ELECTRICAL MACHINES

Chapter 5

THERMAL PROBLEMS IN
ELECTRICAL MACHINES

1
 Contents

 electrical machine heating

 thermal model
 thermal transients
 standards and thermal problems
 summary

2
 Proper operation and plate data
Correct operativity of an electrical machine:
 Supply according to what reported on the plate data
 Respect of the manufacturer installation conditions
 Respect of the load conditions reported on the plate data

 Rated (nominal) power  Operation mode  Insulating class

3
 Electrical machines heating

 during the normal operation of an electrical machine power

losses are caused by:
 Joule losses in electrical conductors (copper losses)

 losses in magnetic circuit (iron losses)

 in machines with moving parts losses due to friction

(mechanical losses)

Lost energy is converted into heat causing the

machine temperature to increase

4
 Electrical machines heating

 The knowledge of rated power, operation mode and

insulating class should ensure long life to the machine (at
least 15 years): the losses inside the machine raise the
temperature within the limits of the insulating class.
 Overloads (power greater than the rated one) are possible,
but the increased losses should take to excessive
overheating.
 The most materials stressed are the dielectrics: the decay of
their insulating properties dramatically affects the life of the
machine.
5
 Electrical machines heating

 if machine heating becomes too high insulating materials can

be damaged

 if insulation breaks down all the machine is lost

 high values of temperature can damage mechanical parts too

6
 Electrical machines heating

 overheating of the stator part of a rotating machine

7
 Electrical machines heating

 overheating of the stator part of a rotating machine

8
 Electrical machines heating

 overheating of the moving part of a rotating machine

 Thermal phenomena in a machine need to be studied to

estimate the operating temperature
9
Thermal monitoring

Adoption of thermo-cameras

10
Thermal monitoring

Adoption of thermo-cameras

11
 Electrical machines heating

 Which is the temperature inside the machine?

12
 Electrical machines heating

 Which is the temperature inside the machine?

13
 Thermal models

 Extremely complex

14
Complete thermal models

15
Complete thermal model

16
 Simplified thermal model

 thermal problem is very complex but with some hypothesis it

can be simplified:
 homogeneous machine material is considered
 uniform temperature
 only convection thermal exchange considered
 θ machine temperature
S
 θa ambient temperature
 G machine mass c k
 S exchange surface a
 c specific heat Pd
 Pd dissipated power in machine
 k convection exchange coefficient

17
 Simplified thermal model

 thermal transient can be described by a balance equation

𝑑𝑄 𝑃 ⋅ 𝑑𝑡 𝑐 · 𝐺 · 𝑑𝜗 𝑘·𝑆· 𝜗 𝜗 · 𝑑𝑡 [J]

 dQ: amount of heat produced in dt

 𝑐 · 𝐺 · 𝑑𝜗: energy stored in thermal capacity

 𝑘·𝑆· 𝜗 𝜗 · 𝑑𝑡: heat exchanged with external environment

18
 Simplified thermal model Transients

 with some mathematical passages (with a = cost.):

d
Pd  c  G   k  S     a 
dt
d d   a  c G
 , 
dt dt k S

d  a  Pd
    a  
dt k S
c G
  [s] is the thermal time constant of the machine
k S
    a  [C] is the machine’s overtemperature
19
 Simplified thermal model Transients

 Assuming that, at initial time (t = 0), the machine’s temperature

is equal to the ambient temperature:

 t 
 
Pd 
t    a   1  e   [C]
k S  
 
 t=0 0= a - initial temperature

 t=
Pd
 steady  a  - steady state temperature
kS
 steady   steady  a - overtemperature
20
 Simplified thermal model Transients

 The temperature evolves exponentially


steadystate
(t) Pd
steady state 
k S
steady state over
temperature
a
t
0 
tens of minutes for small machines
thermal time constant
hours for large machines
21
 Simplified thermal model Transients
 Cooling transient assuming initial temperature equal to
steady state temperature with load applied θ0 = θa + Rth Pd

t

 t    a  Rth  Pd  e  th
[C]


0

(t)
a
t
0 22
 Simplified thermal model

 Possible overload curve

𝑃
%
𝑃

254 %

158 %
100 %

t
0
½th th 5th

 regime ( MAX ) 1 1
Pd   t
 Pd _ continuativa  t
Rth 
 th

 th
1 e 1 e 23
 Simplified thermal model
 The differential equation of machine heating has analogies
with equations of electrical circuits

Electrical Circuits Thermal Phenomena

Voltage V Temperature 
[V] [C]
Current I Power loss Pd
[A] [W]
Electrical Resistance R Thermal Resistance Rth = 1/(kS)
[] [C/W]
Electrical Capacitance C Thermal Capacitance Cth = cG
[F] [J/C]
24
 Simplified thermal model

