Abstract:
A digital self-calibrating power factor controller for an AC induction motor. During start-up a first number corresponding to the actual phase angle between motor voltage and current is determined and compared with a second number corresponding to a desired delay in energizing the motor. The second number is varied until both numbers are approximately equal. A third number corresponding to a desired phase angle is determined and stored and the system switches from start-up to run. The first number corresponding to the actual phase angle is now compared with the third number corresponding to the desired phase angle. The second number corresponding to a desired delay is now varied with motor load so as to keep the actual phase angle equal to the desired phase angle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a power factor control system for AC induction motors and, more particularly, to a self-calibrating power factor controller for AC induction motors. 
     A power factor control system for AC induction motors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,648 issued to Frank J. Nola on Oct. 4, 1977 and assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (&#34;NASA&#34;). The Nola patent is contained in a NASA Technical Support Package dated March, 1979 and entitled &#34;Power Factor Controller, Brief No. MFS-23280&#34;. In addition to the Nola patent, the Technical Support package contains schematic diagrams of variations and improvements on the circuitry disclosed in the Nola patent. 
     As explained in the Nola patent and in the NASA Technical Support Package, the current in an AC induction motor may lag the voltage by a phase angle of 80° when the motor is unloaded and by 30° when the motor is loaded. This phase angle &#34;θ&#34; is used to compute the power factor for the motor, which is defined as cos θ. Thus, when θ is small the power factor approaches 1. Conversely, where θ is large the power factor approaches zero. Fundamentally, a low power factor means that energy is being wasted. Given the tremendous numbers of AC induction motors in use today, improving the power factor could result in very substantial energy savings. Estimates of potential energy savings are set forth at pages 3 and 10 of the NASA Technical Support Package. 
     The operation of the Nola power factor controller is described in the NASA Technical Support Package at pages 11 and 15 using the functional block diagram appearing at page 13. The line voltage is sensed and signals corresponding to the line voltage and its complement are produced. The motor current is also sensed and signals corresponding to the motor current and its complement are also produced. An &#34;EXCLUSIVE OR&#34; logic operation is then performed on these voltage and current signals, the result of which is one input to a summing amplifier and low pass filter. The other input is a DC signal, derived from a potentiometer, which corresponds to a commanded phase angle and, therefore, a commanded power factor. The result of this filtering and summing operation is a DC system error voltage which is then compared with a ram voltage synchronized with the zero crossings of the line voltage. The intersection of the ramp voltage with the DC error voltage is detected by the comparator and used to trigger the triac. As the load on the motor decreases, the phase angle tends to increase. In response the controller decreases the triac duty cycle which reduces the voltage applied to the motor and maintains the commanded phase angle. Conversely, as the motor load increases, the phase angle tends to decrease. In response the controller increases the triac duty cycle which increases the voltage applied to the motor and maintains the commanded phase angle. 
     Because of the analog nature of the Nola circuitry, that system is susceptible to changes during operation, due for example to variations in temperature. In addition, the Nola system requires a separate manual determination and setting of the power factor command potentiometer for each motor. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the Nola power factor controller and represents a significant improvement. In the present invention a digital solution to the problem has been found which requires no adjustment. The power factor controller of the present invention is self-calibrating, which means that it is no longer necessary to make a separate manual determination and setting of the power factor command potentiometer for each motor. Indeed, in accordance with the present invention the power factor controller is automatically re-calibrated each time the motor is turned on, irrespective of the load on the motor. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention employes a clock, a series of counters and a register. A phase angle counter is used to determine the phase angle between the voltage and current by counting clock pulses between the zero crossings of motor voltage and current. A delay counter is used to delay the firing of the triac by counting a predetermined number of clock pulses, starting when the current crosses zero. During start-up the delay counter is initially loaded with a count of zero. The count loaded into the delay counter is then periodically incremented until the count in the delay counter equals the count in the phase angle counter. At that point the count in the phase angle counter is stored in the register. This stored count corresponds to the desired phase angle and, therefore, to the commanded power factor. The controller now switches from start-up to run. During the run mode the count in the phase angle counter is compared with the count stored in the register and any difference is used to periodically increment or decrement the count loaded into the delay counter and, therefore, to advance or delay the firing of the triac so as to maintain the actual phase angle equal to the desired phase angle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one implementation of the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described with reference to the figures which form a part of the specification. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of one illustrative embodiment of the invention which will be employed to explain the principles of operation thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the power factor controller is adapted for connection to a source of AC power at terminals 10 and 12. Terminal 12, which is preferably connected to the neutral wire, is connected to one lead of motor 16 while terminal 10 is connected to the other lead of motor 16 through switch 18 and triac 20. Switch 18 may, for example, be a treadle-operated ON/OFF switch on an industrial sewing machine. Connected across the AC source is DC power supply 22 which provides regulated DC voltage. 
