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Variable Frequency Drive: Components,


types and it’s working
January 21, 2018 Sujit 0 Comments

A Variable Frequency Drive is a type of electronic controller designed to change the frequency &
voltage supplied to AC motor, which will result in the change of motor speed as per requirement
changes, the VFD can simply turn up or down the motor speed & voltage to meet the speed and torque
requirements.
In order to control the motor’s rotational speed, a Variable Frequency Drive controls the frequency of
the electrical power supplied to it. Frequency (or hertz) is directly related to the motor’s speed (RPMs).
The faster the frequency, the faster the RPM of the motor. As the application’s motor speed
requirements change, the VFD can simply turn up or down the motor speed to meet the speed
requirement, ultimately saving energy.

A Variable Frequency Drive can be found operating ventilation systems, pumps, conveyors and
machine tool drives, on board ships, it is used for bow thrusters, azipod system etc. Other names for a
VFD are variable speed drive, adjustable speed drive, adjustable frequency drive etc.

What are the major advantages of


using Variable Frequency Drive on
board?
1. As VFD is used in Bow thrusters and Azipod system, which are used to give accurate navigational steering
to the vessel, the amount of thrust required by them varies frequently. So, a system is required to change
the speed as well as the direction of these thrusters, this is where VFD comes in.
2. Reduce Energy Consumption and Energy Costs: On ships, various motors do not require to be run at full
speed at all time, then we can cut down energy costs by controlling the motor with a variable frequency
drive. VFDs allow us to match the speed of the motor-driven equipment to the load requirement. There is
no other method of AC electric motor control that allows you to accomplish this.
3. Increase Production Through Tighter Process Control: By operating your motors at the most efficient speed
for your application, fewer mistakes will occur, and thus, production levels will increase. For example, on
conveyors and belts, you eliminate jerks on start-up allowing high throughput.
4. Extend Equipment Life and Reduce Maintenance: Because of the VFDs optimal control of the motor’s
frequency and voltage, the VFD will offer better protection for your motor from issues such as
electrothermal overloads, phase protection, under voltage, overvoltage, etc.
5. Low motor starting current: When you start a load with a VFD you will not subject the motor or driven load
to the “instant shock” of across the line starting, but can start smoothly, thereby eliminating belt, gear and
bearing wear. It also is an excellent way to reduce and/or eliminate water hammer since we can have smooth
acceleration and deceleration cycles.
6. Reduction in thermal & mechanical stresses
7. Equipment in on board that cannot handle excessive torque is protected with the use of it.
8. And finally, lower operating costs.
What are the main components of
Variable Frequency Drive?
A Variable Frequency Drive basic system consists an AC motor, controller, and operator interface.
The Variable Frequency Drive is generally used for a three-phase induction motor because it offers
versatility and cost-effectiveness in comparison to a single-phase or synchronous motor.

Variable Frequency Drive interfaces allow the user to adjust operating speed, start and stop the motor.
The interface might also allow the user to switch and reverse between automatic control, or manual
speed adjustment.

These are the main blocks of Variable Frequency Drive:

1. Rectifier: For changing the incoming AC supply to DC. Different designs are available and these are
selected according to the performance required to the VFD
2. Intermediate circuit: Rectified DC supply is then conditioned in the intermediate circuit, normally by a
combination of inductors and capacitors.

Stages of VFD
3. Inverter: For converting the rectified and conditioned DC back into an AC supply of variable frequency
and voltage
4. Control unit: The control monitor and control the rectifier, the intermediate circuit and the inverter to
deliver the correct output in response to an external control signal. The entire process is controlled by a
microprocessor which monitors the following :
1. Incoming supply voltage
2. Speed set point
3. DC link voltage
4. Output voltage and current to ensure the operation of the motor is within the established parameters.

