MMME2104

Design & Selection of Mining Equipment

Electrical Component

Induction Motors

Lecture 6
9 September 2003
 3-Phase Induction Motors
Introduction
• 3-phase induction motors
are simple, rugged, low-
cost, and easy to
maintain.
• They run at essentially
constant speed from
zero-to-full load.
• Therefore, they are the
motors most frequently
encountered in industry.
 Lecture Outline
• Induction Motor Components
• Operating Principle
• Synchronous Speed and Slip
• Active Power Flow
• Torque/Speed Curves
• Starting & Braking Induction Motors
• Abnormal Operating Conditions
• Standard Classifications of Induction Motors
 Induction Motor Components
A 3-phase induction motor has two main parts:
• A stator – consisting of a steel frame that supports a hollow,
cylindrical core of stacked laminations. Slots on the internal
circumference of the stator house the stator winding.
• A rotor – also composed of punched laminations, with rotor slots for
the rotor winding.
 Induction Motor Components
There are two-types of rotor windings:
• Squirrel-cage windings, which produce a
squirrel-cage induction motor (most common)
• Conventional 3-phase windings made of
insulated wire, which produce a wound-rotor
induction motor (special characteristics)
 Induction Motor Components
Squirrel cage rotor consists
of copper bars, slightly
longer than the rotor,
which are pushed into the
slots.
The ends are welded to
copper end rings, so that
all the bars are short
circuited.
In small motors, the bars
and end-rings are die-
cast in aluminium to form
an integral block.
 Induction Motor Components
A wound rotor has a 3-phase winding, similar to the stator
winding.
The rotor winding terminals are connected to three slip
rings which turn with the rotor. The slip rings/brushes
allow external resistors to be connected in series with
the winding.
The external resistors are mainly used during start-up –
under normal running conditions the windings short-
circuited externally.
 Induction Motor: Operating principle
Operation of 3-phase induction motors is based upon the application of
Faraday’s Law and the Lorentz Force on a conductor.

Consider a series of conductors (length L) whose extremities are shorted by

bars A and B. A permanent magnet moves at a speed v, so that its
magnetic field sweeps across the conductors.
 Induction Motor: Operating principle
The following sequence of events takes place:
1. A voltage E = BLv is induced in each conductor while it is being cut by the
flux (Faraday’s Law)
2. The induced voltage produces currents which circulate in a loop around
the conductors (through the bars).
3. Since the current-carrying conductors lie in a magnetic field, they
experience a mechanical force (Lorentz force).
4. The force always acts in a direction to drag the conductor along with the
magnetic field.

Now close the ladder upon itself

to form a squirrel cage, and place
it in a rotating magnetic field –
you have an induction motor!
 Induction Motor: Rotating Field
Consider a simple stator with 6 salient
poles - windings AN, BN, CN.
The windings are mechanically
spaced at 120° from each other.
The windings are connected to a 3-
phase source.
AC currents Ia, Ib and Ic will flow in
the windings, but will be
displaced in time by 120°.
Each winding produces its own MMF,
which creates a flux across the
hollow interior of the stator.
The 3 fluxes combine to produce a
magnetic field that rotates at the
same frequency as the supply.
Induction Motor: Rotating Field
 Induction Motor – Rotating Field:
Direction of rotation
The phase current waveforms
follow each other in the
sequence A-B-C.
This produces a clockwise-
rotating magnetic field.
If we interchange any two of the
lines connected to the stator,
the new phase sequence will
be A-C-B.
This will produce a counter-
clockwise rotating field,
reversing the motor direction.
 Induction Motor: Stator Winding
In practice, induction motors have
internal diameters that are smooth,
instead of having salient poles.
In this case, each pole covers 180° of
the inner circumference of the rotor
(pole pitch = 180°).
Also, instead of a single coil per pole,
many coils are lodged in adjacent slots.
The staggered coils are connected in
series to form a phase group.
Spreading the coil in this manner
creates a sinusoidal flux distribution per
pole, which improves performance and
makes the motor less noisy.
 Induction Motor:
Number of Poles – Synchronous Speed
The rotating speed of the revolving
flux can be reduced by increasing the
number of poles (in multiples of two).
In a four-pole stator, the phase
groups span an angle of 90°. In a
six-pole stator, the phase groups
span an angle of 60°.

