Guide to motors

and starting
2 Introduction
Electric motors are deservedly the most
popular prime movers for industry and
commerce. Compared with other sources of
mechanical power, they're inexpensive,
compact, reliable and versatile. As a result of

Introduction
this popularity, millions of motors are installed
each year and, except for the very tiniest, every
one needs a starter. The manufacture of these
starters is the basis on which the control gear
industry was built, and motor starters are still
at the core of almost every control gear
supplier's business.

Starters commonly used today, however, differ from

their predecessors. Some types, such as the faceplate
starter, have disappeared altogether. Other types,
such as primary resistance starters, are fast declining
in popularity. In addition, asynchronous induction
motors are now almost universal, virtually eliminating
the need for the specialised starters used by other
types of motor.

This supplement deals with a wide range of starting

techniques for asynchronous motors, an area where
Schneider's engineers have unrivalled expertise. The
benefits and limitations of various starting methods are
explained and, unlike some ostensibly similar
publications, the information presented is right up to
date - current, useful and practical data is presented in
a clear concise form.

Your comments on the contents of this supplement are

welcome, as are your suggestions for topics which you
would like to see covered in future issues.
The scope of this publication 3

Scope
This supplement has been written to provide
engineers, designers and users of motor starters with
a brief overview of current techniques to assist in their
understanding, and to help them in the design of
equipment. It by no means covers all aspects of
motor starting but, nevertheless, it deals with the vast
majority of applications likely to be encountered in
industry and commerce. For those requiring further
information, a short list of sources is included at the
end of the supplement.

Motors – a few basics

Principle of operation
Three-phase asynchronous motors are, by far, the

Motors – a few basics

most widely used type. The operation of this type of
motor relies upon the creation of an induced current in
a conductor which is, itself, under the influence of a
magnetic field. It is this principle of operation which
gives rise to the commonly used term "induction
motor."

The rotating magnetic field

A typical motor has three stator or field windings
which are arranged at an angle of 120° relative to each
other. These windings are fed from the three phases
of the mains supply which are, themselves, offset by
120° . This arrangement produces a rotating magnetic
field which, as it turns, tends to pull the motor's rotor
round with it.

The magnetic field rotates once during each complete cycle of the
supply current. Motor speed is, therefore, directly related to the
supply frequency (f in cycles per second or Hz), and the number of
pole pairs (p) which the motor uses. The motor's so-called
synchronous speed is given by:
Ns (in revolutions per minute) = 60f / p
The majority of motors in use are four-pole machines (2 pairs), which
have synchronous speeds of 1500 rpm at 50Hz and 1800 rpm at 60Hz.
4 Slip In practice, an induction motor can never run at its
synchronous speed, since it can only generate torque if
there is an induced current in the rotor conductors. This
can only be the case if there is relative movement

Slip
between the rotor and the rotating magnetic field. The
rotor must, therefore, rotate slightly more slowly than the
field which rotates at synchronous speed. This is why
the motor is described as asynchronous.

The difference between the synchronous speed (Ns) and

the actual nominal rotor speed (Nn) is called the slip. Slip is
always expressed as a percentage of the synchronous
speed:

slip = 100(Ns - Nn)/ Ns

Motor construction
A three-phase asynchronous motor comprises two main
components, the stator and the rotor.

Motor
As its name suggests, the stator is the stationary part of the motor, and
consists of a strong casing (usually manufactured from cast-iron or alloy)
into which is fixed a ring of laminated silicon steel sections. The

construction
laminations are slotted so as to accommodate the stator windings which
create the rotating magnetic field. Each of the main windings, of which
there are three in a three-phase motor, comprises a number of coils. The
magnetic coupling of the windings is arranged to give the required
number of pole pairs (and thus synchronous speed) of the motor.

The rotor is the rotating part of the motor which drives the machine to
which it is coupled. It is similar to the stator, but is made up of a greater
number of laminated sections. Together, these form a cylinder which is
keyed to the motor shaft. There are two principle types of rotor - squirrel
cage and wound.
Motor
5

construction
Squirrel cage rotors are, by far, the most common. They have straight
conductors set into slots around the periphery of the rotor. These
conductors are connected together by rings at each end of the rotor, so
that their arrangement somewhat resembles a circular squirrel cage, from
which the assembly gets its name. A popular variation is the double-
cage, which has two concentric cages and offers a higher starting torque
than single-cage versions. No external electrical connections can be
made to any type of squirrel cage rotor.