 Heat conduction:

1 Rth 2 Pd
  R th  Pd

v1 v2 i C   C   W
R W

 Heat accumulation:

Cth t
1 2 Pd   Pd 
C th

v1 v2 i C  W  s
C W  s
 C 
 
25
 Simplified thermal model
 Machine heating can be modeled with an equivalent electrical
circuit (thermal model):
Pexchanged Rth

Pd Pstored
(t) +
Cth m(t) amb

 The time constant of the electrical circuit is equal to the

thermal time constant c G
Rth  Cth    [s]
k S
26
 Simplified thermal model
 Simplified thermal model:
Pexchanged Rth m  amb dm
Pd  Pexchang
scamb  Pstored
accum   C th 
Pstored
R th dt
Pd (t) +
Cth m(t) amb dm
m  R th  C th   amb  Pd  R th
dt

dm
m   th   amb  Pd  R th
dt

amb  const
Hypotheses: 
 Pd  step from 0 to Pd

0  initial
m t   0     e
t
then: 
  with: 
  amb  Pd  Rth
27
 Standards and

thermal problems

28
 Standards and thermal problems
 The thermal model can be used to estimate the internal
temperature of the machine for different operation modes.

 Standard CEI EN 60034-1/IEC 34 –1 defines different

operation modes for electrical machines.

 The simplified thermal model cannot estimate the

temperatures of different parts of the machine (windings,
magnetic core, case, …)

 To estimate the temperatures of different parts of the machine,

a more complex model is needed, accounting for each single
heat transfer in the machine
29
 Standards and thermal problems

 Operating modes defined by Standard CEI EN 60034-1/IEC 34 –1

according to load cycles
S1 - continuous operation
S2 - limited duration operation
S3 - intermittent periodic operation
S4 - intermittent periodic operation with startup
S5 - intermittent periodic operation with startup and braking
S6 - continuously periodic operation
S7 - continuously periodic operation with electrical braking
S8 - continuously periodic operation with interrelated variations
of load and speed
S9 - operation with non periodic variations of load and speed
30
 Standards and thermal problems

 S1 - continuous operation

Constant load for a period of

time long enough to reach
thermal steady state

Load
Electric Losses
Temperature
Max Temperature
Time
31
 Standards and thermal problems

 S1: constant losses for long enough to reach thermal steady

state (ts > 5th)

 %
100% Δ𝜗 𝑅 ·𝑃
99%
95% (t)
63%

0 th 3th 5th t

32
 Standards and thermal problems

 S2 - limited duration operation

1. Constant load operation for a

limited duration of time, such
that thermal steady state is not
reached,
2. No load operation for a time
long enough to bring motor
temperature at ambient
temperature
Example: S2 60 min
Load
Electric Losses
Temperature
Max Temperature
Time
Time of Constant Load Operation
33
 Standards and thermal problems
 S2: constant losses for a limited operation time, not enough
to reach thermal steady state (∆tP<5th) followed by a period of
no-load operation long enough to bring the machine at
ambient temperature (∆tR >5 th)
Δ  regime  Rth  Pd
Δmax

t
0
Pd

t
0
∆tP ∆tR 34
 Standards and thermal problems
 S3: intermittent periodic operation
Cycle between:
1. Constant load operation
for a duration of time (∆tP),
2. No load operation for a
duration of time (∆tR)
• Startup current does not
influence temperature

Example: S3 25%
Load

rapporto di Electric Losses

Temperature
intermittenza Max Temperature
Time
Cycle duration
constant load operation duration
no-load duration

Duty Cycle
35
 Standards and thermal problems
 S3: constant losses for a limited operation time, not enough
to reach thermal steady state (∆tP < 5th) followed by a period
of no-load operation not long enough to bring the machine at
ambient temperature (∆tR < 5 th)
Δ
Δ𝜗 𝑅 ·𝑃

Δmax

0 t Δ𝑡
𝛿
Pd 𝑇
t TC = ∆tP+ ∆tR
0
∆tP ∆tR 36
 Standards and thermal problems
 S4: intermittent periodic operation with startup influencing
machine temperature Cycle between:
1. Startup interval (∆tD) that
does influence temperature
2. Constant load operation
for a duration of time (∆tP),
3. No load operation for a
duration of time (∆tR)

Load
Example: S4 25 %
Electric Losses
JM = 0.15 kgm2
Temperature
Max Temperature Jext = 0.7 kgm2
Time
Cycle duration
startup duration
constant load operation duration
no-load duration

