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T
he application of new generation Variable
Frequency Drives, (VFDs), utilizing Insulated Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). For a 480V
Gate Bipolar Transistors, (IGBTs), in the system, the typical fundamental voltage ranges from
inverter section with motors connected by long leads 0 to 460V and the fundamental frequency varies from
has been a source for concern and expense. Motors 0 to 60Hz. The inverter circuit switches rapidly,
controlled by VFDs installed some distance away producing a carrier upon which is contained the
often fail due to high voltage-induced insulation useful fundamental voltage and frequency. This
breakdown. This paper will offer a concise analysis of switching is quite similar to an AM or FM radio where
this phenomenon. It will also recommend some the useful information, music or talk, is transmitted to
practical solutions for correcting existing problems the radio receiver at some assigned radio frequency.
and for protecting against future failure. The carrier, or switching frequency used for IGBT-
based VFD, generally ranges between 3 to 15 kHz.
Switching time is the time required for the IGBT
The Problem Described inverter to transition from the off (high impedance)
state to the on (low impedance) state and visa-
versa. For the latest generation of IGBTs, the
Drives and motors often need to be separated by switching time varies from 100 to 200 nanoseconds,
distance. Motors in wells must be controlled above (ns). Because these devices are used in circuits fed
ground: the deeper the well, the longer the leads by approximately 650 V DC, for a 480V system, the
between the drive and the motor. In some plants, rate of change of voltage with respect to time,
motors can withstand the harsh surroundings. (dV/dT), can exceed 7500 volts per microsecond,
However, sensitive VFD electronics cannot tolerate (V/s ).
such environments, forcing long distances between
the motor control centers that house the drives and
TCI, LLC | Eliminating Motor Failures Due to IGBT-Based Drives when Connected with Long Leads 1
IGBTs
7.94E+07
1.58E+08
3.16E+08
6.31E+08
19952.6
39810.7
79432.8
158489
316228
630957
10000
600
high dV/dT is applied, the insulation components
may experience punch-through, causing motor
400
failure. Normally, these types of failures occur within
200
hours or weeks of start-up.
0
-200
Partial Discharge (Corona
0.00630005
0.00630024
0.00630101
0.00630408
0.00631318
0.00631505
0.00631599
0.00631605
0.00631628
0.00631636
0.00631659
0.00631753
0.00632102
0.0063163
0.0063305
0.0063
Inception) Failures
Tim e
As the voltage associated with the high dV/dT
Figure 1 increases, the likelihood of partial discharge, or
corona, also increases. When corona is present,
Also, recall that these voltage spikes can have a rise highly unstable ozone, O3, is generated. This very
time, dV/dT, in excess of 7500 V/s . This ca n ha ve reactive by-product then attacks the organic
an extremely detrimental effect on the motor compounds in the insulation system. Corona can
windings and on the insulation system, often causing easily develop whenever the dV/dT and the resulting
premature motor failure. Most motor manufacturers voltage overshoot are not controlled. Even the larger
believe that the life of the motor will be greatly motors, whose turn-to-turn voltage can be controlled
extended by limiting both the magnitude of the with perfect winding techniques, are vulnerable to
voltage spikes to levels below 1000V and the dV/dT corona. Overall, this corona effect will lead to motor
at the motor terminals to levels less than 1000 V/s . failure.
3
TCI, LLC | Eliminating Motor Failures Due to IGBT-Based Drives when Connected with Long Leads
lambs. They will eventually fail due to the same
voltage-induced stresses. Figure 5
Carrier-Stripping Filters The KLC filter does not attempt to strip the entire
A tuned low-pass filter can be designed to remove all carrier frequency. Instead, it is designed to simply
carrier frequency voltages. These application- slow down the steep edges of the PWM voltage
specific, custom filters were originally designed to waveform, (see figure 5). It is not the carrier itself that
strip low frequency carrier energy from Bipolar and produces motor failures. Rather, it is the high dV/dT
Darlington transistor-based drives to limit audible (steep edge) of the PWM waveform that induces a
motor noise. While this approach removes all damaging voltage overshoot. The KLC filter is
frequencies above the fundamental, and affords the specifically designed to reduce voltage waveform
ultimate in motor protection, it comes at a severe dV/dT. By doing so, it will also lower the dV/dTs
price. These filters are large, costly, and consume associated frequency to levels well below the
large amounts of power. In addition, they reduce the expected natural resonant wire frequency for runs
fundamental voltage due to high inductor insertion ranging from 50 to 3000 ft. Consequently, the wire
losses and force the motor to draw higher will no longer be able to resonate because the higher
fundamental currents to produce rated horsepower. frequency components are gone, as illustrated in
Finally, the specific tuning frequency of a carrier- figure 6.