Wound rotors have windings similar to those used in the stator. One end
of each winding is connected to a common (star) point, and the other
ends are connected to slip rings. External connections to the rotor
windings are made via these slip rings, allowing additional resistance to
be added to the rotor circuit during starting. This enables the motor's
starting current and torque to be controlled.

Controlling speed

Varying the supply voltage alone is motor, giving a wide range of

a comparatively ineffective way of control over speed, without loss of

Controlling
controlling the speed of an
induction motor. Voltage increases
raise speed somewhat, but this
effect is limited by magnetic
torque. With inverter drives,
standard 50Hz motors can be
operated successfully over at least
the range of supply frequencies

speed
saturation in the windings.
Conversely, voltage reductions
decrease speed but, again, the
range of control is very limited, and
torque is adversely affected.
Today, the most popular method of
speed control is the use of a
variable frequency (inverter) drive.
These vary both the voltage and
frequency of the supply to the
from 5 to 50Hz with only a slight
loss of operating torque. If
operated continuously at
frequencies of 25Hz or less, the
cooling provided by the motor's
built-in fan is likely to be
insufficient, and additional forced
cooling should be considered.
6

Starting current
If a stationary squirrel cage motor With conventional contactor-based
is connected directly to the supply, starters, however, there is a

Starting
it will typically draw a starting
current of 5 to 8 times its normal
full-load current (FLC). For smaller
motors, this is often acceptable,
problem - reduced starting current
means reduced starting torque
which may, in some applications,
be unacceptable. This limitation is

current
but for large machines, or where
supply capacity is limited, some
means of reducing the starting
current becomes necessary. This
is usually done by reducing the
voltage applied to the motor during
starting. Most of the starters
described in the remainder of this
publication have been developed
specifically to limit motor starting
current.
examined in more detail in later
sections which describe particular
starter types. It is worth noting,
however, that inverters, which
control both supply frequency and
voltage, allow starting currents of
1.5 x FLC or less, while still
providing high starting torque.
When using soft starters, starting
currents are generally between 2
and 5 x FLC.

Summary
Three-phase asynchronous induction motors are the most
commonly used type in industry. Their speed is largely determined
by supply frequency, with voltage variations having comparatively
little effect. Connected directly to the supply, these motors have
typical starting currents of 5 to 8 x FLC. Often, starting currents
need to be reduced, and various forms of starter have been
developed to make this possible.
 Starters 7

Direct-on-line (DOL) starters

With this type of starter, the stator
windings of the motor are

1/L1

3/L2

5/L3
Starters
connected directly to the three-
phase mains supply. The motor -Q1
starts and accelerates in a way

1 2

3 4

5 6
determined by its own
characteristics. Typically, the peak -KM1

1 2

3 4

5 6
starting current is between 5 and 8
times normal full-load current, and
-F1
the peak starting torque is between

U 2

V 4

W 6
0.5 and 1.5 times the motor?s
nominal operating torque.
M
Overloads designed to 3
BS EN 60947-4-1 are based on a
starting current of 7.2 times normal Direct-on-line
full-load current. starter diagram

Motor
Torque
current
7
2.5
6 Ins
tan
tan
5 eo 2 e
us r qu
m To
o or
ot
to

4 M
rc

1.5
ur
re

3
nt

1
2
0.5 q ue
Tor
1 Load
Speed Speed

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1

Direct-on-line current/speed characteristics Direct-on-line torque/speed curve

8

Although DOL starters offer a number of advantages,

including simplicity, low cost and high starting torque,
their use is limited to applications where:

