Starting methods for AC motors

TM008 EN Rev B 2007

Reducing electrical and mechanical Star-Delta (Y/D) starting

Technical notes
stress at start-up Most low voltage motors can be connected to
The starting current of an AC motor can vary run at either 400 V with delta connection or
from 3 to 7 times the nominal current.This is at 690 V with star connection. This flexibility
because a large amount of energy is required can also be used to start the motor with a
to magnetise the motor enough to overcome lower voltage. Star/delta connection gives a
the inertia the system has at standstill. The high low starting current of only about one-third of
current drawn from the network can cause that during direct-on-line starting, although this
problems such as voltage drop, high transients also reduces the starting torque to about 25%.
and, in some cases, uncontrolled shutdown. The motor is started with Y-connection and
High starting current also causes great accelerated as far as possible, then switched to
mechanical stress on the motor’s rotor bars and D-connection. This method can only be used
windings, and can affect the driven equipment with induction motors delta connected for the
and the foundations. Several starting methods supply voltage.
exist, all aiming to reduce these stresses.
UN
The load, the motor and the supply network Ist
determine the most appropriate starting UN = Rated net voltage
method. When selecting and dimensioning M
Ist = Start current at full voltage
the starting equipment and any protective
devices, the following factors must be taken
into account:
Reactor start
• The voltage drop in the supply network By connecting a coil with an iron core (a
when starting the motor reactor) in series with the motor during start,
• The required load torque during start the starting current is limited in proportion
• The required starting time with the voltage. However, this also means
a substantial (quadratic) reduction in the
Direct-on-line (DOL) start available starting torque. The advantage of this
Direct on line starting is suitable for stable method is its low cost in comparison with other
supplies and mechanically stiff and well- ABB has the widest
methods. range of motors of any
dimensioned shaft systems. It is the simplest, manufacturer, from 0.055 kW
UN UN = Rated net voltage
cheapest and most common starting method. to 70 MW. A number of
IstR starting methods are used
Starting equipment for small motors that do Ist = Start current at full voltage within this vast range; your
not start and stop frequently is simple, often ABB representative can
consisting of a hand operated motor protection M IstR = Start current at red. voltag advise on the one most
suitable for a particular
circuit breaker. Larger motors and motors that XM application.
XM = Motor reactance
start and stop frequently, or have some kind of XR
control system, normally use a direct-on-line XR = Reactor reactance
starter which can consist of a contactor plus
overload protection, such as a thermal relay.
( X U+ X ) ( II ) T
2
N
IstR = TstR = stR
st
M R st
UN
Ist
UN = Rated net voltage Auto transformer start
The effect of auto transformer start is similar to
Ist = Start current at full voltage
that of reactor start. Using a transformer to limit
M
the voltage reduces the starting current and the
torque, but less so than the reactor start. The
method is more expensive than reactor start.
 UN UN = Rated net voltage UN
UN = Rated net voltage
IstR IstR
Ist = Start current at full voltage
IstR = Start current at red.
IstR = Start current at red. voltage voltage
TM008 EN Rev B 2007 UM
UM = Motor voltage UM UM = Motor voltage
M
M
Technical notes

( UU ) I ( II ) T
2
IstR = M
TstR = stR Frequency converter start
st st
N st Although a frequency converter is designed
for continuous feeding of motors, it can also
Capacitor start be used for start-up only. The frequency
By storing the power required for magnetisation converter enables low starting current because
in capacitor banks, it is possible to start with full the motor can produce rated torque at rated
starting torque without disturbing the network. current from zero to full speed. As the price of
To avoid over-compensation, the capacitor frequency converters continues to drop, they
bank must be uncoupled after start-up. The are increasingly being used in applications
disadvantages of this method are the high cost, where soft starters would previously have been
and the large space requirement of the capacitor used. However in most cases they are still more
banks. expensive than soft starters, and like these, they
inject harmonic currents into the network.
XN UN UN = Rated net voltage
IstR IstR = Start current w/capacitor UN
UN = Rated net voltage
XN = Net reactance IstR
XM
XC = Capacitor bank reactance IstR = Start current at red.
M
voltage
XC XM = Motor short circuit
reactance UM = Motor voltage
UM
XC XM M

UN
IstR = TstR =
(
3 XN+
XC XM
XC + XM
) XN+
Soft starters
Soft starters are based on semiconductors,
which, via a power circuit and a control circuit,
initially reduces the motor voltage, resulting in
lower motor torque. During the starting process,
the soft starter progressively increases the
motor voltage so that the motor becomes strong
enough to accelerate the load to rated speed
without causing torque or current peaks. Soft
starters can also be used to control the stopping
of a process.
© Copyright 2007 ABB. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
XC + XM
Tst
XC XM
XC + XM
Rheostat starting
Rheostat starting can only be used with slip ring
motors. On these motors, the resistance of the
rotor circuits can be increased with an external
resistor. This method is usually chosen when
the supply net is weak and the required starting
torque and moment of inertia are very high. By
switching in the additional resistances in steps,
normally 4 to 7 steps, the desired acceleration
torque can be obtained. The normal DOL
starting equipment also required.
UN
IstR UN = Rated net voltage

Soft starters are less costly than frequency UM IstR = Start current at red. voltage
M
converters but like frequency converters, they
may inject harmonic currents into the grid, UM = Motor voltage
disrupting other processes.

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