Design of the Power Series based on Traction Induction Motor

Jan Laksar, Lucie Hornikova, Lukas Veg

UNIVERSITY OF WEST BOHEMIA/FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Univerzitni 8
Pilsen, Czech Republic
Tel.: +420 377 63 4460
E-mail: laksar@kev.zcu.cz, hornikov@kev.zcu.cz, vegl@kev.zcu.cz
URL: http://fel.zcu.cz

Acknowledgements
This research has been supported by University of West Bohemia funding program SGS-2015-038.

Keywords
«induction motors», «design», «cooling»

Abstract
The power series described in this paper are designed while preserving the cross-section of the
machine. All basic approaches to create the series are discussed and the suitable elements of the series
are chosen. Finally, the properties of the selected motors are compared, especially the parameters of
the equivalent circuit.

Introduction
The design of a power series is a logical move in development of design not only for electrical motors.
It is especially useful for serial production. The customer may choose the most suitable motor. The
producer creates several similar motors and saves development costs and he is also able to use the
same components for more types of machines in one series like end shields or steel sheets. The
original motor used for the design of the series is traction squirrel-cage induction motor with rated
output power P = 240 kW, stack length l = 0.44 m, rated frequency f = 50 Hz and forced ventilation.
The whole series is based only on decrease and increase of the stack length while preserving the cross-
section of the machine and its rated voltage. The output should be a linear series of powers and lengths
in range 0.5X p ;1.5X p , where Xp are the original motor values. For the design of this series, there
are following basic approaches which are described further. All basic equations used in this paper are
described in literature [1]-[3].

Direct choice of the stack length

This principle is directly based on the power equation

S i  CD 2 l nsyn , (1)
where the apparent power Si is proportional to the stack length l (assuming invariable machine
constant C, stator diameter D and synchronous speed nsyn). Together with the stack length the area and
the magnetic flux Φ (by constant air gap magnetic flux density Bδ) changes, as defined by

   i B l  p , (2)
where αi is the magnetic pole cover ratio and τp is the pole pitch. For harmonic air gap flux density, we
can calculate the induced-back electromotive force (emf) as
 E  4,44  f N k w , (3)
where N is the amount of armature winding turns in series of one phase and kw is the winding factor.
Because of constant supply voltage, it is impossible to change the induced-back emf and the amount of
winding turns and the winding factor are strictly given by the topology of the winding. Therefore the
only variable in (3) is the frequency and together with (2) is obvious that product l.fz is constant.
Therefore, only by change of the frequency, the output power cannot be changed. But, it is possible to
change the stack length according to frequency. Since the basic motor was designed for frequency
50 Hz, it is not suitable to change the frequency (and stack length) in a wider range (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Dependence of losses and efficiency on stack length

The Figure 1 shows losses and efficiencies of 6 motors with approximately the same output power
(depending on efficiency) and different rated frequency and stack length. It is evident that the original
motor is from this point of view well-designed since its efficiency is the highest. For smaller stack
length, the iron losses rise together with the frequency. With increasing stack length, the frequency
decreases but the volume of motor increases the sum of losses (the main part become the I2R losses).
The distribution of the main components of the losses is shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 2: Main losses distribution in dependence on stack length

Change of the winding connection preserving original wire cross-section
Increasing or decreasing of the stack length is not sufficient to change the power of the machine. For
further progress, let us consider following basic equation:

S i  k E 3UI , (4)
where kE is the emf factor, U is the line voltage and I is the rated current. Considering previously
mentioned requirements, it is obvious that it is necessary to change the rated current of the machine to
change its output power. It can be generally done by change of the total cross-section of conductors
while the current density J is constant. The current is defined as

I  J  a  S1c  n p , (5)
where S1c is the cross-section of one conductor, a is the amount of parallel branches and np is the
amount of parallel conductors of the winding. By keeping the slot area constant, it is possible to use
conductors with the same cross-sectional area of one conductor S1c and the composition of the
insulation system. Then the only possibility to change the current leads through the amount of parallel
winding branches a and amount of parallel wound conductors of one turn np. The original motor is
wound by four conductors, two side by side in two layers above another. Four conductors are the
maximum because of available technology, two in one layer are necessary because of width of the slot.
Therefore, it is possible to use one layer of conductors with np = 2. The original winding has two
parallel paths, another options are one or four because of the amount of poles of the machines. All
available winding configurations are shown in Figure 3, where the colored conductors in the slot
represent one turn of the coil.
np = 4 np = 2

a=2

a=1

a=4

Fig. 3: Possibilities of change of the winding configuration

There are overall 6 possibilities how to rearrange the winding without changing the slot area. But not
all of the solutions are unique. There are also some duplicate values, as show in further text.

