SPECIAL ELECTRICAL MACHINES

Unit-3: Stepper Motor & Switched Reluctance Motor

Vikash Tiwari
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Noida Institute of Engineering & Technology, Greater Noida
Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

2 Introduction
 Stepper motor is an actuator transforming electric pulse into angular
displacement.
 When receiving a pulse signal, the stepper motor will rotate a fixed
angle (namely "stepping angle") according to the direction set for the
stepper motor.
 The angular displacement volume can be controlled by controlling
the pulse number to achieve the purpose of positioning accurately.
 The rotational velocity and acceleration of motor can be controlled
by controlling the pulse frequency to achieve the purpose of speed
control.

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020

Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

3
Principle of Operation

 The stepper motor rotor is a permanent magnet, when

the current flows through the stator winding, to
produce a vector magnetic field.
 The magnetic field drives the rotor to rotate by an angle
so that the pair of magnetic fields of the rotor and the
magnetic field direction of the stator are consistent.
 When the stator's vector magnetic field is rotated by an
angle, the rotor also rotates with the magnetic field at
an angle. Each time an electrical pulse is input, the
motor rotates one degree further.
 The angular displacement it outputs is proportional to
the number of pulses input and the speed is
proportional to the pulse frequency. Change the order
of winding power, the motor will reverse. Therefore, it
can control the rotation of the stepping motor by
controlling the number of pulses, the frequency and the
electrical sequence of each phase winding of the motor.

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Types of Stepper Motor
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 The stepper motors can be divided into three categories :

1. Permanent Magnet Stepper Motor
2. Variable Reluctance Stepper Motor
3. Hybrid Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
1. Permanent Magnet Stepper Motor

 The stator of this type is multipolar. The

stator has 4/6/8 poles. Around the poles the
exciting coils are wound.
 The rotor may be salient or smooth
cylindrical. But generally is smooth cylindrical
type as shown in the Fig. It is made out of
ferrite material which permanently
magnetized.
 The voltage pulses to the stator winding can
be obtained by using a driving circuit.

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020

Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
1. Permanent Magnet Stepper Motor (Cont.)

 At first, switch SW1 is closed exciting the phase A. Due to its excitation we have N pole in
phase A. Due to the electromechanical torque developed, rotor rotates such that magnetic
axis of permanent magnet rotor adjusts with the magnetic axis of the stator. fig(a)
 Next phase B is excited with switch SW2, disconnecting phase A. Due to this, rotor further
adjusts its own magnetic axis with N pole of phase B. Hence it rotates through 90o further in
clockwise direction. fig(b)
 Similarly when phase C and D are sequentially excited, the rotor tends to rotate through
90o in clockwise direction, every time when phase is excited. When such sequence is
repeated, it results into a step motion of a permanent magnet stepper motor. fig(c & d)
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020
Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
2. Variable Reluctance Stepper Motor

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 The motors has a stator which is usually wound for
three phases. The stator has six salient poles with
concentrated exciting windings around each one of
them.
 If the number of stator poles are Ns and the number
of rotor poles are Nr then for a three phase motor,
the rotor poles in terms of and q are given by,

 The coils wound around diametrically opposite

poles are connected in series and the three phases
are energized from a d.c. source with the help of
switches.
 The magnitude of the step angle of the variable
reluctance motor is given as

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
2. Variable Reluctance Stepper Motor (Cont.)

 When the phase AA' is excited with the switch SW1 closed, then stator magnetic axis exists along the
poles formed due to AA' i.e. vertical. Then rotor adjusts itself in a minimum reluctance position i.e.
matching its own axis passing through the two poles exactly with stator magnetic axis. Fig. (a).
 When the phase BB' is excited with the switch SW2 closed and phase AA' de-energized with the switch
SW1 open, then stator magnetic axis shifts along the poles formed due to BB. Then rotor tries to align
in the minimum reluctance position and turns through 30o in anticlockwise direction.
 When the phase CC' is excited with the switch SW3 closed, then the stator magnetic axis shifts along
the poles formed due to CC'. Then to achieve minimum reluctance position, rotor gets subjected to
further anticlockwise torque.

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
3. Hybrid Stepper Motor

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 The hybrid stepper motor uses the
principles of the permanent magnet and
variable reluctance stepper motors.
 In the hybrid motors, the rotor flux is
produced by the permanent magnet and
is directed by the rotor teeth to the
appropriate parts of the airgap.
 The permanent magnet is placed in the middle of the rotor. It is magnetized in the axial direction.
Each pole of the magnet is surrounded with soft-toothed laminations.
 The main flux path is from the north pole of the magnet, into the end stack, across the airgap
through the stator pole, axially along the stator, through the stator pole, across the airgap and
back the magnet south pole via other end stack.

