The Ninth International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments
Research of the Inverse Time Characteristic Curve for the Electronic Thermal
Relay
Liyan Cui 1 Shuqiu Gong 2 Jing Li 2 Bin He 2
1.Liaoning Administrators College of Police and Justice, Shengyang,110161, China
2.Department of Electrical Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shengyang,110161, China
E-mail: ngsq1210@163.com
Abstract–In order to make the protection characteristic of the
electronic thermal relay conforming to the temperature-rising
law of the motor, the disadvantages of action characteristic of
the simulation electronic motor protector are analyzed in this
article based on the international standard inverse time action
math model for the electronic thermal relay, and inverse time
characteristic of the simulation electronic thermal relay is also
modified here by using the reverse exponential volt-ampere
characteristic of the regulator tube’s PN junction. It has been
proved that the method had the advantage of simple operation
and good effect. Heat-resisting ability of the electromotor can
be fully exerted here and the electromotor trips timely under the
conditions of over loading. Three phase unbalance or phase
failure can also be ensured. The protection performance meets
the JB3905 demand.
Keywords – reverse time characteristic, protector of motor, PN
junction, electronic thermal relay.
INTRODUCTION
The traditional bimetal thermal relay can not protect
the electromotor because of the shortcomings such as
thermal fatigue which can not be overcome. There are so
many kinds of electronic protectors at present, but
basically, it can be divided into two categories:
single-chip model and analog electronic model. It is
convenient to build a mathematical model for the
single-chip model protector which is consistent with the
thermal characteristics of the electromotor and can carry
out thermal dynamic track. Single-chip model can be
designed multifunctional and is widely applied for the
protection of large and medium-sized motors. But for the
small and medium-sized electro motors, the market calls
for a protector used to provide over loading for the
electromotor which should be easy and economic. The
analog electronic model thermal relay is simple, cheap
and precise which can be installed easily, and is a
protector tailored for small and medium-sized motors [1].
But the action characteristic of the analog electronic
model protector adopts RC delay simulation approach,
and thermal protection is exerted by first power law of
current, the protection performance is unsatisfactory. If
the action characteristic of the RC is improved, the
protection performance is close to the target provided.
_____________________________
978-1-4244-3864-8/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE
2-612
Authorized licensed use limited to: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Ia¿i. Downloaded on May 21,2023 at 06:31:44 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
ICEMI’2009
ACTION CHARACTERISTIC OF MOTOR
OVERLOAD (PHASE FAILURE)
A. Inverse time overload protection of the working
principle
Inverse-time protection is an effective method in
preventing motor overload. This approach is based on the
principles that the motor does not burn out but is allowed
to be hot. That is, the greater is the motor winding current,
the greater is the heat, and the faster does the temperature
rise in the motor, the shorter is the burning out time of the
motor’s windings. So it is necessary to disconnect the
motor more quickly [2]. On the contrary, the smaller is
the motor winding current, the longer is the burning out
time of the motor’s windings.
Theoretical study shows that motor heating and motor
load to allow the continued operation depend largely on
the temperature rise of stator windings, or stator current
for the motor size of the main basis for overload.
Therefore, based on homogeneous solid heat theory [3],
the motor stator winding temperature rise characteristics
can take the following forms of heat balance equations to
describe:
Qdt ( I 2  I e2 )rdt CGdT  DSTdt
(1)
where:
Qüthe heat generated per second inside the stator
rü resistance of stator winding
D üthermal coefficient
Sücooling surface area
ütemperature of stator winding raised
I ü overload current flowing through the stator
windings (the largest in the three-phase current
when the motor is running)
Ieücan be set to operating current for protection
Cüspecific heat of stator material
Güthe weight of stator body
Qdt, the left side of the equation, in the time interval dt
is the stator windings issued the heat as a result of
overload. CGd- the right side of the equation is a part of
the heat making the stator temperature degrees rise d.
 The Ninth International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments ICEMI’2009
And D Sdt is the other part of the heat lost in the characteristic is what the electronic thermal relay sought,
cooling medium. and it is hanker by both single-chip model and RC model.
When it comes to single-chip model protector, it is easy
B. Normal action characteristic to realize this object, but when it comes to analog RC
protector, realizing the protection expression is difficult.
According to the thermal characteristics of the motor
winding and the abilities of overheating, the action time Table 2 $ction time corresponding to different multiples of the
of protection corresponding to a multiple of current overload
overload (or phase failure) is shown in table 1 (Ie - the
motor rated current). Action time Action time
Working
proportional to I 2 proportional to I
status
(minute嘔 second (minute嘔 second
Table 1. Performance Index of motor overload (phase failure)
2 phase
Working status of main action time of 115% Ie 8c24cc 1c49cc
circuit protection 1 phase 0
non-action within 115% Ie 8c24cc 1c 49cc
105% Ie
2 hours
115~120% Ie
action within one 120% Ie 6c16cc 1c 26cc
hour
overload
action within 4 150% Ie 2c38cc 46cc
200% Ie
minutes
200% Ie 1c 14cc 35cc
action within
600% Ie
5~10 seconds 600% Ie 7cc 7cc
2 phase
non-action within
100%ˈ
2 hours
phase 1 phase 90% Ie
failure 2 phase
action within one
115%ˈ
hour
1 phase 0 % Ie

