248

IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 10, No. 2, June 1995

A STUDY OF METHODS TO MEASURE THE PARAMETERS OF SINGLEPHASE INDUCTION MOTORS

C van der Merwe Matla Power Station ESKOM south Africa
Abstract - Two methods for the experimental determination of single-phase induction motor parameters are studied. The one is a relatively complicated method based on single-phase measurements. The other utilizes a two-phase based strategy. An investigation was done to evaluate the accuracy with which the performance of a machine can be predicted using experimentally determined numerical values for the machine parameters, calculated from these two methods. Comparing the two sets of calculated performance values, shows that the two-phase method gives a better correlation with the measured values than the single-phase method. Keywords - Single-phase; induction motor; measurement; parameter
I. INTRODUCTION F S van der Merwe (SMIEEE) Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering University of Stellenbosch Stellenbosch, South Africa current and power readings into the main winding are taken. In addition, the real power with main winding current and auxiliary winding induced voltage is measured. During the locked rotor test, the voltage, current and power readings into the main winding are taken. The measurements described above are then repeated with the auxiliary winding being energised. The two-phase method is relatively simple. It consists of operating the single-phase motor as a two-phase motor. To do this, the currents in the motor must be ninety degrees out of phase in time and their magnitudes must be inversely proportional to the turns ratio. This ensures a forward rotating fundamental MMF wave of constant magnitude. The parameters of the single-phase motor are then calculated from short circuit and no-load measurements. It differs from Suhr's method in that these voltage, current and power readings are taken simultaneously on the main and the auxiliary windings. Poloujadoff [4] used a two-phase measuring technique as described above to measure the iron losses in the machine, but no mention was made that he attempted to use it to determine the circuit parameters. He compared calculated results with single-phase measurements to evaluate the iron losses. The influence of saturation in the main and leakage flux paths and the temperature rise of the windings are taken into account in both the two-phase method and the method of Suhr. Core and windage and friction losses are calculated as for multi-phase machines and no particular allowance is made for space and time harmonics and stray load losses. This is in accordance with the method of Veinott [3]. The two methods were compared on the basis of accuracy in predicting the performance of a half and a one horsepower motor. 11.
SUHRS METHOD

Several methods are proposed in the literature for use in determining the circuit parameters of a single-phase motor [I, 2, 31. These parameters are necessary for predicting the performance of the motor. Two of the more useful methods were proposed by Suhr [2] and Van der Menve [l]. The methods differ vastly with respect to the method of measurement on the machine and in how the calculation of the parameters is done from these measurements. The method of Suhr, using a single-phase supply, is hn much more complicated t a the two-phase method described by Van der Menve. At no-load, the voltage,
A paper recommended and approved by t h e IEEE E l e c t r i c Machinery Committee of t h e IEEE Power Engineering Society for p r e s e n t a t i o n a t t h e IEEE/PES 1994 Summer Meeting, San Francisco, CA, J u l y 24 28, 1994. Manuscript submitted December 23, 1993; made a v a i l a b l e f o r , p r i n t i n g June 1 , 1994.

94 SM 362-4 EC

The method of Suhr [2] is discussed with reference to Fig. 1. Salient aspects of his proposal may be summarised as follows:
1)

Keep in mind that the auxiliary winding induced voltage, Ea, is ninety degrees out of phase with the

0885-8969/95/$04.00 0 1994 IEEE

. I _ - _ -

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main winding voltage, Em, and bigger by the turns ratio, a. This ratio is calculated by using the method proposed by Veinott [ 5 ] . It entails applying voltage to the main winding and measuring the auxiliary winding voltage, and vice versa. In each case the voltage ratio of the main to the auxiliary winding voltage is calculated. The effective turns ratio, a, is then calculated by taking the square root of the product of the two ratios. The auxiliaq winding voltage can now be written as
5)

a
to the main winding, to the voltage coil, it can be shown that by using the reactive power measuring option on a digtal wattmeter, real power is actually measured. The only losses thus measured are the iron and windage and friction losses. This power is dissipated in the resistance oR2d2. It is given by 3 Io2 8 2 d 2 . 8 ,may thus be calculated. When connected as above and using the real power measuring option on a &gital wattmeter, it can be shown that reactive power is actually measured. With this reactive power measured, the reactance can be calculated as the reactive power divided by the square of Io. This reactance is equal to