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020

Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
3. Hybrid Stepper Motor (Cont.)

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 There are usually 8 poles on the stator.
Each pole has between 2 to 6 teeth. There
is two phase winding. The coils on poles
1, 3, 5 and 7 are connected in series to
form phase A while the coils on poles 2, 4,
6 and 8 are connected in series to form
phase B. The windings A and B are
energized alternately.

 When phase A carries positive current, stator poles 1 and 5 become south and 3 and 7 become
north. The rotor teeth with north and south polarity align with the teeth of stator pole 1 and 5
and 3 and 7 respectively. When phase A is de-energized and phase B is excited, rotor will move by
one quarter of tooth pitch.
 The torque in a hybrid motor is produced by interaction of the rotor and the stator produced
fluxes. The rotor field remains constant as it is produced by the permanent magnet. The motor
torque Tm is proportional to the phase current
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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Characteristics of Stepper Motor

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 Some Terms applicable to stepper motors:
1. Step Angle: It is the angle through which shaft rotates in response to the input pulse.
2. Step Resolution: It is inversely proportional to the step angle.
3. Holding Torque: The excited motor opposes the rotor rotation due to load torque. Holding
torque is defined as the maximum load torque that can be applied to the shaft of an excited
motor without causing continuous rotation.
4. Detent Torque: In case of unexcited motor, the Permanent magnet and hybrid stepping motors
are able to develop a torque restricting the rotor rotation. Detent torque is defined as the
maximum load torque that can be applied to the shaft of an un-excited motor without causing
continuous rotation.
5. Slewing Rate : It is defined as the maximum rate at which the motor can step unidirectionally.

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Characteristics of Stepper Motor

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 Torque-Displacement Characteristics

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Characteristics of Stepper Motor

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 Torque-Pulse Rate Characteristics: The Pulse rate selection is very important in proper controlling of
the stepper motor. The dynamic characteristics gives the information regarding torque stepping rate.
These are also called torque stepping rate curves of the stepper motor .
• When stepping rate increases, rotor gets less time to
drive the load from one position to other. If stepping
rate is increased beyond certain limit, rotor can not
follow the
command and starts missing the pulses.
• Now if the values of load torque and stepping rate
are such that point of operation lies to the left of
curve I, then motor can start and synchronize
without missing a pulse.
• For example, for a load torque of T'L, the stepping
rate selection should be less than f1 so that motor
can start and synchronize, without missing a step

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Uni-polar & Bi-polar Stepper Motor

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Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Drive Circuits for of Stepper Motor

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 The special electrical circuits, along with the motor known as drives, are
required to follow the switching sequence of the stepper motor in order to
obtain a satisfactory, precise and accurate performance. The pulses given to the
motor are obtained from a d.c. supply.
 The drive circuits must possess following features for obtaining the optimum
torque output from a stepper motor:
 1. The current in the phase winding must rise from zero to the desired value
within a shortest duration of time during turning on the switch.
 2. The current in the phase winding must drop to zero value within a shortest
duration of time during turning off the switch.

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020

Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
1. Uni-polar Drive Circuit:

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 We know that the torque produced in a variable
reluctance motor is proportional to the square
of the current, so the direction of the current in
phase winding for operating the motor is not
important: The windings of four phases of the
motor are to be given pulses with the help of
four electronic switches S1,S2 S3 and S4.
 These switches are to be turned ON and turned OFF at particular instants following the switching sequence
of the stepper motor. This is being done by the pulses given to them by a digital integrated circuit or using a
microprocessor and an appropriate program loaded in microprocessor.
 A high value resistance (Rf), known as forcing resistance, is connected in series with each phase winding, so
as to give a small rise time (as short as possible) to current to its desired value.
 A freewheeling diode along with a high value resistance (Rd) in series with it, for. dissipating the energy
stored in inductive winding in shortest period, is also provided in order to minimize the time taken by the
current to drop to zero value within shortest possible time.
 This drive circuit allows the rapid rise of current during the turn ON along with a wider range of speed
control and an instantaneous turn OFF within no time. The forcing resistances, however, reduces the drive
efficiency. Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020
Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
2. Bi-polar Drive Circuit:

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 The torque produced by the permanent magnet
stepper motor and hybrid stepper motor is directly
proportional to the current, so direction of flow of
current is important from the point of view of direction
of torque produced (clockwise/counter-clockwise).
 The Current and direction of flow of current in phase
winding can be controlled by appropriate switching of
the switches T1,T2 simultaneously and , T3 T4
simultaneously (controlled by the digital integrated
circuit or a microprocessor) at proper instants.

