Vibration Control of Resonant Vibratory Feeders With Electromagnetic Excitation

The vibratory feeders with electromagnetic excitation called electromagnetic vibratory feeders (EMVF) are commonly used for performing gravimetric flow of granular and particulate materials in processing industry. This drives offer easy and simple control the mass flow of conveying materials. In comparison with other drives (pneumatics, inertial, centrifugal, etc...), these have a more simple construction and they are compact, robust and reliable in operation. The absence of wearing mechanical part, such as gears, cams belts, bearings, eccentrics, etc., makes EMVF, most economical equipment. Standard power electronic output stages intended for control of theEMVF using SCR devices (thyristors and triacs). This implies phase angle control (PAC) and constant frequency of vibration. In this way control circuit must be synchronized to the mains supply frequency 50(60) Hz. PAC can only accomplish tuning amplitude of vibration, but not vibratory frequency. Application of transistor (IGBT or MOSFET) switch mode power converters enables accomplishing the amplitude and (or) frequency control of EMVF. Their use implies the excitation of an EMVF independent of the mains supply frequency. In addition, the frequency control ensures operation in the region of mechanical resonance. This operation is highly efficient, because large output displacement is provided by small input power. An optimal and efficient operation requires tracking of resonant frequency. This paper presents possible solution of the amplitude-frequency control of EMVF and corresponding simulation and experimental results.