-1

oo = x
6)
I

~~

(ox, f-ox,b1
-,

2 (3) The main winding total reactance at synchronous speed

02f +O&) x

Fig. 1. Equivalent circuit for single-phase operation

2)

x,= x, ( +
X,=
7)

2
can be calculated from

(4)

At synchronous speed Fig. 1 reduces to Fig. 2. The parameters 0R2f, d(26 ?R2b and oX2b are thereby defined, where the subscnpt, 0,indicates operation at synchronous speed.

Jzo"

R:.

(5)

Using (3) and (4), it follows from Fig. 2 that

xo+oxo + x, = x,

(6)

An analogous equation can be deduced for the starting winding constants. X1 can be calculated , using the values of X , and & and solving ( 6 ) and its starting winhng equivalent simultaneously. With the value of X1 known, Xm can be solved by using (6). With oX2f being equal to Xm, (4) yields the value of &2b.

Fig. 2. Single-phase equivalent circuit under

no-load conditions (main winding)
3)

4)

Xm and X1 are determined from measurements at synchronous speed. This is done as follows: using (l), a fictitious impedance at synchronous speed, go shown in Fig. 2, can be determined by recognizing that Ead(aIo)= Go.Under synchronous conditions, (1) then reduces to (2). By applying Io to the current coil of a wattmeter and Eada, the auxiliary winding air-gap voltage referred

During locked rotor measurements the rotor parameters referred to the stator will be determined. A new parameter is then defined, being the average unsaturated magnetising reactance, Xmg. Figure 3 is used to calculate the secondary resistance and leakage reactance, R2 1 and X2 1. Z222 is measured on the machine. The last parameters to be determined are the iron losses and the windage and friction losses. These can be calculated from measurements on the

250

machine. 111. THETWO-PHASE METHOD Van der Menve [ 13 describes this method in detail. The main idea behind the two-phase method to determine the machine parameters of a single-phase induction motor, is to fully suppress the backward rotating MMF wave generated by the main winding. This is done by using the auxiliary winding of the motor as a second phase.

out of phase in time. The assumption is made that the two windings are ninety degrees out of phase in space due to their construction. The associated equivalent circuit for operation under the above-mentioned conditions will be as given in Fig. 4. The two-phase supply can be realised via a modified Scott connection making use of variable autotransformers as described by Van der Menve [ 11.

V
-

Fig. 3. Per phase equivalent circuit for symmetric two-phase operation (main winding) It follows from poly-phase winding theory that the phasor sum of the MMF waves generated by the main and the auxiliary windings will be given by

Fig. 4 Per phase equivalent circuit for symmetric twophase operation (main winding) During the locked rotor and no-load tests Xm, X21 = X1 and R21 are calculated as is normal practice for a three-phase machine. R1 is the measured resistance of the main winding and is measured on the machine through a DC measurement. Iv. CALCULATED PARAMETERS The process of calculating the parameters of a singlephase induction motor involves the following:
1)

F2+= F, +FA
= A,

[0.5sin( OA - 8)+ 0.5 sin( OA + e)]+

d2-e+d2]+
(7)

+A,[0.5sin(&-

+ A , [0.5sin( wt - x /2 + e- x /2)]
where FM = the MMF generated by the main winding,

2)

3)

FA = the MMF generated by the auxiliary winding, 0 = mechanical angular position in the air-gap and AM and AA are current dependent constants of MMF amplitude for the main and auxiliary windings respectively. This equation shows that the conditions which must apply to ensure that the backward rotating MMF waves of the main and the auxiliary windings cancel, thus that they are in exact phase opposition and of equal magnitude, are: a) The current in each winding times the effective number of turns of the winding must equal that of the other winding. Then AM is equal to AA. The two currents are sinusoidal and ninety degrees

4)
5)

Measure the resistances of the stator windings. Determine the turns ratio of the windings using the method described by Veinott [5]. Perform locked rotor tests at a range of values for currents in the windings. Do no-load tests at a range of values for terminal voltage values. Calculate the iron loss and the windage and friction losses in the machine.