As described by international standard JB3905,

temperature rising is directly proportional with square of
current, inverse---time action time math model is given
as equation (2) [4-5].

t W ln{I 2 /[ I 2  (kI e ) 2 ]}
W ln{1 /[1  (kI e / I ) 2 ]} (2)

where  is the time constant for RC circuit, k is overload

current multiple at critical actions˄overload judge˅.
Here the value of k is 1.1. If the action time of the cold
state is 7 seconds when the overload is 6 times prescribed,
the time constant for action can be calculated as equation
(3):
Fig.1. The action characteristic of thermal relays overload
C. Protection characteristic proportional to current
single-power

W t / ln{1 /[1  (kI e / I ) 2 ]} When volume, precision and reliability of the

7 / ln{1 /[1  (1.1 / 6) 2 ]}
204.7s
The action time corresponding to different multiples
of the overload, is shown as Table2.
For the slip ratio of motor mushroom after double
overload as entering non-stabile area, the motor stall trips
at once, so the action time does not need to be considered
in the open interval of 2 -6 times overload.
2
The inverse time characteristic curve for the I law is
shown as in curve 1 in Fig. 1. This protection
(3)
protector are taken into consider, Vingle-chip and
multiplier circuit can’t be added to the
resistance-capacitance circuit of the analogical electronic
protector. So the electronic thermal relay (RC) ( for
example, OMROW J7T , made in Japan) implements
thermal protection by first power thermal and the
expression of the action time according to the first power
discipline is as following:
t W ln[1 /(1  kI e / I )] (4)

2-613

Authorized licensed use limited to: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Ia¿i. Downloaded on May 21,2023 at 06:31:44 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 The Ninth International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments
Here the value of k is still 1.1. If the action time of the
cold state is 7 seconds when the overload is 6 times
prescribed, the time constant for action can be calculated
as following:
 = 34.1s
The action time corresponding to different multiples of
the overload, is shown in Table 2- action time
proportional to I.
The Inverse time characteristic curve is shown in Fig.1.
curve 2. It can be seen from the action timetable and
characteristic curve, the action time of the first thermal of
current and characteristic curve are close to the standard
at the condition of higher loading times(3.5), and
greatly differ from each other when the over loading
times is low. The action time is only one minute and 49
seconds in 1.15 times over loading and the
overprotection turns up. Although the open interval is
below 1h, the usage of the inherent over loading of the
electromotor is limited greatly. So this overprotection is
not a successful protection.
INVERSE TIME CHARACTERISTIC
COMPENSATION FOR ANALOGICAL
ELECTRONIC PROTECTOR
Both the standard protection characteristic and the low
cost of the protective device are what this text seeks. So
the RC motor protection characteristic needs to be
improved. As is described above, the raised temperature
is directly proportional to the square of the electric
current when the motor overload happens. Then the
action time should be longer when the low overload
times happen, so that the motor overload capacity can be
brought into full play. While the motor winding gives out
heat similar to under the condition of heat insulation and
the action time should be shorter when the high overload
times happens. The inverse time characteristic of the
Simulation Electronic Protector (such as J7T of
OMROW) usually generates the circuit which is shown
in Fig.2.. The inverse time characteristic curve with first
power of the motor current is shown in Fig. 1. curve 2.
ICEMI’2009
the relevant protection characteristic approach the
standard protection characteristic as far as possible while
making the time constant  smaller when the high
overload happens. Then a kind of perfect protection
characteristic might be generated.
Based on this kind of idea, Fig.2. is improved. The
improved inverse time generates circuit is shown in Fig.3.
Fig.3. The improved inverse time generates circuit
There are only a voltage regulator tube and a
resistance added in the circuit, and Uz for the voltage
regulator tube values the relevant signal voltage when 2
times overload happens. The principle of work of this
circuit is as following. Voltage regulator tube does not
act when the low times overload happens [6], and the
time constant  equals (R1+R2)C1 in the RC circuit. The
signal voltage will become bigger and puncture the
voltage regulator tube when the high times overload
(I/Ie2) happens, and the time constant for  equals R2C1
in the circuit. That is equal to running two time constants
form the low overload times to the high overload times.
When the voltage regulator tube is perfect, the action
characteristic is theoretically divided into to two parts,
which is shown in Fig.4. One part is curve 3, which is the
curve of the big time constant when the low overload
happens; the other part is curve 2, which is the small time
constant when the high overload happens.