• low-power motors are being used,

Starters
and the supply capacity is high, so
that the starting current surge
does not adversely affect other
equipment using the same supply
DOL starters are not suitable when:
• the equipment driven by the motor
is fitted with a gearbox or some
other device which will soften the • the peak starting current would
mechanical shock produced by result in a serious voltage drop on
the high starting torque the supply system
• a high starting torque is needed - • the equipment being driven cannot
for example, the equipment starts tolerate the effects of very high
against its full mechanical load. peak torque loadings
• the safety or comfort of those
using the equipment may be
compromised by sudden starting
as, for example, with escalators
When the limitations of DOL and lifts
starting are not acceptable, it is
necessary to use alternative
starting techniques which reduce
the peak starting current and,
therefore, the peak starting torque.
The normal approach is to arrange
for the motor to be started at
reduced voltages, and a number of
methods have been developed for
doing this.
 Torque
Star-delta starters 9
2.5
This type of starter may only be used where access is
possible to both ends of all three stator windings. In 2 )
ct
addition, the windings must be rated to withstand the

i re
(d
Tor lt a
1.5 q u e i n de
full supply voltage when delta-connected. With star-
delta starting, the 1
peak starting r
current sta e
current is typically 7
0.5 Tor q u e in
d tor
qu
Lo a
between 1.5 and Speed
6 Curre
2.6 times the nt 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1
in
de
lt a
normal full-load 5 co
nn
current, and the ec Star-delta starting torque/speed
4 characteristics
tio
peak starting n
(d
3 ire
torque is between ct)
Current in Star-delta starting
0.2 and 0.5 times 2 star c
onn
ect current/speed
the motor's ion
1 characteristics
nominal operating Speed
torque. 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1

On starting, the supply is first The run-up time with the windings

Star-delta
applied to the motor with its stator
windings star-connected. As the
motor accelerates, its speed
stabilises when its developed
star-connected is controlled by a
timer which, typically, can be
adjusted from 0 to 30 seconds.
This timer is adjusted during

starters
torque become equal to its load
torque. This usually happens at
about 75% - 80% of nominal
speed. The star contactor is then
de-energised, and the delta
contactor energised to delta-
connect the stator windings. Each
Star-delta starter
winding is now
fed with the full
1/L1
commissioning to ensure that the
star-delta changeover occurs, as
closely as possible, at the point of
torque equilibrium. The transition
time from star to delta is also
important, and a special timer is
normally used to ensure that there
is a period of between 30ms and
50ms between the opening of the

3/L2

5/L3

supply voltage, star contactor and the closing of

-Q1
and the motor the delta contactor. This allows
2

adopts its normal time for any switching arcs to be

operating extinguished.
1

-KM2 -KM3 -KM1 characteristics.

2

4
6

4
6

4
6
U1 2

V1 4

W1 6

M1 -F2
3
2

4
6
W2
U2

V2
10 Star-delta starters are particularly suited to machines
which do not present a high load torque at start-up, or
which normally start off-load. It is also important to

Star-delta
note that, during the star-to-delta transition, a high
transient current is generated. If a magnetic short-
circuit protective device is to be used in the starter,
this transient must be taken into account in the

starters
selection of the device, in order to prevent nuisance
tripping.

Although the transient produced at the star-delta

transition is very brief, the current can be quite large
and, particularly for larger motors, some form of
current limiting may be necessary. One solution is to
introduce a delay of 1 to 2 seconds during the star-to-
delta transition. To avoid too large a speed drop
during the transition, however, this method can only be
used with low-inertia loads.

Primary resistance starters

Starters of this type start the motor at reduced voltage

Primary
by connecting a resistance bank in series with the
motor windings. Once the motor has run up and its
speed has stabilised, the resistance bank is shorted
out, and the motor becomes direct-connected. This

resistance
changeover is normally controlled by an adjustable
timer within the starter. Unlike star-delta starters,
primary resistance starters do not require access to
both ends of the stator windings.

starters
Values of starting current and torque are determined
by the values of the resistors used. Typically, however,
the peak starting current will be around 4.5 times
nominal full-load current, and peak starting torque will
be around 0.75 times nominal operating torque.
 Primary resistance starting
current/speed characteristics
11

1L1

3L2

5L3
Torque
-Q1 1 2 7
3 4

5 6
6 Cu
rr en
to
-KM1 n2
nd
5 .s
te
p
1 2

3 4

5 6

wi
Cur th
r ent o

ut
4 on
-F1 1s

re
t. s

sis
tep

ta
wi

nc
2

4
6

3 th

e(
re
si s

d ir
ta

e
nc

e
2
R1

R3

R5
1

3
5

-KM11
RU

RV

R6

1
2

Speed
R2

R4

R6

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1

W
U

M
3
Torque

Primary resistance starter 2.5

sistance (d
Primary resistance starters are 2 t re i
ou

re
th

ct)
wi
especially suitable for applications, st
ep
To d.
1.5 r qu n
such as ventilator fans, where the e on 2

