D R I V E S

&
S W I T C H G E A R

here are tangible cost savings to be made with a matched

motor and variable speed drive (VSD) combination.

Matched motor and VSD combination

means cost savings
A matched motor and VSD package
usually refers to a combination from
the same supplier, but one supplier has
redefined the concept of a motor and
VSD package with an integrated offering
which provides measurable benefits to
customers.
The compatibility between AC motors
and VSDs is an often debated and
misunderstood subject. Any normal
3 phase motor can be controlled by
any standard VSD, therefore from
this perspective they are compatible.
However, true compatibility goes way
beyond mere operation. Long term
reliability and efficiency of energy use
should be the result of a truly compatible
motor and VSD combination.
An optimal combination is the result
of two aspects, namely motor design
and VSD design. These have to be
considered in conjunction with one
another and not in isolation.
Compatibility issues
The three main issues of compatibility
are motor thermal condition, peak
voltage value (Vpeak) and the rise time of
the voltage peaks (dv/dt).
Motors driven by VSD are subjected to
thermal conditions that are different to
that when operated DOL (direct on line).
There are three reasons for this.
The voltage wave form that the VSD
supplies to the motor is not a pure
sinusoidal wave form. The distortion of
the VSD wave form causes additional
heat in the motor.
Secondly the motor is normally dependent
on the shaft mounted fan for cooling air
flow. When operated by VSD and run
at speeds below 50 Hz, the air flow is

Information from Zest

reduced and therefore the motor heat

rise will be greater for the same load.
If operated at speeds above 50 Hz the
motor magnetic flux which provides the
torque is reduced. If the motor nominal
torque is maintained its heat rise will be
greater than nominal.
The individual voltage pulses generated
by a VSD reach high peak values at
the motor terminals. This phenomenon
is known as voltage reflections or
standing waves. This effect is common
and similar for all standard VSDs. The
typical voltage peak value is 2,8 x V
AC supply, but much higher values of
4 6 x V AC supply are possible.
The severity of the effect of each
individual pulse V peak is determined
by how quickly or sharply the voltage
rises. This is known as dv/dt and is
given in volts per microsecond (V/s).
The more rapidly the voltage rises,
the more potentially damaging it is to
motor insulation. A slow voltage rise
allows the peak value to be dispersed
across several motor winding turns.
The result is a relatively low turn-toturn voltage value. A rapid voltage rise
results in high turn-to-turn voltage that
may be damaging to motor insulation.
A typical value of dv/dt is 3000 V/s.
Once again, much higher values are
possible.
If one contrasts the normal AC supply
voltage with that of a VSD output, the
difference is obvious. A 525 V 50 Hz
supply provides a smooth sine wave
with a peak value of 742 V. It takes
the voltage t seconds to rise to this
Nov/Dec 2007 - Vector - Page 41

value. On the same supply a VSD

output would typically rise to a peak of
1484 V in a time of t . To equate these
on the same scale, the impact of the
VSD voltage is 10 000 times greater
than that of the sine wave. This is still a
good value. As a result of poor design
or application, this value can easily rise
to much higher values. Motor design
should cater for these phenomena in
the following ways:
l Motor thermal design and cooling
should take into account VSD output
waveforms. This means, that in
contrast to former years where fixed
speed 50 Hz operation was virtually
the only possibility, motor design
should now take VSD operation into
account.
l Motor insulation must cater for the
V peak and dv/dt values that VSD
voltage pulses will cause.
There are a limited number of industryappointed suppliers of special wire for
inverter fed motors known as spike
resistant wire and because of the
relatively high cost of this specialised
wire, the majority of manufacturers have
continued to install Grade 2 or 3 wire as
standard in their motors. Accelerated life
tests have shown that the life expectancy
of a standard insulation system may
be reduced by as much as 75 % when
subjected to the high dv/dt levels and
voltage spikes generated by modern
inverters.
To counteract this effect, all Weg
525 V motors are wound with spikeresistant wire rated 1780 V peak and
6500 V/s.