Fig.2. General RC circuit schematic for motor protector

The protection characteristic generated by this kind of

circuit is of certain limitation. The main problem is that
the action time is too short when the low overload
happens. If we want to solve it, the most direct way is to Fig.4 Subsection time constant protection curve
set up two time constant to make the time constant 
bigger when the low overload happens, and then to make

2-614

Authorized licensed use limited to: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Ia¿i. Downloaded on May 21,2023 at 06:31:44 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 The Ninth International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments ICEMI’2009
But, in fact, there is gradually increasing drain current Table 3 Action time compared with three protectors
before the voltage regulator is Zener punctured, and the
Action time Action time
opposite volt-ampere relationship is the same as the improved
proportional proportional
exponential-type volt-ampere characteristic of PN part. Working protection
As the signal voltage (ui) increases, the opposite to I2 2 to I
status (minute´
resistance gradually decreases. It is equal to that the time (minute´ (minute´
second")
constant of RC circuit gradually changes from big to second") second")
small, and it is also exponential-type discipline. Then, 2 phase
the RC protection characteristic of the partitioned time 115% Ie 8c 24cc 1c 49cc 9c08cc
constant in theory becomes the excessively smooth 1 phase 0
protection characteristic of the exponential-type time 115% Ie 8c24cc 1c 49cc 9c08cc
constant in fact, just as what curve 3 shows in Figure 5.
120% Ie 6c16cc 1c 26cc 6c58cc
150% Ie 2c38cc 46cc 2c37 cc
200% Ie 1c 14cc 35cc 49cc
600% Ie 7 cc 7 cc 7 cc

CONCLUSION

The action characteristics of the analog RC thermal

Fig.5 Three protection curves
Compared with the improved protection characteristic
with the standard protection characteristic and the
protection characteristic of J7T, the conclusion is shown
in Fig. 5. You can see from the Figure that the improved
characteristic curve 3 is not smooth, and has the
para-quadratic characteristic. While, compared with
standard characteristic 1, the improved protection
characteristic had little differences, but it is more
practical in the part of low overload times. The action
time becomes longer during the low overload times,
which is more benefit to the unleash of the normal
overload capacity of the motor. The research shows that,
for the middle-size and small-size motor, its practical
thermal property is bigger than the current quadratic
characteristic [2] when the low overload times happens
and curve 3 is very close to the standard characteristic 1
when the high overload times ( 2 times) happens. It is
significantly better than the curve 2 of the pure simple
discipline and it can naturally, effectively protect the
motor. The action time of improved protection is shown
in Table 3.
relay changes radically when the index-based
volt-ampere characteristics of the PN junction is used to
improve the inverse time characteristics of the analog RC
thermal relay and are more close to the standard
characteristics which is more practicable. The improved
circuit is very simple, which will not affect the protection
device size and cost. For production, extensive coverage
of small and medium-sized motors, such as the protection
of properties is more desirable.
REFERENCES
[1] *RQJ Shu-qiu, Gao You-huaˈLi Zhong-bo Investigation of The
Reverse Time Curve for The Electronic Motor Protection Device
[J].Application of electronic technLTXHVol. 28 , No. 4 2002
pp.42-44
[2] Ma Shao-Hua Research of Thermal Characteristics of Electric
Motor, Third International Conference on Electrical Contacts,
Arcs, Apparatus and their Application, Xi’an, P. R. China,
May,1997
[3] Amendment 2 to IEC60947-4-1, Ed. 2:low-voltage switchgear
comtrolgear part4-1:contactors and motor-starters
Electoomechanical contactors and motor-starters[S], 2005-04-08
[4] International standards IEC255-8.
[5] International standards JB3905.
[6] Tong shibai Basic Of Analog Electronics Technique(The third
edition) [M] Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2001

2-615

Authorized licensed use limited to: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Ia¿i. Downloaded on May 21,2023 at 06:31:44 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.