Discussion

Induction motor is the most used in industry because of its high robustness, reliability, low cost,
high efficiency and good self-starting capability. The AC induction motor is a rotating electric
machine designed to operate from a three-phase source of alternating voltage. In adjustable speed
applications, AC motors are powered by inverters. The inverter converts DC power to AC power
at the required frequency and amplitude. The inverter consists of three half-bridge units where
the upper and lower switches are controlled complimentarily. As the power device's turn-off time
is longer than its turn-on time, some dead-time must be inserted between the turn-off of one
transistor of the half-bridge and turn-on of its complementary device. The output voltage is
mostly created by a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique.

In motor control, we will use inverter as it comes with several advantages such as in low speed, it
increase the motor torque to maximum torque, and provide starters are not required. When
inverters used, the soft start will provided so that the motor speed can accelerates from 0 to
maximum speed without current surge and also will produce s-curve when plotting the graph.
However, there are still having some disadvantages such as it generates more harmonics and
effect the motor become hotter and noisier.

The purpose of this experiment is to study the application of inverter for controlling the
acceleration and deceleration of an ac induction motor. As to make it success, we had done 3
types of experiments which is Experiment A (Accelerating motor), Experiment B (Decelerating
motor) and Experiment C (Acceleration and deceleration of motor using remote I/O terminal of
inverter).

As for Experiment A, the frequency increasing from 0 Hertz to 50 Hertz, the motor speed also
increasing constantly in range of 0 to 1500 rpm as the frequency increasing, the output voltage
increasing, while the input voltage and current, also the output current were similar. When
change the parameter of Fr to 1, the direction of the motor change to direction of anti clockwise.
All in all, the frequency is proportional with the motor speed. As for the Experiment B, the result
is quite similar with the Experiment A with the different method. In Experiment B, the frequency
decreasing from 50 Hertz to 0 Hertz and the results decreasing as the frequency decreased. Las
but not least, Experiment C. Technique for this experiment was control the motor speed using
Remote I/O Terminal of inverter. When we turn on terminal F, the direction of the motor was
counter clockwise while we turn the terminal R, the direction change to anti clockwise. The
results were, Frequency maximum= 50Hz, Speed maximum=1498rpm, Increase potentiometer =
11s and Decreases potentiometer = 20.64s ~ 11s. The graph of speed versus time was
established.

For this experiment, several precautions need to pay attention. Students should connect the three-
phase ac power supply, ac induction motor to the inverter terminal correctly. Read the label for
each wire and connect it to its right terminal. Otherwise, it can blow up and cause fire burning.
Students also need to measure all the parameters precisely or else the objectives of this
experiment cannot establish.