b)

It must be noted that there is some uncertainty about the rotor temperature in relation to the stator winding temperature, where only the latter can be measured. It is assumed that this factor has only a small effect on the temperature dependent parameters. Two machines, a one and a half horsepower machine, were used to test the accuracy of the methods of Suhr and Van der Menve. The calculated parameters are shown in Figs. 5 to 8. The primary and secondary leakage reactances and the secondary resistance are taken to be supply current dependent mainly due to the increase of

25 I

saturation of the leakage flux paths with increasing current. The magnetising reactance and the iron losses are voltage dependent due to the increase of saturation of the main flux paths with increasing voltage.
V.
PERFORMANCEPREDICTION

0.6

/>
/I

Xrl
,R7

f
1

(Two-phase) (Two-phase)

Using the above parameters to calculate the performance of the two machines leads to the performance curves shown in Figs. 9 to 12. To test the accuracy of performance prediction, input and output power and torque and current were measured for a range of load conditions for both machines. The symbols shown in Figs. 9 to 12 indicate the measured performance values.

02

'

ol!+4.+
+

..., ... .

~. ...... . .. . :

........

4.1

~+- --

0.0

0.4

0.8

1.2 current (PA)

1.6

Fig. 7. Current dependent parameters for one horsepower motor

,--.
i o . 1 5 ! -

/i
~

/A
l
K

40/Xtm

; 33 5 0

[su;)

+
* *

ps -;e ?) h o

b25-

B
0
*

*
x

*
x

,a20.~

z = * =
>
0

g 15(Y t

-=

oiifo

7
d
Iron 'ass

Xm (Two-phase

(Two-phas~3)

{lo0 00
00

05

10

15

20

25

30

3 5

irbn loss (Suhr)

0.5 00.
I *

1
=
_*,%*

Current (P.u.)

A
6
~

&+ :
;

Fig. 5. Current dependent parameters for half horsepower motor

X ,

(Two-phose) Iron loss (Two-phose)

c gO4--

p:

0.6 4

Iron loss

(Suhr)

.
0.8

:2 0
00.
m u

- a l o l :0 0.5
U

0.0

0.2

0.4

06

1 0

1.2

1.4

1.6

+
00 0.93
0.94

Two-phase measured

1
0.97 0.98

Voltage (p.u.)

Fig. 6. Voltage dependent parameters for half horsepower motor The merits of the two methods in predicting the performance of the machnes are quanhfkd in Table 1. T h s table gves the error ranges (in percentages) of the performance values predicted by the two methods when compared with the measured performance values. All error percentages were calculated using the relevant full load values as base. A positive sign indicates that the predicted value was higher than the measured value, and

0.95

0.96

0.99

100

Speed (P.u.)

Fig. 9. Shaft torque and supply current versus speed for half horsepower motor vice versa. Lastly consider the possible influence of the assumption for the two-phase method that the primary and secondary leakage reactances are taken to be of equal magnitude. This aspect was investigated for the one horsepower motor by splitting the equivalent reactance, &, as determined in

252
2.00
Two-phase

2
U

1.60

1.20

expected. As is evident from Fig. 13, the splitting of the leakage reactance magnitudes has little effect on the calculated performance, thereby indicating that the assumption of equating X1 and X21 is a good one. The same assumption was made by Bustmante [6] in his machine evaluation. Table 1 Comparison of accuracy in performance prediction.

0.80

e
0.40

0.00
t

094

095

0.96

097

098

099

I
Torque Current Inputpower OutDut Dower 0.5 H' motor F Torque Current

Two-phase -4.5 -+ -10 -1.82 -+ -7.5 -2 ? -10 , -5 + -10

-5 + 2.5 -2.5 -+ 1

I
I
3 -22
-3

Suhr

Speed (p u.)

Fig. 10. Input and output power versus speed for half horsepower motor
2.0

I
I

+ + + +

19

-25 -8
19

+
U

1.5

a
0

I
I

-16 -+ -23 -7.5 -+ -14 -15 + -22

2
V
0
D

1.0

O u t ~ uDower t
2.0

I
0.7

5 -2.5

b 0.5

0.3

0.0 0.93

0.94

0.95

0.96 0.97 Speed (p.u.)

