Electrical & Electronic Equipment for Industrial Machinery Experiment (ME2006) Lab.

Lab. 5: 3 PHASES MOTOR CONTROL

1. Introduction
One of the most common electrical motor used in most applications which is known as
induction motor as shown in Fig 5.1. This motor is also called as asynchronous motor because
it runs at a speed less than its synchronous speed. In three phase system, there are three single
phase line with 120o phase difference. So the rotating magnetic field is having the same phase
difference which will make the rotor to move. If we consider three phases a, b and c, when
phase a is magnetized, the rotor will move towards the phase a winding a, in the next moment
phase b will get magnetized and it will attract the rotor and then phase c. So the rotor will
continue to rotate.

Fig 5.1 3phase induction Motor [1]

Applications of Three Phase Induction Motor
 Lifts
 Cranes
 Hoists
 Large capacity exhaust fans
 Driving lathe machines
 Crushers
 Oil extracting mills
 Textile and etc.

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Advantages of Induction Motor

Low cost: Induction machines are very cheap when compared to synchronous and DC
motors. This is due to the modest design of induction motor. Therefore, these motors are
overwhelmingly preferred for fixed speed applications in industrial applications and for
commercial and domestic applications where AC line power can be easily attached.
Ease of operation: Operation of induction motor is very simple because there is no
electrical connector to the rotor that supply power and current is induced by the movement
of the transformer performs on the rotor due to the low resistance of the rotating coils. Induction
motors are self start motors. This can result in reducing the effort needed for maintenance.
Speed Variation: The speed variation of induction motor is nearly constant. The speed
typically varies only by a few percent going from no load to rated load.
High starting torque: The staring torque of induction motor is very high which makes
motor useful for operations where load is applied before the starting of the motor.3 phase
induction motors will have self starting torque unlike synchronous motors. However, single-
phase induction motors does not have self starting torque and are made to rotate using some
auxiliaries.
Durability: Another major advantage an induction motor is that it is durability. This
makes it the ideal machine for many uses. This results the motor to run for many years with no
cost and maintenance.
All these advantages make induction motor to use in many applications such as industrial,
domestic and in many applications.
2. Main exeprimental Device
a) 3 phases motor

Fig 5.2 Structure of 3 phase motor [2]

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Fig 5.3 Wiring for 3 phases Motor [3]

Most induction motors as shown in Fig 5.2 are started directly on line, but when very large
motors are started that way, they cause a disturbance of voltage on the supply lines due to
large starting current surges. To limit the starting current surge, large induction motors are
started at reduced voltage and then have full supply voltage reconnected when they run up
to near rotated speed. Two methods used for reduction of starting voltage are: Star delta
starting and Auto transformer starting. This is the reduced voltage starting method. Voltage
reduction during star-delta starting is achieved by physically reconfiguring the motor
windings as illustrated in the figure below. During starting the motor windings are
connected in star configuration and this reduces the voltage across each winding 3. This
also reduces the torque by a factor of three as shown in Fig 5.3
There are several ways to control the speed of an induction motor:
1. Reduce the voltage applied to the motor. (This reduces the amount of torque the motor
can produce. Slip will increase and current may be well in excess of the full rated
current.)
2. Control the current to the motor. (This also reduces the voltage, but if you can control
the current directly, you can control motor heating.)
3. Use a wound-rotor motor and control the resistance applied to the rotor windings.
(This works very well on loads that require long start times and large torques.)
4. Control the frequency and voltage applied to the motor. (This is the most popular
option today.)
Motor nameplate as shown in Fig 5.4 is normally located on all produced electric motors.
Understanding nameplate information can be hard sometimes, but is essential. In most

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countries it is a requirement for manufacturers to display all information on the motor’s

nameplate, but often this is not the case

Fig 5.4 Motor Nameplate [4] [5]

1. Rated Volts- This is a relatively straight forward one. The rated voltage is the voltage
at which the motor is designed to operate at maximum efficiency. Other nameplate
parameters, including power factor, torque, and FLA are at the rated voltage and
frequency. Most industrial motors we see are 3 phase and dual rated for 230 or 460 V.
Motors are designed with a 10% tolerance for voltage above and below the rated
nameplate value. So a 230 V motor can run at 253 or 207 V. It won’t be at peak
performance, but it will work.
2. Full Load Amps (FLA)- this is the amount of amperage the motor draws at full load
torque and horsepower. This is important for selecting correct wire size, motor
starters, and variable frequency drives. In fact, VFDs should be selected based on
FLA, not horsepower (which is common practice).

3. Rated Frequency and Phases- this is the electrical frequency the motor is designed to
operate on. In the US and Canada, this is 60 Hz. In other parts of the world, such as
China, Singapore, and the EU, this is 50 Hz. Motors are either single or three phase.

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4. Rated Full Load Speed- the full load RPM is the approximate speed under full load
conditions. The actual speed is always lower than the synchronous speed and it drops
off as the load increases. Typically, the full load speed is 96%-99% of the no-load or
synchronous speed. The difference is known as slip.

'

5. Insulation System Class- this is the industry standard classification of the thermal
tolerance of the motor winding. When motors spin, they generate heat. Insulation is
responsible for dissipating this heat. Materials are classified as A, B, F, and H. The
letter indicates the time a motor can survive at a certain temp. As most motors are
totally enclosed and fan cooled, this is very important in variable frequency
applications where running at reduced speeds can increase motor temperature.
Increase in temperature and failure of motor insulation can lead to motor shorting.

6. Rated Horsepower- this is the measure of the motor’s mechanical output rating. A
motor’s horsepower is the calculated by multiplying the motor speed by torque (lb-ft)
and dividing by 5,250.

