calculated as follows. Multiply the
desired horsepower by the ratio of the speed range over
which horsepower must remain constant. If 5 horsepower is
required over a 2:1 range, an armature only controlled drive
rated for 10 horsepower (5 HP x 2) would be required. Figure 8 - Constant Horsepower
Field Controlled DC Drives—Another characteristic of a
shunt-wound DC motor is that a reduction in field voltage to
less than the design rating results in an increase in speed for
a given armature voltage. It is important to note, however, that
this results in a higher armature current for a given motor load.
A simple method of accomplishing this is by inserting a
resistor in series with the field voltage source. This may be
useful for achieving an ideal motor speed for the application.
An optional, more sophisticated method uses a variable
voltage field regulator. This provides coordinated automatic
armature and field voltage control for extended speed range
in constant horsepower applications. The motor is armature Figure 9 - Variable Torque
voltage controlled for constant torque variable torque horse-
power operation to base speed. It is then transferred to field
control for constant horsepower-variable torque operation to
maximum speed. This is illustrated in Figure 10.
OTHER MECHANICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Constant Torque Speed Range
When a DC drive is operated continuously at low speed and
rated torque, motor heating problems may be encountered.
At reduced speeds, the motor’s internal cooling fan is less Figure 10 - Motor Armature Voltage
effective and overheating occurs if the motor remains fully Control and Field Control
loaded. Atypical self ventilated, DC motor, continuous torque
rating as a function of speed is shown in Figure 11.
When continuous operation is required at rated torque and
reduced speed, supplemental motor ventilation, such as a
motor mounted blower or separate ventilation duct must be
supplied. An oversized motor (one that does not have to
produce rated torque) or a totally enclosed non-ventilated
(TENV) motor may also be used in these situations.

Figure 11 - Constant Torque

Speed Range

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 AC and DC Drives
Applications

DC DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS
VENTILATION Totally Enclosed Air-Over motor is a type of totally
The system for ventilating motors depends on the type of enclosed fan-cooled motor which is also ventilated by air
motor enclosure. The drip proof motor is ventilated by means blowing over the frame from another source. The air may be
of a shaft-mounted internal fan which draws air in the supplied by an integrally mounted blower and motor or from
commutator bracket openings, through the motor and out a separate source. An air-over DC motor has constant
the back end bracket openings. The same is true with the cooling independent of shaft speed. In general, air-over
drip proof fully-guarded and splash-proof motors. When an motors still carry the same rating as fan-cooled motors in the
integrally mounted blower and motor is supplied, it is same frame size.
mounted to blow air into the commutator end bracket so The following table is a comparison of the maximum contin-
that the air flows from front to back. Since the internal fan is uous loading and relative cost for different motor enclosures
omitted from a blower ventilated or force ventilated motor, it (normal Class F temperature rise). It should be noted that
is possible to reverse the air flow. In areas where the ambient special motors are available for broader speed/torque
temperature is too high or the surrounding air is too dirty, ranges.
fresh air can be supplied from an external source through
% of Base Speed
duct work that attaches directly to the motor end bracket.
Type HP Available at Full
Forced-Ventilation provides constant cooling independent Rated Torque
of the motor shaft speed. It is used when motors must
operate at full torque for long periods at very low speeds DPFG 5 to 500 100% down to 60%
(when a shaft mounted fan does not provide adequate TENV 1/ to 71/ 100% down to 5%
8 2
cooling). When using a shaft-mounted fan the air volume TEFC 11/2 to 75 100% down to 60%
drops off as the speed is reduced. If full torque (full current) TEUC 10 to 500 100% down to 5%
is demanded at low speeds, the motor may quickly overheat.
Blower
As a rule of thumb, extra cooling is required if full torque is
Ventilated 5 to 500 100% down to 5%
demanded below 60% of the (DP) motor’s rated base speed.
Separately
Totally Enclosed Fan-Cooled motors are ventilated over
Ventilated 5 to 500 100% down to 5%
the frame by means of an external shaft-mounted fan with a
shroud to direct the air. The fan is located at the front end of Splash-proof 5 to 500 100% down to 60%
the motor. Since there is no interchange of inside and outside TEAO 5 to 500 100% down to 60%
air, this type is better suited for dirty environments. The
internal shaft-mounted fan is retained to circulate air within
the motor, thus preventing localized hot spots. TEFC motors
are normally available in horsepower ratings to 75 HP (1750
RPM).
Totally Enclosed Non-Ventilated motors have only an
internal shaft-mounted fan to prevent hot spots within the
motor. An external fan is not supplied, making them suitable
for applications where a fan would become clogged and
disabled. Totally enclosed motors dissipate heat through the
motor frame, which must be larger than a comparable drip
proof motor to provide adequate cooling. As a result, cooling
ability becomes independent of motor speed, making full
torque available at very low speeds. This type of cooling is
suitable for small motors up to approximately 71/2 HP, addi-
tional cooling is required.
Totally Enclosed Uni-Cooled motors have an internal air
path through the motor, a heat exchanger, fan and suitable
duct work. The external air path is through the heat
exchanger, the fan and then exhausted downward over the
motor frame. The fans for the internal and external air are
driven from an integrally mounted AC motor. This is an effi-
cient method of ventilating a totally enclosed motor. It allows
the use of frames smaller than necessary for fan-cooled
ratings and provides constant cooling independent of motor
shaft speed.

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