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A comparative analysis on the performance of universal motor when driven by

alternating current/direct current

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 Australian Journal of Science and Technology
ISSN Number (2208-6404)
Volume 4; Issue 4; December 2020

Review Article

A comparative analysis on the performance of universal motor

when driven by alternating current/direct current
I. A. Araga1, A. E. Airoboman1, A. P. Inalegwu2, I. A. Afolayan1, F. O. Adunola1

Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, Nigeria, 2Energy Commission of
1

Nigeria, Nigeria

ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare the operating characteristics performance of a series universal motor (UM) when it is
operating as an alternating current (AC) motor and as a direct current (DC) motor. The scope of the experiment was, therefore, limited to
testing the series UM to study its behavior under each condition (AC and DC). The characteristics of the motor required to be investigated,
under each of the test conditions, included speed, current drawn, and its efficiency in relation to various load setting. A laboratory experiment
was carried out on an ETL174A model of series UM with a rated power of 0.25 kW by connecting the motor to an AC voltage source to carry
out the AC test. Second, the motor was then connected to a DC supply to perform a DC test. In both cases, the load setting was adjusted so that
the corresponding speed, current, and input power were measured. In addition, the output power and resultant efficiencies were determined
through mathematical analysis. Results obtained were interpreted graphically to show the speed-torque, current-torque, and efficiency-torque
characteristics for both the AC and DC test. The results further show that the operating characteristics of the ETL174A model series UM can
operate both on AC and DC supply and that the behavior of the motor followed the same trends in each case, however, with differences in
magnitudes of the quantities considered. Peak efficiency of approximately 42.7% and 37.9% was recorded when the UM ran under AC and DC
supply, respectively. Furthermore, it was observed from the experiment that the speed (7080 rev/min) of the UM under DC no-load condition was
far greater than the speed (5320 rev/min) under AC no-load condition. Conclusively, the deviation between results obtained during experiment
and the expected results from literature did not alter the operating principle of the UM.
Keywords: Alternating current, direct current, experiment, load, universal motor
Submitted: 15-09-2020, Accepted: 24-10-2020, Published: 30-12-2020

INTRODUCTION source. UMs are also referred to as AC series motor and AC

commutator motor. The torque angle is fixed by the brush
Universal motors (UMs) are single-phase motors and are position and it is normally at its optimum value of 90°.[5]
referred to as “universal” because they can operate from direct
current (DC) and single-phase alternating current (AC) power In general, if both rotor and stator mechanisms of a series
sources.[1] In general, the UM is a motor designed in such a connected motor are laminated properly, the resulting motor
way that a DC machine is ran from an AC supply source.[2,3] is referred to as a series UM. The laminated steel helps toward
UM runs up to dangerously high speed that is why they are the reduction of core losses and Eddy current.[6]
built into the device they drive. UM can operate either single
phase and AC or direct current (DC) at approximately the same UM has a very high starting torque due to the fact that it is
speed as well as output (that is with similar characteristics) with series wound. Hence, it runs at dangerously high speed when
ease.[2,4] This behavior is due to the fact that a DC motor will it is not loaded on no-load condition. It also has a variable
turn continuously in the same direction even if the armature characteristic. UM is utilized in equipment where high-speed
and field currents are reversed at the same time. This is the operation permits high horsepower per-unit motor size.[6]
exact behavior in an AC motor when connected to an AC It finds application for both home and commercial devices

Address for correspondence: I. A. Araga, Department of Electrical Electronics Engineering, Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna,
Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]

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 Airoboman, et al.: AC/DC driven universal motors performance assessment

