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PLC Application For Speed Control of AC Motors With Variable Speed VS Drive

1. A common PLC application is using an analog output to control the speed of an AC motor driven by a variable speed drive. 2. The PLC program replaces the manual operator station by using inputs for start/stop, forward/reverse, and jog controls and an analog output to set motor speed. 3. Connections are made from the PLC outputs to the drive terminal block to control the drive and motor based on the PLC ladder logic program.

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Levi Fonda
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42 views5 pages

PLC Application For Speed Control of AC Motors With Variable Speed VS Drive

1. A common PLC application is using an analog output to control the speed of an AC motor driven by a variable speed drive. 2. The PLC program replaces the manual operator station by using inputs for start/stop, forward/reverse, and jog controls and an analog output to set motor speed. 3. Connections are made from the PLC outputs to the drive terminal block to control the drive and motor based on the PLC ladder logic program.

Uploaded by

Levi Fonda
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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http://electrical- engineering- portal.

com/plc- application- speed- control- ac- motors- vsd January 6, 2013

AC

PLC Application For Speed Control of AC Motors With VSD (on photo: Quadplex panel that
controls f our total pumps, two 25HP and two 50HP pumps controlled by corresponding variable
f requency drives with f ilters. T he 460V 3PH 4 wire 300A panel f eatures a PLC based control
system with back up f loats and intrinisically saf e barriers f or level sensors. by D&B Custom
Wiring)

Motor Drive Interface


A common PLC application is the speed control of AC motors with variable speed (VS) drives.
The diagram in Figure 1 shows an operator station used to manually control a VS drive.

The programmable controller implementation of this station will provide automatic motor speed
control through an analog interface by varying the analog output voltage (0 to 10 VDC) to the
drive.

The operator station consists of:

1. a speed potentiometer (speed regulator),


2. a forward/reverse direction selector,
3. a run/jog switch, and
4. start and stop push buttons.

The PLC program will contain all of these inputs except the potentiometer, which will be replaced
by an analog output.

The required input field devices (i.e., start push button, stop push button, jog/run, and forward/
reverse) will be added to the application and connected to input modules, rather than using the
operator station’s components.

The PLC program will contain the logic to start, stop, and interlock the forward/reverse
commands.

Table 1 shows the I/O


address assignment table
for this example, while Figure
2 illustrates the connection
diagram from the PLC to the
VS drive’s terminal block
(TB-1). The connection uses a
contact output interface
to switch the forward/reverse
signal, since the common
must be switched.

To activate the drive, terminal


TB-1-6 must receive 115 VAC
to turn ON the internal relay
CR1. The drive terminal block
TB-1-8 supplies power to
the PLC’s L1 connection to
turn the drive ON. The output
of the module (CR1) is
connected to terminal TB-1-6.
The drive’s 115 VAC signal is
used to control the motor
speed so that the signal is in
the same circuit as the
drive, avoiding the possibility
of having different commons
(L2) in the drive (the start/stop
common is not the same as
the controller’s common).

In this configuration, the


Figure 1 - Operator station f or a variable speed drive
motor’s overload contacts
are wired to terminals TB-1-
9 and TB-1-10, which are the
drive’s power (L1) connection and the output interface’s L1 connection. If an overload occurs, the
drive will turn OFF because the drive’s CR1 contact will not receive power from the output module.

This configuration, however, does not provide low-voltage protection, since the drive and motor
will start immediately after the overloads cool off and reclose.
To have low-voltage protection, the auxiliary contact from the drive, CR1 in terminal TB-1-7, must
be used as an input in the PLC, so that it seals the start/stop circuit.

Figure 3 shows the PLC


ladder program that will
replace the manual
operator station. The
forward and reverse inputs
are interlocked, so only one
of them can be ON at any
given time (i.e., they are
mutually exclusive).

If the jog setting is


selected, the motor will run
at the speed set by the
analog output when the
start push button is
depressed. The analog
output connection
simply allows the output to
be enabled when the drive
starts. Register 4000 holds T able 1 - I/O address assignment
the value in counts for the
analog output to the drive.
Internal 1000, which is used in the block
Internal 1000, which is used in the block
transfer, indicates the completion of the
instruction.

Sometimes, a VS drive requires the ability


to run under automatic or
manual control (AUTO/MAN). Several
additional hardwired connections must
be made to implement this dual control.

The simplest and least expensive way to


do this is with a selector switch (e.g., a
four-pole, single-throw, single-break
selector switch). With this switch, the
user can select either the automatic or
manual option. Figure 4 illustrates this
connection.

Note that the start, stop, run/jog,


potentiometer, and forward/reverse field
devices shown are from the operator
station. These devices are connected to
the PLC interface under the same names
that are used in the control program
(refer to Figure 3).

If the AUTO/MAN switch is set to Figure 2 - Connection diagram f rom the PLC to the VS
automatic, the PLC will control the drive; drive’s terminal block.
if the switch is set to manual, the manual
station will control the drive.

Resource: Introduction-
to-PLC-Programming –
Figure 3 - PLC implementation of the VS drive

www.globalautomation.info

Figure 4 - VS drive with AUT O/MAN capability

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