ECE-P 352 1

Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)

Induction Motor Tests Using Simulink

Objectives:

The main objective of this simulation is to obtain induction motor equivalent circuit parameters by simulating four
induction motor tests.

This part of the lab consists of the following simulations:

1. DC test for stator resistance (DC_test)

2. No load test (no_load)
3. Variable frequency blocked rotor test (blocked_rotor)
4. Load test (load_test)

Simulations are designed to follow the actual hardware experiments as closely as possible. That will give you a
chance to compare the simulation results to those of the actual experiment. For the tests, we use the Matlab Power
System Blockset and Simulink which provide models of power systems such as induction motors, transformers, etc.
A Simulink diagram for each test will be provided during the experiment. The induction motor used in these
simulations has the following nameplate information and the equivalent circuit is given in Fig. 1.

Nameplate Information:
Rated Power: 5 HP (5x746 W)
Rated Voltage: 208 V
Rated current: 15.7 A
Rated Frequency: 60 Hz
Rated Speed: 1735 rpm
Number of poles: 4
Y-connected

R1 X1 R2 X2

Xm R2(1-s)/s
V

Figure 1: Per-phase equivalent circuit of an induction motor

Equivalent circuit parameters:

R1 = 0.428 Ω, L1 = L 2 = 1.926 mH, R 2 = 0.551 Ω and L m = 31.2 mH

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ECE-P 352 2
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)

DC Test for Stator Resistance:

The DC test will provide data that enables you to compute the stator winding resistance R1 shown in Fig. 1. The
Simulink simulation diagram is depicted in Fig. 2. Please open the Simulink diagram called DC_test and spend
some time to understand the diagram. As shown in Fig. 2, a DC voltage source is applied to the phase A and B of
the induction motor through a series RC branch while the phase C is grounded. Observe that the diagram has an
induction motor block. Please double-click on the induction motor to see its parameters. These are the parameters
that you will determine with induction motor tests and compare to hardware experiment results. For simulation,
please follow steps below:

1. Double click on the DC voltage source to check if it is equal to 120 V.

2. Make sure the mechanical load Tm to the induction motor is exactly zero.
3. Run the simulation (Simulation/Start, final time is set up to 5 seconds)
4. Obtain the DC voltage VDC across the phases A and B of induction motor through the Voltage Display.
Read the voltage value on the voltage display after the simulation is over and record it.
5. Obtain the DC current IDC going through the DC source from the Current Display after the simulation is
over and record it.
6. Repeat the steps 3-5 for two different values of resistance connected to the DC voltage source. The
resistance values are 12 ohms and 4 ohms. In order to change resistance, double click on the Series
resistance and change the value of the field named Resistance R (ohms).
7. For your report provide the values of the DC voltages and DC currents
8. Compute the stator winding resistance for each data set with the following formula:

VDC
R1 =
2I DC

8. Explain why such a formula for R1 works.

9. Take the average of the three values of R1.
10. Record R1 for comparison to your hardware results.

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ECE-P 352 3
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)
Figure 2: Simulink diagram for the DC test

No-Load Test:
The no-load test on the induction motor measures the rotational losses of the motor and it is able to evaluate its
magnetizing current. In this test, a rated balance AC voltage (120 V rms per-phase) with rated frequency (60 Hz) is
applied to the stator and rotor runs without any load. The Simulink diagram for the no-load test is given in Fig. 3.
We use the same induction motor as in the DC test. Observe that a Y-connected 3-phase ideal voltage (phase A,
phase B and phase C) source is connected to the stator windings. In order to find out the parameters of voltage
source, please double click on any of the voltage sources. Do not change any parameters of the voltage sources.
Notice that a zero mechanical load is applied to the rotor of the induction motor (input terminal Tm) to simulate to
the no-load condition. Some measurement blocks have been added to the diagram to measure some of the electrical
and mechanical quantities. Of those are: Real and reactive power for phase A (phase_A_power), the rms currents
of the phases (abc_rms_currents), mechanical speed (mech_speed, Wm), electrical torque (elect_torque, Te) etc.
Using the data, you will able to compute the rotational losses of the motor and the sum of the stator leakage
reactance and magnetizing reactance ( x 1 + x m ). For simulation, please follow the steps below:

