Induction Motor

Braking
 Braking Methods
• Regenerative Braking
• Plugging or reverse voltage braking
• Dynamic ( or rheostatic ) braking :
a) ac dynamic braking
b) Self-excited braking using capacitor
c) dc dynamic braking
d) zero-sequence braking
 Regenerative Braking
• If an induction motor is forced to run at speeds in
excess of the synchronous speed, the load
torque exceeds the machine torque and the slip
is negative, reversing the rotor induced EMF and
rotor current. In this situation the machine will
act as a generator with energy being returned to
the supply.
• If the AC supply voltage to the stator excitation is
simply removed, no generation is possible
because there can be no induced current in the
rotor.
 Regenerative braking
• In traction applications, regenerative braking is
not possible below synchronous speed in a
machine fed with a fixed frequency supply. If
however the motor is fed by a variable frequency
inverter then regenerative braking is possible by
reducing the supply frequency so that the
synchronous speed becomes less than the
motor speed.
• AC motors can be microprocessor controlled to
a fine degree and can regenerate current down
to almost a stop
 Regenerative braking
• Power input to induction motor:
Pin=3VIscosφs

Motoring operation φs<90º ωm< ωms

Braking φs>90º ωm> ωms
 Regenerative braking
• applied to overhauling loads;
• it can only be used to reduce the speed to the no-load or
synchronous value.
• If you overspeed the motor, the motor is returning the
power back to its power supply.  When you use an
inverter that has a variable frequency capability, you turn
the frequency down and your motor is a generator,
returning its power to the controller, until your new
reduced speed is reached.  Or you can have a over
running load, like when you drive your AC motor
powered tractor down a hill, and your motor is a
generator.
 Regenerative braking
• problem in industry:  Most AC inverters cannot return the
excess power to the power line.  There is a diode bridge
that takes AC power and charges a capacitor bank. 
(There are a very few specialized AC inverters that use a
bi-directional bridge of transistors to charge the
capacitors or return power to the AC line.)  The capacitor
bank is connected to the motor via a bridge of transistors
or gate turn off SCRs.  This bridge is bi-directional.  So
whenever the motor is a generator, the capacitor bank is
charged up and potentially overcharged.  Some drives
turn off to protect the controller.  Some drives switch on a
resistor to dump the excess energy.  Here we are not
really regenerative,
•     If you were to replace the capacitor bank with
batteries, like some electric cars, you now have the ability
to absorb a lot of energy from the motor, and you can
easily be regenerative over the entire speed range of the
motor.
 Regenerative braking
• Advantage: Generated power is usefully
employed
• Disadvantage: It can not be employed
below synchronous speed when fed from
constant frequency source.
• Speed Range : Between synchronous
speed and the speed for which braking
torque is maximum.
 Plugging
• The phase sequence of the supply (in the case of 3-
phase) is reversed by interchanging two leads. The usual
arrangement for squirrel-cage motors is by a reverse
contactor which closes when the stop button is operated.
The supply to the motor must be disconnected as the
speed nears zero. This is effected by having a reverse-
rotation relay coupled to the motor shaft and connected
to open the braking-contactor coil before the motor
reverses. The motor takes heavy current from the supply
unless resistance is added to the stator circuit. Rotor
resistance may be employed to ensure that a high
braking torque is obtained.
 Plugging
• Induction motors can be brought rapidly to a
stop (and / or reversed) by reversing one pair of
leads which has the effect of reversing the
rotating wave. This is known as "plugging".

• The motor can also be stopped quickly by

cutting the AC supply and feeding the stator
windings instead with a DC (zero frequency)
supply. With both of these methods, energy is
not returned to the supply but is dissipated as
heat in the motor. These techniques are known
as dynamic braking.  
 Slip during plugging operation:

  ms   m
sn   2s
  ms

  ms (1  s ) ms
sn    11 s  2  s
  ms   ms
 Dynamic braking
• Dynamic braking, obtained by
disconnecting the machine from the mains
and establishing a fixed magnetic field
from a DC supply which causes e.m.f.s. to
be induced in the rotor windings. Powerful
dynamic braking may be obtained by
introducing capacitors into an induction-
motor circuit, with or without DC injection.
• Direct current is injected into the stator winding
after this winding has been disconnected from
the supply. This sets up a stationary field,
inducing e.m.f.s. and hence currents in the rotor
circuits. This method provides a high-braking
torque with low losses, but the braking effect is
small at high speeds for machines of normal slip
and it is usually necessary to use heavy DC
exciting currents to effect a quick-stop. Some
improvement of the braking characteristic can be
made by increasing the rotor-circuit resistance at
high speeds and reducing it as the speed falls.
• Capacitor dynamic braking uses the ability of the
induction motor to self-excite if sufficient
capacitance is connected across its terminals
when the supply is removed. The motor then
runs as an induction generator and dissipates
power with subsequent braking effect.
• If the motor terminals are then short-circuited,
magnetic braking follows. A typical basic
connection diagram is shown in Figure .
Capacitor braking followed by simultaneous
magnetic and DC-injection braking may be
applied when load inertia is very high.
Operation of stop button
opens supply lines and
inserts capacitors 'C' across
motor terminals.
Voltage relay 'VR' provides
the necessary delay before
operating to short-circuit the
motor terminals.
Instead of 'VR' a timer or limit
switches maybe used R1 are
resistors for controlling
braking torque.
R2 discharge resistors and
R3 control resistor for relay
drop-out voltage.
 DC Injection Braking
• DC injection braking is a method of braking in which
direct current (DC) is applied to the stationary
windings of an AC motor after the AC voltage is
removed . This is an efficient and effective method of
braking most AC motors. DC injection braking provides a
quick and smooth braking action on all types of loads,
including high-speed and high-inertia loads.

• Recall that opposite magnetic poles attract and like

magnetic poles repel. This principle, when applied to
both AC and DC motors, is the reason why the motor
shaft rotates.
• In an AC induction motor, when the AC voltage is removed, the
motor will coast to a standstill over a period of time because there is
no induced field to keep it rotating. Because the coasting time may
be unacceptable, particularly in an emergency situation, electric
braking can be used to provide a more immediate stop.
• By applying a DC voltage to the stationary windings once the AC is
removed, a magnetic field is created in the stator that will not
change polarity.
• In turn, this constant magnetic field in the stator creates a magnetic
field in the rotor. Because the magnetic field of the stator is not
changing in polarity, it will attempt to stop the rotor when the
magnetic fields are aligned (N to S and S to N).
• The only thing that can keep the rotor from
stopping with the first alignment is the rotational
inertia of the load connected to the motor shaft.
However, because the braking action of the
stator is present at all times, the motor is braked
quickly and smoothly to a standstill.
• Because there are no parts that come in
physical contact during braking, maintenance is
kept to a minimum.