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7. Service Factor- is the percentage of overloading a motor can handle for short periods
of time. When the motor HP is multiplied by the motor SF, which gives the allowable
HP loading that can be carried out by the motor for short periods of time. It is
essentially a fudge factor. Most motors have a service factor of 1.0 or 1.15.

8. Efficiency- Efficiency is the ratio of the power output divided by the power input.
Basically, this measures how well the motor converts electrical energy into
mechanical energy. Large motors tend to be more efficient than small motors. Today’s
3-phase premium efficient motors range from 86.5% at 1 HP to 95.*” at 300%.

b) Contactor
A contactor is an electrically controlled switch used for switching a power
circuit. contactor range from 9A – 630A in 3P & 4P execution. The contactors provide
reliable and safe switching and the thermal relays offers close & accurate protection
against overload. There are AC contactor with AC coil, AC contactor with DC coil and
AC contactor with AC / DC coil
A contactor has three components. The contacts are the current carrying part of
the contactor. This includes power contacts, auxiliary contacts, and contact springs.

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Contactors are designed to be directly connected to high-current load devices. Relays

tend to be of lower capacity and are usually designed for both normally
closed and normally open applications. Devices switching more than 15 amperes or in
circuits rated more than a few kilowatts are usually called contactors. Apart from
optional auxiliary low-current contacts, contactors are almost exclusively fitted with
normally open ("form A") contacts. Unlike relays, contactors are designed with features
to control and suppress the arc produced when interrupting heavy motor currents. In
addition to their current ratings and rating for motor circuit control, contactors often
have other construction details not found in relays. The contacts generally are spring
loaded to prevent contact welding. Unlike lower-powered relays, contactors generally
have special structures for arc-suppression to allow them to interrupt heavy currents,
such as motor starting inrush current. Relays often have normally closed contacts;
contactors usually do not (when de-energized, there is no connection). Contactors
usually have provision for installation of additional contact blocks, rated for pilot duty,
used in motor control circuits.

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Fig 5.5 Contactor configuration [6], [7]

c) Timer
Timer relays provide simple time-based control, with multiple modes and adjustable
timing ranges, discrete outputs, and a mechanical or electronic display
 Time delay relays are built in these four basic modes of contact operation:
1: Normally-open, timed-closed. Abbreviated “NOTC”, these relays open
immediately upon coil de-energization and close only if the coil is continuously
energized for the time duration period. Also called normally-open, on-delay relays.
2: Normally-open, timed-open. Abbreviated “NOTO”, these relays close
immediately upon coil energization and open after the coil has been de-energized for the
time duration period. Also called normally-open, off delay relays.
3: Normally-closed, timed-open. Abbreviated “NCTO”, these relays close
immediately upon coil de-energization and open only if the coil is continuously energized
for the time duration period. Also called normally-closed, on-delay relays.
4: Normally-closed, timed-closed. Abbreviated “NCTC”, these relays open
immediately upon coil energization and close after the coil has been de-energized for the
time duration period. Also called normally-closed, off delay relays.

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Fig 5.6 Timer configuration [8]

d) Push Button
SPDT switches have two main forms. A form C switch opens the connection before it closes
the other connection; this is referred to as a break before make switch. A form D switch closes
both connections before opening the original connection; this is referred to as a make before
break switch.

Fig 5.7 Push Button configuration [9]

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3. Experiment
Make the circuit below

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Checking circuit before turning on Power

- Do not turn on power, using VOM at resistor mode x1 or x10 to check circuit as
sequencing
- Checking short-circuit while applying Contactor K1, Contactor K2, and Contactor
K3.
- Checking wiring star connection of motor when applying Contactor K2.
- Checking wye connection of motor when applying Contactor K3.
- Checking power connection of Contactor K2 and K3 when having Timer T1 in
circuit.
- Disconnecting Timer T1, using a wire connect delay normal-open contact of T1 to
make short circuit,
- Checking power connection wire of Contactor K2 and K3 as desired

- Draw the making circuit

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Result of making circuit: Run Correctly � Run Incorrectly � Not run �

Student name and code

No Code Name

Reference
[1] Induction Motor | Working Principle | Types of Induction Motor,
https://www.electrical4u.com/induction-motor-types-of-induction-motor/
[2] Basic Parts of a Three Phase (3-Փ) Squirrel Cage Induction Motor
https://www.electricalengineeringtoolbox.com/2016/12/basic-parts-of-three-phase-3-
squirrel.html
[3] 3 Phase Motor Wiring Diagrams, http://iowasprayfoam.co/3-phase-motor-wiring-diagrams/
[4] CÁCH ĐỌC THÔNG SỐ KỸ THUẬT IN TRÊN MỘT ĐỘNG CƠ XOAY CHIỀU,
http://tbe.vn/chia-se-kien-thuc/6241-cach-doc-thong-so-ky-thuat-in-tren-dong-co-ac.html
[5] What Does all of the Information on a Motor Nameplate Mean?,
https://hollandaptblog.com/2014/01/09/what-does-all-of-the-information-on-a-motor-
nameplate-mean/
[6] Contactor, https://www.scat-technology.com/contactors/schneider-electric/tesys-
e/easypact-lc1e1810b5-18amper-24vac/
[7] contactor configuration, http://farhek.com/pt/84ox33/definition-contactor/
[8] Timer Relay, https://www.amazon.com/Control-10Sec-Power-Delay-
Relay/dp/B00P3FMAGE
[9] Switch Types and Common Terminology, http://www.ni.com/white-paper/3960/en/

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