1. Run simulation (Simulation/Start)

2. Double click on the powergui (blue box on the left) to obtain per-phase rms voltage of phase A, say VA
3. Obtain the phase A rms current, say IA from the phase A current display
4. Double click on the power_scope (orange color) to see the waveforms of phase A real and reactive input
powers. Note that purple color is the reactive input power while yellow color is the active input power. In
order to get the numerical values, type phase_A_power in the MATLAB workspace. The first component
of the last row is the phase A input real power, say PA and the second component is the phase A input
reactive power, say QA
5. Double click on the scope (red color) called Wm to see the waveform of the mechanical speed in rad per
second. In order to get the numerical value, type mech_speed in the MATLAB workspace and again the
last row is the mechanical speed in rad per second, Wm.

6. For your lab report:

• Provide all the data in table format such as:

VA VB VC IA IB IC PA QA Te Wm
(V) (V) (V) (A) (A) (A) (W) (Var) (Nm) (rad/second
)

• Compute the slip speed (s %) in no load condition.

• Compute three-phase total-input real power: P3φ = 3PA

Compute total stator copper losses: PSCL = 3I A R 1 (R1 is available from the DC test)
2
•
• Compute the rotational losses: Prot = Pcore + PF&W + Pmics = P3φ − PSCL
• Compute the sum of the stator leakage reactance and magnetizing reactance ( x 1 + x m ) with two
different formulas given below:
VA QA
x1 + x m = or x 1 + x m =
IA I 2A
• Explain the derivations of these equations in your report.

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ECE-P 352 4
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)
• Show that you understand these equations by giving a short explanation of how they are derived.
• Compare your results to the results of hardware experiment. Which formula gives a result close
to the hardware experiment? Why do you believe that this is the case?

Figure 3: Simulink diagram for the no-load test

Variable Frequency Blocked Rotor Test

The blocked rotor test (locked rotor test) is performed to determine the equivalent circuit parameters of an induction
motor. This test corresponds to the short-circuit test on a transformer. In this test, the rotor is blocked so that it
cannot move, a voltage less than the rated voltage is applied to the motor. The resulting current, voltage and power
measurements enable us to compute the induction motor parameters.

Fig. 4 shows the Simulink diagram for the blocked rotor test. We use the same induction motor parameters as the
no-load test. However, in order to simulate blocked rotor condition we set the inertia of the rotor to infinite. Please
double click on the induction motor block to see its parameters including the infinite (inf) inertia. Make sure that
you understand all the blocks and their properties in the Simulink diagram before you run the simulation.

In this test, the rotor is locked. A three-phase AC voltage is applied to the motor and adjusted to an appropriate
value so that the current flow of each phase is equal to its rated value. Recall that the rated current is 15.7 A. You
will run the simulation at various frequencies and obtain data on phase A current (IA), phase A rms voltage (VA) and
phase A input real and reactive powers (PA, QA). For simulation, please follow the steps below:

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ECE-P 352 5
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)
1. Double click on each AC voltage source and set the peak amplitude and frequency to 42 V and 70 Hz.
Do not change the phase.
2. Double click each of the following blocks: power (light blue box above the motor), phase A signal rms
(green box above the motor) and signal rms to the right of the motor and set their frequency attributes
to 70 Hz.
3. Run simulation (Simulation/Start)
4. Double click on the powergui (blue box on the left) to obtain per-phase rms voltage of phase A, say VA
Make sure that you select 70 Hz in the powergui window to get the rms voltage of phase A
5. Obtain the phase A rms current, say IA from the phase A current display. Make sure that it is
approximately equal to the rated current, 15.7 A. If not, you should adjust the voltage source such that you
will get IA close to the rated current.
6. Double click on the power_scope (orange color) to see the waveforms of phase A real and reactive input
powers. Note that purple color is the reactive input power while yellow color is the active input power. In
order to get the numerical values, type phase_A_power in the MATLAB workspace. The first component
of the last row is the phase A input real power, say PA and the second component is the phase A input
reactive power, say QA
7. Double click on the scope (red color) called wm to see the waveform of the mechanical speed in rad per
second. It must be exactly zero since the rotor is blocked.
8. Record all the data at this frequency, f = 70 Hz
9. Repeat the steps from 1-8 for the following frequencies: 60 Hz, 45 Hz, 30 Hz, and 15 Hz. At each
frequency, you should adjust the peak amplitude of the each AC voltage source such that the resulting
phase A current (check the phase A current display) should be around 15.7 A. For example peak
amplitude should be around 37-38 V for 60 Hz. Make sure that whenever you change the frequency of the
AC source, you must change the frequency attributes of the following blocks: power (light blue box
above the motor), phase A signal rms (green box above the motor) and signal rms to the right of the
motor.