This leads to the definition of

synchronous speed:

Ns = 120 f / p
In Australia (50Hz), synchronous
Ns = synchronous speed (rpm)
speeds include 3000rpm,
f = frequency of the supply (Hz)
1500rpm, 1000 rpm, 750rpm…
p = number of poles
 Induction Motors: Operation
Locked rotor: When the rotor is stationary, the field rotates at a
frequency (relative to the rotor) equal to the supply frequency. This
induces a large voltage – hence large currents flow within the rotor,
producing a strong torque.
Acceleration: When released, the rotor accelerates rapidly. As speed
increases, the relative frequency of the magnetic field decreases.
Therefore, the induced voltages and currents fall rapidly as the
motor accelerates.
Synchronous speed: The relative frequency of the rotating field is zero,
so the induced currents and voltages are also zero. Therefore, the
torque is zero too. It follows, that induction motors are unable to
reach synchronous speed due to losses such as friction.
Motor under load: The motor speed decreases until the relative
frequency is large enough to generate sufficient torque to balance
the load torque.
 Induction Motors: Slip
The difference between the synchronous speed and rotor speed can be
expressed as a percentage of synchronous speed, known as the slip.
Ns − N
s=
Ns
s = slip, Ns = synchronous speed (rpm), N = rotor speed (rpm)

• At no-load, the slip is nearly zero (<0.1%).

• At full load, the slip for large motors rarely exceeds 0.5%. For small
motors at full load, it rarely exceeds 5%.
• The slip is 100% for locked rotor.
 Induction Motors:
Frequency induced in the rotor

The frequency induced in the rotor depends on the slip:

f R = sf

fR = frequency of voltage and current in the rotor

f = frequency of the supply and stator field
s = slip
 Induction Motors: Active Power Flow
Efficiency – by definition, is the ratio
of output / input power:
η = PL / Pe
Rotor copper losses: Pjr = sPr
Mechanical power: Pm = (1 − s )Pr
30 Pr
Motor torque: Tm =
πN s
Induction Motors: Torque/Speed Curve
Induction Motors: Torque/Speed Curve
Induction Motors: Torque/Speed Curve
Induction Motors: Torque/Speed Curve

The torque (Ts) produced at a slip (s) by an

induction motor is given (approximately) by:

Ts 2
=
Tm (s sm + sm s )
where sm is the slip for maximum torque and Tm is
the maximum torque
Complete Torque-Speed Curve for and
Induction Motor
 Induction Motors:
Effect of Rotor Resistance
 Induction Motors:
Effect of Rotor Resistance
 Induction Motors:
Effect of Rotor Resistance
Wound rotor machine provides option of variable rotor resistance
 Starting an Induction Motor
High-inertia loads put a strain on induction motors
because they prolong the starting period. The
current is high during this interval such that
overheating is a major concern.

Rule of Thumb 1:
The heat dissipated in the rotor during start-up
(from zero to rated speed) is equal to the final
kinetic energy stored in all the revolving parts.
Assumes motor is not loaded mechanically (apart from inertia)
 Braking an Induction Motor
Sometimes an induction motor (and its load) needs to be stopped
suddenly. This can be achieved by interchanging the phase
sequence, so that the field is rotating backwards relative to the
rotor. This is known as plugging.
During plugging, the motor absorbs kinetic energy from the still-
rotating load and dissipates it as heat in the rotor. However, the
motor also continues to receive electrical power from the supply,
which is also dissipated as heat in the rotor.

Rule of Thumb 2:
The heat dissipated in the rotor during plugging (from rated to zero
speed) is equal to three times the kinetic energy stored in all the
revolving parts.

Assumes motor is not loaded mechanically (apart from inertia)

 Abnormal Operating Conditions

1. Mechanical overload
2. Supply voltage changes
3. Frequency variation
Abnormal Operating Conditions
4. Single phasing
Standardisation of Induction Motors
The frames of all industrial motors under 500hp
have standardised dimensions.
Therefore, motors (of the same frame size) can
be interchanged without changing the
mounting holes, the shaft height or the shaft
coupling.
The standards also establish limiting values for
electrical, mechanical and thermal
characteristics (such as starting torque,
locked-rotor current, overload capacity and
temperature rise).
 Classifications According to
Operating Environment
1. Drip-proof motors
2. Splash proof motors
3. Totally enclosed,
non-ventilated
motors
4. Totally enclosed,
fan-cooled motors
5. Explosion-proof Explosion proof motor
motors
 Classifications According to
Electrical/Mechanical Properties

1. Motors with standard locked-rotor torque (NEMA B)

• Good for fans, centrifugal pumps, machine tools…
2. High-starting torque motors (NEMA C)
• Good for starting under load – hydraulic pumps and
piston-type compressors
3. High-slip motors (NEMA D)
• Good for starting high-inertia loads
 Classifications According to
Electrical/Mechanical Properties