Describe the working of Variable


Frequency Drive?
Initially, input AC supply is feed to the converter which is generally comprised of six diode 0r
transistors that work like a check valve. Converters convert the AC supply into DC and allow current
to flow in only one direction. The output obtained from the converter is in the square waveform and
it contains ripple voltage which is smoothened by DC link. Then rectified DC is fed to the inverter.
The inverter converts the rectified and conditioned DC back into AC supply of required frequency and
voltage.

BASIC
CIRCUIT OF THE 3-PHASE INVERTER
METHOD TO CREATE 3-
PHASE AC FOR VFD

in order to obtain 3-phase AC, the switches S1 to S6 simultaneously turn On/Off. if the order of turning
On/Off of the switches is changed, the phase sequence is changed between U-V, V-W and W-U and
the direction of rotation can be changed.

note:- It is important to remember that when the output frequency of a VFD is changed, the output
voltage must also be changed; this ensures the balancing of the speed-torque characteristic of the
motor.
Torque Tm = K x Φ x I = K x (V/F) x I

suppose if the voltage is fixed and only the frequency is decreased, the increased magnetic flux (Φ)
causes the iron core to be magnetically saturated and then the increased current causes overheating and
a burnout.

So changing the voltage applied to a motor (V) and the frequency (F) with their relationship kept
constant allows the motor output torque to be constant even if the motor is changed.

If we want to reduce the motor frequency to 30 Hz, then we simply switch the inverter output transistors
more slowly. But, if we reduce the frequency to 30Hz, then we must also reduce the voltage to 240V
in order to maintain the V/Hz ratio

Let us assume that the drive is operating on a 440V power system. The 440V rating is “rms” or root-
mean-squared. The peaks on a 440V system are 620V.The VFD dc bus has a dc voltage with an AC
ripple. VFD can eliminate the AC ripple on the DC bus by adding a capacitor. These capacitor absorbs
the ac ripple and delivers a smooth DC voltage. Thus, the voltage on the DC bus becomes
“approximately” 620VDC. The actual voltage will depend on the voltage level of the AC line feeding
the drive, the level of voltage unbalance on the power system, the motor load, the impedance of the
power system, and any reactors or harmonic filters on the drive.

VFD’s do not produce a sinusoidal output. It produces rectangular waveform would not be a good
choice for a general purpose distribution system but is perfectly adequate for a motor.
What are the different types of
Variable Frequency Drive?
There are commonly three types of VFDs that are used upon the requirements. And these are:

1. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).


2. Current Source Inverter (CSI),
3. Voltage Source Inverter (VSI),

PULSE WIDTH MODULATION (PWD)

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM FOR PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

Pulse Width Modulation VFD uses a diode bridge rectifier to convert the incoming AC voltage to DC
voltage. The DC output uses large capacitors to remove the ripple after the rectifier and creates a stable
DC bus voltage.

The rectified and conditioned DC voltage is then converted back into AC by the inverter. This
conversion is typically achieved through the use of power electronic devices such as IGBT power
transistors using a technique called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The DC voltage is chopped into
variable width, but constant level. By varying the pulse widths and polarity of the DC voltage, it is
possible to generate an averaged sinusoidal AC output over a wide range of frequency, typically 0.5-
120 Hz.
comparing
voltage to current for a PWD VFD

Due to the smoothing effect of the motor inductance, the motor currents appear to be nearly sinusoidal
in shape.The frequency supplied to the motor is determined by the number of positive to negative
transitions per second by output.These transistors are controlled by a microprocessor or motor IC
which monitors various aspects of the drive to provide the correct sequencing.

The Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is among the most commonly
used controllers and has proven to work well with motors that range in size from 0.5 HP to 500 HP.
Most of PWM VFDs are rated for 230V or 460V, 3-Phase operation, and provide output frequencies
in the range of 0.5 to 120 Hz.

ADVANTAGES
 No motor cogging
 Efficiencies from 92% to 96%
 Excellent input power factor due to fixed DC bus voltage
 Low initial cost
 Can be used with applications requiring multiple motors

DISADVANTAGES
 Non-Regenerative operation
 High-frequency switching may cause motor heating and insulation breakdown.