due to its affordability in terms of cost and simplicity in

regulation. For instance, in vacuum cleaners, the actual
motor speed is equivalent to the load speed which is within
40,000 rev/min.[7] Another application where the UM speed
is reduced is its application as the drink/food mixers by
connecting it to a gear train. Others are portable drills,
domestic sewing machine, motors controlling elevators,
and crane lifts, among others.[1,7] UMs are basically of two
types, the concentrated poles and non-compensated type
characterized with low power rating and distributed-field
compensated type characterized by high-power ratings. [4]
Figure 1: Circuit representation of a series universal motor[9]
Just like the DC series motor, the UM speed varies such
that it exhibits both high speed when under-loaded and low
Table 1: Technical specification of the universal motor
speed when it is fully loaded.[4] However, the friction of the
(ETL174A model) tested
rotor and the windage load are factors that limit the speed
on no-load. Studies have been carried out on UM over the Serial Quantity Value Unit
years[1,8,9] to determine UMs performance, methodological 1 Input terminal voltage 120 Vac/dc
approach, and review on its performance. For a giving 2 Input current A
UM, the armature current, ia flows through the series field 3 Output power 0.25 (AC) kW
and produces the d-axis flux, ɸd, Similarly, the ia also flows 0.33 (DC)
through the armature winding, producing the q-axis flux ɸq 4 Efficiency 60 %
assuming that the Eddy current is neglected, both ɸd and ɸq 5 Rated speed 2000 r/min
are in phase with ia..[10]

According to Davidson et al., [1] for DC excitation, the Table 2: Equipment required for AC and DC tests[11]
developed torque and induced voltage are, respectively, given Equipment for AC test Equipment for DC test
as follows: 1. ETL174A series universal motor 1. ETL174A series
2. Power supply (0 to 135 v AC, universal motor
T  K a  d I a (1) 5A) 2. Power supply (0 to 125 v
3. Wattmeter: Voltage range of DC, 5A)
150 v AC and current range of 3. Ammeter (0 to 10 A DC)
Ea  K a  d m 5A AC 4.Voltmeter (0 to 150 v
(2)
4. Ammeter (0 to 10 A AC) DC)
5. Voltmeter (0 to 150 v AC) 5. Dynamometer: Torque
Ea I a 6. Dynamometer: Torque range range (±2 Nm or ±1.478
T
m (±2 Nm or ±1.478 lbs.ft), speed lbs.ft), speed range
 (3)
range (±5000 r/min) (±5000 r/min)
7. ETL174T shaft coupling 5/8 in 6. ETL174T shaft coupling
where, T = Torque developed by the motor, Φ d = Magnetic diameter shaft and protective 5/8 in diameter shaft and
flux produced by series field Ia= Current flowing through the cover protective cover
series field (armature current), ωm = Mechanical speed, Ea = 8. Tachometer 7. Tachometer
The root mean square (rms) value of the back EMF. 9. Connecting leads. 8. Connecting leads.

In Figure 1, the series field UM is represented. The presence Procedure for AC Test
of a series field in the circuit model implies that they can also The motor under test was coupled to the dynamometer to
be referred to as series motor.[9] measure the speed. The circuit was wired according to Figure 2
schematic.
EXPERIMENTATION
The motor was connected to an AC supply of 120 V. It was
The experiment was carried out using a series UM with model ensured that the supply voltage (120 v) was maintained
number ETL174A in the laboratory. The specification of the throughout the test as indicated on the voltmeter connected
UM, as indicated on its name plate, is shown in Table 1. In to the circuit. The load setting was required to be varied from
Table 2, the equipment required for the DC and AC test and 0 Nm to 1 Nm with 0.2 increments. However, measurements
their corresponding ratings are presented. could only be taken for three load setting – no load (0.0

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 Airoboman, et al.: AC/DC driven universal motors performance assessment

Nm), 0.2 Nm, and 0.4 Nm, respectively, because the motor Nm up to 2 Nm in increments of 0.2 Nm but in actual sense,
could no longer withstand higher values due to excessive measurement could be taken for load settings from 0.0 Nm to
vibrations, system overheating, and probably ageing. As a 1.4 Nm for same reasons in the case of the AC test. Parameters
result, continuous tripping of the breaker was observed at this recorded for this test included the speed and supply current
limit. However, values of obtained speed, supply current, and only. In Figure 3, the experimental setup and measurements
input power were measured and recorded. The power of the of variables are presented.
motor shaft was then calculated for each measurement taken
using the Equation (4) below from Sen.[6] Consequently, the values obtained were then used to calculate
the input power using the formula:[6]
2 NT
Power Output  (Watts)(4) Power Input  I  V (Watts)(6)
60

Where, T is the torque in Nm and N is the speed in rev/min. where

I = supply current, V = Supply voltage.
Furthermore, the efficiencies for each measurement were also
determined The output power and efficiency were also calculated for each
load setting varied using Equations (4) and (5), respectively.
Power Output
Efficiency (%)  100 (5) Furthermore, the efficiency, current, and speed characteristics
Power Input
 of the DC UM were plotted with respect to the torques realized
from the completed table.
In Figure 3, the experimental setup for the AC test is presented.