Primary
load torque increases with speed. resistance
ith
1 pw
A possible disadvantage is the high .s
te
To r 1 st
q u e on
peak current at the instant of
starting, but this can be reduced by 0.5
ue
Load Torq

resistance
increasing the resistor values. Care Speed
must be taken, however, since this 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1
also reduces starting torque.
Primary resistance
starting torque/speed

starters
characteristics
 Current

12 Auto-transformer starters 7
Cur
6 ren
In auto-transformer starters, the motor is started tw
it h
ou
ta
at reduced voltage which is supplied from an 5 uto
-tr
an
s
auto-transformer. The starting sequence has Cu r r e n t

fo
4 on 1
2 sd
n

rm
t. st
ep

er
three stages.

(d
ire
3 Current o

c t)
n 1st . ste
p
During the first stage, the auto-transformer is star- 2
connected, and the line contactor is closed. This
starts the motor with a reduced voltage, the value of 1
Speed
which depends upon the ratio selected for the

Auto-transformer
0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1
transformer. Auto-transformers are normally
provided with taps to allow the best ratio to be Auto-transformer starting current/speed
chosen during commissioning. characteristics

starters
In the second stage, the star connection is opened,

1/L1

3/L2

5/L3
and the auto-transformer acts as an inductor
connected in series with the motor. This transition -Q1
is normally timed to occur when the motor speed

1 2

3 4

5 6
has stabilised at the end of the run-up period. The -F1
third stage then follows almost immediately, and

4
6
involves shunting the transformer completely, so
that the motor is direct-connected to the supply.
1

3
5

3
5
The starting current and torque are reduced as a -KM3 -KM2
2

U1 2

V1 2

W1 2
function of the reduced starting and run-up voltages
(Usupply/Ustarting) 2. Typical values for peak starting -T1
current are 1.7 to 4 times nominal full-load current
U3
and, for peak starting torque, 0.5 to 0.85 times V3
nominal operating torque. W3
W
U

6 W2
2 U2
4 V2

Auto-transformer starting is particularly used for large

M -KM1
motors (above 100kW), but tends to be an expensive 3
1
3
5

solution, largely because of the cost of the auto-

transformer itself. These starters may also produce a Auto-transformer starter
current peak at
Torque
the instant when the motor is switched directly to the
supply. This peak can be minimised by careful design
2.5 of the auto-transformer, but only at the expense of
increasing the peak current at the commencement of
2 the first stage of the starting sequence.

1.5

Tor p
q ue o ste
1 n 2 n d.
Tor
q ue o 1st. step
n
0.5
Load Torque

Auto-transformer starting
0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1 torque/speed characteristics
Electronic soft starters 13

This relatively recently introduced each set of thyristors, it is possible

form of starter is rapidly growing in
popularity. Soft starters operate by
gradually increasing the voltage
applied to the motor, so as to
produce steady, smooth
acceleration. This technique
to control the starting voltage and,
hence, the starting current. Note
that, unlike inverter drives, soft
starters do not vary the frequency
of the supply to the motor.

Electronic
eliminates sudden changes in
voltage which could produce peaks
in both starting current and torque.
The detailed design of soft starters
varies from manufacturer to
manufacturer, but a representative
unit is the Telemecanique Altistart 46.

soft starters
The steadily increasing supply
voltage for the motor during
starting is produced by a thyristor
bridge which, in each phase, has
two thyristors connected back-to-
back. By varying the firing angle of
This is fitted with a six-thyristor
power-switching bridge which
allows complete control over the
starting and stopping of a three-
phase squirrel-cage motor. It
provides:

Electronic
“soft starter”
current/speed
2.5 M
and 3
torque/speed
2 characteristics
Note: = firing angle of
thymistors
TdC
TdA TdB 1
• control of the acceleration and Electronic
TN “soft starter”
TC
deceleration ramps of the motor in
2
TA TB
such a way as to keep within all
3 required limits on current and torque

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 VN 1.25 • thermal overload protection for itself,

and for the motor which it is
controlling
1A • mechanical protection for the
lB
machine being driven, by eliminating
5
lC sudden changes in current - and,
1
4 therefore, torque - during starting
and stopping.
2
1 ATS