CURRENT SOURCE INVERTER (CSI)


CIRCUIT DIAGRAM FOR CURRENT SOURCE INVERTER

Current Source Inverter (CSI) or AC-DC-AC Synchroconverter generally used for AC synchronous
motor drives and is also used in marine electrical propulsion.It’s converter and inverter rely on natural
turn-off (line commutation) for the thyristors by the 3-phase AC voltages at either end of the converter.
between the rectification and inversion stage, a current smoothing reactor coil forming the DC link.
Inverter
Current Switching Sequence

The combination of the controlled rectifier and DC link is considered to be a current source for the
inverter, whose task is then to the sequentially direct block of the current into the motor windings, as
shown in below diagram

The size of the DC current is set bt the controlled switching of the rectifier thyristors.The input current
remains constant but this input current is adjustable.Motor supply frequency (and therefore its speed)
is set by the rate of inverter switching. The six inverter thyristors provide 6 current pulses per cycle
(known as a 6-pulse converter).

In layman language, we can say that the current source (controlled rectification stage) provides the
required motor torque and the inverter stage controls the required speed. The output voltage of the
inverter is independent of the load. The magnitude and nature of the load current depend on the nature
of load impedance.

note:- In order to maintain the correct voltage to frequency (Volt/Hertz), the voltage must be regulated
by the correct sequencing of the SCRs.

Regenerative braking and Multiquadrant


Operation of CSI
When the motor speed is less than the synchronous speed, machine work as a generator. The power
flows from machine to DC link and DC link voltage reverse. If a fully controlled converter is made to
work as an inverter, then the power supply to DC link will be transferred to AC supply, and
regenerative braking will take place. Hence no additional equipment is required for regenerative
braking of AC motor drive.

ADVANTAGES
 Regenerative power capability
 Simple circuitry
 Reliability (Current Limiting Operation)
 Clean current waveform
 High efficiency
 inherent short circuit protection

DISADVANTAGES
 low-speed motor cogging (shaftpulshing / jerky motion)
 power factor decreases with decreasing speed
 require isolation transformer on the input side
 larger physical size of the drive due to internal power components
 Large power harmonic generation sent back into power source
 Dependent on motor load

Variable Voltage Inverter (VVI)

CIRCUIT
DIAGRAM OF VARIABLE VOLTAGE INVERTER
The basically variable voltage inverter uses a group of SCRs with chopper circuit to convert incoming
AC voltage into DC and to create six-step waveform. These SCRs provide a means of controlling the
value of the rectified DC voltage from 0 to approximately 620V DC. The L choke and C capacitor of
the DC link section conditioned the converted DC voltage. The inverter section consists of six
switching devices such as thyristors, bipolar transistors, MOSFETs, and IGBTs. Control logic uses a
microprocessor to switch the transistors on and off providing a variable voltage and frequency to the
motor.

This type of switching is often referred to as six-step because it takes six 60° steps to complete one
360° cycle. Although the motor prefers a smooth sine wave, a six-step output can be satisfactorily used.

vvi-waveform

The main disadvantage is torque pulsation which occurs each time a switching device, such as a bipolar
transistor, is switched. The

pulsations can be noticeable at low speeds as speed variations in the motor. These speed variations are
sometimes referred to as cogging. The non-sinusoidal current waveform causes extra heating in the
motor requiring a motor derating.

Figure shows a diagram of the voltage and current waveform for theVVI inverter. From this diagram
notice that the voltage is developed in six steps and that the resulting current looks like an ac sine
wave.

ADVANTAGES
 Simple Circuitry
 Can be used with applications requiring multiple motors
 Not dependent on load

DISADVANTAGES
 Large power harmonic generation into power source
 Motor cogging when PWM output is below 6 Hz
 Non-Regenerative operation
 Low power factor

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