A Study of Synchronous Motor Drive

using Static Frequency Converter

Ho-Seon Ryu, Bong-Suck Kim, Joo-Hyun Lee, Ik-Hun Lim
Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea

Abstract- SFC (Static Frequency Converter) system has Network

Converter
DC Link
Reactor
Machine
Converter
been used as drive of large synchronous machine in many
industry applications. But many papers have been presented
on the control algorithm of SFC system, not the acceleration
and start-up but the rated speed operation with line
connection and the braking operation with regeneration
which is used in the industry. This paper presents all control
algorithms for the large synchronous machine connected
with SFC system. The experimental results show that the Fig. 1. Scheme of load commutated inverter
proposed several algorithms are proper and effective.
TABLE I.
RELATIONS OF SWITCHING SEQUENCE AND OUTPUT CURRENT
I. INTRODUCTION
A variety of systems have been devised over the years Mode model mode2 Mode3 mode4 mode5 mode6
for starting synchronous machines and gas turbines. The
curre
choice of control methods depended on the particular T6,T1 T1,T2 T2,T3 T3,1T4 T4, T5 T5,T6
requirements and conditions in the supply network. In nt
case of gas turbines, for instance, the rotating exciter or
separate DC motor has been used. For pumped storage Ia Idc Idc 0 -Idc -Idc 0
plants, on the other hand, it was normal to mount an lb -Idc 0 Idc Idc 0 -Idc
induction type pony motor on the main shaft of the
machine group. Recently, however, a general system has Ic 0 -Idc -Idc 0 Idc Idc
been developed, the static starting device, which is
adaptable to any specific requirement. In addition, the III. OPERATING MODE
static starting device is not only capable of starting the The Characteristic about driving curve of Synchronous
synchronous motor up to a rated speed, but also of motor fed by LCI system can be represented by Fig. 2.
breaking the motor to a standstill. The synchronous Driving ranges is divided by speed driving, synchronizing,
machine is started from standstill by applying a phase braking and regenerating mode
synchronized, variable frequency generated by Load A. Driving Mode
Commutated Inverter (LCI) system. The starting system
can be located remotely from the motor with one start-up The current of bridge MC is commutated by the motor
system applied for several motors. The system can also be voltage. The motor current, therefore, lags behind the
used for driving, braking, or reversing large synchronous voltage and the synchronous machine is overexcited. At
zero frequency, the amplitude of the motor voltage is
machines. Many papers have been presented about the therefore zero and commutation of the current in bridge
control algorithm of SFC system, not only the acceleration MC is not possible. For this reason, at low frequency the
and start-up but also the rated speed operation with line motor is driven by pulse operation. Therefore during pulse
connection and the braking operation with regeneration operation, the period of '0' DC link current is existed.
which is used in the industry[l][2][3]. A full description Commutation is then not controlled by the motor voltage
of this system is given in this paper. The experimental but by the supply side bridge NC.
results show that the proposed algorithm is proper and
effective.
II. ANALYSIS OF LCI SYSTEM[1]
LCI system is consisted of Network Converter (NC),
Machine Converter (MC) and DC link Reactor. LCI
system can be represented in Fig. 1. In the LCI system, the
inverter output current contains fundamental and
harmonic components because the gating of one thyristor
establishes the 1200 conduction pattern. One mode t[niin]
operates during 60 degree. The relations of switching
sequence and output current can be represented by table 1. Fig.2. Characteristic about driving curve of LCI system-
synchronous motor