Bode Plot of 100 ft. Motor Leads with KLC Filter
stripping filter greatly restricts the ability to alter
carrier frequencies after installation. This limits fine- 60
40
tuning of the drive application 20
dB(Vout/Vin)
0
-20
Voltage Clippers, Snubbers, Etc. -40
These energy-consuming devices must be applied at -60
-80
the motor terminals, which is difficult in most -100
industrial and commercial applications. They require -120
1.74E+06
3.31E+06
6.31E+06
1.20E+07
2.29E+07
4.37E+07
8.32E+07
1.58E+08
3.02E+08
5.75E+08
10000
19054.6
36307.8
69183.1
131826
251189
478630
912011
the addition of extra junction boxes or equipment
enclosures as well as alterations and additions to the
conduit scheme Frequency
Figure 6
The Dampened Low-Pass KLC
KLCs high coefficient of dampening ensures minimal
Filter (Patent Pending) overshoot on even the longest leads. Figures 7 and 8
A TCI KLC filter combines inductance, capacitance, offer a full cycle view of the PWM voltage measured
and resistance, (see schematicfigure 4), to form a before and after the application of KLC.
dampened low-pass filter with a break frequency in
PWM Voltage at Motor Terminals
the range of 25 to 55 kHz.
1500
A1 A2
FROM TOMOTOR/ 1000
B1 B2 LONGLEADS
INVERTER
C1 C2 500
0
Voltage
-500
Figure 4
-1000
1600
1400 -1500
KLC Filter
600
400
200
Careful consideration was given to the selection of
0
series inductance to minimize the insertion loss and,
-200
therefore, the voltage drop. System losses are held
0.00630005
0.00630024
0.00630101
0.00630408
0.00631318
0.00631505
0.00631599
0.00631605
0.00631628
0.00631636
0.00631659
0.00631753
0.00632128
0.00633128
0.00633315
0.0063163
0.0063
4
TCI, LLC | Eliminating Motor Failures Due to IGBT-Based Drives when Connected with Long Leads
1000
PWM Voltage at Motor Terminals with KLC Filter The Authors
John Hibbard was the Vice President of Engineering
800
and Product Development for TCI. He joined TCI in
600 1989 and brought over 13 years of experience in the
400 solid state adjustable speed motor controls industry.
He has worked in sales, marketing, systems
200
engineering, development engineering, and project
Voltage
0
management. Mr. Hibbard received his BS degree in
-200 Electrical Engineering from the Milwaukee School of
-400
Engineering in 1976. He also held an AAS from
MSOE in digital technology. He was a member of the
-600
IEEE Industrial Applications and Power Engineering
-800 Societies and has published and lectured on the non-
-1000 linear characteristics of adjustable speed motor
Tim e drives.
Figure 8 Nicholas Hayes was the Vice President of Marketing
and Sales for TCI. He attended the Universities of
Both the break frequency and the high level of Wisconsin-Madison and LaCrosse and has been
dampening ensure that KLC can be confidently involved in the electronic, electrical, and magnetic
applied with any drive and motor. industries since 1983. Before joining TCI in early
1993, he was the National Sales Manager for an
Summary industry-leading designer and manufacturer of
components for switch-mode power supplies. He is a
frequent lecturer on drive application and
TCI recommends that a dampened low-pass filter be performance. Mr. Hayes is the author of TCIs
applied at the terminals of an inverter any time there popular CAM software.
is a risk of motor damage due to voltage overshoot.
Refer to your drives manufacturers operation The Company
manual for recommended maximum installation TCI (Transcoil International) has conducted and
lengths and apply KLC when you either approach or continues to conduct extensive research into the
exceed them. application of VFDs from 208 to 600V and from
fractional to 1000s of horsepower. Products from
KLC should also be considered as an after-market TCI include the industry standard SineGuard KLR
correction in VFD/motor installations where the motor series three phase input line reactors,
fails prior to its anticipated life cycle and where long
HarmonicGuard load-applied harmonic trap filters,
wire lengths exist. InverterGuard Air-Core Reactors, and many other
protective and performance-enhancing products for
Finally, KLC creates an opportunity to continue to variable frequency drives.
apply cost-saving variable frequency drives in
environments and applications that were previously
considered inappropriate.
Recommended Reading:
[1] A. von Jouanne, P. Enjeti, W. Gray, The Effect of
Long Motor Leads on PWM Inverter Fed AC Motor
Drive Systems, IEEE, 1995.
TCI, LLC
W132 N10611 Grant Drive
Germantown, WI 53022
(414) 357-4480
FAX (414) 357-4484
PQ Helpline (800) TCI-8282
www.transcoil.com
5
TCI, LLC | Eliminating Motor Failures Due to IGBT-Based Drives when Connected with Long Leads