WORKBOOK 24 - THE 3-FHASE INDUCTION MOTOR

Pre-requisites: Experiments of Wor kbooks 20, 21 and 24.

Familiarity with l'orkbook Il of the D.C. Range
of experiments is 1seful but not essent ial .

24.1 CONTEXT

In the ho ne an in sma11 industries where a 3-phase supply is not

available, single-phase motors are generally used (see Horkbook 27).
However, whei a 3-phase supply is available and for large 1oads,
3-phase motors are almost universal ly employed.
TwO nain types 3-phase motor may be distinguished. I
of 3-phase
INDUCTION MOTOR and the SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR. The 3-phase i.duction
mo tor is studied in this workbook

The 3-phase induction motor is the most widely used ma chine and may
be described as the "work-horse of industry". The balance between
its advantages and disadvantages is such as to be preferred for all
but the most specialist applicaticns. The motor consists of a
STATOR
and a ROTOR. The stator (fig 24) is energised from a 3-phase/supp1y!
The 3-phase currents that.flow thi ough_the. statorwinding.set.úp a
rotating magnetic field which rotites at a raten)* dependent
* **
cn the
supply fre quency (f) and the numbr:r of pole pairs per phase (p).

Fig 24.1 The stator o* a

3-phase induction motor
Page
 f.60revs/min
P
. . .

(23.1)
where: n"s is thespeed of rotation of the magnetic field or

synchronous speeed
f i s the supply frequency (norma lly 50 or 4z)
and p is the number of pile pairs per phase.
It follows that since the
minimumumber of pole pairs is p =
1 that
the maximum speed is

50x60 3000 rev/m*n (for a 50 Hz supply)

Other possible values of n., assuming that f 50 Hz, are given in
table 24.

P 1 2 3 4

s rev/min 3000 1500 1000 750 etc.

Table 24.1

The rotating magnetic field set up ty the stator currents interacts

with the rotor winding which can be of either the
SQUIRREL-CAGE or
the HOUND rotor type (fig 24.2)

(a) (b)
Fig 24.2
A squirrel-cage Rotor (a) and a
Woun Rotor with slip rings u)
Page 2
 The squirrel-cage rotor consists of bars joined
toge ther at their ends
by end rings. The rotor winding is thus short-circuited.
rotor is constructed similarly to tBe
The
The wound
wound
stator winding and h of the
three phases is brought out to a sl'p ring. In this wa t WOund
rotor may be short-circuited or have other elements
connected to it.
Irrespective of the type of rotor ued the. mo de of operation is the
Same. The rotating magnetic field produced by the stator windings
induces current in the rotor, in the: same manner as currents are
induced in short-circuited transfmer secondary by the changing
a

magnetic flux produced by the prima "y winding. The interaction

be tween the magnetic field and the otor currents produces a torque,
as in other
motors, which starts th2 motor. The rotor rötates in the
direction of the rotating magnetic field and reaches a
ME CHAN I CAL
(or rotor) SPEED nm close to the SYNCHRONOUS SPEED n.. In practice
nis always smal1er than n, its value depending on the mechanical
1oad applied to the motor. I t is evident that when n n there
can be no change in the flux 1inked with the rotor; hence' no ro tor
currents will be induced and the motor will not
develop v torque.

The quantity (or ratio) (n. -

n)/c is called the SLIP.

slip s (24.2)
It is customary to use the slip in describing the speed of the motor.
Induction motors are designed to rin at sma11 slip, that is at speeds
close to the synchronous speed. The change in speed from no load
to full 1oad is norma11y quite smal1.

24.2 EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT

Experimcntal module: E74 3-phase Motors

E70 A.C. Service Module

Power supplies: E88 3-Phase Variable Voltage Supply 3A

E66 Power Supply 10A

Page 3
24.3 0BJECTIVE

To stidy the operating characte istics of a 3-phase Induction Motor.

24:4 PROCEDURE
Place the A.C. Service Module (t70) in front of the 3-phase Motors
(E74) Experimental Module, (fig 24.3). Place the 3-phase Variable
Voltage Supply 3A (E88) and the Power Supp1y 10A (E66) at the side
of the first two modulesS.

Fig 24.3 The experimental arrangement

t .cket of the
Using 6-way lead provided, co inect the supply outp1
the
on the
3-phase Variable Vol tage Supply (1.88) to the 'supply input plug
A.C. Service Module (E70). Simi arly connect the fixed supply output
socket on
lead on the A.C. Service Module (1./0) to the supply input
Experimental Modu le. The motor under test
the 3-phase Motors (E74)
is on the left hand side of the E. perimen tal Module (E74). The
The
machine on the right is a d.c. ger era tor used for 1oading the motor
under test and is connected as fo. lows:
Page 4
 the red
Connect a red te rminal of the Power Supply 10A (E66) to
termina1 of the generator field circuit
on the right hand si de of the

circuit of the generator

Experime ntal Module (E74). Comp1e te the fiel1d
the field to a black (negative)
by connecting the black terminal of
Set the three position switchof
terminal of the Power Supply (E66).
at this stage.
V but do not switch it ör.
the Power Supply (E66) to 12
motor insta d arrange
Connect the stator windings
of the 3-phase
from the 3-pha se
Variable Vo1tay ply 3A
for them to be supplied
the current,
Service Modu'e (E70) to measure
(E88), using the A.C. diagrams are
The circuit and wiring
vol tage and power to each phase.
shown in fig 24.4.

