ELECTRICAL DRIVES

BEF35803
WEEK 1
BASICS OF INDUSTRIAL MOTOR CONTROL

LECTURER INFO
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Mohd Aifaa bin Mohd Ariff

B. Eng. (UTM), M. Eng. (UTM), PhD (ICL), DIC
Room: D1-213 (By appointment only)
Contact Number: 017-7326074
Email: aifaa@uthm.edu.my
Notes: https://www.edmodo.com/ (Code: w3xsfg)

COURSE INFO
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Group Project
Test 1
Test 2
Final
Total

: 10%
: 10%
: 10%
: 10%
: 10%
: 50%
: 100%

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The methods used to control the performance of an
electrical system.
Involves the starting, acceleration, reversal,
deceleration, and stopping of a motor.
This section covers the conventional electrical
control of 3-phase AC motor

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

A control circuit is composed of a number of basic
components connected together to achieve the
desired performance.
The basic components are the following:
1) Disconnecting switches
2) Manual circuit breakers
3) Cam switches
4) Pushbuttons
5) Relays

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

6) Magnetic contactors
7) Thermal relay and fuses
8) Pilot lights
9) Limit switches
10) Other special switches
11) Resistor, reactors, transformer, and
capacitors

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

1) Disconnecting switches
To isolate the motor from
the power source.

2) Manual circuit breakers

Opens and closes a circuit.

Figure 1.1 Three phase fused

disconnecting switch

Figure 1.2 Three phase circuit breaker

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

3) Cam switches
To control the motion and
position of machine tools.

Figure 1.3 Three phase, surface

mounted cam switch

4) Pushbuttons
A switch activated by
finger pressure.

Figure 1.4 Mechanical-interlocked

pushbuttons

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

5) Control relays
An electromagnetic switch
that operates when the
relay coil is energized.

6) Thermal relay
A temperature sensitive
device that operates when
the motor currents exceed
a pre-set limit.

Figure 1.5 Single phase relay

Figure 1.4 Three phase thermal relay

with variable current setting

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

7) Magnetic contactors c
A large control relay
designed to operate a
power circuit.

Figure 1.7 Three phase magnetic

contactors

8) Pilot lights
Indicates the state of a
remote components.

Figure 1.8 Pilot light

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

9) Limit switches
A low-power snap-action
device that opens and
closes a contact..

Figure 1.9 Limit switch with one NC

contact

10) Other limit switches

Sensitive to pressure,
temperature, liquid level,
or direction of rotation.

Figure 1.10 Liquid level switch

1.1 CONTROL DEVICES

11) Proximity detectors
A sealed devices that can detect objects
without coming in contact with them

Figure 1.11 Proximity detector to monitor the loading of a

conveyor belt

1.2 NORMALLY OPEN AND

CLOSED CONTACTS
Control circuit diagrams always show components in
a state of rest.
Contacts that are open when not energized are
called normally open contact (NO).
Contacts that are closed when not energized are
called normally closed contact (NC).

Figure 1.12 NO and NC symbols

1.3 RELAY COIL EXCITING

CURRENT
The relay coil is excited by a fixed AC voltage.
The coil requires much higher magnetizing current
in the open than in the closed contactor position.
In case of magnetic contactor:
The magnetic circuit has longer air gap in the open
position compared in the closed position.

In case of AC contactor:
The inductive reactance is lower when the contactor
is open than when it is closed.

1.3 RELAY COIL EXCITING

CURRENT
Example 1.1
A three phase NEMA size 5 magnetic contactor rated at
270 A, 460 V possesses a 120 V, 60 Hz relay coil. The
coil absorbs an apparent power of 2970 VA and 212 VA,
respectively, in the open and closed contactor position.
Calculate the following:
a) The inrush exciting current (Answer: 24.75 A).
b) The normal sealed exciting current (Answer: 1.77 A).
c) The control power needed to actuate the relay coil compared
to the power handled by the contactor (Answer: 215120 VA).

1.4 CONTROL DIAGRAMS

A control system can be represented by four types of
circuit diagrams:
1) Block diagram
2) One-line/Single-line diagram
3) Wiring diagram
4) Schematic diagram

1.4 CONTROL DIAGRAMS

Block diagram
Composed a set of rectangles, each representing a
control devices with a description of its function.
Connected by arrows that indicate the signal flow.

Figure 1.13 - Block diagram of a combination starter

1.4 CONTROL DIAGRAMS

One-line/Single-line diagram
A block diagram, except that the components are
shown by their symbol rather than by rectangles.
Yield more information.

Figure 1.14 - One-line diagram of a combination starter

1.4 CONTROL DIAGRAMS

Wiring diagram
Shows the connection between the components.
Taking into account the physical location of the
terminals and the colour of wire.

Figure 1.15 - Wiring diagram of a combination starter

1.4 CONTROL DIAGRAMS

Schematic diagram
Shows all electrical connections without their
physical location or terminal arrangement.
Indispensable when troubleshooting a circuit.

Figure 1.16 - Schematic diagram of a combination starter

1.5 STARTING METHODS

A three-phase, squirrel-cage motors can be started
by connecting them directly across the line.
Across-the-line starting is simple and inexpensive.
It has several disadvantages:
1) High starting current
2) Mechanical shock
The fuses must be designed to carry the starting
current during the acceleration period.

1.5 STARTING METHODS

A motor control circuit contains two basic
components:
1) A disconnecting switch
2) A starter
Sometimes mounted together to make a
combination starter.
The fuses in the disconnecting switch are rated at
about 3.5 times full-load current
They do not protect the motor against overload.

1.6 MANUAL ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

Manual 3-phase starters
Composed of a circuit breaker and three thermal
relays.
All mounted in an appropriate enclosure.
The thermal relays trip the breaker whenever the
current in one of the phases exceeds the rated value
for a pre-set time.

1.6 MANUAL ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

Manual single-phase starter
Built along the same principles with the 3-phase
starters.
Only contain one thermal relay.

Figure 1.17 - Manual starters for single-phase motors rated

1.7 MAGNETIC ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

Employed when a motor has to be controlled from a
remote location.
Also used when the power rating exceeds 10kW.

Figure 1.18 - Three-phase, across-the-line magnetic starter

1.7 MAGNETIC ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

The disconnecting switch is external to the starter.
The starter has three main components: a magnetic
contactor, a thermal relay, and a control station.

Figure 1.19 - Schematic diagram of a 3-phase, across-the-line magnetic starter

1.7 MAGNETIC ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

1) The magnetic contactor
Has three heavy contacts A and one auxiliary
contact AX.
Contacts A carry the starting current and the
nominal full-load current.
Contact AX carries the current from relay coil A.

1.7 MAGNETIC ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

2) The thermal relay
Protects the motor against sustained overload.
Consists three individual heating elements,
connected in series with the three phases.
A small NC contact opens when the thermal relay
gets too hot and stays open until the relay is
manually reset.

1.7 MAGNETIC ACROSS-THELINE STARTERS

3) The control station
Composed of start-stop pushbuttons
To start the motor:
1) Close the disconnecting switch.
2) Depress the start button to energize Coil A, causing
contacts A and AX to close.
3) The full line voltage appear across the motor.

To stop the motor:

Push the stop button, which open the circuit and the coil