Blaski, Greg2017-05-182017-05-182016Blaski, Greg (2016) Investigation into the use of variable speed drives to damp mechanical oscillations, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/22665>http://hdl.handle.net/10539/22665Research report to School of Electrical and Information EngineeringAn investigation was conducted into how a variable speed drive can provide a damping torque when mechanical oscillations are present. The modeling of mechanical oscillations via an analogous electrical circuit was performed. Simulation was used to demonstrate how a variable speed drive is able to damp speed oscillations using Direct Torque Control (DTC). Damping of mechanical oscillations is done by means of the variable speed drive providing a damping torque component that is in-phase with the speed deviation. The simulation showed that by applying a small torque component with the speed variation results in torque oscillations being damped by 60% after the initial disturbance. Damping is further improved by applying a torque component equal to the speed variation resulting in the oscillations being damped by 80% when compared to the initial disturbance.Online resource (x, 82 leaves)enVariable speed drivesDamping (Mechanics)Electric waves--DampingOscillationsThesis