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Torque and Efficiency of Induction Motor

Lesson 1 Torque Equation

Lesson 2 Losses in an Induction Motor

Lesson 3 Efficiency in Induction Motor

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Lesson 1

 Torque Equation

Starting Toque of a Squirrel Cage Motor

The resistance of a squirrel-cage motor is fixed and small as compared to its

reactance which is very large especially at the start because at standstill, the
frequency of the rotor currents equals the supply frequency. Hence, the starting
current I2 of the rotor, though very large in magnitude, lags by a very large angle
behind E2, with the result that the starting torque per ampere is very poor. It is
roughly 1.5 times the full-load torque, although the starting current is 5 to 7 times the
full-load current. Hence, such motors are not useful where the motor has to start
against heavy loads.

Starting Toque of a Slip Ring Motor

The starting torque of such a motor is increased by improving its power factor
by adding external resistance in the rotor circuit from the star-connected rheostat, the
rheostat resistance being progressively cut out as the motor gathers speed. Addition
of external resistance, however, increases the rotor impedance and so reduces the
rotor current. At first, the effect of improved power factor predominates the current-
decreasing effect of impedance. Hence, starting torque is increased. But after a
certain point, the effect of increased impedance predominates the effect of improved
power factor and so the torque starts decreasing.

Condition for Maximum Torque

It can be proved that starting torque is maximum when rotor resistance equals rotor
reactance.

Now

[ ]

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Effect of Change in Supply Voltage in Starting Torque

Clearly, the torque is very sensitive to any changes in the supply voltage. A
change of 5 per cent in supply voltage, for example, will produce a change of
approximately 10% in the rotor torque. This fact is of importance in star-delta and
auto transformer starters

Sample Problems

1. A 3-6 induction motor having a star-connected rotor has an induced e.m.f. of

80volts between slip-rings at standstill on open-circuit. The rotor has a
resistance and reactance per phase of 1 Ω and 4 Ω respectively. Calculate
current/phase and power factor when (a) slip-rings are short-circuited (b) slip-
rings are connected to a star-connected rheostat of 3 Ω per phase

Solution. Standstill e.m.f./rotor phase = ⁄√

1. Rotor impedance/phase =√

Rotor current/phase = 46.2 / 4.12 = 11.2 A

Power factor = cos = 1/4.12 = 0.243

As p.f. is low, the starting torque is also low.

2. Rotor resistance/phase = 3 + 1 =

Rotor impedance/phase = √

Rotor current/phase = 46.2 / 5.66 = 8.16 A

cos = 4/5.66 = 0.707

Hence, the starting torque is increased due to the improvement in the power factor. It
will also be noted that improvement in p.f. is much more than the decrease in current
due to increased impedance.

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2. A 3-phase, 400-V, star-connected induction motor has a star-connected rotor

with a stator to rotor turn ratio of 6.5. The rotor resistance and standstill
reactance per phase are 0.05 Ω and 0.25 Ω respectively. What should be the
value of external resistance per phase to be inserted in the rotor circuit to
obtain maximum torque at starting and what will be rotor starting current with
this resistance?

Solution. Here k = 1/6.5 because transformation ratio k is defined as

Standstill rotor e.m.f./phase,

√

Rotor impedance/phase = √

Rotor current/phase, I2 = 35.5/ 0.3535 = 100 A (approx.)

ACTIVITY!

1. A 1100-V, 50-Hz delta-connected induction motor has a star-connected slip-

ring rotor with a phase transformation ratio of 3.8. The rotor resistance and
standstill leakage reactance are 0.012 ohm and 0.25 ohm per phase
respectively. Neglecting stator impedance and magnetizing current
determine.
a) the rotor current at start with slip-rings shorted
b) the rotor power factor at start with slip-rings shorted
c) the rotor current at 4% slip with slip-rings shorted
d) the rotor power factor at 4% slip with slip-rings shorted
e) the external rotor resistance per phase required to obtain a starting
current of 100 A in the stator supply lines

2. A 150-kw, 3000-V, 50-Hz, 6-pole star-connected induction motor has a star-

connected slip-ring rotor with a transformation ratio of 3.6 (stator/rotor). The
rotor resistance is0.1Ω/phase and its per phase leakage reactance is 3.61
mH. The stator impedance may be neglected. Find the starting current and
starting torque on rated voltage with short-circuited slip rings.

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Lesson 2

 Losses in an Induction Motor

The various power power losses in an induction motor can be classified as

a. Constant losses
b. Variables losses

a. Constant losses:

These can be further claasified as core losses and mechanical losses

Core losses occur in stator core and rotor core. These are also called iron
losses. These losses include eddy current losses and hysterisis losses. The eddy
current losses are minimized by using laminated construction while hysterisis losses
are minimized by selecting high grade silicon steel as the material for stator and
rotor.

The iron losses depends on the frequency. The stator frequency is always
supply frequency hence stator iron losses are dominant. As against this in rotor
circuit, the frequency is very small which is slip times the supply frequency. Hence
rotor iron losses are very small and hence generally neglected, in the running
condition.

The mechanical losses include frictional losses at the bearings and windage
losses. The friction changes with speed but practically the drop in speed is very small
hence these losses are assumed to be the part of the constant losses.

b. Variable losses: This include the copper losses in stator and rotor winding due to
current flowing in the winding. As current changes as load changes, these losses are
said to be variable losses.

Rotor copper loss = 3 …. Analysed separately

Where = Rotor current per phase at a particular load

= Rotor resistance per phase

Power Flow in an Induction Motor

Induction motor converts an electrical power supplied to it into mechanical

power. The various stages in this conversion is called power flow in an induction
motor

The three phase supply given to the stator in the net electrical input to the
motor. If motor power factor is cos and VL, IL are the line values of supply voltage

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and current drawn, then net input electrical power supplied to the motor can be
calcuated as

Where

This is nothing but the stator input

The part of this power is utilized to supply the losses in the stator which are
stator core as well as copper losses.

The remaining power is delivered to the rotor magnetically through the air gap
with the help of rotating magnetic field. This is called rotor input denoted as .

So

The rotor is not able to convert its entire input to the mechanical as it has to
supply rotor losses. The rotor losses are dominantly copper losses as rotor iron
losses are very small and hence generally neglected. So rotor losses are rotor
copper losses denoted as .

So

Where

After supplying these losses, the reamaining part of is converted into

mechanical which is called gross mechanical power developed by the motor denoted
as .

Therefore:

Now this power, motor tries to deliver to the load connected to the shaft. But
during this mechanical transmission, part of is utilized to provide mechanical
losses loke friction and windage.

And finally the power is available to the load at the shaft. This called net
output of the motor deoted as . this also called shaft power

The rating of the motor is specified in terms of value of when load

condition is full load condition.

The above stages can be shown diagrammatically called power flow diagram
of an induction motor.

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Figure 1. Power flow diagram of an induction motor.

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