Electrical Standard Products

Switchgear Training Centre, Coonoor

 STARTERS FOR THREE-PHASE
INDUCTION MOTORS

Switchgear Training Centre, Coonoor

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

Why do you need a starter for a motor?

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

To Start the Motor?

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

What do you mean by starting the motor?

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

Starting is a process in which a

motor’s rotor is brought from zero
speed to rated speed.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

What is the speed equation of an

Induction Motor?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

120f/P?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

Where is voltage in this equation?

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

Then why should one apply voltage

to the motor for the motor to start
and run?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

Where is the mistake?

Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• 120f/P is the equation for the
synchronous speed of the motor
(i.e.) the speed of the r o t a t i n g
magnetic field, which is imaginary.

• But, for rotating the rotor which is a

body with a mass, one needs to
apply a force. Remember…
Newton’s Laws of Inertia?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• “A body at rest will not change
its position unless an external
force acts upon it.”

• A rotor is a body with a mass. So,

to lift that mass against gravity and
to keep it in motion, one needs to
apply a force.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• If it is linear movement, it is called
force and in the case of angular
movement, as in the case of a
motor, it is called Torque.

• We know that in an induction

motor, the starting torque is
proportional to the square of the
applied voltage. Don’t we?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• It is for this reason that a certain
minimum voltage – that is just
sufficient to develop that much
minimum starting torque so as to
accelerate the connected load - is
applied to the motor
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• Remember! It is not necessary to
apply full voltage to the motor at
starting itself, if there is not much
starting torque demand by the
connected load.
• Now, we know that for a motor to
start, a certain voltage and a
certain frequency have to be
applied to the motor.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• What is the simplest way of doing
this?

• Apply full rated voltage at rated

frequency, at the time of starting
itself. Isn’t it?
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
• This method is called “Full Voltage
Starting” or “Across the Line
Starting” or “Direct-on-Line or
D.O.L. Starting”.

• We will see the schematics of this

starter now.
R Y B

SDF Unit

Contactor

Overload Relay

Direct-On-Line
Starter – Power
MOTOR
Schematic
Diagram
Direct-On-Line Starter – Control Schematic Diagram
MCB

Phase Overload Relay

95
STOP Push Button
Control Supply

96
53
K START Push Button
54
94

a1
K Contactor Coil (240V AC)
a2

Neutral
 Direct-On-Line Starter
Advantages:

 Most Economical Starter

 Simple to establish, operate and
maintain
 Simple Control Circuitry
 Easy to understand and trouble-
shoot
 Direct-On-Line Starter
Disadvantages:

 Very High Starting Current

(Typically 6 to 8 times the full
load current of the motor). Why?
 Thermal Stress on the motor,
thereby reducing its life.
 Voltage drop in the system,
affecting other customers
connected to the same lines.
 Direct-On-Line Starter
 Unnecessary high starting torque,
even when not required by the
load, thereby increased
mechanical stress on the
mechanical systems such as rotor
shaft, bearings, gearbox, coupling,
chain drive, connected
equipments, etc. leading to
premature failure and plant
downtimes.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
So, some method of starting current
reduction has to be adopted. We know
that the current is high either as the
voltage is high or as the resistance is
low (I = V/R). So, to reduce starting
current, one either has to reduce the
voltage applied to the motor or to
increase the resistance of the motor.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors

The first method (reducing the

numerator) is adopted for squirrel
cage induction motors and the second
method (increasing the denominator) for
slip ring induction motors.
Starters for Three Phase Induction Motors
STARTERS FOR THREE PHASE INDUCTION MOTORS

SCIM SRIM

Rotor
Electro-mechanical Electronic Resistance
Starters Starters Starter

Full Voltage Reduced

Soft Starters VFDs
Starting Voltage Starting
Using
Direct-on-
Stator Auto pneumatic
Line Starter Star-Delta
Resistance Transformer timer
Starter
Starter Starter Using Thermal
timer
Semi- Fully Closed
Manual Star- Transition Using electronic
automatic Automatic on-delay timer
Delta Starter Star-Delta Star-Delta Open
Starter Using special
Starter Transition star-delta timer
Thank You

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