An Accurate Method to Determine

Electric Motor Efficiency While the

Motor is in Operation

Rich Schiferl
Rockwell Automation

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Outline
Background
New method for determining electric motor
efficiency
Implementation
Accuracy vs lab tests
Conclusions

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Background
Energy cost is growing at a high rate
Plants can save a substantial amount of money by
replacing existing inefficient motors with new highly
efficient motors
An accurate method to determine electric motor efficiency
is needed to make these decisions
Without the need to disconnect the motor from the driven
equipment
Without the need to make connections at the motor terminal box
Include all motor losses
Provide both motor efficiency and output load information

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Electric Motor Efficiency Wizard

Portable metering

Speed
Temperature
Resistance
Power
Voltage
Current
Frequency

Laptop computer for data

collection
Proprietary algorithm to
calculate motor efficiency
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Measurements made at Two Motor

Load Points
Motor
Starter
Voltage,
Frequency,Resistance

Efficiency
Wizard Kit

Current

Three phase
induction motor

Temperature and Speed

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Test Procedure
Disconnect motor power at the starter
Measure line to line resistances at the
starter.
Measure the motor and cable temperature
using the Infra Red meter
Record cable length (starter to motor) and
gage

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Test Procedure...
Connect the Power Monitor and frequency
monitor leads at the starter box
current, voltage, frequency, input power

Start data download to the Laptop PC

Record motor fan diameter and nameplate data
Start the motor and bring it to normal load
condition.
Measure motor speed and surface temperature at a
normal running load and at a second load point.
Enter data into the Laptop PC
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Motor Input Data Sheet

Motor Data

REL S.O.
xxxxxxxx
Volts

Frame

HP

Type

Hertz

75
Amps

AMB
C/INSUL.

Duty
91 CONT

460
Code Letter Enclosure
G
TENV

E/S

RPM
60

Rotor

S.F.

Test S.O. Date Test Date

2/27/02
2/27/02

Input Power
KW
N. of Poles Frequency V L12
V L13
1186.7
60.51
6
60.002
466.833
466.833
1193.2
32.976
6
59.995
469.1
469.1

Item
Test Point 1"High Load"
Test Point 2 "Low Load"

RPM

Item
Test Point 1"High Load"
Test Point 2 "Low Load"

V L23
I1
466.833
469.1

Stator Resistance &

Temperature**
Resistance

StatorTem
perature in
R12 total
R13 total
R23 total C
Cable Temp
0.16
0.16
0.17
51
24

** Measure the resistance of

the stator
and record the temperature at
the time
of measurement.
SLL % Factor at Rated Power
Performance Curves Rated
Voltage
Performance Curves Rated
Freq.
Design Factor
Hours Per Week
KW hour cost in dollars
Motor Appliction
XEX Motor Efficiency

1185
Nema
Design
B

I2
88.012
56.299

Motor HP

I3
88.012
56.299

Stator
Cable
Temperature Temp
88.012
60
56.299
56

F&W
watts
39
39

250
250

SLL % of
Output

1 - 125
126 - 500
1.8 501 - 2499

460
60
1.0325
168
0.05
#3 Boiler
Fan
95

Cable
Length in
Feet

Cable
Gauge
1

213.5

Cables /phase
1

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Results Provided
Motor output torque and horsepower at the two load
points
Motor efficiency at the two load points
Includes I2R, core, friction and windage, and stray load loss

Motor equivalent circuit parameters

Performance curves for the motor
Power and torque vs speed
Efficiency, power factor and current vs load

Energy savings (in kilowatt hours and $) if this motor

is replaced with an energy efficient motor
Given energy cost, hours of operation per week
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

Output Data Sheet

Motor Data

REL S.O.
xxxxxxxx
Volts

Frame

HP
0

Amps
Duty
460
91 CONT
Code Letter Enclosure E/S
G
TENV

Type

Hertz
RPM
0
60
1185
AMB C/INSUL. S.F.
Nema Design
0
0B
Rotor
Test S.O. DatTest Date
0
0
37314
37314

75

Input
Output Torque
Item
Output HP
Current
Speed
ft.lb
Power factor Efficiency
Test Point 1"Hig
72.66
88.0
1186.7
321.6
0.85
90.6
Test Point 2 "Low
38.75
56.3
1193.2
170.5
0.72
88.4

Motor
Parameters

Phase
Stator
Core
Rotor
Rotor
Resistance Inductance Resistanc
Magnetizing
Inductance Resistance
R1&cable
L1
e Rc
Inductance Lm
L2
R2
0.057
0.00060
77.471
0.0189
0.00082
0.03767

Output Power
HP
Input Current
5.5
37.2
24.8
46.1
43.4
60.2
60.9
76.4
77.5
93.4
85.4
101.9
92.9
110.4
XEX Motor
Efficiency
$ Savings Per
Year
Annual KWH
Saving

