STARTING METHODS OF 1 – PHASE

INDUCTION MOTORS

 Resistance Start Split phase motor.

Engr. Noor Nabi Shaikh

Electrical engineering, MUET, Jamshoro.
Starting Single – Phase Induction Motors
As single – phase induction motor has no intrinsic starting torque. There are three techniques commonly
used to start these motors. Therefore single – phase induction motors are classified according to the
methods used to produce their torque. The three major starting methods are;

1. Split – Phase Windings / Resistance Start Motors

2. Capacitor Type Winding / Capacitor Start Motors
3. Shaded Stator Poles / Shaded Pole Motors

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 Auxiliary windings are smaller - diameter wires.
 The centrifugal switch (phase splitter) that cuts the auxiliary windings out of the circuit when motor approaches
operating speed.

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Split – Phase Windings / Resistance Start Motor
With two stator windings, (1) main stator winding (M) and (2) an auxiliary starting winding (A) is shown
in the figure.

Angle between IA & IM is

typically between 25o to 30o

These two windings are 90 electrical degrees apart along the stator.
Auxiliary winding is designed to be switched out of the circuit some set speed by a centrifugal switch.
The auxiliary winding is designed to have a higher resistance to reactance ratio than the main windings.
RA R
 M
XA XM
Therefore the current in the auxiliary winding lead the current in the main winding. [??]
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Higher R/X ratio is usually accomplished by using smaller wire for the auxiliary winding. Auxiliary is
only used for starting and do not take full current continuously.

 As current in the auxiliary winding leads the current in the main

winding, the magnetic field BA peaks before the main BM.
 Since BA peaks first and then BM, there is a net counterclockwise
rotation in field.
 The auxiliary winding makes one of the oppositely rotating stator
magnetic fields larger than the other one to and provides a net
starting toque for the motor.
 It has moderate starting torque with a fairly low starting current.
 They are used for applications which do not require very high
starting torques, such as fans, blowers, and centrifugal pumps.
 The direction of rotation of motor can be reversed by switching
connections of auxiliary winding while leaving the main winding’s
connections unchanged.

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Equivalent Circuit of Split – Phase Motor

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Locked Rotor Torque (split – phase induction motor)

Tlr  k sp . I mw . I aw sin  ... (1)

   i ,mw   i ,aw

Where : k sp  machine constant , split  phase motor

I aw  current in auxiliary winding ( A)
I mw  current in main winding ( A)
 i ,mw  phase angle of current in auxiliary winding
 i ,aw  phase angle of current in main winding
  phase displacement between I aw and I mw

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PROBLEM
The main and auxiliary windings of a hypothetical 120 V, 60 Hz, split – phase motor have the following
locked – rotor parameters:
Rmw  2.00  X mw  3.50 
Raw  9.15  X aw  8.40 
Determine:
a. Locked – rotor current in each winding
b. Phase displacement angle between two currents
c. Locked – rotor torque in terms of the machine constant
d. External resistance required in series with the auxiliary winding in order to obtain a 30o phase
displacement between the currents in the two windings
e. Locked – rotor torque for the conditions in (d)
f. Percent increase in locked – rotor torque due to the addition of the external resistance

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SOLUTION
(a) For locked rotor current in each winding.

Z mw  2.00  j 3.50  4.031  60.2551o 

Z mw  9.15  j 8.40  12.421 42.5530o 
1200o
I mw   29.8   60.3o
A
4.031  60.2551o

1200o
I aw   9.66   42.6 o
A
12.421  42.5530 o

(b) For phase – displacement angle between two currents (α)

   i ,mw   i ,aw   60.2551  (42.5530)

  17.7 o

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(c) For locked – rotor torque in terms of machine constant

Tlr  k sp . I mw . I aw sin  ... (1)

 k sp  29.8  9.66  sin 17.7 o
Tlr  87.45 k sp
(d) For external resistance required in series with the auxiliary winding in order to obtain a 30o phase
displacement (with given conditions we found it as 17.7o)

 From the phasor diagram, the required phase angle for

auxiliary winding current is
 ,
i , aw   60 . 2551 o  30 o   30 . 2551 o

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 Add external resistance in series with auxiliary winding [see figure]
 Apply Ohm’s Law to the auxiliary branch in figure shown
V V 0 o
,
I aw  T,  ,
I aw   30.2551o  , T
Z aw Z aw  i,,aw
 i,,aw  30.2551o

 From the impedance diagram for the new auxiliary – circuit branch shown in figure below

X aw X aw
tan  ,
  Rx   Raw
Raw  R x tan  aw
aw ,

8.40
Rx  o
 9.15
tan (30.2551 )
Rx  5.25 

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(e) For locked – rotor torque conditions given in part (d)
 First find new auxiliary current

V 120  0o
,
I aw  T'  7.1979   30.2551o A
Z aw (9.15  5.25)  j 8.40
As Tlr  k sp . I mw . I aw sin 
Tlr  k sp  29.8  7.2  sin 30o
Tlr  107.1 k sp

(f) Percent increase in locked – rotor torque due to the addition of external resistance

107.1  87.45
 100  22.5 % increase
87.45
Note: The added resistance in the auxiliary winding decreased the auxiliary winding current, but
increased the locked – rotor torque.
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H.W PROBLEM
An experimental 120V, ¼ - hp, 60 Hz, split – phase motor has the following locked – rotor parameters
referred to the respective main and auxiliary windings.

Rmw  3.94  X mw  4.20 

Raw  8.42  X aw  6.28 
Determine:

a. The amount of external resistance required in series with the auxiliary winding in order to obtain 30o
phase displacement between the current in the main winding and the current in the auxiliary winding.
b. The locked rotor current drawn by each winding.
c. The line current at locked rotor.

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