SQUIRREL CAGE INDUCTION MOTORS (SCIM) vs SLIP RING INDUCTION MOTORS (SRIM) IN LOW

VOLTAGE (LV) (415V AC, 3-PHASE, 50Hz.) APPLICATIONS – Part 2

by: K. SIVAKUMAR

Thank you, pals, for the encouraging likes & comments that you have showered for the Part 1 of this
article.

Before we venture out to analyse the various starting methods of LV SCIM & LV SRIM, let us
understand the applications of SCIM & SRIM.

In almost all the training programmes that I have conducted on Induction Motors, when I ask the
participants about the advantage of SRIM, the one and only answer that I get from the participants –
may it be a student in the second year of the graduation programme in Electrical Engineering or a
senior electrical professional from industry, with decades of experience – is that ‘the advantage of
SRIM is that it has a high starting torque’!

Let us see, if this is true!

If you recall the formula for torque of an Induction Motor – Mind you! The formula for torque of an
induction motor is common for both SCIM & SRIM and there are no separate torque formulae for the
two types of Asynchronous Induction Motors:

S sse22R2
T α ------------------
R22 + S2 ssX22

where,

T = Torque developed by the motor

S = Slip
R2 = Rotor Resistance per phase
ssX2 = Standstill Rotor Reactance per phase
sse2 = Standstill Rotor Induced emf per phase

Now, let us convert this formula for starting torque:

At starting, Slip is 100%.

Also, in any induction motor, the resistance will be lesser than reactance.

(If resistance is more, then energy loss will be more, as resistance will dissipate energy, whereas
reactance would store energy)

Thus, R2 will be smaller in comparison to (S ssX2) and thus, during starting, when slip is 100%, the term
‘R22’ in the denominator can be neglected.

Thus, the formula for starting toque would be:

2
sse 2R2
Tst α -----------
S ssX22
But, ‘sse2’ is proportional to applied voltage ‘V’ and thus, ‘Tst’ is proportional to ‘V2’.

That is, the starting torque of an induction motor is directly proportional to the square of the applied
voltage.

Remember! This is true for both SCIM & SRIM.

That is, if the applied voltage is full, the SCIM can also develop a high starting torque.

This can also be verified from the data sheets for SCIM & SRIM, provided by the motor manufacturers.

Interestingly, the starting torque of a given output HP rating & speed of an SCIM is almost the same
as that of an SRIM of the same HP rating & speed.

To be more precise, the starting torque of an SCIM of a given rating and speed is 250% of its rated
torque, when started Direct-on-Line, whereas the starting torque of an SRIM of same rating & speed
is 300%. Not much difference to justify the increased cost of SRIM!

If so, what is the advantage of an SRIM over an SCIM?

True! An SCIM would also develop a high starting torque, provided, full rated voltage is applied to the
motor at the time of starting. But, the issue with an SCIM, when full voltage is applied at the time of
starting is, that its starting current will be many multiples of its rated current – typically 6 to 8 times.
This increased starting current would create an increased thermal stress on the winding & insulation,
thus reducing the life of the motor.

Remember! Every 5oC rise in temperature, reduces the life of winding insulation by 50%. That is, if a
motor is designed, say, with a Class B insulation, whose withstand temperature is about 130oC, with a
life of, say, 1, 00, 000 operating hours, then at 135oC, the life reduces to 50, 000 operating hours, at
140oC, it reduces to 25, 000 operating hours and so on.

Also, full voltage starting of an SCIM, created an unwanted voltage drop in the system, which could
affect other loads connected to the same system.

So, to overcome the undesired effects of full voltage starting in an SCIM, other means of reduced
voltage starting methods, like Stator Resistance Starter, Auto Transformer Starter, Star-Delta Starter,
etc. are employed, in which the voltage applied to the motor at the time of starting is reduced and
after the rotor picks up speed (about 80% of its rated speed), full voltage is applied to the motor. Here,
as the voltage at the time of starting is reduced, the starting torque also reduces in square proportion.

Thus, in an SCIM, if you want high starting torque, then you have to bear with the ill effects of high
starting current.

Else, if you want to reduce the starting current, then, you cannot have a high starting torque.

A word of caution though! The above statement is true only for conventional electro-mechanical
starters and is not applicable for modern digital starters & Variable Frequency Drives.

Here comes the SRIM, in which, by applying full voltage to the stator, the starting torque can be high
and by adding external resistance to the rotor, the starting current can be reduced, even when full
voltage is applied to the stator.
Moreover, as can be seen from the formula for the staring torque above, the “Tst’ is also proportional
to ‘R2’ and thus, adding an external resistance to the rotor of an SRIM, not only helps to reduce the
starting current, but also, helps the motor to develop a high starting torque.

At the same time, we cannot continue to have the external resistance in the rotor circuit, because, it
would, then, reduce the rated torque of the motor.

Let is further develop the torque formula of the motor to arrive at a formula for the rated torque (Tr).

Rated torque is the torque developed by the motor at its rated speed.

When the motor develops rated speed, its slip ‘S’ falls to a very low value (say, about 3% or 0.03).

So, the term ‘S2ssX22’, in the denominator, can be neglected. (When ‘S’ is 0.03, ‘S2’ is 0.0009, which is
negligible).

Thus, the formula for rated torque of the motor is:

S sse22
T α ---------
R2

As can be seen, after the rotor picks up speed, the torque is inversely proportional to the rotor
resistance. It is for this reason that the external rotor resistance is cut fully, when the motor picks up
speed.

So, the advantage of an SRIM is NOT high starting torque, which could also be achieved in an SCIM
with DOL Starting, BUT,

HIGH STARTING TORQUE WITH LOW STARTING CURRENT

So, the next time anyone asks you what is the advantage of an SRIM over an SCIM, you would answer
more clearly. Wouldn’t you?

Well, please feel free to post your queries & comments.

In a subsequent part of this article, we will discuss the various starting methods of SCIM & SRIM.

(Formula courtesy: Electrical Power Engineering – Reference and Applications Handbook by K C

Agrawal)