IN

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 VN 1.25

14

The peak starting current may be adjusted

between 2 and 5 times nominal full-load current,
corresponding to a range of starting torques
from 0.1 to 0.7 times the starting torque which
would be produced if the motor were started
with a DOL starter.
This type of starter may be used with any
asynchronous motor. The Telemecanique Altistart may
be bypassed by a contactor at the end of the

Electronic
acceleration ramp, the contactor being controlled by a
contact provided for this purpose. This will avoid
thyristor heating and losses which occur during normal
running. Even with the starter bypassed, however, the
protective devices of units rated at 18.5kW/415V and

soft starters
above remain operational, thus protecting both the
starter and the motor. For smaller units, a separate
thermal overload is required. Other features which can
be provided by soft starters include controlled
deceleration, and braking to a complete stop.
Rotor resistance starters 15

Starters of this type can only be used with motors

having a wound rotor to which external connections
can be made, usually via slip rings. This type of motor
cannot be started direct on line because the peak
starting current at the instant that the supply is
connected would be far too high. Instead, the motor

Rotor resistance
is started with a resistance bank connected in series
with the rotor windings (NOT the stator windings, as in
primary resistance starters).

starters
The starter is designed so that, at start-up, there is
maximum resistance in the rotor circuit. Various
sections of the resistance bank are then shorted out
progressively until, during normal running, no
resistance remains and the rotor windings are simply
star-connected.

Rotor resistance
Current
starting
current/speed 7
Rotor resistance starter characteristics
6 Cu
rre
nt
on
3rd
1/L1

3/L2

5/L3

.s
5 te
p
(n
o
-Q1 Curr

re
4 ent

sis
on
2

to
2n
d.

rs,
s tep

d ir
1

3 (s

ec
om

t)
e
-KM1 re
sis
to
1 2

3 4

5 6

2 rs
Current )
o n 1st.
ste p
-F1 ( a ll r
1 e sis
tors
)
2

4
6

Speed
W
U

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1

M
3
Rotor resistance
Torque starting
M
K

A2
B2 torque/speed
C2
2.5 characteristics
1
3
5

qu
Tor e on 2 rque wi
-R2A

-R2B

-KM12
R2C

n To
tho
2
4
6

d.

2
ut r
ste

esiso
p(
so

A1
me

rs)

B1
re s

C1 1.5 Torq
ue
isto
1
3
5

on
1 st
rs)

. st
ep
-KM11 ( al
-R1A

-R1B

-R1C

l re
1 sis
2
4
6

to
rs
)

0.5

Speed

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1

16 For this type of motor, the torque is with rotor resistance starters are,
virtually proportional to motor therefore, ideal for high-inertia

Rotor
current. A starting torque of twice loads which need to be started on-
normal full-load current, therefore, load, but where the peak current
produces a starting torque which is taken from the supply must be

resistance
twice the nominal operating torque.
This is much better than a DOL
starter, where 6 x full-load current
produces only 1.5 x nominal torque
limited. Further, the values of the
resistances and the number of
stages can be calculated so as to
match the motor characteristics to

starters
during starting. Slip-ring motors those of the application.

Summary
The principle objective of all methods of motor starting is to match
the torque characteristics to those of the mechanical load, while
ensuring that the peak current requirements do not exceed the
capacity of the supply. Many starting methods are available, each
of which has slightly different characteristics. The following table
summarises the main characteristics for the most popular forms
of starter.
Selecting a starter
When choosing a starter for a particular application,
the following procedure should be used:
• The power for the machine
installation will normally be
supplied by the Regional Electricity
Selecting
Company, and the user will need
to comply with any local
regulations. The Regional
Electricity Company will normally
limit DOL starting to a maximum
motor rating. If the motor is below
the DOL starting limit, determine
the peak starting current which
it would draw if started
direct-on-line.
• Check that this peak starting
current is within the capacity of
the supply.
• The installation will normally be fed
from a stepdown power
transformer. Check that the peak
starting current will not initiate a
circuit breaker trip on the high-
voltage (primary) side of the
transformer.
17
• Check that the supply line will not
introduce unacceptable voltage
drops when the peak current is
taken. If this is a problem, the
choice lies between installing
larger cables or selecting a
starting method other than DOL.
a starter
• If the above conditions are all
satisfied, DOL starting will provide
an economical solution, provided
that the mechanical load can
handle the peak starting torque
produced.
• If any of the conditions are not
satisfied, use the table to choose
an alternative method of starting.
Be particularly careful to ensure
that the starting torque produced
by the method of starting chosen
is adequate for the application.
18 Speed regulation of
asynchronous motors