     Connected to terminal 10 is amplifier 24 which produces a square wave having zero crossings corresponding to those of the line voltage. Connected to a point between motor 16 and triac 20 is amplifier 26 which produces pulses corresponding to the zero crossings of the motor current. The output of amplifier 26 is connected to the input of one shot multivibrator 28 which produces a pulse each time the motor current crosses zero. Trigger circuit 30 is connected across triac 20 and controls the firing thereof. 
     Clock 32 produces a train of pulses, preferably at a frequency which is not a multiple of the line frequency, which are fed to phase angle counter 34 and delay counter 36. Phase angle counter 34 is connected both to amplifier 24 and to one shot 28. Counter 34 starts counting up clock pulses each time the line voltage crosses zero and stops counting each time the motor current crosses zero. The resulting count in counter 34 thus corresponds to the phase angle between the motor voltage and current. Delay counter 36 is also connected to amplifier 24 and one shot 28, as well as to incremental counter 38. Delay counter 36 is loaded with the count contained in incremental counter 38 each time the line voltage crosses zero. Counter 36 starts counting down from this count each time the motor current crosses zero. When counter 36 reaches zero, an output is produced which causes trigger 30 to fire triac 20. 
     The output of incremental counter 38 is also connected to one input of comparator 40 via switch 46a. The second input to comparator 40 is the output from phase angle counter 34. Comparator 40 determines whether the count in incremental counter 38 (and therefore the count loaded into delay counter 36) is less than, equal to or greater than that in phase angle counter 34. The output of comparator 40 is connected directly to steering gate 42 and to phase angle register 44 via switch 46b. Steering gate 42 determines whether incremental counter 38 is incremented or decremented. Connected between steering gate 42 and one shot 28 is switch 46c and divide-by-four circuit 48, which may comprise a pair of serially-connected flip-flops. During start-up counter 38 is incremented every other cycle and during run every half cycle. 
     During start-up the motor is allowed to run for several seconds to get up speed. At this point the count in incremental counter 38 is zero. Comparator 40 therefore causes counter 38 to be incremented every other cycle. This continues until the count in counter 38 equals the count in counter 34. When comparator 40 determines that the count in counter 34 equals the count in counter 38, several things occur. The count in phase angle counter 34 is loaded into phase angle register 44; one input of comparator 40 is disconnected from the output of incremental counter 38 and connected instead to the output of phase angle register 44; the output from comparator 40 is removed from register 44; and gate 42 is connected directly to the output of one shot 28. The power factor controller has now switched from start-up to run. Henceforth, comparator 40 will compare the count in phase angle counter 34 with that stored in phase angle register 44 and, depending on the results of that comparison, increment or decrement incremental counter 38 every half cycle, thereby either increasing or decreasing the delay in firing triac 20. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 may be implemented using discrete components and/or integrated circuit chips. Similarly, the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 may be implemented using hard-wired circuits or by means of a programmed digital computer. Also, numerous other systems may be constructed which may differ in form from the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 but which nevertheless embody the principles of the present invention. For example, if a programmed digital computer were employed to implement the present invention then the functions performed by counters 34, 36 and 38, register 44, comparator 40, gate 42, divider 48 and switches 46a, 46b and 46c might all be performed by that computer. In that event, the comparison of the output from counter 38 or register 44 with that of counter 34 could be effected by means of a subtraction operation in the arithmetic logic unit in the computer. If, on the other hand, the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 were implemented using hard-wired circuits, then counters 34, 36 and 38 and register 44 might comprise integrated circuit chips and switches 46a, 46b and 46c might comprise reed relays or solid state switches. Comparator 40 might comprise a pair of A/D converters and a pair or oppositely biased operational amplifiers and gate 42 and divider 48 might comprise either discrete components and/or integrated circuit chips. 
     A preferred method for implementing the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 DC supply 22 comprises a full-wave bridge rectifier and a Texas Instrument (&#34;TI&#34;) 7805 regulator integrated circuit chip. Amplifiers 24 and 26 comprise RCA CA 339 operational amplifiers. One shot multivibrator 28 comprises a TI 74121 integrated circuit chip. Clock 32 comprises a TI 74LS193 counter which is used to divide the 400 KHz address latch enable (&#34;ALE&#34;) signal down to 28.5 KHz. Trigger 30 comprises a TI 7406 integrated circuit buffer amplifier and a Monsanto 6200 chip comprising a pair of optically coupled SCRs connected as a triac. 
