DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A STARTING SYSTEM FOR A SUGAR CANE

SHREDDER

L. F. Muñoz, J. J. León, H. H. Saldarriaga

Incauca Sugar Mill (Incauca S.A.S)
lfmunoz@incauca.com

Abstract

The goal of the implemented starting system is to overcome the large inertias of the machine (shredder) at the start of
its operation, to decrease the time of the starting current in the three-phase induction motor. The turbine-reducer drive
assembly was sized according to the requirements of the shredder and the needs of the electric grid, using live steam
at 650 psig. To complete the start-up system, a spiral-jaw high-torque coupler with positive contact was designed and
manufactured, which adapts to the minimum operating space. This clutch coupling was evaluated numerically by
flexible linear and dynamic structural analysis using computational tools. The starting sequence is carried out thanks
to an automated control that governs the speed in the turbine, the on-off operation of the clutch coupling and the
verification of a series of conditions before making the electric start of the engine. It was possible to reduce the
starting current time in the motor by 83% and increase the flexibility of the electrical network in the different scenarios
of the factory during the start-up of the machine.

Keywords: Inertia, shredder, electrical grid, coupling, clutch

Introduction.

In the scope of the energy efficiency project of the Incauca factory, where previously steam turbines were used for the
operation of high-power machines (sugar cane cutters, sugar cane mills, induced draft fans in boilers, among others),
it was considered as part of the global scheme to replace each of these drives with high efficiency electric motors

Particularly in the mills the cane cutters were replaced by heavy type shredders powered by a 5300 HP three-phase
induction electric motor, an unconventional application; and at the same time the two tandem mills were electrified
with motors of the same characteristics but of 1750 HP.

Among the most common starting schemes to comply with the REBT are the following:

 Direct start with the electrical grid: Only valid in small motors.
 Start by inserting resistances in the rotor: Only valid for wound rotor motors and rosin rings. Obsolete.
 Start with resistance in the stator: Procedure not used enough, as an emergency method. Obsolete.
 Start star-triangle: the most economical and used method. Obsolete.
 Start with autotransformer: Reduction of voltage during start-up by autotransformer.
 Starting with static starters: By means of electronic equipment, Speed variator or soft starter.
It should be noted that three-phase motors with squirrel-cage rotor are the most commonly used today due mainly to
the development of electronic speed variators, which allow a perfect fit to the need of each application. However, for
the year in which the shredders came into operation there were no drives that operated at those voltage and current
levels, there was no reference of the manufacturers that confirmed having these drives working in the industry

Winding rotor induction motors are less used because of their high cost and because they require more maintenance
than squirrel cage motors. The latter are the engines that require less maintenance at the industrial level.

For the characterization and specification of the shredder motor, an engineering study was carried out as requested
by the literature for this type of engine at those power levels. Knowing the limitations of the power grid in those years
and the curves of tests carried out by the shredder supplier, different scenarios are evaluated and records are taken.

With the electrification of the mills and consequently the output of the high turbines and reducers, there were two
different models of turbines and two different models of gearboxes for the starter system drive. The old Wichita
couplings of those drives did not satisfy the torque requirements when validated in the new application where they
were intended to operate, and the market solutions asked to modify the current assembly and had speed limitations in
their hook-and-loop mechanisms. After a period of searching and consulting with potential suppliers without reaching
an advance, it was decided to design and manufacture a clutch coupling mechanism whose operation could be
controlled and included in the automation strategy.

Materials and Methods

1. Sizing turbine-reducer.

The data sheet, the performance curve in operation, the starting characteristic curve and the characteristic curve of
thermal limits were received by the motor manufacturer.
Taking into account the seven own generation sources, the interconnection with the national electricity grid and the
power required to start the shredder, six topologies were analyzed to start the engine.
With all this information we proceeded to size the motor assembly and the coupling system.

The equipment available to assemble the motor unit were the following:

Table 1. Steam turbines from old drives.

Model Dresser Rand 703 WB Worthington 282 WE Unidades
Power 1200 650 HP
Angular Velocity 4500 4500 rpm
Direction of rotation CW CCW
Operating Pressure 650 275 psig
Steam flow 26000 21000 Lb/h
 Table 2. Steam turbines from old drives.
Model Lufking NM1602-C Farrel DR-39
Power 1200 650 HP
Angular velocity 4500 4500 rpm
Reduction ratio 6,25 : 1 22,5 : 1
Service factor 1,8 1,7

The start time is approximated by the expression:

∑ 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑠 ∙ 𝜔𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑡𝑖𝑛 = = 11.84 𝑠
304 ∙ [0.95 ∙ 𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑒 − 1⁄3 𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 ]

It is considered a load of high inertia when the ratio of the inertia of the machine is greater than 5 times the inertia of
the engine: 5090 Kg.m² (inertia shredder) / 781 Kg.m² (engine inertia) = 6.5.

