REPULSION-START INDUCTION MOTOR

As the name implies, the repulsion start induction motor starts as a

repulsion motor and runs as an induction motor. The rotor of a repulsion
motor is built like that of a dc motor i.e. the windings are connected to
commutator. To convert such a motor to an induction motor, it is
necessary to short circuit the commutator segment, which is
accomplished by a centrifugal switch that operates as the motor attains
nearly synchronous speed to throw a circular conduction disc on the
commutator. In some motors the centrifugal device also lifts the brushes
from the commutator in order to reduce wear of the brushes and
commutator bars and to make the running operation more quiet.

When the motor is connected across single phase ac supply the

current induced in the armature winding is carried by the brushes and
commutator resulting in high starting torque. The starting torque is 2.5 to
4.5 times of full load torque and starting current is approximately 3.5
times of full load current. When the motor armature attains nearly
synchronous speed, the commutator is short-circuited by the centrifugal
switch and the armature acts as a squirrel cage armature. Thus repulsion
start induction motor combines the desirable starting characteristics of
the repulsion motor with operating characteristics of the induction
motor. The direction of rotation can be reversed by changing the position
of brushes.

Although it is the most costly of the various types of single phase motors,
it nevertheless possesses two extremely desirable characteristics (i) high
starting torque for periods that are of comparatively long duration and
low starting current. In connection with the latter point, these motors
draw starting current that are about 60 to 70% of that taken by
corresponding sizes in the capacitor-start or capacitor-start-capacitor-run
motors. This type of motor is suitable for refrigerators, compressors and
other drives, particularly those which have a high inertia and prolonged
starting period. The usual range of sizes is from  kw to 12 kw but for
special applications, ratings as high as 30 kw are available.