VFD

Manoj Barsaiyan

Presentation Outline

What is VFD
How it is Useful
Types of VFD
Components of VFD
Advantages & Disadvantages
Case studies

What is an Electric Drive?

Motor + Control = Drive

Speed-Torque Characteristics are adjusted
according to the requirements of the load
Feedback is necessary to take corrective
action so that the output matches the exact
requirement.

STARTING OF SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

A synchronous motor has no self-starting torque i.e., a synchronous

motor cannot start by itself.

Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)

VFD substitutes the

requirement of energy
efficient motor and
gear box assembly/
scoop coupling.
The VFD schemes are
based on V/F constant.

WHAT IS VARIABLE SPEED

DRIVE

variable voltage and variable frequency drives

Supplied from the fixed voltage and frequency mains
supply source
Converts the power twice, first into DC through source
converter and then into a variable voltage and frequency
output.

Operating principle

RPM = Revolutions per minute

f = AC power frequency (hertz)
p = Number of poles (an even number)

Rectifier is that special type of converter that converts AC to DC

Inverter is that special type of converter that converts DC to AC.

RECTIFIER
I/P - CONSTANT a.c
O/P- VARIABLE d.c

THYRISTOR
FIRING

1 -- 2
2 -- 3

3 -- 4
4 -- 5
5 -- 6
6 -- 1
1 -- 2

Rectifier
O/p

Voltage and current

waveforms during
commutation

VD = 1.35 VRMS

VFD controller

Variable frequency drive controllers are solid state electronic

power conversion devices.

The usual design first converts AC input power to DC

intermediate power using a rectifier bridge.

The DC power is then converted to quasi-sinusoidal AC power

using an inverter switching circuit. The rectifier is usually a threephase diode bridge, but controlled rectifier circuits are also used.

VFD controller

Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) became the device used in

most VFD inverter circuits

AC motor characteristics require the applied voltage to be

proportionally adjusted whenever the frequency is changed in order to

deliver the rated torque. constant volts per hertz ratio is maintained.

In addition to this simple volts per hertz control more advanced

control methods such as vector control and direct torque control
(DTC) exist. These methods adjust the motor voltage in such a way
that the magnetic flux and mechanical torque of the motor can be
precisely controlled.

VFD controller

The usual method used to achieve variable motor voltage is pulsewidth modulation (PWM). With PWM voltage control, the inverter
switches are used to construct a quasi-sinusoidal output waveform by
a series of narrow voltage pulses with sinusoidally varying pulse

durations.

PWM Sine Wave Synthesis

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Area Under The Square-Wave Pulses
Approximates The Area Under A Sine Wave

Voltage

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Frequency

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

How Often You Switch From Positive
Pulses To Negative Pulses Determines
The Frequency Of The Waveform
+

Voltage

Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

RECTIFIER

INVERTER

Frequency

Drives & Motors Fundamentals

Frequency = 30Hz

Frequency = 60Hz

PULSE WIDTH MODULATION (PWM)

RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

INVERTER
RECTIFIER
Positive
DC Bus

Negative
DC Bus

INVERTER

Motor

R Ph

Y Ph

B Ph

FIRING SEQUENCE & PHASE CURRENTS

In power plant we require:

FLOW CONTROL-condensate, Feed

water ,Air Flow etc.
PRESSURE CONTROL-Draft, PA Header
Pressure,Seal Air Pressure Control etc.

Mechanical Capacity Control

Inlet Guide Vane

Outlet Damper Control
Blade Pitch Control
Hydraulic coupling

VFD motor

3 phase induction motor

3 phase synchronous motor

Four Quadrant Operation :

Inverter Duty Motors

Inverter duty motors are specially designed to

withstand the new challenges presented by the use of

inverters. There are a number of ways to designate

motors "inverter duty,"

Class F insulation - to withstand the higher heat

generated by non-sinusoidal current from the drive.

Inverter Duty Motors

A proper inverter duty motor will have special rotor bar

construction designed to withstand variations in air gap

flux densities and rotor harmonics.

Cooling of VFD motors.