The need for torque is equal to the maximum torque required in the torque curve of the shredder manufacturer (15591
N • m) in addition to that required to move the rotor of the electric motor, this because the motor-shredder unit always
remains coupled. The sum of the total moment of inertia of the masses is 5871 Kg.m²:

900 𝑟𝑝𝑚⁄
𝑇 = 𝐼 ∙ 𝛼 = 5871𝐾𝑔 ∙ 𝑚2 ∙ ( 11.84 𝑠) = 46733 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚

Since the purpose of the drive unit is to bring the shredder as close as possible to the operating speed, the 'Farrel DR-
39' reducer is discarded due to its high transmission ratio. Using the torque value and the characteristics of each
turbine is the minimum governor speed and when comparing the two it is decided to work with the turbine 'Dresser
Rand 703 WB':

𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑎 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑎 ∙ 9555 894.8 𝐾𝑤 · 9555

𝜔𝑚𝑖𝑛.𝐺𝑜𝑏 = ∙𝑖= ∙ 6.25 = 1143 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝑇 46733 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚

2. Clutch coupling design.

The characteristic of a clutch is to connect two axes that rotate at different speeds and provide the output shaft with
the same speed of the input shaft, smoothly and gradually. As the torque transfer capacity increases, the hooking
method and the basic operating principle change, technically for mechanical and non-physical installation
requirements. In this particular case, a spiral-jaw, high-torque coupling with positive contact and pneumatic action has
been designed that adapts to the minimum space of operation, as required by the current location conditions. The
system consists of a block fixed to the drive shaft of the reducer, to which the tire support plate and the support plate
of 16 compression springs are attached; a mobile member that slides on the block and a fixed member to the user
axis. Each component and sub-assembly was evaluated numerically by means of linear structural analyzes according
to the model:

{𝜀 𝑒𝑙 } = [𝐵]{𝑢} − {𝜀 𝑡ℎ } → {𝜎} = [𝐷]{𝜀 𝑒𝑙 }

For the inertial loads, the data required for the mass calculations are defined. For the static structural analyzes, a
combination of solutions of the effects produced by torque transmission and rotational speed was developed. The
angular velocity for the fixed coupling was the angular velocity of the electric motor (890 rpm).

For flexible dynamic analyzes, three time steps were developed; in the first, the tire pressure was applied in a time of
1 second; the time here is not of interest because the speed at which the tire is inflated does not generate shock or
high compression acceleration in the springs. In the second step the pressure was eliminated, simulating that the tire
does not work and to observe the critical state of the springs a damping constant was not defined, a linear
acceleration was applied in the mobile coupling as an effect of the movement exerted by the coupling fixed when the
electric motor of the shredder exceeds the angular speed at which the starting system works. The time step was 0.37
seconds according to the system's kinematics.

The third and last step was set for a time greater than 4 seconds in order to evaluate the behavior of the spring until it
reached its steady state. Since a damping constant was not defined, the expected period is critical for this application,
and must be 20 times less than the critical frequency of the spring.

Table 3. Step control

Step End time of the step (s) Initial time step (s) Minimum tme step (s) Maximum time step (s)

1 1 0.1 0.1 0.15

2 1,37 0.07 0.07 0.074
3 6 0.2 0.2 0.25

The flexible dynamic analyzes according to the characteristics of the state of charge in nominal operation and the
range of interest in which it works, was governed by the model:

(𝑀){𝑢̈ } + (𝐶){𝑢̇ } + (𝐾){𝑢} = {𝐹(𝑡)}

A combination of solutions was used to check the effects produced by torque transfer and rotational speed. The
different load states were analytically pre-evaluated to help configure the solution engine in each of the numerical
models. Finally convergence of stress, deformations and a common validation for a state of torsional stresses were
developed.
 Figure 1. Clutch coupling assembly

3. Control strategy.

In the factory, for the automatic control of the processes we have a Foxboro I / A distributed control system which has
an interconnection network between 100% high speed fiber optic process nodes. At the node of the grinding process,
the signals of the turbine governor, the activation of the clutch coupling and the activation of the lubrication system of
the drive assembly were made to converge.

A sequence of conditions that are executed in order and verified by the system during the boot process was
programmed.

Once the previous interlocks are fulfilled, the coupling is actuated by passing the air to the tire and moving the
movable member until it engages with the fixed member in the rotor of the shredder. The constant air pressure
ensures that the system remains coupled. Subsequently the turbine is started and gradually increases its speed to
reach 5300 rpm (848 rpm in the shredder) at this point the solenoid valve cuts the air supply to the tire allowing the
mobile member to return to its starting point; at this time the system energizes and starts the electric motor in 2.7 s.

I/A

Sist. Lubricación
Ventilador

MOTOR DESFIBRADORA
WK2= 18542 lb-ft ² GD2: 20360 Kg-m²

TURBINA
ACOPLE REDUCTOR
CLUTCH
Arrancador
G

Figure 2. Clutch coupling assembly

Results and Discussion.