Procedure for DC Test

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
The same procedures carried out for the AC test, were also
From Table 3, it was observed that the speed of the UM was
performed for the DC test using the circuit shown in Figure 4.
at its peak (5320 r/min) when the motor was operating on no
Except that the supply voltage maintained this time, was
load with a zero (0%) efficiency. The efficiency was highest
120 v DC. The motor load was required to be varied from 0
Table 3: Results obtained for AC test carried out on the
universal motor
Torque Speed Voltage Current Input Output Efficiency
(Nm) (r/min) supply (A) power power (%)
(v) (W) (W)
0.0 5320.0 120.0 2.09 100.00 0.00 0.00
0.2 4656.0 120.0 2.35 220.00 97.52 44.33
0.4 3190.0 120.0 3.01 280.00 133.62 47.72

Figure 2: Circuit connected to carry out the alternating current test 0.6 Motor was unable to function
on the motor 0.8
1.0

Figure 3: Experimental setup for alternating current test Figure 4: Direct current test circuit connection

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 Airoboman, et al.: AC/DC driven universal motors performance assessment

(47.72%) at the maximum torque of 0.4 Nm that the motor Comparing the results in Table 4 with that of Table 3, it could be
could withstand in the course of the experiment. The UM speed seen that UM exhibits similar trends but differs with magnitude
kept reducing for every increment in torque from that point of the quantities under consideration. However, the maximum
forward. As observed from the experiment, this anomaly was torque setting it operated was 1.4 N-m and just as in the case
due to the load impacted on the rotating shaft of the motor. of the AC. Therefore, as the load increases, the torque also
Furthermore, the current and power (input) were seen to increased with resultant decrease in the speed. The fastest speed
increase steadily for every increase of load setting. was 7080 r/min at no-load condition and its efficiency was
zero (0%) too under same condition. The maximum efficiency
From these values, the AC characteristics with respect to the computed was 37.89%. The supply voltage was kept steady at
various torque values in terms of the speed (r/min), current 120 v but the current kept increasing with every load increase
(A), and efficiency (%) were plotted. These are illustrated in (from 2.65 A to 7.46 A).
Figures 5-7.
These results were used to plot DC characteristics curves
The speed curve illustrated in Figure 5 declines steadily with with respect to the various torques in terms of the speed
increase in load and resultant torque. From Figure 6, more (r/min), current (A), and efficiency (%). These are illustrated
current is drawn from the supply source for every increment in Figures 8-10.
in load. From the efficiency curve in Figure 7, the motor was
seen to operate at a peak efficiency of 47.72%. In Table 4, the From the graphical analysis, it was observed that the UM
result obtained from the DC test is presented. operating this time as DC has almost the same characteristics

Figure 5: Alternating current characteristics of the motor in terms

of speed-torque relation
Figure 8: Direct current characteristics of the motor in terms of
speed-torque relation

Figure 6: Alternating current characteristics of the motor in terms Figure 9: Direct current characteristics of the motor in terms of
of current-torque relation current-torque relation

Figure 7: Alternating current characteristics of the motor in terms Figure 10: Direct current characteristics of the motor in terms of
of efficiency-torque relation efficiency-torque relation

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 Airoboman, et al.: AC/DC driven universal motors performance assessment

Table 4: Results obtained for direct current test analysis to show that how it operates both on AC and DC
performed on the universal motor supply. Quantities investigated on the UM mainly included
Torque Speed Voltage Current Input Output Efficiency torque of motor, speed, current, and efficiency for both the
(N-m) (rev/ (v) (A) power power (%) AC and DC operations. The results from the experiment
min) (W) (W) showed that the behavior of the motor followed the same
0.0 7078.0 120.0 2.65 318.00 0.00 0.00 trends in each case. However, there were differences in
magnitudes of the quantities considered. Furthermore, the
0.2 5092.0 120.0 3.27 392.40 106.65 27.18
deviation between results obtained during experiment and
0.4 4027.0 120.0 4.22 506.40 168.68 33.31 the expected results did not alter the operating principle of
0.6 3437.0 120.0 4.75 570.00 215.95 37.89 the UM.
0.8 2763.0 120.0 5.40 648.00 231.47 35.72
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