Advance Electrical Drives & Control | Subject Code: 403149

1 Basic Terminologies — The Foundation

Thyristor (SCR) A Silicon Controlled Rectifier — a 4-layer semiconductor switch (Anode,

Cathode, Gate). Unlike a diode, it does NOT conduct when forward-biased
unless a small gate pulse is applied. Once ON, it stays ON until current through it
falls to zero (natural commutation). This gate-trigger delay is the firing angle
alpha — the core of converter speed control.

Firing Angle The delay angle (in electrical degrees) from the natural commutation point at
(alpha) which the gate pulse is applied to trigger the thyristor. Ranges from 0 deg to 180
deg. alpha = 0 deg gives maximum average output voltage. alpha = 90 deg gives
zero average voltage. alpha > 90 deg gives negative average voltage (inverter
mode). This is THE control variable for speed in this experiment.

Fully Controlled A rectifier bridge where ALL four devices are thyristors (T1, T2, T3, T4). This
Converter allows the average output voltage to swing both positive AND negative by
varying alpha. Contrast with a semi-converter where only 2 devices are thyristors
— output is always positive and regeneration is not possible. In this experiment,
a single-phase full converter supplies the armature of the separately excited DC
motor.

Separately Excited A DC motor where the field winding has its own independent power supply
DC Motor (usually a fixed diode bridge from the AC supply). The field flux Phi is therefore
held constant. Speed is then controlled purely by varying the armature voltage
Va via the converter's firing angle alpha. This independence of field and armature
makes control straightforward and the speed-voltage relationship linear.

Freewheeling A diode connected across the motor armature in a semi-converter. When

Diode thyristors block during the negative half-cycle, the armature inductance tries to
maintain current flow. The freewheeling diode provides a path for this current,
preventing negative voltage from appearing across the motor. It is NOT used in a
full converter — the thyristors themselves handle both half-cycles and negative
voltage can appear (enabling regeneration).

2 Detailed Explanation — The Core Concept

Full Converter vs. Semi-Converter — Key Differences

Feature Semi-Converter (Half-Ctrl) Full Converter (Fully-Ctrl)

Output Voltage Range Always positive (0 to +Vmax) Positive AND negative (+Vmax to -Vmax)

Thyristor Count 2 thyristors + 2 diodes 4 thyristors (full bridge)

Freewheeling Diode Present — clamps -ve voltage Not needed (thyristors handle both halves)

Regeneration YES — possible in inverter mode (alpha >

NO — power only flows one way
Possible? 90 deg)

Speed Regulation Poor on open-loop Better; good with closed-loop feedback

Ripple Frequency 1x supply frequency (50 Hz) 2x supply frequency (100 Hz)

Where 4-quadrant or regen operation

Applications Low/medium HP, no regeneration
needed

How the Single-Phase Full Converter Fed DC Motor Works

The AC supply (230 V, 50 Hz) feeds a bridge of four thyristors. The field winding is separately supplied
at a fixed voltage via a diode bridge. By varying the firing angle alpha using a potentiometer, the
average DC output voltage to the armature changes — and with it, the motor speed.

Step-by-Step Circuit Operation

■ Positive Half-Cycle (0 to pi): Supply voltage is positive. At angle alpha, thyristors T1 and T2
(diagonal pair) are triggered. Current flows: Supply (+) → T1 → Armature → T2 → Supply (-). Motor
receives positive voltage.
■ Negative Half-Cycle (pi to 2pi): Supply voltage goes negative. At angle (pi + alpha), thyristors T3
and T4 (other diagonal pair) are triggered. Current still flows in the SAME direction through the motor
armature. Motor again receives positive average voltage. This is what makes it a full-wave converter.
■ Why Current Continues Between Pulses: The motor armature has inductance La. This
inductance opposes any sudden change in current — it acts like a 'current flywheel.' In continuous
conduction mode, ia never reaches zero between thyristor firings.
■ Varying Alpha to Control Speed: Increasing alpha delays thyristor firing. Each thyristor conducts
for a shorter portion of the cycle. Average output voltage Va falls as cos(alpha) falls. Lower Va means
lower back EMF needed at equilibrium, so motor settles at a lower speed. Decreasing alpha raises Va
and raises speed.
■ Field Circuit: The field winding is connected to the AC supply through a separate diode bridge
rectifier — giving a fixed, uncontrolled DC field voltage. Field flux Phi remains constant throughout the
experiment.
■ Observation in Lab: Vary the pot (firing angle alpha) → measure output voltage Va with multimeter
→ measure speed with tachometer → record Ia with ammeter. Plot Va vs. Speed (rpm) — should be a
straight line.

