ELL-332 Electric Drives

Lecture 3: Different types of load torques

Anandarup Das
Associate Professor
Room-402A, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi.
anandarup@[Link]
Content
• Different types of load torques
• Steady state operating point
• Effect of gear

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Different types of load torque
• The machine may encounter
different types of loads in
practice.
• Load torque can be active or
passive.
• Active load torques can drive
the motor under equilibrium
condition e.g., gravity load.
• Passive load torques always
oppose the motion e.g., fan
load. They will change the sign
on reversal of motion.

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Different types of load torque
• In fan type of load, 𝑇𝐿 ∝ 𝜔2
• This is also true for pumps and
compressors.
• When the motion is opposed
by a fluid then such
characteristics are experienced
e.g., formula one cars.

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Different types of load torque
• In hoist/lift, 𝑇𝐿 is generally
independent of speed,
however for high-speed lifts
the windage factor starts to
have its effects.

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Different types of load torque
• In traction load, at zero speed
the static friction (stiction) is
very high.
• Once the machine starts to
rotate, the load torque falls
and as speed picks up, the
torque due to windage starts
to dominate.
• The slope also changes the
load torque.

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Different types of load torque
• For some loads, like coiler
drives, the power is constant.
So, the load torque and speed
are hyperbolic in nature.

• The operating speed of the

system is where load torque
intersects the motor torque.

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Example
• A motor is driving a blower type of passive load where 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 0.1𝑁 2 ,
N=speed in RPM.
• The combined motor blower inertia is J=5 kg-m2.
• If the motor torque is given by, 𝑇𝑒𝑚 = 50 − 0.05𝑁, then what is the steady
state speed of the blower?

𝑑𝜔
• 𝑇𝑒𝑚 − 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐽 = 0 at steady state.
𝑑𝑡
• Thus, 50 − 0.05𝑁 = 0.1𝑁 2 which gives, N=22.11 RPM

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Example
• A motor is driving a blower type of passive load where 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 0.1𝑁 2 ,
N=speed in RPM.
• The combined motor blower inertia is J=5 kg-m2.
• If the blower is now reversed by reversing the motor torque to 𝑇𝑒𝑚 =
− 50 − 0.05𝑁, then what is the steady state speed of the blower?

𝑑𝜔
• 𝑇𝑒𝑚 − 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐽 = 0 at steady state.
𝑑𝑡
• Here 𝑇𝑒𝑚 = −50 − 0.05𝑁 and 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = −0.1𝑁 2
• Thus, −50 − 0.05𝑁 + 0.1𝑁 2 = 0 which gives, N=-22.11 RPM

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Stability
• An equilibrium is reached when Tem=TL.
• However, this is not the only condition. We must ensure that at the
equilibrium point, an increase in speed causes the load torque to exceed
the motor torque, so that speed falls back.
𝑑𝑇𝐿 𝑑𝑇𝑒𝑚
• Thus, >
𝑑𝜔 𝑑𝜔

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Stability
• Point A is stable while point B is
unstable.
A 𝑑𝜔
• 𝑇𝑒𝑚 − 𝑇𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐽
𝑑𝑡

B 𝑑𝑇𝐿 𝑑𝑇𝑒𝑚
• In general, > should be
𝑑𝜔 𝑑𝜔
ensured.

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Effect of gear
• We often use gears to change the
shaft speed of the motor.
• The wind turbine rotates at a slow
speed (e.g., 10-15 RPM).
• With conventional speed control
techniques, if we run the generator
at such low speeds, then it will be
highly inefficient.
• So a gear box is used to increase the
shaft speed.

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Effect of gear
• Gears are also used in traction drives.

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Effect of gear
• We also use gears when different parts of a drive system operate at
different speeds.
• For such system, all mechanical quantities like load torque or inertia
should be referred to a single axis e.g., the motor shaft.
• This makes our analysis simpler.

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Finding J of a system
• Let there be system of a motor and two loads. One load is connected
directly to the shaft. The other is connected through a gear.
• How do we know what is the equivalent inertia of a system?

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Finding J of a system
1 2 1 2 1 2
• 𝐽𝑒𝑞 𝜔𝑚 = 𝐽0 𝜔𝑚 + 𝐽1 𝜔𝑚1
2 2 2
• Here Jo is the inertia of motor and load, and J1 is the inertia of the other load.
𝜔𝑚1 𝑛
• Define, = = 𝑎 = 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 . If 𝑛 < 𝑛1 , then 𝜔𝑚1 < 𝜔𝑚 i.e., the
𝜔𝑚 𝑛1
gear train will reduce the speed on the load (𝑎 < 1).

