G9/H9 Application Guideline 5.

Load Sharing Drooping Control

Introduction
Drooping control was developed for load sharing among multiple mechanically-coupled motors.
Variances in gearboxes, sheaves, belts, and the motors themselves can result in the motors
experiencing different loads. Without accounting for these variations, one motor may become more
loaded than its counterpart and fault on a motor overload. Drooping enables the drives to adjust
their output in order to share the load with other motors coupled to the load. Because drooping
control in the 9 series is bipolar, only the follower drives should have drooping enabled.
This application note should be fully read and understood before setting up drooping control.

Connections
Pump
Motor 1

Motor 2

Run
Signal

PWM

Drive 1

G9

F
CC

F
CC

V/I
IICC

V/I
IICC

Drive 2

PWM

4-20 mA Speed
Reference
Page: 1 of 4
2011 Toshiba International Corporation

G9

This application note will be utilizing the VI/II terminal as a frequency reference. Both drives should
receive simultaneous run commands and similar frequency commands (difference no greater than
0.02 Hz).
Before configuring drooping control, perform an auto-tune on each drive and program the V/f
Pattern (F015) to Sensorless Vector Control (Speed/Torque Switching). Because the drives must
receive identical frequency commands, the analog input terminals must be calibrated as well. See
the respective application notes for additional information on auto-tuning the drive to the motor and
calibrating input terminals.

Programming
Drive #1
PARAMETER
F004: Frequency Mode 1
F015: V/f Pattern

MENU PATH
Fundamental Standard Mode Selection
Fundamental Frequency Settings

DEFAULT
2 RR
0 Constant Torque

NEW VALUE
1 VI/II (V/I)
4 Sensorless Vector
Control (Speed/Torque
Switching)

MENU PATH
Fundamental Standard Mode
Selection
Fundamental Frequency Settings

DEFAULT
2 RR

NEW VALUE
1 VI/II (V/I)

0 Constant Torque

Feedback Drooping Control

Feedback Drooping Control

0.0
0.00

4 Sensorless Vector
Control (Speed/Torque
Switching)
See description below
See description below

Feedback Drooping Control

0.00

See description below

Feedback Drooping Control

10.00

See description below

Drive #2
PARAMETER
F004: Frequency Mode 1
F015: V/f Pattern
F320: Drooping Gain
F321: Speed at 0%
Drooping Gain
F322: Speed at F320
Drooping Gain
F323: Drooping
Insensitive Torque

With drooping control enabled, the drive injects artificial slip to reduce the output of more heavily
loaded motors, allowing other motors to receive more of the load. The parameters listed must be
programmed correctly and tested to ensure proper load-balancing.
Drooping Gain (F320) Configures the amount of droop (slip) to be used at the frequency programmed
in F322 when operating at 100% load. Because drooping control in the 9 series is bipolar, positive
torque results in a reduction in the output frequency while negative torque results in an increase in
the output frequency. For example, a load requiring 30% torque will reduce the output frequency by
30% of the maximum allowable droop (based on parameters F320, F321, and F322).
Speed at Drooping Gain 0% (F321) Sets the frequency at which drooping begins. Between this
programmed frequency and 0 Hz, the maximum amount of droop at 100% motor torque is 0%. For
most hard coupled loads, this parameter should remain at 0.

Page: 2 of 4
2011 Toshiba International Corporation

Speed at F320 Drooping Gain (F322) Sets the frequency where the maximum amount of droop at full
load is 100% of parameter F320. If F320 is programmed for 10% and parameter F322 is set to 60 Hz,
any operation at 60 Hz or above requiring drooping will droop up to a maximum of 10% (6 Hz
drooping at 60 Hz, 7 Hz drooping at 70 Hz, etc.).

Drooping Insensitive Torque (F323) Configures the offset torque percentage where drooping begins.
This offset is applied to the entire range of drooping control (configured through parameters F321
and F322). With this value set to 50%, motor output torque must reach 50% before implementing
drooping control (see graphic below).

A drive with F320 set to 10%, F321 set to 0 Hz, F322 set to 60 Hz, and F323 set to 10% will output the
following frequencies at the following torque currents:

Page: 3 of 4
2011 Toshiba International Corporation

Commanded
Frequency (Hz)
60
60
60
60
60
60
80
80
80
80

Torque
Current (%)
10
80
100
120
-60
-100
10
50
100
130

Output
Frequency (Hz)
60
55.8
54.6
53.4
63
65.4
80
77.6
74.6
72.8

In the chart above, at a given command frequency, the output frequency decreases as the load increases.
Alternatively, as the motor sheds its load (resulting in negative torque), the output frequency increases
above 60 Hz. By speeding up, the motor will assume more of the load from the non drooping motor that
will be running at 60 Hz.
Ensure proper motor/drive balancing by operating the load at 25, 50, 75, and 100% load while
monitoring the torque of each motor. If the load cannot be modified, monitor the torque of each motor at
multiple output frequencies (15 Hz, 30 Hz, 45 Hz, 60 Hz). The difference in output torques at each point
should be within the percentage programmed to the Drooping Insensitive Torque (F323) parameter.

Notes
The error in drooping insensitive torque increases in the frequency range above the base frequency. It is
therefore recommended that these functions be used at frequencies below the base frequency.
During drooping control, the output frequency is not limited to the maximum frequency (F011).

Revision History:
Rev.

Date

Written/Revised
By

Approved By

11/8/2011

Steven Schell

Eric Houg

Description
Original Document

For additional assistance, please contact Toshiba Adjustable Speed Drive Marketing Dept. at (800) 872-2192.

Page: 4 of 4
2011 Toshiba International Corporation