10. For your lab report:

• Provide all the data at each frequency in a table format such as:

Test
wm
Frequenc VA peak VA rms IA PA QA
(rad/second
y (V) (V) (A) (W) (Var)
)
(Hz)_
70
60
45
30
15

• At each frequency compute RLR and XLR using the following formulas:

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ECE-P 352 6
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)
V P
Z LR = A , PF = cosθ = A , Z LR = R LR + jX ′LR = Z LR cos θ + j Z LR sin θ
IA VA I A
OR ;
PA QA
R LR = and X ′LR =
I 2A I 2A
f rated
X LR = X1 + X 2 = X ′LR ; f rated = 60 Hz
f test

• Take the average of XLR and RLR

• Compute R2:
R 2 = R LR − R 1 , (Note that you already know R1 from the DC test)
• Compute X1 and X2:
X1 = X 2 = 0.5X LR
• Compute Xm (Recall that x 1 + x m is known from the no load test).
• Compare your results with the hardware experiment and draw the per phase equivalent circuit of the
induction motor indicating the parameter that you have computed.

Figure 4: Simulink diagram for variable frequency blocked rotor test

Load Test:

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ECE-P 352 7
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)
In this simulation, a rated voltage is applied to the stator through a Y-connected AC voltage source. Recall that the
per phase rms voltage is 120 V. Therefore; we choose the peak amplitude as 170 V for each AC voltage source. Fig.
5 shows the Simulink diagram for the load test. Observe that the induction motor block has an input terminal labeled
as Tm. Through this terminal you will be to put different mechanical load to the shaft of the motor. The mechanical
load Tm is specified in terms for torque (N.m). You will run the simulation for various values of Tm and you will
study how the mechanical speed, slip speed, output power, and motor efficiency change with the load. For
simulation, please follow the steps below:

1. Check the peak amplitude and the frequency of the each voltage source. They should be 170 V and 60 Hz.
2. Set the mechanical load Tm to 5 N.m
3. Run simulation (Simulation/Start)
4. Double click on the powergui (blue box on the left) to obtain per-phase rms voltage of phase A, say VA
5. Obtain the phase A rms current, say IA from the phase A current display
6. Double click on the power_scope (orange color) to see the wave forms of phase A real and reactive input
powers. Note that purple color is the reactive input power while yellow color is the active input power. In
order to get the numerical values, type phase_A_power in the MATLAB workspace. The first component
of the last row is the phase A input real power, say PA and the second component is the phase A input
reactive power, say QA
7. Double click on the scope (red color) called wm to see the waveform of the mechanical speed in rad per
second. In order to get the numerical value, type mech_speed in the MATLAB workspace and again the
last row is the mechanical speed in rad per second, wm.
8. Record all the data.
9. Repeat the steps 1-7 for the following mechanical loads Tm = 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 Nm

10. For your lab report:

• Provide the data at each load level in table format such as:

Mechanical wm
VA rms IA PA QA
Load, Tm (rad/second
(V) (A) (W) (Var)
(Nm) )
5
10
15
20
25
30
35

• Compute the output power at each load level: Pout = Tm ωm

• Compute the total input power at each load level: Pin = 3PA
Pout
• Compute the efficiency of the motor at each load level: η% = 100
Pin
1800 − n m
• Compute the slip at each load level: s =
1800
• Construct the following plots:
o nm vs. Pout
o Tm vs. Pout
o IA vs. Pout
o Tm vs. s

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ECE-P 352 8
Experiment 4
Induction Motors Tests Using Simulink
Modified (1/21/05)

Figure 5: Simulink diagram for the load test

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