M
3 Neutral
Motor rotor
R
R

m-
m
Y
B
1-
B

Motor stator

Fig 24.4 Circuit Diagrai

Page 5
 R
R

1 I1

- I2

IV2

8
B
3
.

V3
Neutral
Motor stator
connections E 70 Service Module
.
Power Supply
L.
Fig 24.4 Wiring Diagram

In an Induction Motor, the three otor phases are

shorted together
or without an external resis tance. In the present experiment
,'-
.
the latter connection is studied (fig 24.5). Connect the three brown
terminals together as in fig 24.4 circuit and wiring.diagrams.

Fig 24.5 The shot-circuited rotor

Set the d.c. generator field resistor to give minimum current through
the field circuit when the circuit is energised (1oad contro1 fully
anti-cockwise). Do not switch n the generator field supp1y voltd9e
Power Supply 10A (E66) at this stage.
Page 6
 A locking pin is available on the top of the left-hand guari port
bracket through which the motor shaft
passes into the genera tor
coupling. When pushed down the lock ng pin passes through the hole
in the motor shaft, thus preventing any rotation. Make sure that the
locking pin is retracted (1ifted upwa ds) and rotated 180 into a safe
position.
Switch the "On/0ff" switch on the motor Power Supply (E88) to "On"
and check that the "Set Zero" control on the A.C. Service Module (E70)
is in the correct position. Jurn the control knob on the Power Supply
(E88) to maximum (fully clockwise) and press the "Reset" switch.

The motor will start and reach speed nm

a The meter on the
Experimental Module can be used to measure n or n nm (selected.
With the "speed" switch). Use the divide by ten range to measure

s "m

24.4.1 The no load test

Read the motcr speed under no 1oad.

i
"m no 1oad

Use the meter as described above to read the difference

24.2
ns m
From the se measurements calculate the number of pole pairs per phase

. 24.3
P

Why, un der no load conditions, is the speed lower the that of the

Synchronous speed?

. 24.4
Page 7 i
 USing the service module, take me isurements to complete the .following
table.

| V1, V I , A M, WV2, V2, A W2, W V3. VI3, A M3, W

24.5

Calculate the no load power factor and the total power supplied.

W1
Power factor
V1l1
24.6
Total power W =
W + W2 +
3

Since the motor is not supply ing iny load, W repre sents the motor
1osses. Can you suggest any factors contributing to these losses?

24.7

24.4.2 The locked rotor test

Switch off the Power Supply (E88) and rotate the control knob to its
minimum position (fully anti-clockwi se).
Rotate the rotor locking
pin and push it down through the hole in the motor shaft. As it is
unlikely that the 1ocking pin will al ign with the hole in the motor
shaft it is necessary that the Power Supply (E88) is itched on 'and
the control knob is slowly
rotated clockwise until suff nt voltage
is applied to the mo tpr for the rotor to rota te at a sl w 2ed.
At the same time press the locking pin until it engages securely with
the hole in the mo tor shaft.

From the previous measureme nts it shoul d be evident that the readings
across all three pha ses are
approX1 ma tely the same. It is therefore
sufficient to mon itor the voi tage, current and pover to one phase.
The student can, however, moni tor all three pha ses if he so wishes.
Set the A.C. Service Module (E70) to measure current and slowly increase
the vol tage applied to the motor uitil the rated current 4.8 Amperes 1s

Page 8
 suppl ied to the motor. Record the phase vol tage and total1
power
supplied to the motor then switch off
the Power Supply (E88).

W1 W2 + W3 3W 24.8

Calculate the power factor under ocked rotor conditions:

power factor = W/V]l1

24.9

Cal culate the per phase

equivalent motor resistance (R), impedance ()
and re ictance (X) reflected to th2 stator.

R W .

312

Z V1/I1 =
4.10
.

22 - R2 =

Using your previous mea su rements astimate the motor current .

starting under full rated voltage or when the motor stalls.

24.17

24.4.3 The Load Test

Retract and secure the locking pin. Set the torque balance to zero.
On the motor Power Supply (E88) turn the control knob fully clockwise
to maximum. Start the motor by switching on the "On/0ff" switch and
pressing the "Re set" switch. Erergise the generator field by
the Power Supply 10% (E66). the 1oad
switching on The purpose
test is to study the motor ope raing characteristics ip , Torque,
Page 9
 .

Power actor,
Efficiency) under different 1oads. of the
motor is achieved
by varying the d.c. .Loading of
generator field resistor,
(labelled LOAD on the Experimenta Module l E74)
Torque:
The force on the torque balance can be read directly in
Scale. If the Newtons on the
torque balance fail1s to register force the direction
of motor rotation must be reversed. Switch off the hase supply
(E88) and interchange the supply
leads to any two phas s Switch on
the Power Supply (E88) to start ihe motor
aga in.
The effective length of the torque arm is 0,05 m., hence,
Torque (Nm) =
Force on to:"que balance (N) x 0,05 m.
Motor Power Output:

When the motor torque and speed are known the motor power output may
be ca!culated directly from:

Motor power output (W) = 2n x Speed,(rev/min) x x Torque (Nm)

60

Efficiency:
The motor efficiency is calculated from the expression

efficiency
Power ou tputx 100%
Power input

The motor speed n is read direr:tly from the meter. F better

accuracy the meter may be set to read ns nm and m can then be

calculated.
Vary the 1oad control in the generator field circuit to load the motor
and by using the A.C. Service Madule (E70)) and the formulae just given

complete the fol1lowing table 24.72. Increase the torque balance

increments of approx ima tely five Newtons starting with the
reading in
no 1oad reading.
 Motor phase
Vol tage V, V

Motor phase
Current I, A

Total Power
Input
Power Cos
Factor

m rev/min

nsm
ns
Force, N

Torque Nm

Power W
Output

Efficiency,
24.72

Switch off both power supplies. Plot a graph of torque, on. the y-axis,

against slip.