     In FIG. 2 the functions performed by phase angle counter 34, delay counter 36, incremental counter 38, phase angle register 44, comparator 40, gate 42, divider 48 and switches 46a, 46b and 46c are handled by an Intel 8748 programmable digital microcomputer. A suitable program for the computer is included at the end of the instant specification. In the computer counters are used to perform the functions of phase angle counter 34 and delay counter 36 and registers are used to perform the functions of phase angle register 44 and incremental counter 38. The function of comparator 40 is accomplished by means of a subtraction operation in the arithmetic logic unit. The functions of gate 42, divider 48 and switches 46a, 46b and 46c are performed by logic elements under software control. 
     When a computer is used to implement the functional block diagram of FIG. 1 the run mode can be handled slightly differently. Instead of incrementing or decrementing the delay counter by one count every half cycle to maintain the number in the phase angle counter equal to the number in the phase angle register, the delay counter can be altered by that number of counts equal to the difference between the number of counts in the phase angle counter and the number of counts in the phase angle register. In this manner less time is required to bring the phase angle counter into agreement with the phase angle register. This is particularly advantageous in handling clutched loads. The delay counter can also be altered by that number of counts equal to half the difference between the number of counts in the phase angle counter and the number of counts in the phase angle register. 
     If the power factor is calibrated as aforesaid and with the motor unloaded, then power savings of on the order of 50% can be obtained when the motor is operated unloaded. If, however, the power factor is calibrated with the motor loaded, then power savings of on the order of 65% are obtained when the motor is operated unloaded. To maximize power savings irrespective of whether the power factor is calibrated with the motor loaded or unloaded, a further refinement of the calibration procedure may be employed which will now be explained. 
     The phase angle initially measured when the motor has first been turned on and has gotten up speed is defined as θ 1 . Because θ 1  can vary slightly from cycle to cycle, an average value for θ 1  is preferably obtained. The phase angle which exists when the count in the phase angle counter equals the count in the delay counter is defined as θ 2 . The following ratio can then be computed. ##EQU1## Based on limited experimentation it has been observed that when θ 2  is determined with the motor unloaded N 1  is about 0.38. It has also been observed that when θ 2  is determined with the motor loaded, N 1  is about 0.46. When θ 2  is determined with the motor unloaded, power savings of about 50% are obtained with the motor unloaded. When θ 2  is determined with the motor loaded, power savings of about 65% are obtained with the motor unloaded. The following calculations can now be made to adjust θ 2  so as to maximize power savings irrespective of whether calibration occurs with the motor loaded, unloaded or partially loaded. N 1  is first divided by 0.46 to form N 2  and θ 2  is multiplied by N 2  to form θ 3 , which is the calibrated phase angle which is best calculated to maximize power savings. Accordingly, θ 3  is preferably stored in the phase angle register. Of course, if for some reason it is not desired to maximize power savings, using θ 2  as the calibrated phase angle will still result in very substantial savings. When θ 3  is used power savings of on the order of 65% are obtained with the motor unloaded and power savings of up to 25% are obtained with the motor loaded. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, for different types of AC induction motors, it may be desirable to employ a constant having a value other than 0.46 in order to maximize power savings. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the number corresponding to the actual phase angle is preferably produced by starting and stopping a counter following voltage and current zero crossings, a free-running counter could just as easily be employed. In the latter event the number corresponding to the actual phase angle is the difference between the number in the counter at the times of voltage and current zero crossings. In both cases, however, clock pulses are counted to produce a number corresponding to the actual phase angle. Similarly, while the delay counter is shown as counting down to zero it could count up or down from one number to another number, the difference between the numbers being the important thing. These are but several examples of how the form of the present invention could be changed without departing from the principles hereof. 
     Although shown applied to a single phase AC induction motor, the present invention may be applied to poly-phase AC induction motors as well. Indeed, controlling the power factor of a three phase AC induction motor requires little additional circuitry: two more triacs (or SCRs) and associated triggering circuitry for the two additional phases and, for example, a counter and a shift register for generating fixed delays for energizing the other two phases. Since the relationship among the phases is fixed, controlling the power factor of a three phase AC induction motor only involves determining the calibrated phase angle for one phase and using that same phase angle for the other two phases. ##SPC1## ##SPC2##