0.98

0.99

Fig. 11. Shaft torque and supply current versus speed for one horsepower motor
1.5

1.2

, 0.9 . i
v

Speed (P.u.)

Fig. 13. Effect of subdivision of leakage reactance on machine performance

0.6

0.3

VI. CONCLUSIONS

0.0

0.94

0.95

0.96 0.97 Speed (p.u.)

0.98

0.99

Fig. 12 Input and output power versus speed for one horsepower motor the locked rotor test into different ratios of X1 to X2 1. Fig. 13 shows the effect on the shaft torque and supply current for three ratios of X1 to X21. It is seen from Fig. 13 that the effect of lowering X1 is that the shaft torque and supply current increase in magnitude, as is to be

A two-phase method to determine single-phase induction motor parameters was compared with the method of Suhr. The former is based on a procedure where the single-phase motor is treated as a two-phase motor during the measurements on the machine. Suhr treats it as a single-phase motor. The two methods were compared thoroughly on the basis of correlation between calculated and measured performance on the machine. Some of the parameters differ considerably for the two methods. For the one horsepower motor, the two methods

253

calculated approximately the same values for the secondary resistances. The calculated primary and secondary leakage reactances however differ widely. X2 1 from Suhr's method even increase in magnitude with increasing current. The iron losses do not differ much but the magnetising reactance calculated by Suhr's method increase with increasing voltage. This can obviously not be true. For the half horsepower motor, the calculated secondary resistances again do not differ much while the primary and secondary leakage reactances compare better than in the case of the one horsepower motor. The iron losses differ little in magnitude for the two methods. The magnetising reactance from Suhr's method again shows the impractical form of the one horsepower curve. The performance graphs as well as Table 1 clearly illustrate that the two-phase method gives better results than the method of Suhr. This is more evident in the case of the half horsepower motor than with the one horsepower motor. The current values are predicted very accurately by the two-phase method whllst the method of Suhr gives unsatisfactory results. VII. REFERENCES Van der Merwe C. and van der Menve F.S.: "Determination of Single-phase Induction Motor Parameters Through Two-Phase Measurements", Trans. SAIEE, vol. 82 nr.2, June 1991, p.152-155. Suhr, F.W. : "Towards an Accurate Evaluation of Single-phase Induction Motor Constants", Trans. AIEE Part 3, Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. 71, January 1952, p.221-227. Veinott, C.G.: "Segregation of Losses in Single-phase Induction Motors", Trans. AIEE, Vol. 54, Dec. 1935, p. 1302-1306. Poloujadoff, M. and Perera, W.R. : "A Contribution to the 1975-1976 Single-phase Motor Calculation and Test Project", Trans. IEEE, Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol 101, March 1982, p.592-601. Veinott, C.G. : "Fractional- and Subfractional Horsepower Electric Motors", Third Issue, McGraw-Hill Book Company, London, 1970. Bustmante E.F.: "Evaluating the Parameters of the Equivalent Circuit of Single-phase Induction Motors", Electric Machines and Power Systems, vol.

13, 1988, p.173-184.

ACKNOWI XDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank the Foundation for Research and Development and the University of Stellenbosch for the financial support to conduct the iiivcstigation.

BIOGRAPHIES Carel van der Merwe was born in South Africa in 1968. He received the B.Eng. degree from the University of Stellenbosch in 1990 and the M.Eng degree from the Universitl\- of Stellenbosch in 1992. He has started his career at Matla Power Station of the Electricity Supply Commission (ESKOM) of South Afiica in 1993. His main research interest is electrical machmes and power system problems. Fredenk S. van der Merwe (M '76, SM '79) was born i South n Africa in 1939. He received the B.Sc., B.Eng. degrees from the University of Stellenbosch in 1962, the M.Sc. (Eng.) degree from the University of London in 1965 and the Ph.D. (Eng.) degree from the University of Stellenbosch in 1976. He started his career at the Council for S c i e n ~ c and Industrial Research of South Africa in 1963. In 1969 he took up a lecturing career at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he was promoted to professor in Electrical Engineering in 1980. His main research interests are electrical machmes and variable speed drives.