ABB Australia Pty Limited

Issue date: 15 May 08

1VGA671022
ZVC-SD Star Delta Motor Starter


Star Delta starter can only be used with a
motor which is rated for connection in
delta operation at the required line
voltage, and has both ends each of the
three windings available individually.

At Start, the line voltage is applied to one
end of each of the three windings, with the
other end bridged together, effectively
connecting the windings in a star
connection. Under this connection, the
voltage across each winding is 1/(rt 3) of
line voltage and so the current flowing in
each winding is also reduced by this
amount. The resultant current flowing from
the supply is reduced by a factor of 1/3 as
is the torque; i.e. a motor which exhibits a
LRC of 600% and an LRT of 180% will
exhibit characteristics of: LRC
star
of 200%
and LRT
star
of 60%. In some cases, this
may be enough to get the motor up to full
speed, but most as this is a constant
voltage starter, the transition to full voltage
will occur at part speed resulting in a
virtual DOL type start. To step to full
voltage, the star connection is opened,
effectively open circuiting the motor, and
the ends of the windings are then
connected to the three phase supply in a
fashion to create a delta connection. This
type of starter is an open transition starter
and so the switch to delta is accompanied
by a very high torque and current
transient. In most situations, there would
be less damage to the equipment and less
interference to the supply if a DOL starter
was employed.

Star delta is not easily converted to a
closed transition starter, and even the
closed transition (Wanchop) star delta
starter still has the problem that the start
voltage can not be altered. If there is
insufficient torque available in star, then it
will go DOL.



























Star/Delta starters are probably the most
common reduced voltage starters in the
50Hz world, (known as Wye/Delta starters
in the 60Hz world). They are used in an
attempt to reduce the start current applied
to the motor during start as a means of
reducing the disturbances and
interference on the electrical supply.

Traditionally in many supply regions, there
has been a requirement to fit a reduced
voltage starter on all motors greater than
5HP (4KW). This regulation was
introduced in order to reduce the start
current.

Star/Delta (or Wye/Delta) starter is one of
the lowest cost electromechanical reduced
voltage starters that can be applied and
this is why it has been so popular. The
Star/Delta starter complied with the
regulations.

The Star/Delta starter is manufactured
from three contactors, a timer and a
thermal overload. The contactors are
smaller than the single contactor used in a
Direct On Line starter as they are
controlling winding currents only. The
currents through the winding are 1/root 3
(58%) of the current in the line.


Enquiries email: abb.zvc@au.abb.com
Sh.1
ABB Australia Pty Limited
Issue date: 15 May 08
1VGA671022
There are two contactors that are close
during run, often referred to as the main
contactor and the delta contactor. These
are AC3 rated at 58% of the current rating
of the motor. The third contactor is the star
contactor and that only carries star current
while the motor is connected in star. The
current in star is one third of the current in
delta, so this contactor can be AC3 rated
at one third of the motor rating.




















Operation
In operation, the Main Contactor (KM3)
and the Star Contactor (KM1) are closed
initially, and then after a period of time, the
star contactor is opened, and then the
delta contactor (KM2) is closed. The
control of the contactors is by the timer
(K1T) built into the starter. The Star and
Delta are electrically interlocked and
preferably mechanically interlocked as
well.


In effect, there are four states:
1. OFF State. All Contactors are open
2. Star State. The Main and the Star
contactors are closed and the delta
contactor is open. The motor is
connected in star and will produce one
third of DOL torque at one third of DOL
current.
3. Open State. The Main contactor is
closed and the Delta and Star
contactors are open. There is voltage
on one end of the motor windings, but
the other end is open so no current
can flow. The motor has a spinning
rotor and behaves like a generator.
4. Delta State. The Main and the Delta
contactors are closed. The Star
contactor is open. The motor is
connected to full line voltage and full
power and torque are available.

This type of operation is called open
transition switching because there is an
open state between the star state and the
delta state.










Open Transition Starters
When a motor is driven by the supply,
either at full speed or at part speed, there
is a rotating magnetic field in the stator.
This field is rotating at line frequency. The
flux from the stator field induces a current
in the rotor and this in turn results in a
rotor magnetic field.

When the motor is disconnected from the
supply (open transition) there is a spinning
rotor within the stator and the rotor has a
magnetic field. Due to the low impedance
of the rotor circuit, the time constant is
quite long and the action of the spinning
rotor field within the stator is that of a
generator which generates voltage at a
frequency determined by the speed of the
rotor. When the motor is reconnected to
the supply, it is reclosing onto an
Enquiries email: abb.zvc@au.abb.com
Sh.2
ABB Australia Pty Limited
Issue date: 15 May 08
1VGA671022
Enquiries email: abb.zvc@au.abb.com
In effect, there are five states: unsynchronised generator and this result
in a very high current and torque transient.
The magnitude of the transient is
dependent on the phase relationship
between the generated voltage and the
line voltage at the point of closure, but
typically can be much higher then DOL
current and torque and can result in
electrical and mechanical damage.
1. OFF State. All Contactors are open
2. Star State. The Main [KM3] and the
Star [KM1] contactors are closed and
the delta [KM2] contactor is open. The
motor is connected in star and will
produce one third of DOL torque at
one third of DOL current.
3. Star Transition State. The motor is
connected in star and the resistors are
connected across the delta contactor
via the aux [KM4] contactor.




Sh.3



















4. Closed Transition State. The Main
[KM3] contactor is closed and the
Delta [KM2] and Star [KM1] contactors
are open. Current flows through the
motor windings and the transition
resistors via KM4.
5. Delta State. The Main and the Delta
contactors are closed. The transition
resistors are shorted out. The Star
contactor is open. The motor is
connected to full line voltage and full
power and torque are available.



Closed Transition Star/Delta Starter
There is a technique to reduce the
magnitude of the switching transients.
This requires the use of a fourth contactor
and a set of three resistors. The resistors
must be sized such that considerable
current is able to flow in the motor
windings while they are in circuit.

The auxiliary contactor and resistors are
connected across the delta contactor. In
operation, just before the star contactor
opens, the auxiliary contactor closes
resulting in current flow via the resistors
into the star connection. Once the star
contactor opens, current is able to flow
round through the motor windings to the
supply via the resistors. These resistors
are then shorted by the delta contactor. If
the resistance of the resistors is too high,
they will not swamp the voltage generated
by the motor and will serve no purpose.






Source: L M Photonics Ltd