Identify the converter (buck, boost or buck-boost) and the duty cycle D from the voltage ratio.
Use volt-second balance on the inductor: the average inductor voltage over a period is zero.
Find the inductor voltage while the switch is on, then ΔIL = VL·D/(L·f).
For the output ripple, find the charge that flows in and out of the capacitor; for the CCM boundary, set the average inductor current equal to ΔIL/2.
DC motors
Armature circuit
V = E + IaRa
Back-EMF and torque
E = k·ω, T = k·Ia
Speed
ω = 2π·n/60, ω = (V − IaRa)/k
No-load speed and stall torque
ω0 = V/k, Tstall = k·V/Ra
Powers
Pin = V·Ia, Pdev = E·Ia = T·ω, Pout = Pdev − Prot
Starting
Istart = V/(Ra + Rst)
Speed regulation
SR = (n0 − nFL)/nFL
Maximum developed power
Pmax = V²/(4Ra)
Chopper drive
Va = D·Vdc
Method
Draw the armature circuit: supply V, resistance Ra and the back-EMF E in series.
Use V = E + Ia·Ra to link voltage, current and back-EMF.
Use E = k·ω for speed and T = k·Ia for torque, with ω = 2π·n/60.
For power and efficiency, start from V·Ia, subtract the copper loss Ia²·Ra and then the rotational losses.
AC power & power factor
Real power
P = V·I·cos φ
Reactive power
Q = V·I·sin φ
Apparent power
S = V·I = √(P² + Q²)
Power factor
pf = cos φ = P/S
Correction capacitor
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(ωV²)
Three-phase power
Y connection
VL = √3·Vph, IL = Iph
Δ connection
VL = Vph, IL = √3·Iph
Total real power
P = √3·VL·IL·cos φ = 3·Iph²·R
Apparent and reactive power
S = √3·VL·IL, Q = P·tan φ
Correction capacitors
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(3ωV²)
Voltage across each capacitor
Δ: VL Y: VL/√3
Motor input
Pin = Pout/η
2Practice problems
1.DC-DC convertersMedium
An ideal boost converter turns 48 V into 192 V at 200 kHz with L = 68 µH. Find the peak-to-peak inductor ripple current ΔIL.
Vin = 48 VVo = 192 Vf = 200 kHzL = 68 µH
ΔIL = A
2.DC-DC convertersHard
An ideal boost converter turns 48 V into 160 V for a 50 Ω load at 200 kHz. The output capacitor is 220 µF. Find the peak-to-peak output voltage ripple ΔVo in mV.
A DC motor with k = 0.4 V·s/rad runs from 120 V. Neglecting all losses at no load, find its no-load speed n0 in rpm.
V = 120 Vk = 0.4 V·s/rad
n0 = rpm
4.DC motorsHard
A 240 V DC motor has an armature resistance of 2 Ω. Find the series starting resistance Rst that limits the starting current to 25 A.
V = 240 VRa = 2 ΩImax = 25 A
Rst = Ω
5.AC power & power factorMedium
A single-phase motor takes 15 kW at a power factor of 0.6 lagging from a 230 V supply. Find the reactive power Q it draws.
P = 15 kWpf = 0.6V = 230 V
Q = kvar
6.AC power & power factorHard
A 150 kVA single-phase transformer supplies a load of 56 kW at a power factor of 0.65 lagging. How much extra real power ΔP can be added as a resistive (unity power factor) load before the transformer reaches its kVA rating?
Smax = 150 kVAP1 = 56 kWpf1 = 0.65
ΔP = kW
7.Three-phase powerMedium
A balanced three-phase load draws a line current of 20 A from a supply with a line-to-line voltage of 208 V. The power factor is 0.88 lagging. Find the total real power P drawn by the load in kW.
VL = 208 VIL = 20 Acos φ = 0.88
P = kW
8.Three-phase powerHard
A balanced three-phase load takes 100 kW at a power factor of 0.7 lagging from a 480 V (line-to-line), 60 Hz supply. A three-phase capacitor bank in parallel with the load must raise the overall power factor to 0.98 lagging. The real power stays the same. The capacitors are connected in Y. Find the capacitance Cph of each capacitor in µF.