Waveforms You Must Understand (from circuit diagram Fig. 5.26)

 Discontinuous Conduction (light load, large alpha): Armature current ia drops to zero between thyristor
firings. Output voltage waveform shows gaps where ia = 0 and motor back-EMF appears. The average
Va formula Va = (2Vm/pi)*cos(alpha) is NOT valid here — actual Va is HIGHER than predicted.
Continuous Conduction (heavy load, small alpha, large La): ia never reaches zero. Output voltage
follows the supply envelope — no gaps. Formula Va = (2Vm/pi)*cos(alpha) IS valid. Speed regulation is
better and more predictable.

Continuous vs. Discontinuous Conduction — Critical Distinction

Aspect Continuous Conduction Discontinuous Conduction

Armature current ia Never reaches zero — flows all the time Drops to zero for part of each cycle

Heavy load, large La (inductance), small

When it occurs Light load, small La, large alpha
alpha

Smooth; formula Va = (2Vm/pi)*cos(alpha) Higher than formula predicts — formula is

Output voltage
valid NOT valid here

Speed regulation Good and predictable Poor — speed varies more with load

Preferred? Yes — industry prefers this No — avoided by adding series inductance

Critical Formulas to Memorize

Formula Condition / Mode What It Tells You

Continuous conduction — Full Average armature voltage from

Va = (2*Vm / pi) * cos(alpha)
converter single-phase full converter

Average output — always positive;

Va = (Vm / pi) * (1 + cos(alpha)) Semi-converter (half-controlled)
freewheeling limits -ve swing

Motor speed as function of armature

N = (Va - Ia*Ra) / (K * Phi) Steady-state motor operation
voltage and load current

Back EMF — proportional to speed: Eb =

Eb = Va - Ia*Ra Any operating point
K*Phi*N

Armature voltage balance — KVL around

Va = Eb + Ia*Ra Motoring mode
armature circuit

Graph You Must Be Able to Draw and Explain

PRIMARY GRAPH — Armature Voltage Va (V) on X-axis vs. Speed N (rpm) on Y-axis: A nearly straight
line rising from the origin. At Va = 0, N = 0 (approximately). As Va increases (achieved by decreasing
alpha), speed rises linearly following N = (Va - Ia*Ra) / K*Phi. The slight non-linearity near the bottom is
due to the Ia*Ra drop and possible discontinuous conduction at low voltages. SECONDARY
UNDERSTANDING — As alpha increases from 0 to 90 deg, Va decreases from maximum (~207 V for
230 V supply) to 0 V, and speed falls proportionally.
3 Expected Viva Questions & Answers — The Hot Seat

BASIC Q1: What is a firing angle? How does it control the speed of the DC motor?

Answer: The firing angle alpha is the delay in electrical degrees from the natural commutation point at
which a gate pulse triggers the thyristor. The average output voltage of the full converter is Va =
(2Vm/pi) x cos(alpha). Increasing alpha reduces cos(alpha), reducing Va. Since motor speed N = (Va
- Ia*Ra) / K*Phi and field flux is constant, a lower Va means lower speed. So alpha and speed are
inversely related — increasing alpha decreases speed.

Q2: What is the main difference between a semi-converter and a fully controlled
BASIC
converter for DC motor drives?

Answer: In a semi-converter, only two of the four bridge devices are thyristors; the other two are
diodes. The output voltage is always positive (0 to +Vmax) and regenerative braking is NOT possible.
A freewheeling diode is present. In a fully controlled converter, all four devices are thyristors, the
output voltage can swing positive AND negative (by setting alpha > 90 deg), and regenerative braking
IS possible. The full converter gives better control and 4-quadrant operation capability.

