HET228 ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS AND SENSORS

Lab2: Three-Phase Induction Motor

1.0 OBJECTIVES

To carry out a load test on a three-phase induction motor

To determine the torque/power-speed characteristics of an induction motor.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

1. An induction motor is coupled to a permanent magnet DC generator which acts as

a load to the induction motor. Torque is induced in the DC generator proportional
to the current flowing in the DC generator armature. This torque will load the
induction motor.

2. The output power from the induction motor Pout can be assumed to be linearly
related to the output power from the DC generator (VDC x IDC) by:
Pout = n(VDC IDC)

3. Hence, ignoring the rotational losses, the torque induced by the induction motor is
(m is the motor speed):

ind =

4. The induction motor is normally modeled as an equivalent electrical circuit which

is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: A form of equivalent circuit of an induction motor

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HET228 ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS AND SENSORS

3.0 RESULTS

i) Table of Results

Angular Power Torque

Phase Phase DC DC
Resistance Speed Pe=Vdc*idc Slip Pout Velocity, Torque
Current Voltage Voltage Current (norm) (norm)
m
() (RPM) (W) (%) (W) (Nm)
(A) (V) (V) (A) (W) (Nm)
(rad/s)
Open 0.295 122.10 1459.00 153.600 0.000 0.000 2.730 0.000 152.806 0.000 0.000 0.000

1000 0.389 121.50 1409.00 146.000 0.144 21.024 6.070 21.024 147.569 0.143 0.373 0.283

500 0.513 120.90 1350.00 138.500 0.273 37.810 10.000 37.810 141.390 0.267 0.670 0.533

333 0.658 120.50 1277.00 129.900 0.383 49.752 14.870 49.752 133.745 0.372 0.882 0.743

250 0.816 119.90 1187.00 119.800 0.470 56.306 20.870 56.306 124.319 0.453 0.998 0.904

200 0.972 119.40 1075.00 107.500 0.525 56.438 28.330 56.438 112.588 0.501 1.000 1.000

100 1.360 118.50 568.00 55.000 0.529 29.095 62.130 29.095 59.489 0.489 0.516 0.976

66 1.445 118.10 382.00 35.800 0.507 18.151 74.530 18.151 40.008 0.454 0.322 0.906

Table 1: Results of experiment

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HET228 ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS AND SENSORS

ii) Graph

Normalized Torque vs Speed

and
Normalized Power vs Speed

1.2000

1.0000

Power (norm)
0.8000
Pmax = 56.4375W

0.6000 Torque (norm)

Tmax =
0.50127Nm

0.4000

0.2000

0.0000
0 500 1000 1500 2000

Speed (RPM)

Figure 2: Graph of normalized torque versus speed and normalized power versus speed

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HET228 ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS AND SENSORS

4.0 CONCLUSION & DISCUSSION

The torque and power output we obtained from the experiment are normalized,
allowing for both outputs to be plotted relative to the motor speed, on the same graph
using a single y-axis scale.

From the theory, the torque-speed curve is almost linear between no load and
full load. In this range, the rotor resistance is much larger than the rotor reactance, thus
the rotor current, the rotor magnetic field, and the induced torque increase linearly
with increasing slip.

Slip can be obtained using the equation, s = ( 100%) where Nsync

is the synchronous speed and Nm is the rotor speed. Under no load, or when the rotor
turns at synchronous speed, the slip value is approximately 0, while at full load or
when the rotor is stationary, slip value is 1. Therefore, the slip value for normal motor
speeds should fall between 0 and 1. This theory was validated by our experimental
results with the highest slip value obtained being 0.7453 and the lowest slip value
being 0.0273 (refer to Table 1).

At the synchronous speed the torque exerted on the rotor is zero. If the speed is
increased further, beyond the synchronous speed, the torque becomes negative and the
machine begins to act as a generator rather than a motor.

The maximum torque which is known as the breakdown torque or pullout

torque is independent of the rotor resistance. However, the speed at which the
maximum torque (pullout torque), also known as the pullout speed, occurs, is strongly
influenced by the rotor resistance. As the rotor resistance increases the pullout speed
of the motor decreases. Curves of power output versus speed will be similar to those
of torque versus speed except that the power output at zero speed will be zero, and the
point of maximum power output will occur at a somewhat higher speed than the point
of maximum torque.

These theoretical concepts are well represented by the experimental results

obtained. Figure 2 above shows that the torque-speed and power-speed characteristic
curves are mostly as predicted. The maximum torque is 0.501 Nm and the maximum
power is 56.438 W, with the maximum power occurring at a slightly higher rotor
speed than the maximum torque (pullout torque). Figure 2 also displays the rotors
synchronous speed, which can be found, as stated by the theory, at the point where the
torque is equal to zero. The synchronous speed of the induction motor, Nsync was
observed to be 1,459 rpm.

In conclusion, the lab experiment was a success with the observed and
calculated result matching the theory. Improvements on the results could be made if
the precision of the digital read-out were increased e.g. accurate to four decimal
places. Another improvement could be achieved by using more switches on the
resistive load box, this would reduce the increments between resistive values and
result in more precise and smoother data and graphs.
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