While speed regulation, strictly, goes a little beyond

motor starting, the two subjects are so closely related
that a brief discussion of speed regulation is included
here for the sake of completeness.
For many years, the scope for varying the running
speed of asynchronous motors was rather restricted.
Only motors with pole-changing facilities, and those
with separate windings, were popular for applications
requiring multi-speed operation, but even these types
could only operate at one of a number of fixed speeds.

Speed
This situation changed dramatically with the
introduction of frequency inverters which allow the
running speeds of standard motors to be accurately

regulation of
controlled over a wide range. Inverter technology is so
successful that AC inverter drives are now being
adopted for many applications where, in the past, only
DC machines, with their inherent ease of speed
control, would have been suitable.

asynchronous
While various methods of speed control are possible,
which use only conventional components such as

motors
contactors and resistors, these methods are fast
becoming obsolete as they are replaced by inverter
systems. This supplement will, therefore, deal
principally with speed control by inverter.
The frequency inverter drive 19

Speed
This type of drive is intended mainly for use with three-phase squirrel
cage motors. It operates by using a technique called pulse-width
modulation (PWM) to synthesise a sinusoidal waveform, the frequency

regulation of
of which can be varied, that is used to supply the motor. By varying the
frequency of the supply to the motor, the stepless motor speed
variation is possible over a wide range. Since the synthesised supply
waveform is very close to sinusoidal, smooth motor rotation is achieved
even at low speeds.

asynchronous
motors
Inverter drive operation
The AC supply (single or three phase) to the inverter is rectified by a
full-wave diode bridge, and is used to charge the main reservoir capacitors.
This provides the system with a high-voltage DC source which is then
switched by the output power bridge to produce a pulse train made up
of precisely controlled long and short pulses. The train of pulses
produces a sinusoidal current in the motor, the voltage and frequency
of which can be accurately controlled. By retaining the correct
voltage/frequency ratio in the supply to the motor, its torque can be
maintained over a wide speed range.

Reservoir
capacitor W

V M
U 3

Bridge Transistor output

rectifier power bridge
Main circuit of a
frequency inverter
20
Summary of characteristics of various starting methods
Squirrel cage motors

Direct-on-line Star-delta Primary resistance

starting starting starting
Peak starting 4 to 8 In 1.3 to 2.6 In 4.5 In
Current
Peak starting 0.6 to 1.5 Tn 0.2 to 0.5 Tn 0.6 to 0.85 Tn
torque
Control On or off On or off 1 fixed step

Economic and rugged squirrel cage motor

Advantages • Simple starter • Simple, economic • Possibility of

• Low cost starter adjusting starting
• High starting • Good starting parameters
torque torque/current • No break in supply
performance to motor during
starting
• Good reduction in
peak transient
currents

Disadvantages • Very high starting • Low starting • Small reduction in

current and torque torque peak current
• Supply must • Non-adjustable • Resistance bank
withstand peak starting required
current parameters
• Mechanically harsh • Break in supply to
starting sequence motor leads to
severe transient
peak current

Run-up time 2 to 3 seconds 3 to 7 seconds 7 to 12 seconds

Typical • Small machines • Machines starting • High inertia

applications may often be on no-load (small machines with
started on full-load centrifugal pumps, normal starting
fans, etc.) current/torque
characteristics
 21

Slip-ring motors

Auto-transformer Electronic Variable speed Rotor resistance

starting “soft-starting” drives starting
1.7 to 4 In Adjustable, 2 In 1.8 In for 200 ms <2.5 In
to 5 In
0.4 to 0.85 Tn Adjustable, 0.1 1.7 Tn <2.5 Tn
to 0.7 Tn
3 fixed step Gradual Variable 1 to 5 fixed steps

• Good starting • Parameters are • Parameters are • Good starting

torque/current fully adjusted fully adjusted torque/current
performance during during performance
• Possibility of commissioning commissioning • Possibility of
adjusting starting • Compact • Compact adjusting starting
parameters • Solid state • Solid state parameters
• No break in supply • Easily adapted to • Easily adapted to • No break in supply
to motor during the application the application to motor during
starting • Infinitely variable starting
speed
• In-built motor
protection
• Low starting
current

