SOFT STARTER

B.E. SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT REPORT

Electronics Specialization

Prepared by
HUSSAIN MAZHAR ALI
RANA DANISHMAND
WAQAS JAHANGIR

(5775)
(5791)
(5709)

Project Advisor
Lecturer Sir Noaman Masoud

College of Engineering
PAF Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology
Karachi
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ACKOWLEDGEMENT

First of all thanks to Almighty Allah, The Most Merciful and The Most Beneficent for giving us
the strength and the knowledge to work on this project.
We express our deep gratitude to our internal advisor for his time, assistance, encouragement and
guidance throughout the completion of the Project intercourse.
We would also like to thank and appreciate the members of Final Year Project committee who
have assisted us during the project work, for their continuous over screening on our evolution
and imparting useful suggestions. We also thank our respected HoD, teachers and especially lab
assistants for their support throughout our study career.
Finally we would thank our families and friends for their constant support and encouragement
that have helped us achieve our goal.

Hussain Mazhar Ali

Rana Danishmand
Waqas Jahangir

Abstract

A soft starter does not change the frequency or the speed like a motor drive. Instead it ramps up
the voltage applied to the motor from the initial voltage to the full voltage. Gradually, the voltage
and the torque increase so that the machinery starts to accelerate. One of the benefits with this
starting method is the possibility to adjust the torque to the exact need, whether the application is
loaded or unloaded.
Using a soft starter will reduce the starting current and hence avoid voltage drops in the network.
It will also reduce the starting torque and mechanical stress on the equipment, resulting in
reduced need for maintenance and service. Just as for a motor drive, the soft starter can perform
a soft stop, eliminating water hammering and pressure surges in pumping systems and avoiding
damage to fragile material on conveyor belts.
By using soft starter the voltage is reduced during the start sequence with the result that the
motor torque is reduced. During the start sequence the soft starter increases the voltage so that
the motor will be strong enough to accelerate the pump to the nominal speed without any torque
or current peaks. A soft starter using a normal voltage ramp will for sure reduce the problems
with water hammering but in many pump systems this is still not good enough.
In addition, some soft starters are equipped with under load protection to detect pumps running
dry, with kick start to start blocked pumps and with locked rotor protection to prevent damage
caused by pumps being jammed while running.

2.5 KEYWORDS
AC

Alternating current

PIC C

PIC Compiler

PIC

Peripheral Interface Controller

SCR

Silicon Controlled Rectifier

PWM

Pulse Width Modulation

DAC

Digital to Analog Converter

RPM

Revolutions per Minute

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement

II

2.4 Abstract III

2.5 Keywords IV
2.6 Table of Contents
2.7 List of Figures

VI

2.7 List of Tables

VII

2.9 Project Objectives

Motivation

VIII

VIII

Desired Aims IX
Key Objectives

IX

Industrial Application X
Advantages in Industrial Application X
2.10 Body section
Introduction

Design Objective

Technical Issues and their analysis

Design Specifications

Process Flow of the Project

Process Flow of the Project Methodology

Block Diagram

Sub-block Diagram

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Economic Analysis

11

Result and Analysis

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2.9 Project Objectives

Motivation
Across-the line starting of induction motors is accompanied by inrush currents up to 7 times
higher than running current, and starting torque up to 3 times higher than running torque. The
increased torque results in sudden mechanical stress on the machine which leads to a reduced
service life. Moreover, the high inrush current stresses the power supply, which may lead to
voltage dips. As a result, the operability of sensitive consumers may be impaired.
A motor soft starter is a device used with AC electric motors to temporarily reduce the load
and torque in the power train and electrical current surge of the motor during startup. This
reduces the mechanical stress on the motor and shaft, as well as the electrodynamics stresses
on the attached power cables and electrical distribution network, extending the lifespan of the
system. Electrical soft starters can be any control system that reduces the torque by
temporarily reducing the voltage or current input, or a device that temporarily alters how the
motor is connected in the electric circuit.
A soft starter continuously controls the three-phase motors voltage supply during the start-up
phase. This way, the motor is adjusted to the machines load behavior. Mechanical operating
equipment is accelerated smoothly. Service life, operating behavior and work flows are
positively influenced. Electrical soft starters can use solid state devices to control the current
flow and therefore the voltage applied to the motor. They can be connected in series with the
line voltage applied to the motor, or can be connected inside the delta () loop of a deltaconnected motor, controlling the voltage applied to each winding. Solid state soft starters can
control one or more phases of the voltage applied to the induction motor with the best results
achieved by three-phase control. Typically, the voltage is controlled by reverse-parallelconnected silicon-controlled rectifiers (thyristors), but in some circumstances with three-phase
control, the control elements can be a reverse-parallel-connected SCR and diode.

Desired Aims
The soft starter functions in a way to start and protect the motor and related equipment. It
controls the thyristor firing unit to regulate the angle of flow of thyristor according to the set
startup curve through the thyristor dynamic safety monitoring and protection unit, so as to
control the voltage of motor, slowly increasing the motor voltage and current and smoothly
increasing motor torque until the motor up to full speed. This startup mode cuts the motor's
startup impulse current and reduces the impulse to the gird and the motor itself as well as the
mechanical impact of mechanical load devices connected to the motor, by which it extends
service life and shortens fault and maintenance time.

Key Objectives
The project is designed to provide a soft and smooth start to a 3 phase induction motor. The three
phase induction motor during the initial starting condition draws up much higher current than its
capacity and the motor instantly reaches the full speed. This results in a mechanical jerk and high
electrical stress on the windings of the motor. Sometimes the windings may get burnt. The
induction motor should start smoothly and gradually catch up the speed for a safer operation.
This project is designed to give a soft start to the induction motor based on the SCR firing
triggered by heavily delayed firing angle during starting and then gradually reducing the delay
till it reaches zero voltage triggering. This results in low voltage during start and then gradually
to full voltage. Thus the motor starts slowly and then slowly picks up to full speed.
This project consists of a six anti-parallel SCRs, two for each phase, the output of which is
connected to a set of lamps representing the coils of a 3 phase induction motor. The charging and
discharging of capacitors is interfaced to comparators resulting in delayed firing pulses during
start and then gradually reducing the delay till the motor runs at full speed. Output from the
comparators is fed through opto-isolators to trigger the SCRs.
Further the project can be enhanced by using SCRs with PWM control to reduce harmonic
distortions often encountered in triggering mechanism.
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Industrial Applications of the Soft Starter

Widely applied in industrial fields such as metallurgy, petroleum, chemical industry, port
operation, mining, construction and electricity power. It further can be used with motor
drive equipment such as water pump, fan, compressor, crusher, mixer, belt feeder and other
electric mechanical equipment.
Advantages in Industrial Applications of the Soft starters are:
Torque and speed control are required only during startup
Reducing large starting up inrush currents associated with a large motor is required
The mechanical system requires a gentle start to relieve torque spikes and tension associated
with normal startup (for example, conveyors, belt-driven systems, gears, and so on)
Pumps are used to eliminate pressure surges caused in piping systems when fluid changes
direction rapidly.

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