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Finding J of a system
2
𝐽1 𝜔𝑚1
• Thus, 𝐽𝑒𝑞 = 𝐽0 + 2 = 𝐽0 + 𝐽1 𝑎2
𝜔𝑚
• This shows that moment of inertia of other parts will reduce as square if
the speed reduces (𝑎 < 1).

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Finding power
• What is the equivalent load power reflected on the motor shaft?
• Let, power available at the output of gear = 𝑃𝐿1 required to drive the load.
• 𝑃𝐿1 = 𝑇𝐿1 𝜔𝑚1
𝑃𝐿1 𝑇𝐿1 𝜔𝑚1
• Then, reflected power at the motor shaft = = where 𝜂 is the
𝜂 𝜂
transmission efficiency of the gear.

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Finding power
• In addition, the motor has a load on its own shaft with load torque
requirement of 𝑇𝐿0 .
• The power required to drive load having torque requirement 𝑇𝐿0 is 𝑇𝐿0 𝜔𝑚
𝑇𝐿1 𝜔𝑚1
• Thus, total power reflected at motor shaft is 𝑃𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 = + 𝑇𝐿0 𝜔𝑚 =
𝜂
𝑇𝐿1 𝑎𝜔𝑚
+ 𝑇𝐿0 𝜔𝑚
𝜂

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Finding torque
• What is the equivalent torque reflected on the motor shaft?
• Let, 𝑃𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 = 𝑇𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝜔𝑚
• Then the equivalent torque refereed to the motor shaft is
𝑇𝐿1 𝜔𝑚1 𝑇𝐿1 𝑎
𝑇𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 = + 𝑇𝐿0 . This means 𝑇𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 = + 𝑇𝐿0
𝜂𝜔𝑚 𝜂
• If the gear train reduces the speed i.e., 𝑎 < 1, then the shaft torque
referred to the motor will also decrease.

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Finding torque
𝑑𝜔𝑚
• Finally we say, 𝑇𝑒𝑚 − 𝑇𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 = 𝐽𝑒𝑞
𝑑𝑡

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Example
• A weight of 500 kg is lifted at a uniform speed of 1.5m/s through a motor
and a winch drive (drum connected to motor). The motor runs at a speed
of 1000 RPM. Given: Jmot=0.5 kg-m2 and Jwinch=0.3 kg-m2 . Calculate the
motor torque and equivalent moment of inertia referred to motor shaft.
The motor develops a torque of 100Nm while rotating at 1000 RPM in
absence of the weight.

• To get the motor torque, we must first find the radius of winch.
• 𝑣 = 𝜔𝑚 𝑟. Here 𝑣 = 1.5𝑚/𝑠 and 𝜔𝑚 = 1000 𝑟𝑝𝑚 = 104.72 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 .
• Thus 𝑟 = 0.0143 𝑚.
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Example
• A weight of 500 kg is lifted at a uniform speed of 1.5m/s through a motor
and a winch drive (drum connected to motor). The motor runs at a speed
of 1000 RPM. Given: Jmot=0.5 kg-m2 and Jwinch=0.3 kg-m2 . Calculate the
motor torque and equivalent moment of inertia referred to motor shaft.
The motor develops a torque of 100Nm while rotating at 1000 RPM in
absence of the weight.

• Torque on the motor due to 500 kg weight is Tw = 500 × 9.8 × 0.0143 =

70.18 𝑁𝑚.
• Thus, total torque developed by motor = 100 + 70.18 = 170.18 𝑁𝑚.

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Example
• A weight of 500 kg is lifted at a uniform speed of 1.5m/s through a motor
and a winch drive (drum connected to motor). The motor runs at a speed
of 1000 RPM. Given: Jmot=0.5 kg-m2 and Jwinch=0.3 kg-m2 . Calculate the
motor torque and equivalent moment of inertia referred to motor shaft.
The motor develops a torque of 100Nm while rotating at 1000 RPM in
absence of the weight.

• To get the equivalent moment of inertia we see:

1 2 1 2 1 1
• 𝐽𝑒𝑞 𝜔𝑚 = 𝐽𝑚𝑜𝑡 𝜔𝑚 + 𝐽𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 𝜔𝑚 + 𝑚𝑣 2
2
2 2 2 2
101.25
• Thus, 𝐽𝑒𝑞 = 0.5 + 0.3 + = 0.9025 𝑘𝑔 − 𝑚2
986.96

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Do it yourself
• See the textbook and find out what happens if there is some translational
motion along with rotational motion?
• Practise a few problems from Chapter 2 from the text book.

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