 A high value resistance (Rd, known as forcing resistance is provided in series with the phase winding, so as
to minimize the switching time of current from zero to desired value during turn ON and from desired value
to zero current during turn OFF of the switches.
 This drive circuit allows the rapid rise of current during the turn ON along with a wider range of speed
control and an instantaneous turn OFF within no time. The forcing resistances, however, reduces the drive
efficiency. The ratings of the switches (transistors/SCR's) used depend on the power rating of the stepper
motor to be controlled.
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020
Stepper Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits
Applications of Stepper Motor:

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 Due to the digital circuit compatibility of the stepper motors, they are widely
used in computer peripherals such as serial printers, linear stepper motors to
printers, tape drivers, floppy disc drivers, memory access mechanism etc.
 The stepper motors are also used in serial printers in typewriters or word
processor systems, numerical control of machine tools, robotic control
systems, number of process control systems, actuators, spacecrafts, watches
etc. X-Y recorders and plotters is another field in which stepper motors are
preferred.

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, NIET, Gr. Noida 04/13/2020

Switched Reluctance Motors
Introduction

 The switched reluctance motor (SRM) is an electric motor in

which torque is produced by the tendency of its moveable part to
move to a position where the inductance of the excited winding is
maximized.

 SRM is a type of synchronous machine. It has wound field coils of

a DC motor for its stator windings and has no coils or magnets on
its rotor.

 It can be seen that both the stator and rotor have salient poles;
hence, the machine is a doubly salient, singly excited machine.0
Introduction-cont.

Stator windings on diametrically opposite poles are connected

in series or parallel to form one phase of the motor.

Several combinations of stator and rotor poles are possible,

such as 6/4 (6 stator poles and 4 rotor poles), 8/4, 10/6 etc.

The configurations with higher number of stator/rotor pole

combinations have less torque ripple.
 Configuration

 Initial classification is made on the basis of the nature of the motion

(i.e., rotating or linear).

 The linear SRMs (LSRMs) have found application in the marketplace by

catering to machine tool servos.

 The rotary machine-based SRM is differentiated to radial field SRM and

axial field SRM by the nature of the magnetic field path as to its
direction with respect to the axial length of the machine.

SRMs

Rotary SRMs Linear SRMs

Radial Field Axial Field

Long flux path machines: Doubly Short flux path machines: Single-stack Multi-stack
Salient with concentric windings, Adjacent pole windings
diametrically opposite windings are in series to form a
are in series to form a phase phase winding
 Configuration-cont.

Radial field SRM:

The magnetic field path

is perpendicular to the
shaft or along the radius
of the cylindrical stator
and rotor.

Short flux path in a five-

phase radial field SRM
with 10/8 pole
Configuration-cont.

Axial field SRM: The magnetic field

path is along the axial direction.

Whole motor Rotor The short magnetic flux path

Configuration-cont.

LSRM: The motion of the motor is linear.

Structure:
A LSRM may have windings either on the stator or translator (the
moving part). Fixed part is called track. Moving part is called translator.
Applications: Ideal for machine tool drives

Two sided LSRM with winding

One side LSRM on the translator
Principle of Operation

Cross sectional model of a three phase SRM,

winding arrangement.
Principle of Operation-cont.
Principle of Operation-cont.

 Rotor rotation as switching sequence proceeds in a three phase

SRM, the rotation direction is opposite to the direction of the
excited phase.
 The switching angle for the phase current is controlled and
synchronized with the rotor position, usually by means of a shaft
position sensor.
Torque Production

Flux-linkage
 Stored field energy

Magnetization curve

Co-energy
0
Current i
Definition of co-energy and stored field energy
Torque Production-cont.

The torque production in SRM can be explained using the

elementary principle of electro-mechanical energy conversion.
The general expression for the torque produced by one phase
at any rotor position is
 W ' 
T  
   i const.
Where T is the torque
W’ is the co-energy
Δ is the displacement of the rotor
The constant-current constraint in the formula ensures that during
such a displacement, the mechanical work done is exactly equal to
the change in the co-energy.
 Torque Production-cont.

