GENERAL INFORMATION
19
Figure 1.17 - Rheostatic braking
This alternative consists in connecting a resistor through a DC link at the
instant of the braking. Thus the energy that would be returned to the DC
link will be dissipated in the form of heat. This is a simple solution, but
depending on the involved energy, it will be very expensive.
A more efficient solution is the return of the energy to the line. This can be
realized through the use of two antiparallel connected totally controlled
rectifier bridges, or through diode and thyristor bridges (Fig. 1.18).
The main disadvantage of this method is the harmonic distortion rate and
the variation of the displacement factor under load and all associated
problems.
If nothing is done, the voltage in the capacitors will increase until the
overvoltage protection device in the DC link trips out. So the IGBT´s output
pulses are shut down, the motor demagnetizes and stops to operate as
generator. The mechanical losses of the system (such as friction losses)
will bring the load to standstill (this time is proportional to the system
inertia). Many drives require a speed reduction or even a standstill within a
predetermined time without the presence of overvoltage in the DC link.
As the inertia acts as an energy accumulator, one can say that the faster
the energy generated by the motor is drained, the higher will be the braking
torque. Depending on the application (time to bring the motor to standstill,
or speed reduction) and on the cost of the energy that is returned to the
DC link circuit, there are several alternatives.
The first alternative is the DC current injection into the motor stator. The
inverter supplies the motor stator with DC current and as there is no rotating
field, no energy is returned. The currents induced into the rotor generates
resistive losses and the braking torque will be proportional to these losses.
As these losses are very low, this method is seldom used.
Other alternative is the injection of harmonics into the stator. As this
method generates high noises and as it shows a braking torque with high
ripples, it is not used so often.
The CFW-09 inverter line offers an additional option, that is the Optimal
Braking. When a braking is needed in the vector control mode, the inverter
maximize the motor losses, thus offering a high braking torque.
The most applied alternative is the rheostatic braking Fig. 1.17.