Power
factor
Efficiency
0.242
57.5
0.595
84.8
0.756
89.2
0.825
90.4
0.857
90.6
0.866
90.6
0.872
90.4

Output
Speed RPM Torque ft.lb.
1199.0
24.2
1195.6
109.1
1192.3
191.0
1188.9
269.2
1185.5
343.3
1183.8
378.7
1182.1
412.9

95
1223
24468

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

10

Efficiency Calculation Accuracy

10 HP Motor
92
91
90

Efficiency

89

IEEE 112B lab test

Efficiency Wizard

Measured E fficiency
E stimated E fficiency

88
87
86
85
84
1 /4 L o ad

1 /2 L o ad

3 /4 L o ad

F ull L o ad

M o to r L o a d

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

11

Efficiency Calculation Accuracy

Efficiency

600 HP Motor

IEEE 112B lab test

Efficiency Wizard

100
98
96
94
92
90
88
86
84

Measured
Efficiency
Estimated
Efficiency

1/4 Load 1/2 Load 3/4 Load Full Load

Motor Load

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

12

Efficiency Calculation Accuracy

Efficiency

150 HP Motor
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83

IEEE 112B
lab test
Measured
Efficiency
Estimated
Efficiency
Efficiency
Wizard

1/4
Load

1/2
Load

3/4
Load

Full
Load

Motor Load

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

13

Motor Efficiency Versus Output Power

Mitsubishi

2/27/02

REL

Efficiency

xxxxxxx

#3 Boiler Fan
75 HP

100.0
90.0
80.0

Efficiency (%)

70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Horespower

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

14

Input Current Versus Output Power

Mitsubishi

2/27/02

#3 Boiler Fan

Input Current

REL S.O. xxxxxxxx

75 HP

120.0

Input Current (Amps)

100.0

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0
0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Horse Power

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

15

Power Factor vs Output Power

Mitsubishi

2/27/02

#3 Boiler Fan

Power factor

REL S.O. xxxxxxxx

75

HP

0.90
0.85
0.80

Power Factor

0.75
0.70
0.65
0.60
0.55
0.50
0.45
0.40
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Horsepower

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

16

Speed vs Output Power

2/27/02

Mitsubishi

Speed RPM

REL S.O. xxxxxxxx

75

#3 Boiler Fan

HP

1200
1198
1196
1194

RPM

1192
1190
1188
1186
1184
1182
1180
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Horsepower

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

17

Motor Torque vs Speed

2/27/02

Mitsubishi

REL S.O.

Output Torque ft.lb.

xxxxxxxx

75

#3 Boiler Fan

HP

450
400
350

Torque ft.Ib

300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1180

1182

1184

1186

1188

1190

1192

1194

1196

1198

1200

RPM
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

18

How Does it Work

Input data at the two load points is used to
calculate the induction motor equivalent circuit
parameters
Core loss, stator I2R loss and rotor I2R loss are obtained
by solving for equivalent circuit losses

Stray load loss is estimated from IEEE standard

formula
Friction and windage loss is determined from an
electric motor database
fan diameter and speed as inputs

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

19

Induction Motor Equivalent Circuit

R1

Va

L1

I1
V1

I2

I3
Rc

L2

Lm

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

R
2
s

20

How Does it Work

Performance curves are calculated
using the equivalent circuit model
efficiency, power, torque, power factor
and current vs speed and/or load

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

21

Features of the Efficiency Wizard

All electrical measurements can be made at
the motor starter
Lead length compensation is included in the
software calculations

No need to mechanically disconnect the

motor from the load
Two separate load points are required

Definite purpose portable field kit with high

accuracy metering
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

22

Features of the Efficiency Wizard

All motor losses are determined

Can be used on all induction motors
High accuracy test results
Motor performance curves provided
Automatic calculation of potential
energy and $ savings

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

23

Potential Uses
Provide information for:
Decisions to immediately replace a motor with
a more efficient one
Data base of in-service motor performance
Can be used for future motor replacement decisions
Can detect under loading or over loading
Prioritize present or future motor replacements

Provides data for fact based decisions on

motor replacement
Energy savings drop to the bottom line
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

24

Example Results
250 HP motor
Existing motor efficiency = 92.4 %
Energy efficient motor efficiency = 96.2%
Annual energy cost savings with motor
replacement = $1417

The present value of the savings over 20

years will be $15,256.
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

25

Conclusions
An accurate field tool for determining
induction motor efficiency has been
developed
Portable hardware kit
Proprietary software

The new tool can be used on-site without

the need to disconnect the motor from the
driven equipment
Two load points
Electrical connections at the motor starter
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

26

Conclusions
Accuracy is to within 1% of laboratory
test comparisons
10 hp thru 600 hp

Motor performance, energy and $ cost

savings are calculated from in-field test
data
Energy saving opportunities can now
be readily identified
In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

27

Thank You

In-field electric motor efficiency measurement

28