Quality and reliability are obviously

two key elements to be considered
when selecting an electric motor for
any application. A critical element
underlying these qualities is the motor
insulation, and possibly the most
important component in this system is
impregnation.
There are a number of impregnation
options to consider, depending on the
application. These include dipping,
flooding, vacuum impregnation (VI),
vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI)
and continuous resin flow impregnation
(CRFI). The process of impregnation
consists of adding varnish or resin
(varnish is resin with solvent added,
resin is an organic polymer) to the
motor stator to fill all gaps, increasing
motor thermal conductivity as well as
mechanical and dielectric strength.
Most people believe that VPI is the best
impregnation system, and it has been
found that this is true for form wound
motors due to the high porosity of
insulating tapes and fleeces. However,
random wound motors are far superior
when impregnated by the CRFI system.
CRFI is sometimes known as trickle and
should not be confused with dripping,
which is achieved by pouring varnish on
top of the windings, which may or may
not be pre-heated. In the CRFI system,
the stator is pre-heated to facilitate
resin flow through the slots; it is then
tilted and rotated. The combination of
gravity and the centrifugal force created
by the rotating movement ensures that
the resin adheres to the windings and
slot insulation, filling all gaps.
In addition, the use of a specialised
resin instead of varnish increases the
percentage of retained solids at the
end of impregnation from 40 to over
99 %. The result is an overall increase in
mechanical and dielectric strength of the
insulation, eliminating vibration between
turns, which prevents short circuits and
improves heat transfer.
CRFI impregnation brings high voltage
integrity and mechanical endurance
to the motor windings, features that
are crucial for reliable operation in
applications where motors are used
with AC inverters. The CRFI impregnated
motor also presents a six times lower
amplitude discharge than motors using
standard dipping systems at an applied
voltage of 2600 V. Also, the voltage
amplitude threshold from which partial
discharges occur is 41% higher for a
CRFI system, providing greater immunity
against voltage spikes.
The VSD design should be such that the
output waveform is minimally distorted
and the voltage peaks and dv/dt
minimised. This requires an in-depth

integrated understanding not only of

VSD power electronic technology, but
also of motor design and technology.
Suppliers of optimised motor/VSD
combinations considers this holistic
approach as being fundamental. Research
and development facilities have been
studying the effects of PWM drives on AC
electric motors over a number of years.
The result has been the incorporation of
sophisticated technology.
VSD design should cater for these
phenomena in the following ways:
l The VSD software that controls the
output pulses must model the motor
theoretically and control the pulses
practically in such a manner that
the VSD output is nearly a pure sine
wave.
l A software based motor protection
model that models motor heat rise
and cooling based on actual motor
data. This motor thermal model must
consider the effect of varying speed,
not merely the current value.
l The semi-conductor switching times
must be selected to be rapid enough
to allow rapid response, but also
slow enough to minimise the VSD
output dv/dt. The switching time
referred to here is the time taken to
turn the semi-conductors on from the
off state.
l The VSD must have a nominal
switching frequency that is
<5 kHz. The switching frequency
is the number of pulses at the
VSD output for every cycle of the
output voltage. If this switching
frequency is too low, the output
waveform becomes very distorted.
The higher the switching frequency,
the smoother the output waveform.
However, motor insulation failure is
proportional to switching frequency
below 5 kHz and is proportional to
the square of the switching frequency
above 5 kHz. A switching frequency
in the region of 3 kHz is normally a
good compromise. If one use 3 kHz
as a basis of comparison, then at
5 kHz motor insulation failure is 1,6
times more probable and at 10 kHz,
motor insulation failure is 33 times
more probable!
l Mean time between pulses (MTBP)
must be designed to be >6 s.
If the VSD pulses are too close
together, the peak values at the
motor terminals can be multiplied
to 5,6 x V AC supply instead of
2 , 8 x V A C s u p p l y. O n a
525 V supply this results in Vpeak =
2940 V.
All the above factors should be
considered in the VSD modulation
principal.
Weg has introduced an optimal flux
Nov/Dec 2007 - Vector - Page 42

technology. Its CFW09 VSD is used in

combination with a premium efficiency
motor. A specially developed flux model
in the VSD applies a varying V/F ratio
to the motor. This varying V/F ratio is
designed to minimise motor losses. The
result is reduced motor heat rise and
increased efficiency. This represents
upfront cost savings as well as energy
efficiencies which lower operating
costs. No specialised knowledge is
required to apply this technology.
The commissioning procedure for
the VSD has been streamlined with
the incorporation of a feature known
as oriented start-up. An automatic
programming routine guides the
operator through a sequence designed
for the completion of the minimum
number of parameters for the perfect
adaptation between the motor and drive
combination. The combined features
of these electric motors and VSDs have
addressed the major drawbacks in
motor and drive combinations, such as
the increase in motor temperature and
fast transient high voltage peaks. The
new technology has revolutionised the
concept of the matched motor and drive
combinations and provides considerable
advantages.
Contact Chris Chryssoulis, Zest Electric
Motors and Drives, Tel 011 723-6000,
chrisc@zest.co.za D