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LinkedIn Engineering Report : 20 Author: Zark Bedalov, Mar. 25/ 2022

Practical Power Plant Engineering -
A Guide for Early Career Engineers
➔ Why VFDs Start Motors with no Inrush Current? 2 pages
More available in the book, Chapter 15.
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Fig. 15.3 Fig.15.6

Principle of Operation.
Refer to Fig.15.3 VFD PWM Modulation. A VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) is a type of motor controller that
drives an electric motor by varying the frequency and voltage supplied to the electric motor. VFDs come
in many varieties, including: Sine-weighted, Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) and Vector controlled for
low speed applications. All the varieties come with variable voltage/frequency, for optimum speed
control of any conventional squirrel cage induction or synchronous motor. How does VFD work?
Follow the path of frequency change on the above illustration and as folloews:

AC: V1, f1 → DC: Vdc, f=0 → AC: V2, f2

A VFD takes an input fixed frequency (60 Hz or 50 Hz) AC voltage, converts it to DC voltage and then
inverts it back to a variable AC voltage and frequency (speed), as demanded by the load flow, pressure
and torque requirements.

Impact of Voltage:
A VFD reduces the motor voltage in a different way than other starting voltage reducing devices. Voltage
is reduced along with the reduction in frequency. Starting torque is often called Locked rotor torque.
The key here for maintaining a strong starting torque is the ratio of V/ Hz, which must be held constant
for a particular motor and its design NEMA classification. That is the reason why VFDs are able to soft
start a motor by matching the frequency to that of the voltage to maintain the V/Hz constant even at
the lowest voltage. Typically for the 460 V motors, the ratio is 7.66 at 60 Hz, the same as for the IEC
motors; 380V/50Hz. As long as this ratio is held constant, the motor can develop constant rated torque
at every point of the accelerating cycle.
Observe the chart on Fig.15.6 VFD starting graph. The starting torque is in fact higher at lower speeds
than at higher speeds.
Here’s the proportionality: Torque → Flux density within air gap → V/Hz.
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The VFD typically starts an induction motor by beginning at low voltage and low frequency and
increasing the voltage and frequency to the desired operating point. By starting the motor with low
voltage and low frequency, the inrush current associated with the across-the-line starting is completely
eliminated. This contrasts the typical way of starting induction motors by applying full voltage (say: 480
volts at 60 Hertz) to the motor. With a VFD, motor is operating at the breakdown torque and
synchronous speed as soon as it is started. The VFD accelerates the motor in a linear action, and the
breakdown torque point moves along from left to right on the chart.

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