In a motor with no magnetic saturation, the magnetization

curves would be straight lines. At any position, the co-energy
and the stored magnetic energy are equal, which are given by

1 2
W f  W  Li
'

2
Where L is the inductance of a exciting stator phase at a
particular position. In this case the instantaneous torque can be
derived as
1 2 dL
T i
2 d
Torque Production-cont.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

Drive Circuit For Switched Reluctance Motor

 Since the torque in SRM drives is independent of the excitation current polarity, the
SRM drives require only one switch per phase winding.
 This is contrary to the ac motor drives where at least two switches per phase are
required for current control.
 Moreover, the windings are not in series with the switches in ac motor drives, leading
to irreparable damage in shoot-through faults. The SRM drives always have a phase
winding in series with a switch.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

1. ASYMMETRIC BRIDGE CONVERTER

 Turning on transistors T1 and T2 will circulate

a current in phase A of the SRM.
 If the current rises above the commanded value,
T1 and T2 are turned off.
 The energy stored in the motor winding of phase A
will keep the current in the same direction until it
is depleted.
 Hence, diodes D1 and D2 will become forward
biased leading to recharging of the source. That
will decrease the current, rapidly bringing it below
the commanded value.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

2. SINGLE-SWITCH-PER-PHASE CONVERTERS (R-DUMP)

 When T1 is turned off, the current freewheels

through D1, charging Cs, and later flows through
the external resistor R.
 This resistor partially dissipates the energy
stored in phase A.
 This has the disadvantage that the current in phase
A will take longer to extinguish compared to
recharging the source.
 The energy, in addition, is dissipated in a resistor,
thus reducing the overall efficiency of the motor
drive.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

3. SINGLE-SWITCH-PER-PHASE CONVERTERS (BIFILAR TYPE)

 Bifilar type converter configuration has one

transistor and one diode per phase but
regenerating the stored magnetic energy to the
source.
 This is achieved by having a bifilar
winding with the polarity as shown in the figure.
 When the phase-A current is turned off by
removing the base drive signal to T1, the induced
emf in the winding is of such polarity that
D1 is forward biased.
 This leads to the circulation of current through D1,
the bifilar secondary winding, and the source, thus
transferring energy from the machine winding to
the source
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

4. SPLIT DC SUPPLY CONVERTER

 This topology preserves one switch per phase; its

operation is as follows.
 Phase A is energized by turning on T1. The current
circulates through T1, phase A, and capacitor C2.
 When T1 is turned off, the current will continue to
flow through phase A, capacitor C2, and
diode D2. In that process, C2 is being charged up
and hence the stored energy in phase A is
depleted quickly.
 Similar operation follows for phase B.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

Modes Of Operation:
1. Angle control mode:
The source voltage is constant and the back emf increases with speed,
the motor phase current waveform and motor behavior are quite
different at high and low speeds.
 At high speeds, while the back emf is large, time duration of torque
producing zones are small, consequently enough time is not
available for current to develop. Fig.(a) shows the variation of phase
current i and flux Φ with rotor position for high speed operation.
 Since, the phase winding inductance delays the build-up of current,
the winding is connected to the dc source earlier than the angle
when the inductance begins to rise from its minimum value.
 The inductance being very small, the current builds up rapidly and
reaches a sufficiently large value before the rotor enters the torque-
producing zone (when dL/dθ is positive).
 Since the winding is connected to a constant dc voltage +V, the flux
Φ increases at a uniform rate.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

Modes Of Operation:
 Before the winding inductance reaches the maximum value, the
semiconductor switch is turned off at angle θ1. The winding is now
subjected to a constant negative voltage —V.
 The flux decreases at a uniform rate and current falls. Both current
and flux fall to zero at an angle θ2.
 θ1 is chosen to ensure that the current decays to zero before the
inductance begins to fall below its maximum value.
 At high speeds θ0 and θ1 must be chosen very carefully. θ0 is
significantly advanced to allow sufficient time for the phase
current to build up before the inductance begins to increase.
 Similarly θ1 is also advanced sufficiently to ensure that the winding
current decays to zero before, the rotor reaches the negative
torque zone (i.e. when the inductance begins to fall). This mode of
operation is called angle control mode.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

Modes Of Operation:
2. Current control mode:
 When operating at a low speed, the machine back emf is very small
and time duration of phase current is large.
 Therefore, current will reach very high values. In order to limit the
current within safe value and also to obtain rectangular current
pulse the semiconductor switch is operated as a chopper with
current limit control.
 The switch is alternately turned on and off in order to make the
actual current to follow a reference rectangular current within a
hysteresis band Δl (Fig, (b)). This mode of operation is called
current control mode. The average torque in this mode is
controlled by controlling the amplitude of current pulse.
Switched Reluctance Motor: Working, Types, Applications and Drive Circuits

Application of SRM

1. Washing machines
2. Vacuum cleaners
3. Fans
4. Future automobile applications
5.Robotic control applications