1 / (2)

STUDY CASE
STONE CRUSHER APPLICATION

This study case shows how dynamic reactive

compensation decreases the incidence of stone
crusher jams and helps avoid voltage sags at the
MV bus during jams. The significant improvement
is achieved by maintaining the voltage at the MV
but at all times though real-time reactive power
compensation. The case is based on actual
equipment from an open-pit diamond mine.
Stone crusher machines are typically driven by a
large Direct On-Line (DOL) induction motors or
line-commutated drives such as in Figure 1. In this
study case the nominal power of the motor is 315
kW and it is directly connected to a 6 kV bus
through a step-up transformer. The supplying
network has a relatively low short circuit level, as
is typical in remote locations like mines.
When the crusher is jammed due to an oversized
rock, the motor is standing its reactive power
demand is at maximum as it tries to produce more
torque with increased magnetic flux. The nominal
rotor locked current is 317 A which corresponds to
a total reactive power of 3.30 Mvar.
where
∆U = phase voltage drop
Ip = active current
Iq = reactive current
R = network resistance
X = network reactance
Since the R/X-ratio is typically below 0.20, the
voltage drop is mainly caused by the reactive
current and therefore reactive power flowing in the
system.
The system without reactive power
compensation
The induction motor active and reactive power, the
crusher rotor speed and phase voltage at motor
terminals in a situation where multiple crusher
jams occur are shown in Figure 2. In this situation
no dynamic reactive compensation is applied, but
the jams are ultimately cleared. The power factor
is not unity even in stable state because of the
reactive power needed by the induction motor
magnetization.
X = 14.384 s
3.00

2.286 Mvar

2.00

1.299 MW

1.00

0.00

-1.00
-0.100 9.920 19.94 29.96 39.98 [s] 50.00
Asynchronous Machine: Total Active Power in MW
Asynchronous Machine: Total Reactive Power in Mvar

X = 13.823 s
1.25

1.00
0.849 p.u.
0.75

0.50

0.25

0.000 p.u.
0.00

Figure 1. Typical stone crusher with a gravel -0.25

-0.100 9.920 19.94 29.96 39.98 [s] 50.00

discharge conveyor. Asynchronous Machine: Speed in p.u.

T2: Line-Ground Positive-Sequence Voltage, Magnitude in p.u.

The voltage drop in the electrical system caused Figure 2. Crusher motor active and reactive
by a reactive current flow can be approximated power, phase voltage at terminals and rotor
with speed when crusher jams occur.

∆𝑈 ≈ 𝐼𝑝 𝑥 𝑅 + 𝐼𝑞 𝑥 𝑋 (1) The reactive power during the jam occurrence is

2.29 Mvar at maximum which corresponds to the
nominal value with a good accuracy since the

Merus Power Dynamics Oy Pirkkalaistie 1, 37100 NOKIA, FINLAND Y-No: 2230775-9

Tel/fax: +358-3-2255344 www.meruspower.fi VAT No: FI22307759
 2 / (2)

STUDY CASE
STONE CRUSHER APPLICATION

maximum reactive power demand is defined at a shows how the crusher operates in a similar
nominal voltage: situation when dynamic reactive power
compensation is applied.
2.29 𝑀𝑣𝑎𝑟
≈ 3.17 𝑀𝑣𝑎𝑟 (2)
0.85 𝑝𝑢 3.00
X = 14.384 s

2.00

which is close to the nominal. The reactive power 1.428 Mvar

1.207 MW

flow is caused by the increased difference (slip) of

1.00

the rotating speed of the rotor and the magnetic 0.00

field at the stator (synchronous speed). The -1.00

-0.100 9.920 19.94 29.96 39.98 [s] 50.00

crusher jaws jamming and decreasing the motor Asynchronous Machine: Total Active Power in MW
Asynchronous Machine: Total Reactive Power in Mvar

speed causes the slip to increase which in turn 1.25

X = 13.823 s

1.000 p.u.

causes the motor to draw reactive power to 1.00

0.920 p.u.

0.75

generate a stronger magnetizing flux. 0.50

0.25

The reactive power flow causes the voltage to drop 0.00

to 0.85 pu according to equation (1). According to -0.25

-0.100 9.920
Asynchronous Machine: Speed in p.u.
19.94 29.96 39.98 [s] 50.00

the IEEE recommended induction motor model T2: Line-Ground Positive-Sequence Voltage, Magnitude in p.u.

(Steinmetz equivalent circuit), the active power

and the torque produced by the induction motor is
proportional to the square of the voltage at the
motor terminals:
2 closer to 1.0 pu, which enables the motor produce
𝑇𝑚 ~ 𝑃𝑚 ~ 𝑉𝑇𝐸 (3)
where
Tm = mechanical torque
Pm = motor active power
VTE = motor terminal voltage
The 15 % voltage drop causes an equivalent
27.9 % drop in the produced torque, which
greatly decreases the likelihood of the crusher
breaking the rock that has jammed the jaws.
The system with reactive power
compensation
A dynamic reactive power compensation system
of 1.35 MVA is introduced to the 6 kV bus. The
compensation system is able to provide the
changing reactive power required by the motor in
real time and can be overloaded with a 2.0 pu (of
nominal) maximum current for a short time.
Because the required reactive power is produced
in the 6 kV bus, the reactive power does not flow
through the network impedances which would
cause the voltage drop seen above. Figure 3
Figure 3. Crusher motor operation with
dynamic reactive power compensation.
The voltage in the motor terminals is considerably
more active power and torque. With 8 % voltage
drop, the produced torque drops only by 15.4 %
which yields a 12.5 % improvement. As shown in
Figure 3, this improvement enables the crusher to
produce enough torque to match the countering
mechanical torque and thus break the rocks that
otherwise would jam the system. The rotating
speed of the induction motor decreases only
slightly.
The increased torque substantially decreases the
probability of the crusher jamming in the first place,
since the voltage is maintained even when the
rotor speed starts to drop and the slip increase.
The dynamic compensation system also offers
other benefits such as continuous unity power
factor operation and protecting other equipment
from the sudden voltage sags caused by the
motor.
The motor can also be started with a negligible
voltage drop since the dynamic compensation
system can provide the reactive inrush current
caused by the rotor magnetization.

Merus Power Dynamics Oy Pirkkalaistie 1, 37100 NOKIA, FINLAND Y-No: 2230775-9

Tel/fax: +358-3-2255344 www.meruspower.fi VAT No: FI22307759