1-4244-0121-6/06/$20.00 (C2006 IEEE 1496 EPE-PEMC 2006, Portoro2, Slovenia

 In the driving mode, the Network Converter (NC) on
the input side is functioning as a rectifier. The Machine
Converter (MC) on the motor side operates as a line
commutated inverter.
The driving control block diagram can be represented
by Fig. 3. The current and voltage reference is developed
by speed and current controller which is used by PI
controller. This control scheme is similar with DC motor
drive.
The firing angle of NC is obtained by the Cosine
method which can be described by (1).
a = cos-L Vdcref
t1.35 x V,
where c : firing angle of NC
Vdcref DC voltage reference
Vs : supply voltage
B. Synchronization
The motor is accelerated by the SFC until the rated
speed is almost reached. At this time, Line connection is
performed. During synchronization mode, the phase angle
of NC and MC voltage is detected. So line connection is
performed when phase angle is same and NC voltage is
zero crossing. And the SFC is still driving the motor and
thus paralleled with the supply system in short period.
Therefore stability of system at the line connection time is
improves. The Control block diagram of line connection
can be represented by Fig. 4.
synchronous
motor
/ \.N
position
encoder
C. Braking Mode
The need for generated control occurs when
disconnected a line to a synchronous motor. Some of the
energy generated by the motor may be dissipated as heat
losses in the motor or distribution wiring. The rest of the
energy will be transferred through the DC bus to the
source line.
In this paper, Braking mode control is performed
optimally within the rated current by using the method of
the analysis of the power equivalent circuit. The
Equivalent circuit of LCI system can be represented by
Fig. 5 [6].
(1) The diode is characteristics of only direction current
flow.
Ko is average voltage of MC DC output. The back
EMF is proportionate in motor speed, therefore it is
expressed at the price which doubles a constant in speed.
1) Machine Converter (MC) control
The MC is operated as a rectifier in some other way
with driving mode. MC operates a rated current regulator,
so it applies a same control scheme like that with driving
mode.
2) Network Converter (NC) control
The function of NC is operated as an inverter to flow
the current of LCI system for the regeneration in the
braking mode region.
Therefore Vd cos oc < Ko cos y condition must be
satisfied for the proper regeneration.
In the steady state the DC current can be derived by (2)
as shown in Fig. 5.
shaft
I K(ocos y - V cos
oc (2)
RL±RI +RC

Vd cosO = Koo- Id(RL± RI +RC) (3)

RC RL RI

VdcOs aKwcos7

feedback / speed

Fig.3. Driving control block diagram of LCI system

Fig.5. Equivalent circuit of LCI system

where RC Network Converter (NC) resistance

RL: DC Link resistance
RI: Machine Converter (MC) resistance
Vd cos cc : NC output voltage
Vd : average voltage of DC output
c : firing angle of NC
Kcocosy : the output voltage of MC
K constant value
Fig.4. Control block diagram of line connection for the synchronization
0o motor speed
y firing angle of MC

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 The nominal parameters of the synchronous machine
are shown in Table 2 for the experiments, the stator
terminal voltage is back EMF because the stator circuit is
open from any network.
Vqe is to be measured to calculate Kot=0 which is the
output voltage of MC during the braking mode. Vqe
q-axis voltage in the synchronous reference frame [7],[8].
The formula can be obtained as following:
Kco( = fx 3
(4)
During the braking operation Kcot>O is proportional to
the motor speed. Therefore Kot>O can be derived by
=Wtpm
W
K(ot> xK ot=0 (5)
rated
where Wpm is the actual motor speed, and W,ated is the
rated speed.
The reference voltage (VdCC ref ) of NC can be
determined by (3) to converter the kinetic energy of the
motor to the supply system as shown in Fig. 6.
IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The nominal parameters of the synchronous machine
shown in Table 2 for the experiments
A. Driving Mode
Fig. 7 shows the control characteristics of the driving
mode. Fig. 7(a) is the speed response of the step changes
for starting the synchronous machine from 0 to 1800rpm.
At very low speed range the amplitude of the stator
voltage is too small to commutate the stator current, the
pulse operation is employed.
But at the higher speed range, the stator current is
naturally commutated by means of its own back EMF.
And the synchronous motor runs up to the rated speed as
shown in Fig. 7(a). Fig. 7(b) is DC link current of LCI.
This waveform shows the difference between the pulse
operation and the machine-controlled operation. And the
waveform of Fig. 7 (c) is the stator current of A phase.
B. Synchronization Mode
During the synchronization mode, Line Connection is
performed. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 show the characteristics of
line connection. The waveform in Fig. 8 illustrates the line
connection when phase angle of NC and MC is same and
is the voltage is zero crossing. Therefore the waveforms of the
motor voltage, the stator current and motor speed in Fig. 9
show the usefulness of the proposed line connection
algorithm.
C. Braking Mode
Fig. 10 shows the characteristics of the braking mode
control. Fig. 10(a) shows the speed response about the
change of the speed reference from 1,800 to 0 rpm.
Fig. 10 (b) shows the DC link current which is controlled in
rated current. The characteristics tics of this motor speed,
DC link current is to verify the avail ability for braking
control
V. CONLUSION
SFC (Static Frequency Converter) system has been used
as driving large synchronous machine in many industry
applications. But many papers have been presented on the
control algorithm of SFC system, not the acceleration and
start-up but the rated speed operation with line connection
are
and the braking operation with regeneration which is used
in the industry. This paper presented a full description of
the synchronous motor drive in connected with SFC
system. Specially the line connection method by detecting
voltage phase and the braking method with regeneration
by analyzing equivalent circuit was presented. Experiment
results show the validity of the proposed control
algorithms for operating the SFC system.
TABLE 2
NOMINAL PARAMETERS OF SYNCHRONOUS MACHINE
Poles
Rated power 900[W] Stator resistance 4
Rated voltage 400[V] Xbase 8.5 [ Q ]
Rated current 1 [A] D-axis 133.3 [ Q]
Rated speed 1800[rpm] inductance 205%
Field current 1.15 [A] Q-axis 140%
in ctan ce