Type of Loads

Constant torque loads. These loads represent 90% of all general

industrial machines (other than pumps and fans). Examples of
these load types include general machinery, hoists, conveyors,
printing presses, positive displacement pumps, some mixers and
extruders, reciprocating compressors, as well as rotary
compressors.
Constant horsepower loads. These loads are most often found
in the machine-tool industry and center driven winder
applications. Examples of constant horsepower loads include
winders, core-driven reels, wheel grinders, large driller machines,
lathes, planers, boring machines

Type of Loads

Variable torque loads. Variable torque loads are most often

found in variable flow applications, such as fans and pumps.

Examples of applications include fans, centrifugal blowers,

centrifugal pumps, propeller pumps, turbine pumps, agitators, and
axial compressors.

VFDs offer the greatest opportunity for energy savings when

driving these loads because horsepower varies as the cube of

speed and torque varies as square of speed for these loads.

Type of Loads

Variable torque loads.

Flow Speed
Pressure (Speed)2
Energy (Speed)3

For example, if the motor speed is reduced 20%, motor

horsepower is reduced by a cubic relationship (.8 X .8 X .8), or
51%.
As such, utilities often offer subsidies to customers investing in
VFD technology for their applications. Many VFD manufactures
have free software programs available for customers to calculate
and document potential energy savings by using VFDs.

Variable speed drives for power

generation applications
Pumps
Boiler feed-water pump
Condensate extraction pump
Cooling water pump
Ash Water pumps
Fans
Primary air fan
Secondary air fan
ID fan

Other
Raw coal feeder
Coal mill
air compressor
Gas turbine starter

Major Application Areas

Pumps
Fans
Compression type load

Efficiency v/s Different Control is as follow

Energy Saving with VFD

VFD gives the highest efficiency at part load applications. So we

can say that whenever our application requires part load application
we must go for VFD.

At 80% flow rate:

Damper control absorbs 93% motor power

IGV control absorbs 70% of motor power

Eddy current coupling control absorbs 67% of motor power

VFD control absorbs 51% of motor power

Energy Saving with VFD

Energy losses
Vs
Investment Cost

TYPES OF VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE

VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER(VSI)

A capacitor is used at the diode bridge

output to maintain voltage at input of the
Inverter
CURRENT SOURCE INVERTER(CSI)
A series high voltage reactor is used between
diode bridge and the Inverter to maintain
current during variations at supply end.

VFD controller

Voltage Source inverter control

CSI CURRENT SOURCE INVERTER

ONE SYSTEM CONTROLS ONLY ONE MOTOR

SUITABLE FOR LARGE DRIVES

PRECISE CONTROL OF MOTOR IS POSSIBLE WITH

FEEDBACK SIGNAL

Load commutated inverter fed

synchronous motor

Current Source Inverter

Comparison of CSI/VSI

CSI is more reliable than VSI

Due to presence of large inductor CSI drive
has higher cost, weight, volume and slower
dynamic response.
CSI is not suitable for multimotor drives
whereas a single VSI can feed a number of
motors connected in parallel.

Characteristic of VFD drive

V/f ratio is kept constant below the base speed and above the
base speed only V is maintained constant.
Tmax is proportional to square of V/f ratio.

WHAT IS LCI ?
LCI means Load Commutated Inverter.
Commutation is the process whereby changing
voltage cause one cell to stop conducting and
another to begin. For a very short period of time
two phases shall be short-circuited.
In Other words Control can turn ON a thyristor,
but we need the changing voltage relationship to
turn it OFF Commutation takes place.

LCI: main features

Not requires commutation circuits

size and cost of the inverter gets reduced.
Frequency of operation can be much higher.
can operate at higher power levels.

Load Commutated Inverter

(LCI) Fed Drive

Used with synchronous motor operating at

leading power factor.
At leading power factor, the inverter
thyristors can be commutated by the
armature induced voltages.
Can use either rotor position sensors or
motor terminal voltage sensors.

RECTIFIER

INVERTER
DC Link

SYNC.
Motor

AC Line

REACTOR

BRUSH
LESS
Exciter

THYRISTOR FIRING
1

1
6

2
120 deg.

