THREE-PHASE MOTOR

What is a three-phase motor

They are rotating electrical machines, widely used in industrial and commercial complexes, since
they transform electrical energy into mechanical energy through electromagnetic interactions;
that generates a rotating magnetic field in the stator winding or fixed part of the motor and are
manufactured from low powers.

Electric motors with a three-phase system were manufactured to perform work with the three-
phase alternating current power used in many industrial complexes, they are generally smaller
and more manageable than single-phase motors of the same power. In addition, they are made in
various powers and are designed to work with two different voltages.

Three-phase motors are so named because they work in three phases, in addition, the alternating
current electricity can change from positive to negative and vice versa, which occurs many times
per second. On the other hand, they have three power supplies of the same frequency, which are
not related, that is, there are no current waves at the same time and in the same place.

How does a three-phase motor work?

In a three-phase motor, the application of a three-phase alternating current is the current that
circulates so that a magnetic field is generated, that is, when the current passes through the
windings of the three phases of the motor, a magnetic field is produced. in the stator, which will
induce the current in the rotor bars.

Then this current will cause a motor torque that makes the rotor rotate, whose movement is
continuous, the rotor cannot go at the same speed of rotation as that of the rotating magnetic
field, because at each moment it obtains impulses from the magnetic field, but as thrust is
released, the rotor lags, this is called slip.

This action where the rotor will never have the same speed as the rotating magnetic field, is
known as asynchronous or asynchronous. If the slip is greater when the load on the motor
increases, the speed decreases by a greater proportion.
If in a three-phase motor the rotor has the same speed of rotation as the rotating magnetic field,
the motor is synchronous and if the opposite happens, where the speed of rotation of the rotor is
higher or lower compared to said rotating magnetic field, the motor is synchronous induction.

Types of three-phase motors

Currently there is a wide variety of this motor, which are widely used in industry and companies.
Among these we have:

Synchronous Motors

They are those where the rotor has the same speed of rotation of the field induced in the rotor as
that of the rotating magnetic field of the stator or it can also be said that the speed of rotation is
directly proportional to the constancy of the alternating current network that supports it. (50 or
60Hz). These types of motors work both as generators and as motors.

 Non-salient or smooth pole rotor motors:They are used in two and four pole rotors and
are characterized by working at high speeds.

 Salient pole rotor motors:They are characterized by working at low speeds, they are used
in rotors with four or more poles and a salient pole is a magnetic pole.

asynchronous motors

Also called asynchronous induction motors, they are those where the rotor has a rotational speed
greater than the rotating magnetic field, that is, they are electric impulse motors and the magnetic
fields are not synchronized, they are widely used because they are cheap, reliable and simple. .
In this type of motor, the three-phase electrical energy is provided to the stator winding, which
results in a torque applied to the rotor so that it rotates. These are classified according to the type
of rotor in;

 Squirrel-cage rotor motors or motors with short-circuit armature:They are characterized

by taking a high starting current at the operating voltage. Their preparation is simple, they
are low cost and very safe.

 Wound rotor or slip ring motors:They are characterized by having a slot in the rotor and
stator.

Three-phase motor connections

It is recommended that before making the connections to a three-phase motor, you should
consider what it says on the identification plate regarding the voltage to work and the voltage of
the line in which the motor is placed, since the connections can be three :
 Feeding 380 volts Star connection

High
voltage

Feeding 220 volts

Delta connection

Low
voltage

Parts of a three-phase motor

Stator

Terminal board

Rotor

bearings

Fan
Axis

Winding
Rating plate Case