Simulation of the Voltage Sag Effects on

an Induction Motor
Fikri Waskito, Channarong Banmongkol
Department of Electrical Engineering
Chulalongkorn University
Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
E-mail: channarong.b@chula.ac.th

Abstract— Analysis of voltage sag events using simulation can be There is a diversity of the causes of voltage sags, which
very useful due to serious effects of such events on electrical make it difficult to prevent them [6]. But most of the causes of
equipment. This paper presents a study on voltage sag effects on voltage sags are short circuit [7]. The present work will
an induction motor using computer simulation with EMTP-ATP. simulate the effects of short circuit in high voltage distribution
The voltage sags are generated by different fault types with network to an induction motor in low voltage side.
several fault resistances. Their effects on terminal voltage,
current, torque and speed of motor are investigated. Voltage sags can be simulated using several types of tools
based on a time-domain solution to obtain high accuracy of the
Keywords- Power Quality, voltage sags, induction motor, main characteristics of voltage sags [8]. In this paper, the cases
EMTP-ATP will be simulated using Alternative Transient Program (ATP)
version of EMTP to analyze the effects of voltage sags.
I. INTRODUCTION
Power quality problem is one of the concerns in power II. MODELING THE SYSTEM
system issues. In the past, when electricity is not so easy to This work simulates a simple configuration of electrical
find, power quality is not a serious issue. People only think power system. A model of an electrical power system with an
about how to get enough electricity for their needs. But when electrical machine and a mechanical load was created using the
the electricity needs’ have already fulfilled, people want a ATPdraw interface of EMTP-ATP.
better quality of electricity for their life. They want constant
voltage, constant frequency, and uninterruptible power supply.
One of the common power quality problems is voltage sags.
A voltage sag can be defined as a short duration decrease of
the rms voltage. This voltage event can be considered as a sag
when the magnitude of rms voltage remains between 10 % and
90 % of the nominal voltage and the event duration between
0.5 cycles to 1 minute [1]. In similar definition, we can also
define a voltage sag as a sudden reduction of the voltage a
particular point of an electricity supply system below a
specified threshold then followed by its recovery after brief
interval [2]. Recently, a short interruption where remaining
voltage is almost zero can also be considered as a particular
case of voltage sags [3].
Voltage sags is the most common power quality problem
occurs in power system. This phenomenon is usually Figure 1. Configuration of system for simulation with EMTP-ATP
characterized by remaining voltage, the duration, and the phase
jump. Even the effect of voltage sags are less dangerous than The distribution system, as shown in figure 1, composes of
voltage interruptions, it happens more frequent. Because of a 24 kV distribution line supplying a 416 V system through a
their significant effect to sensitive equipment, it can be as 24 kV/416V transformer. An induction motor is connected to
important as voltage interruption [4]. the 416 V system.

One of the significant electric loads that are affected by The induction motor was represented by UM3 universal
voltage sags are electric motors, particularly induction motor machine model. Mechanical load parameters such as moment
[5]. This work will concentrate on effects of voltage sags on of inertia and load torque were determined by calculation. The
these machines. system data that is used for simulation is stated on Table I.

*This research is supported by AUN/Seed-Net program by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

978-1-61284-459-6/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE

731
 TABLE I. SYSTEM DATA USED FOR SIMULATION
R (+) = 0.3598848 Ÿ
AC Source R (0) = 0.029952 Ÿ
Source Impedance
24 kV L (+) = 6.092604 mH
L (0) = 6.45563 mH
Conductor Radius 0.007674 m
Conductor DC Resistance 0.144 ohms/km
Distribution
Sag for all Conductors 0.5 m
Line
Ground Wire Radius 0.004763 m
Ground Wire DC Resistance 1.19039 ohms/km
Ratings 1000 kVA 22kV / 416V
Connection DYn 11
Transformer
%Z 5.49
% no load current 0.737
Ratings 112 kW 416 V 1500 rpm
Induction Power Factor 0.8
Motor Slip 2%
Locked Rotor Current 5A

III. SIMULATION RESULT AND ANALYSIS

As mentioned before that main cause of voltage sags is
short circuit. In order to observe the effects of fault types and
fault resistance on voltage sags that affect the induction motor,
a number of scenarios was created in simulation. On each
scenario, a constant mechanical load of 374 Nm was
considered. The fault were introduced at t = 0.15s. The fault
resistance was varied from 0 to 50 ohms. Selected results are
presented in the following subsections.

A. Line-to-Ground Fault
Figure 2 shows an example of terminal voltage, current,
torque, and speed of the motor during line-to-ground fault.

TABLE II. LINE-TO-GROUND FAULT SIMULATION RESULTS

Fault Resistance (ohm)

0 10 20
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 361 229 219 372 362 271 376 377 315
I (A) 844 615 695 605 638 329 283 394 284
T Stable -385 -390 -388
(Nm) ¨T 1270 1264 896
Speed Stable 1460 1466 1468
(rpm) ¨rpm 1973 1475 921
Fault Resistance (ohm)
30 40 50
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 374 380 334 372 379 343 371 378 348
I (A) 207 300 241 168 262 218 146 234 201
T Stable -390 -390 -390
(Nm) ¨T 616 478 389
Speed Stable 1469 1456 1463
(rpm) ¨rpm 625 485 481

Table II shows the results of voltage, current, deviation of

torque and speed of the motor for line-to-ground fault with
different fault resistances. The voltage sag appears on one or
two phases where a line-to-ground fault occurs depending on
fault resistance.
Figure. 2 Response of induction motor for L-G fault at high voltage side with
fault resistances of 10 Ÿ (a) Voltage, (b) Current, (c) Torque, (d) Speed

732
 The motor currents increase in all phases with a high
distortion. The torque and speed of the motor fluctuates which
may result in damage of mechanical load and motor itself. The
higher fault resistance leads to a lower motor current and lower
fluctuation of torque and speed.