5
4

1
6

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

DC
Voltage
Source

R Ph
Y Ph
B Ph

Synchronous Motor Stator winding

Mitigating Harmonics

Sometimes filters are used with VFD to reduce

harmonics.
VFDs Using Some VFDs are manufactured with
IGBT rectifiers. The unique attributes of IGBTs
allow the VFD to actively control the power input,
thereby lowering harmonics, increasing power
factor and making the VFD far more tolerant of
supply side disturbances.
An Active Front End Technology (AFE) drive
provides the best way to take advantage of VFD
benefits and minimize harmonics.

Multi-Pulse VFDs

There are a minimum of six rectifiers for a three

phase AC VFD. A standard six-pulse drive has six
rectifiers, a 12-pulse drive has two sets of six
rectifiers, an 18-pulse drive has three sets of six
rectifiers and so on.
If the power connected to each set of rectifiers is
phase shifted, then some of the harmonics
produced by one set of rectifiers will be opposite
in polarity from the harmonics produced by the
other set of rectifiers. The two wave forms
effectively cancel each other out.

VFD Driven ID Fans

Single Channel (6 Pulse)

Duel Channel (12 Pulse)

Duel Channel has inherent advantage of lower

torque pulsation,as well as reduction in
harmonics after converter.

Block diagram of 12 pulse VFD

LCI
DRIVE

Thyristor
comutation

2-channel VFD

Maintenance of VFD
VFD maintenance requirements fall into three
basic categories:
keep it clean;
keep it dry;
keep the connections tight.

Photo 1, Fan Injecting Dust into Drive Enclosure

Photo 2, Corrosion on Board Traces Caused by Moisture

Photo 3, Arcing Caused by Loose Input Contacts

Photo 4, Arcing Caused by Loose Output Contacts

ADVANTAGE OF VFD OVER OTHER SPEED/FLOW

CONTORLLLERS
1.
Very high efficiency at lower loads.
2.
Very smooth starting of Drives. There is no inrush of huge
starting current which in turn increases motor insulation
life.
3.
As the starting current is low, it eliminates the disturbance
in Electric System.
4.
No limitation on number of Start/Stop of Drives.
5.
Reduced Vibration & wear and noise on mechanical system.
Increased life of mechanical system.
6.
Precise speed control possible.
7.
Regeneration of stored energy in form of inertia is also
possible.

Drawback of VFD System

Increased number of Switchgear Equipments. This

multiplies its cost many fold.
Use of complex Electro-Electronic System makes it
more complicated. There has been many starting
problem in the past.
It requires Air Conditioning System which in addition
to adding cost also consumes substantial Aux. Power
Load current has ample quantity of Harmonics which
in addition to contributing to the loss also make torque
pulsating. This is more pronounced during starting.
For supporting VFD and a.c. system, additional civil
structure is also required which further add the cost.

EOT CRANE APPLICATION

USED FOR MAIN HOIST,

CROSS TRAVEL & LONG
TRAVEL
ADVANTAGES
IMPROVED RELIABILITY
PRECISE SPEED &
TORQUE CONTROL
SAFELY LOWERS LOAD IN
THE EVENT OF A BRAKE
FAILURE (BRAKE SLIP
DETECTION CAPABILITY)
ENERGY SAVING IN
OPERATION AS WELL IN
REGENERATIVE
BREAKING.

Cooling Tower Application

Fan Motors

Used to remove heat from the

water
By evaporation of sprayed
water

Agenda

By Forced draft

Traditional approach of
Forced Draft
ON/OFF of Fan motors
Dual speed Fan motors
Variable pitch axial fans

VFD Application for Cooling Tower Fan

Energy Savings on load profile
but could be as high as 40% also
with extreme climate
variations
Optimum Return Water
Temperature for optimum
Chiller Efficiency

Cooling
Tower Cells

Agenda

Reduced Water Loss

Other advantages of Drive
usage like pf improvement, no
starter, only three(3) motor
Cooling Tower
cables etc.
Fan Drive

Chiller

Temperature Condenser
Sensor
Water Pump

CONCLUSION

Considerations while selection of VFD:

Proveness of the system

Requirement of Inverter Duty motor
Distance of the Equipment from the Inverter
Redundancies in Power and Control circuit hardware
Logics build in the system to avoid tripping of drive
unit in case of any one channel failure.
Harmonic generated in the system
Noise level limitations in operation