Duty Cycle 37
 Standards and thermal problems
 S5: intermittent periodic operation with startup and braking
influencing machine temperature
1-3 like S4
4 electrical braking interval
(∆tF)

Example
Load
Electric Losses S5 25 %
JM = 0.15 kgm2
Temperature
Max Temperature
Time
Cycle duration
Jext = 0.7 kgm2
startup duration
constant load operation duration
braking durtion
no-load duration

Duty Cycle
38
 Standards and thermal problems
 S6: continuously periodic operation
Cycle between:
1. Constant (higher) load operation
for a duration of time (∆tP),
2. Constant (lower) load operation
for a duration of time (∆tV)
• Operation in 1 can be an
acceleration or a startup
Example: S6 25 %
Load
Electric Losses
Temperature
Max Temperature
Time
Cycle duration
acceleration / startup duration
constant load operation duration

Duty Cycle 39
 Standards and thermal problems
 S7: continuously periodic operation with electrical braking
influencing machine heating

Example: S7
JM = 0.15 kgm2
Jext = 7.5 kgm2

Load
Electric Losses
Temperature
Max Temperature
Time
Cycle duration
acceleration / startup duration
constant load operation duration
electrical braking duration

Duty Cycle
40
 Standards and thermal problems
 S8: continuously periodic operation with interrelated
variations of load and speed
Cycle with period at constant
load followed by another
period at different load and
speed; no-load periods
missing

Load
Electric Losses
Temperature
Max Temperature
Speed
Time
Cycle duration
acceleration / startup duration
constant load operation duration (P1, P2, P3)
electrical braking duration (F1, F2)

Duty Cycle
41
 Standards and thermal problems
 S9: operation with non periodic variations of load and speed

Speed and load vary non-

periodically within the possible
operation range
This operation mode include
frequent overloads that can
be much higher than the full
load value

42
 Standards and thermal problems
 Empirical formula for servomotors


65  Ceff 
2
 eff 
2

 motore     Pd _ nom     Pd _ 0 
Pd _ nom  Cnom 
  base  

 t   t  ...............  n t n
2 2 2 2 2 2
C1 t1  C2 t 2  ...............  Cn t n eff  1 1 2 2
Ceff  t1  t 2  ...........  t n
t1  t 2  ...........  t n

Cnom , ωbase , Pd_nom continuative values @ ∆θ = 65°

Pd_0 no-load losses at base speed

43
 Heating of machines Examples

Example 1
An application requires 10 kW of power for 20 minutes, Pn = 8 kW
followed by 90 minutes of rest (cooling). Service S1
Verify if the motor at disposal can fit.  = 85%
max = 200 °C
th = 900 s
amb = 50 °C

It must be verified if, even overloaded, in the 20 minutes of work the motor
overpasses the max of its insulating class.

reg  amb  C 
R th   0,10625  
Pd W

t m  amb  Pd  R th  1  e    188 C

t
 OK!
 
44
 Heating of machines Examples

Example 2
A motor with the following name plate data is given: Pn = 10 kW
Service S1
 = 87%
max = 200 °C
Evaluate: th = 1000 s
amb = 50 °C
1. Rth and Cth
2. The maximum power P’out that the motor can deliver according to a S2
Service, 20’ ON / 90’ OFF
3. The continuous power P"out that the motor can deliver in Service S3,
with duty-cycle = 0,5 and perioud T = 500 s?

45
 Heating of machines Examples

Example 2 Pn = 10 kW
Answers: Service S1
 = 87%
1. Evaluate Rth e Cth
max = 200 °C
th = 1000 s
 1 
P
 d  P 
n   1  amb = 50 °C
  
  
 reg max

 steady _ state  amb  C 

R th   0,1 W 
 Pd  

C   th  10 .000  J 
 th R  C 
 th  
46
 Heating of machines Examples

Example 2 Pn = 10 kW
Answers: Service S1
 = 87%
2. The maximum power P’out that the motor can deliver
max = 200 °C
according to a S2 Service, 20’ ON / 90’ OFF
th = 1000 s
amb = 50 °C

t m  amb  P'd R th  t 

 1  e   
 

max  amb
P'out   14,3 kW 
1   t 
  1  R th  1  e  
   

47
 Heating of machines Examples

Example 2 Pn = 10 kW
Answers: Service S1
3. The continuous power P"out that the motor can deliver in  = 87%
Service S3, with duty-cycle = 0,5 and perioud T = 500 s? max = 200 °C
th = 1000 s
m amb = 50 °C
max

1

2
amb
ton toff t
T  t
1  2     e
 ON

 
 t OFF
......  P”out = 17,78 kW
       e    
 2 1 amb amb
48