sh aft
position
encoder

synchronous
motor

machine
converter

ts
DC link
reactor

netw ork
converter

Fig.6. Control block diagram of the braking mode

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 2400
fT 1
-

1800

-~~~~~~~~~~\_
/ ;J \: \
I ilA ii/\ 0r 18\
-- ;
WrPn [rpm] I
A
- - -~sec
-

- - -(a) Motor speed

i.
18 00

1 75
Wrpm
Q ~~~~~[sec 5 [rpm]
I1cc[A]
(b)
DC oLin cufent -

I
-0.25 0 [sec] I
Fig.9. Motor line voltage, current, speed of line connection
IP
1.6 "_k
2400 I
~~~~~~~I IIIIIII

1800 '
a [A] VWp m
[rpm]
0
-1.6 I

0 [sec] 5
° [ sec] 55
(c) Motor A phase current (a) Motor speed
Fig.7 Characteristics of the driving mode including the pulse operation

II 1.-uILL.I I I
1.75

I
Va m =A
Idc
[A] S-1i. 1 11~~~I
1'j'1 1 1 Ilk,,
IVa_m
- 0.25 _E TI
I I i 0 [ sec] 5

0 [sec] 1 (b) DC Link current

Fig. 10. Characteristics of braking mode
Fig 8. Motor phase line voltage, phase source voltage

REFERENCES
[1] David Finney, Variable frequency AC motor drive systems, Peter
Peregrinus Ltd., 1988 pp.202-274
[2] F. Peneder, R. Lubasch, A. Vonmard, "Static equipment for
starting pumped storage plant, synchronous condensers and gas
turbine sets", Brown Boveri Rev., 61, 1974 (9/10), pp. 440-447.
[3] 0. Kolb, F. Pender, V. Suchanek, "Static starting equipment for
gas turbosets", Brown Boveri Rev., 66, 1979 (2), pp.104-112
[4] R.S. Colby, M.D. Otto, J.T. Boys, "Analysis of LCI synchronous
motordrives with finite DC link inductance", Electric Power
Applications, IEE Proceedings B, Vol.140, Nov. 1993, pp.379-386
[5] S. Morimoto, Y. Takeda, K. Hatanaka, Y. Tong, T. Hirasa,
"Design and control system of inverter-driven permanent magnet
synchronous motors for high torque operation", IEEE Tran.
Industry Applications, Vol. 29, Issue:6, Nov/Dec 1993, pp. 1150-
1155
[6] P. Kundur, Power system stability and control, McGraw-Hill, Inc,
pp. 500-523, 2003.
[7] A. E. Fitzerald, Charles Kingsley, Jrad Stephen D. Umars, Electric
Machinery, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1983.
[8] P. C. Krause, Analysis of Electrical Machinery, McGraw-Hill
Book Company, 1987.

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