The hypotheses of failure under static load stipulate that the origin of the fault occurs when a particular type of stress
reaches the level of a corresponding strength of the material. When the stress state is uniaxial, the stress and yield
strength can be compared to determine the degree of safety. When the stress state is biaxial or triaxial, one of the
most used hypotheses for ductile materials is the maximal deformation energy hypothesis, which predicts that yield
failure occurs when the total deformation energy in a unit volume reaches or exceeds the deformation energy in the
same volume corresponding to the yield stress in tension or compression. Therefore it is predicted that the yield will
occur when:

𝜎 ′ ≥ 𝑆𝑦

The stress 𝛔′ represents the state of total stress and is called effective stress
𝟏⁄
(𝛔𝟏 − 𝛔𝟐 )𝟐 + (𝛔𝟐 − 𝛔𝟑 )𝟐 + (𝛔𝟑 − 𝛔𝟏 )𝟐 𝟐
𝛔′ = [ ]
𝟐

In the fixed block of the coupling, the greatest stress occur in the contact areas where torque is transferred, that is, in
the body keyway, in the keyway of the block, in the root of the tooth and in the coupling guides rails.

Table 4. Results of structural analysis for coupling under combined load.

Deformation Elástic Effective Stress (von- Shear Stress Max. Shear

(m) Deformatión misses) (Mpa) (Mpa) Stress (Mpa)

Fixed Coupling 0,000199 0,001630 326,13 118,75 179,53

Mobile coupling 0,000160 0,001653 330,67 107,57 188,2
Spring support plate 0,000156 0,000806 161.21 52.85 83.75
Tire support plate 0,000429 0,001451 290,26 108,14 149,71
Central body 0,000230 0,001579 315,83 86,799 168,7
.

In the support discs, the distribution of stresses and deformations is symmetrical and with increased values in the
vicinity of the screw holes. Both blocks of the coupling and the guide rail body were manufactured on AISI 1040 steel
shaft with annealing heat treatment. The support disc of the springs and the tire support disc are manufactured in AISI
1020 HR steel plate.

In the model it is found that in critical state (without damping constant), after the 0.37 seconds of acceleration of the
mobile coupling, the spring oscillates with an average period of 0.2 seconds (5 hz) value that is less twenty times its
critical frequency.

The shredder was started for two years directly from the power grid, and the current and start-up time data are plotted
in figure 3. Once the new system was installed, current and start-up time records were taken again, showing an
improvement in both the peak current value and its duration.
 Current Vs Time without start system
1600.00

1400.00

1299.19 Amp RMS Prove 1

1200.00 Amp RMS Prove 2

Amp RMS Prove 3

1000.00
Current (Amp)

952.34
800.00

600.00

400.00

200.00
66.27

0.00
60.00 65.00 70.00 75.00 80.00 85.00 90.00 95.00
Time (S)

Current Vs Time with start system

700

631.2
600
Amp RMS Prove 1

Amp RMS Prove 2

500
Current (Amp)

400

300

200

100
55.94

0
22:46.0 22:46.8 22:47.7 22:48.6 22:49.4 22:50.3 22:51.2 22:52.0 22:52.9 22:53.8
Time (s)

Figure 1. Current versus time with and without the start system.
Previously it was common in the process of starting the shredders, have very demanding generation conditions and
coordinate with the sugar factory to stop the centrifuges and stop the mill that was at that moment working. Currently,
the start-up of the shredder motor is invisible to the different factory processes, in fact several startups can be made in
a much shorter time than had been anticipated without affecting the manufacturer's recommendations, which
suggested that the Minimum time between engine starts should be two hours

The start-up strategy is successful as long as the areas involved are coordinated very well (boilers and power plant).
Before carrying out the starting maneuvers, the electric motor is subjected to a control test to verify that the starter is
working correctly and the interlocks do not generate an unexpected stop. The power plant must generate more energy
than that consumed by the factory and the boilers must guarantee that during the start-up there are no oscillations in
the pressure or steam flow.

For the validation of the numerical method used, a crank is exposed to a known 'F' force that causes the bending and
twisting of an axis with a known diameter that is fixed to a support at the origin of the reference system. In fact, the
support may be an inertia to be rotated, but for the purposes of validating the stress, it was considered a static
problem.

The convergence study was performed using the fixed coupling model, and the final element size was used for the
final discretization of the other components and assembly.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of a fully assisted electromechanical starting system allowed to reduce the motor starting current
time from 18 seconds to 2.7 seconds, a decrease of 85%. This represents less stress for the power system of the
factory, thus increasing the useful life of the generators and the shredder motor.

Achieving the shredder at speeds very close to the speed of operation before starting, has allowed the active energy
necessary to overcome the inertia of the electric motor is not a cause for concern. This is reflected in all the analyzed
start-up topologies, which currently present flexibility in all scenarios, making the start-up process of this type of motor
less demanding for the electrical network and for the operation of the factory to be today a normal event. The average
maximum current values in the three phases decreased by 24%, some phases showed a 51% decrease in the peak
current value.

Under the maximum deformation energy hypothesis, all the mechanical components of the clutch coupling met the
design expectations and its dynamic behavior was as expected.

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