B. Line-to-Line Fault
Table III shows the results of voltage, current, deviation of
torque and speed of the motor for line-to-line fault with
different fault resistances.

TABLE III. LINE-TO-LINE FAULT SIMULATION RESULTS

Fault Resistance (ohm)

0 10 20
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 321 314 9.1 405 214 247 408 289 278
I (A) 669 523 986 1098 774 873 862 565 442
T Stable -390 -389 -389
(Nm) ¨T 1166 838 1420
Speed Stable 1462 1467 1469
(rpm) ¨rpm 1170 2467 1480
Fault Resistance (ohm)
30 40 50
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 409 316 309 407 333 321 404 342 329
I (A) 755 602 349 562 537 239 456 455 188
T Stable -389 -389 -390
(Nm) ¨T 1180 1310 1110
Speed Stable 1456 1466 1469
(rpm) ¨rpm 1460 1433 1131

Figure 3 shows an example of terminal voltage, current,

torque, and speed of the motor during line-to-line fault.
The simulation results show the same tendency as the case
of line-to-ground fault. At a given fault resistance, however,
the line-to-line fault results in more serious effects on terminal
voltage, current, torque, and speed of the motor. The terminal
voltage is more unbalance, leading to larger increase in current
and distortion as well as fluctuation of torque and speed.

C. Three-Phase Fault
Figure 4 shows an example of terminal voltage, current,
torque, and speed of the motor during three-phase fault.
Table IV shows the results of voltage and current of the
motor for three phase fault with different fault resistances. The
voltage sags appear on three phases where a three phase fault
occurs depending on fault resistance.
When a three-phase fault occurs, voltage sags happen
symmetrically. The motor currents increase for a while before
reach a steady state without distortion. There are short
transients of torque and speed before they are stabilized then. It
seems that three-phase fault with a given fault resistance gives
less effects on the induction motor, compared with other fault
types.
Figure. 3 Response of induction motor for L-L fault at high voltage side with
fault resistances of 20 Ÿ (a) Voltage, (b) Current, (c) Torque, (d) Speed

733
 Different cases of short circuit have been introduced to the
system. It is obvious that every case has its own unique
characteristic. Both line-to-ground fault and line-to-line fault
result in constant fluctuation on torque and speed during fault.
Three phase fault results in small transient during the starting
of the fault and return to its previous torque and speed.

TABLE IV. THREE-PHASE FAULT SIMULATION RESULTS

Fault Resistance (ohm)

0 10 20
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 0 0 0 298 298 298 343 343 343
I (A) 0 0 0 162 162 162 146 146 146
Fault Resistance (ohm)
30 40 50
A B C A B C A B C
U (V) 355 355 355 359 359 359 362 362 362
I (A) 143 143 143 139 139 139 138 138 138

IV. CONCLUSIONS
Voltage sags due to fault in high voltage system can result
in the operation of induction motor in low voltage system.
Unsymmetrical faults lead to voltage sags, over motor current
with high distortion and fluctuation of torque and speed of
motor. The increasing level of fault resistance will reduce the
effects of voltage sags on induction motor.
Future work can also include a more complex parameters,
more complex system, and also variety in fault type.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research is fully supported by ASEAN University
Network/Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development
Network (AUN/SEED-Net) project by the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).

REFERENCES

[1] IEEE Std. 1159–1995, “Recommended Practice for Monitoring Electric

Figure. 4 Response of induction motor for three-phase fault at high voltage
side with fault resistances of 10 Ÿ (a) Voltage, (b) Current, (c) Torque, (d)
Speed
Power Quality”.
[2] IEC 61000-4-11, “Testing and measurement techniques – Voltage dips,
short interruptions and voltage variations immunity tests”.
[3] IEEE, “Voltage Sag Indices”, Draft 6 – working document for IEEE
P1564, January 2004.
[4] M.F. McGranaghan, D.R. Mueller, and M.J. Samotyj, “Voltage sags in
industrial systems,” IEEE Trans. on Industry Applications, vol. 29, no.
2, pp. 397-403, March/April 1993.
[5] J. Gocalves, J. Baptista, L. Neves, and F.T. Oliveira, “Simulation of the
effect of voltage transients on an induction motor with ATP/EMTP,”
International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality
2009, April 2009.
[6] Math H.J. Bollen, Understanding Power Quality Problems. Voltage Sags
and Interruptions, IEEE Press, 2000, New York.
[7] R.C. Dugan, M.F. McGranaghan, S. Santoso and H.W. Beaty, Electrical
Power Systems Quality 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill, 2002, New York
[8] J.A Martinez, and J.M. Arnendo, “Voltage Sag Analysis Using an
Electromagnetic Transients Program,” IEEE Power Engineering Society
Winter Meeting,vol.2, no.1 pp. 1135-1140 1993.

734