Abnormal conditions in IM

• Prolonged overloading
• Single phasing
• Stalling – fails to start because of excessive load, draws heavy current.
• Stator earth faults
• Phase to phase faults
• Inter-turn faults
• Rotor faults – wound rotor motors (insulation failures)
• Failure of bearings
• Unbalanced supply voltage
• Supply under voltage
Protection of induction
motors
Refer from S Rao and JB Gupta
Protection chart of IMs
Protection chart of IMs
Protection of IMs
Small motors - below 1000 V AC
• Scheme of starting circuit
• Bimetal overload devices
• Short circuit protection by
HRC fuse
Large induction motors
• Overload protection
• Against unbalance
• Against single phasing
• Phase reversal relay
• Phase to phase fault
protection
• Stator earth fault
protection
• Faults in rotor winding
Scheme of starting circuit
• 1 - fuse
• 2 – isolating switch
• 3 – thermal relay
• 4 - contactor
• 5- control coil
• 6 – ON button - NO
• 7 – OFF push button – NC
• 8 - Motor – supply
BI-METALIC OVERLOAD RELAYS
• Triple pole bimetallic relays
• Large motors → connected in secondary of CT
• Bi-metalic overload relay selection
✓ Characteristic of relay & motor
✓ Nature of loading
✓ Starting current
SC protection by HRC fuse
• 1.5 to 10 times current → overload
• More that 10 times → SC
• Well coordination between OLPD & SCPD
• SCPD in any of the form from –
1. HRC fuse
2. Short circuit release opening of CB.
3. Instantaneous high set O/C Prot.
SC protection by HRC fuse
SC protection by HRC fuse
Over load protection of large motors
• Respond to Motor current – bimetal relays, electromagnetic relays,
static relays.
• Respond to winding temperature – thermistors. Embedded in slots
Over current protection of IM
• Non-essential service motors:
▪ Inverse and instantaneous, both protection phase and ground O/C
relays
▪ Inverse – in phase - 3.5 to 4 times the normal current with delay.
▪ Inverse- earth fault relays in ground conductor – 20 % of rated motor
current.
▪ Instantaneous – pick up is just above locked rotor current.
▪ Also % differential protection is applied for large motors.

• Essential service motors:

• Only against SC currents to avoid unnecessary tripping.
Stator Overheating protection of IM
• Non-Essential service motors:
• < 1000 kW – replica type thermal over-load relay
• Characteristic matches heating curve of IM.
• Relay is very easy to adjust.
• Service factor is a measure of the extra horsepower a motor can
deliver if it is operating under rated conditions and is located in an
acceptable ambient environment. A common service factor is 1.15.
This means that a motor could deliver 115% of the horsepower
indicated on the nameplate.
Motor service factor % of rated current
Continuous rated 115 %
1.15 service factor 125 %
Other service factor 140 %
Thermal overload protection
• Motor service factor (SF)
is the percentage
multiplier that a motor
can handle for short
periods of time when
operating within its
normal voltage and
frequency tolerance
Stator Overheating protection of IM
• Non-Essential service motors:
• > 1000 kW – RTD inside stator slots. Relay provided by the RTD.
• Current balance relays set for 25 % out of balance.

• Essential service motors:

• Alarm for currents more than 1.15 times rated current is provided.
• Also RTD based protection and replica relay.
Protection against unbalance
• Negative sequence currents – own field in opposite direction – in
rotor double frequency currents – losses – temp increase
▪ Bi-metalic relays
▪ Relay in each phase for over current
▪ Phase unbalance relays
Single phasing
• One phase is OFF.
• Remaining two supplies the power.
• Single phasing → healthy phase current
increased by 3 times → heating of wdg
• Includes negative phase sequence
components→ magnetic flux in opposite
direction → double frequency currents →
rotor heating.
• Rotor temp is not detectable.
• Phase unbalance relays.
Phase reversal protection
• Electromagnetic principle →disc motor actuated by- CT & VT
• Auxiliary contacts – magnetic coil of starter / CB.
• Correct phase sequence → positive torque→ auxiliary contacts
closed.
• Reverse phase sequence → torque reverse → auxiliary contacts open.

• Solid state relays