P = 100 kWpf1 = 0.7pf2 = 0.98VL = 480 Vf = 60 Hz
Cph = µF
3Solutions
1.DC-DC converters
Answer: ΔIL = 2.647 A
DC-DC converters: a switch S turns on for the fraction D of each period T = 1/f. In steady state the average inductor voltage is zero (volt-second balance), which gives the ideal conversion ratios in continuous conduction: buck Vo = D·Vin, boost Vo = Vin/(1 − D), inverting buck-boost |Vo| = Vin·D/(1 − D). An ideal converter keeps the power: Vin·Iin = Vo·Io. While S is on the inductor current rises by ΔIL = VL·D·T/L, with VL = Vin − Vo for the buck and Vin for the boost and buck-boost. The output ripple is ΔVo = ΔIL/(8fC) for the buck and Io·D/(fC) for the boost and buck-boost. The inductor current just touches zero (the CCM boundary) when the average inductor current equals ΔIL/2.
Duty cycle
D = 1 − 48/192 = 0.75
Inductor voltage during the on-time
While S is on, the inductor sits directly across Vin.
VL = 48 V
Ripple current
ΔIL = VL·D/(L·f) = 48·0.75/(68·10⁻⁶·200·10³) = 2.647 A
Answer
ΔIL = 2.647 A
2.DC-DC converters
Answer: ΔVo = 50.91 mV
DC-DC converters: a switch S turns on for the fraction D of each period T = 1/f. In steady state the average inductor voltage is zero (volt-second balance), which gives the ideal conversion ratios in continuous conduction: buck Vo = D·Vin, boost Vo = Vin/(1 − D), inverting buck-boost |Vo| = Vin·D/(1 − D). An ideal converter keeps the power: Vin·Iin = Vo·Io. While S is on the inductor current rises by ΔIL = VL·D·T/L, with VL = Vin − Vo for the buck and Vin for the boost and buck-boost. The output ripple is ΔVo = ΔIL/(8fC) for the buck and Io·D/(fC) for the boost and buck-boost. The inductor current just touches zero (the CCM boundary) when the average inductor current equals ΔIL/2.
Duty cycle
D = 1 − 48/160 = 0.7
Load current
Io = 160/50 = 3.2 A
Output ripple
ΔVo = 3.2·0.7/(200·10³·220·10⁻⁶) = 50.91 mV
Answer
ΔVo = 50.91 mV
3.DC motors
Answer: n0 = 2865 rpm
DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.
No-load speed
ω₀ = V/k = 120/0.4 = 300 rad/s
n0 = 60·300/(2π) = 2865 rpm
Answer
n0 = 2865 rpm
4.DC motors
Answer: Rst = 7.6 Ω
DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.
Total resistance
Ra + Rst = 240/25 = 9.6 Ω
Starting resistor
Rst = 9.6 − 2 = 7.6 Ω
Answer
Rst = 7.6 Ω
The resistor is cut out step by step as the motor speeds up and the back-EMF grows.
5.AC power & power factor
Answer: Q = 20 kvar
AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.
Angle
φ = arccos(0.6) = 53.13°, tan φ = 1.333
Reactive power
Q = P·tan φ = 15·1.333 = 20 kvar
Answer
Q = 20 kvar
6.AC power & power factor
Answer: ΔP = 78.96 kW
AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.
Reactive power of the existing load
Q1 = 56·tan(arccos 0.65) = 65.47 kvar
Largest total real power
At full rating S = Smax, and Q is unchanged by the resistive load.
P = √(Smax² − Q1²) = √(150² − 65.47²) = 135 kW
Extra real power
ΔP = 135 − 56 = 78.96 kW
Answer
ΔP = 78.96 kW
7.Three-phase power
Answer: P = 6.341 kW
Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ.
Apparent power
S = √3·VL·IL = √3·208·20 = 7.205 kVA
Real power
P = S·cos φ = 7.205·0.88 = 6.341 kW
Answer
P = 6.341 kW
8.Three-phase power
Answer: Cph = 940.8 µF
Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ. Power factor correction: capacitors supply reactive power locally, QC = P·(tan φ1 − tan φ2). Each of the three capacitors supplies QC/3 = V²·ω·C, where V is the voltage across that capacitor: VL in a Δ bank, VL/√3 in a Y bank.
Reactive power before and after
The real power is unchanged, so each power factor fixes the reactive power: Q = P·tan φ.
Q1 = 100·tan(acos 0.7) = 100·1.02 = 102 kvar
Q2 = 100·tan(acos 0.98) = 100·0.2031 = 20.31 kvar
Reactive power from the capacitors
QC = Q1 − Q2 = 81.71 kvar
Capacitance per phase
In a Y bank each capacitor is connected between a line and the star point.