Q3: Explain the role of the freewheeling diode. Is it present in this experiment's
CORE
full converter?

Answer: A freewheeling diode is connected across the motor load. When a thyristor blocks during the
negative half-cycle of supply, the armature inductance tries to maintain current. The freewheeling
diode provides a low-impedance path for this current, preventing negative voltage from appearing
across the motor terminals and reducing current ripple. In a FULL converter (this experiment), a
freewheeling diode is NOT used — the second pair of thyristors (T3, T4) naturally takes over
conduction during the negative half-cycle, and the converter can produce negative output voltage
intentionally for regeneration.

Q4: What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous conduction?

CORE
Which is preferred and why?

Answer: Continuous conduction: armature current ia never reaches zero between thyristor firings —
maintained by armature inductance La. The formula Va = (2Vm/pi)*cos(alpha) is valid and speed
regulation is good. Discontinuous conduction: ia falls to zero for part of each cycle (light load, high
alpha, small La). The formula overpredicts voltage — actual Va is higher, causing the motor to run
faster than expected. Continuous conduction is strongly preferred in industry because it gives
predictable, stable speed control. It is achieved by using adequate series inductance in the armature
circuit.
 Q5: The speed regulation of this drive is described as 'poor on open-loop.' Why?
ADVANCED
How is it improved?

Answer: In open-loop control, alpha is set manually and the converter output voltage Va is fixed.
When motor load increases, armature current Ia increases, the voltage drop Ia*Ra increases, and
speed N = (Va - Ia*Ra)/K*Phi falls — even though alpha hasn't changed. The operator must manually
readjust alpha. This is 'poor speed regulation.' It is improved by using closed-loop control: a
tachometer or encoder measures actual speed, compares it to the reference, and a PI controller
automatically adjusts alpha to compensate for load changes — keeping speed constant regardless of
load variations.

Q6: What happens when the firing angle alpha exceeds 90 degrees in a full
ADVANCED
converter?

Answer: When alpha > 90 deg, cos(alpha) becomes negative, so the average output voltage Va =
(2Vm/pi)*cos(alpha) becomes negative. However, motor armature current can only flow in one
direction (thyristors block reverse current). If the motor is still spinning, its back EMF is positive and
current continues to flow in the original direction. Power now flows from the motor BACK to the AC
supply — this is regenerative braking. The motor decelerates while returning energy to the grid. This
is only possible with a FULL converter, not a semi-converter.

Q7: If you increase the firing angle alpha and the motor speed does NOT
TRICK
decrease as expected, what could be wrong?

Answer: This is a classic troubleshooting question. Possible causes: (1) The motor may be operating
in discontinuous conduction mode — at light load with high alpha, actual Va is higher than the formula
predicts, so speed does not fall as much as expected. (2) The tachometer may be faulty or not
coupled properly. (3) The firing circuit may have a fault — the pot may not be correctly varying alpha.
(4) The motor load may have decreased (lighter load means higher speed at same Va). (5) The field
voltage may have dropped, weakening flux and causing the motor to speed up as N = Va / K*Phi (field
weakening effect). A good student checks all four: mode of conduction, instruments, firing circuit, and
field supply.

■ Quick Revision Checklist Before Your Viva

■ Know the key formula: Va = (2Vm / pi) x cos(alpha) — and state when it IS and IS NOT valid.

■ Explain the difference between a semi-converter and a fully controlled (full) converter.

■ State why the field winding is supplied separately and kept at fixed voltage throughout.

■ Understand why a freewheeling diode is NOT used in a full converter.

■ Distinguish between continuous and discontinuous conduction — which is preferred and why.
■ Describe how closed-loop control (tachometer feedback) improves speed regulation.

■ Explain what happens when alpha > 90 deg — negative output voltage and regenerative braking.

■ Be ready to describe the graph: Va (X-axis) vs. Speed in rpm (Y-axis) — straight rising line.

■ Know the experimental procedure: connect circuit, vary pot, measure Va, Ia, speed, plot graph.

Guru Gobind Singh College of Engineering & Research Centre | Department of Electrical Engineering | Advance Electrical Drives &
Control (403149) | Good luck in your viva!