• Expensive auto- • Can cause • Can cause • Expensive slip-ring

transformer interference on the interference on the motor required
required supply during supply • Resistance bank
• Not tolerant to starting and • Relatively required
supply line stopping expensive
transients compared to
direct-on-line

7 to 12 seconds Adjustable, 1 to 60 0.1 to 999 seconds • 3-step : 2.5s

seconds • 4 and 5 step : 5s

• High inertia • Machines requiring • All machines • Machines starting

machines where a very smooth where speed on-load, where
reduction of starting (centrifugal needs to be varied smooth run-up is
starting pumps and fans, to improve required, etc.
current/torque is conveyors, etc.) production and
required reduce mechanical
wear
• Machines where
energy can be
saved by reducing
speed (centrifugal
pumps, fans, etc.)
22

Inverter drive applications

Frequency inverter drives are very easy to use with
standard squirrel cage motors. Their torque

Inverter drive
capabilities allow their use with all types of load,
including those requiring very high torques. For
applications where overhauling loads may be

applications
encountered (hoists, mechanical handling, etc.) drives
are available for four-quadrant operation. These can
control both forward and reverse (hoist and lower)
operations, and they often include a braking facility.

Inverter drives almost invariably incorporate electronic

protection against thermal overloads and short
circuits. This protects both the motor and the drive.
Many drives also incorporate communications
capabilities which facilitate their integration into
automated systems.
 23

Variable-voltage controllers
An alternative to inverter drives, these units offer
another method of achieving motor speed control
electronically. As they are much less versatile than
frequency inverters, however, they are now declining in
popularity.

Variable voltage The principle of operation in this type of controller is to

vary only the voltage applied to the motor. The torque
produced by an asynchronous motor is proportional to

controllers
the square of the supply voltage. This type of drive
operates by regulating the voltage such that the torque
produced just balances the load torque at the speed
required. The motor supply voltage is usually
controlled by varying the firing angle of a pair of back-
to-back thyristors in each phase of the supply.

The use of variable-voltage controllers is limited by the

high losses in the rotor, which occur when
asynchronous motors are operated under high-
slip/low-speed conditions. These drives are most
suitable for motors with ratings of 3kW or less.

Summary
The availability of inverter drives has made
variable speed operation for asynchronous
motors increasingly popular. While other
methods of speed control are available, none
offers the versatility and performance of
frequency inverters.
24

Starters by design
This supplement has dealt with the general principles
of motor starting, and it is intended as an aid to
choosing the best starting technique for a particular

Starters by
application. With the starter type decided, the next
step is either to select an off-the-shelf starter, if it is a
simple standard type or, for more complex
applications, to design a suitable starter.

design
Design guidelines for popular starter types are readily
found in the literature available from control gear
suppliers, but designers are also encouraged to talk to
their suppliers. Products and methods are constantly
evolving and, perhaps even more important, new
standards and regulations are imposing new duties
and responsibilities on designers. There is no better
way to keep up-to-date than to talk to an expert
supplier which has a strong focus in the control gear
market.
 25
Further information
Further
In this short supplement, is has not been possible to

information
do more than discuss briefly the most popular
methods of starting and motor speed control. Further
information is, however, readily available.
Telemecanique, a brand of the Schneider group, offers
two invaluable publications which are particularly
relevant.

Power control and protection

components
This contains technical details and
characteristics of motor starting components
necessary for the starting methods
described in this supplement.

Practical Aspects of Industrial

Control Technology
This comprehensive and up-to-date 290-page
hardback publication is available for purchase
from Telemecanique. It provides proven
design and application information covering
both electric and electronic products for
industry, and it has substantial sections
dealing with motor starting and control.

These publications are available from:

Telemecanique
University of Warwick Science Park
Sir William Lyons Road
Coventry CV4 7EZ
Tel: (01203) 416255
 Schneider Limited University of Warwick Science Park Sir William Lyons Road Coventry CV4 7EZ
Tel: 01203 416255 Fax: 01203 690209
Internet address: http://www.schneider.co.uk
GSUK 0244 MAR 98