Change of the winding wire cross-section preserving original winding

configurations
The last option to change the rated current of the machine while keeping constant current density is a
complete change of the structure of winding and the amount of conductors in the slot. It is limited by
maximal (skin effect) and minimal (manufacturing technology) height of the conductor. Using 4, 5 or
6 conductors above other in one layer of the slot is in this case possible. The height of the conductor is
calculated from original slot height and insulation thicknesses. It is also possible to use 2 or 4 parallel
wound conductors in one turn (if it is allowed by number of conductors in the slot). It results in change
of the number of turns of one coil Nc. The overview of possible solutions is shown in Fig. 4.
 Nc = 3 Nc = 6 Nc = 5 Nc = 2 Nc = 4
np = 4 np = 2 np = 2 np = 4 np = 2

Fig. 4: Possibilities of change of the slot area

In this case the amount of parallel winding branches remains unchanged. In general, there are 15
possible solutions, some of them duplicated again. It can be proven that the uniqueness of the solution
depends on the number of winding turns in series, which can be defined as

Qu
N  Nc , (6)
ma
where Q is the amount of stator slots, u is the amount of coil sides in a layer and m is the number of
phases. The result is therefore formed by 11 different output powers and stack lengths (see Table I).

Table I: The resulting members of the series for new wire cross-sections
N 96 80 64 48 40 32 24 20 16 12 8
I [A] 99 122 93 198 243 297 396 475 593 791 1187
P2 [kW] 60 72 90 120 144 180 240 288 360 480 720
lFe [m] 0.11 0.132 0.165 0.22 0.264 0.33 0.44 0.528 0.66 0.88 1.32

The Table I includes all results of previously described approaches. These values are based only on
relation of number of turns and parallel paths to current, power and stack length using equations
above. Since with the wire area and stack length other components of losses further change, the real
parameters of proposed machines will be slightly different from mentioned ones. Furthermore, the
power series created from this table will be nonlinear and includes elements outside of the required
range. Therefore it is not possible to use all solutions and the others are necessary to be modified.

Change of the cooling system

In previous paragraphs, the current density and air gap magnetic flux density were considered as
constant to keep the losses in the machine possibly near to losses in the original one. From this point
of view all possible options are exhausted, but it is also possible to change the machine constant C.
The change can be done as the result of change of cooling system.
A motor with forced ventilation could dissipate constant heat at different speeds. The current density
can be chosen higher than 7 A.mm-2. On the other hand self-ventilated motors don’t have this option,
so for comparable machines the current density is not higher than 5,5 A.mm-2.
The options how to create the series are the same like above; but for the same number of turns and
stack length the output powers are lower. The distribution of elements is again nonlinear and some of
them are out of the required area again.
Choice of members of the power series
The combination of previous calculation provides enough different machine models with different
output powers for creation of the power series. Motors with different type of ventilation should not be
combined (motor with higher power might be longer than the one with smaller power). Therefore, two
design series form the final result – one series with forced ventilation and one with self-ventilation.
Every series consists of five elements. The linearization of output powers is achieved by small
lowering of the current density; the stack length is modified by slightly movement of rated frequency.
The results are summarized in Table II.

Table II: Final power series

l [m] 0.22 0.33 0.44 0.55 0.66
N [-] 48 32 24 20 16
forced ventilation 120 180 240 300 360
P2 [kW]
self-ventilation 85 125 170 210 255

The power series using self-ventilated motors is not strictly linear. These powers are chosen for better
orientation in the series.

Properties of the power series elements

The most important parameters of the motors are losses and efficiency. The efficiency of these motors
is in range from 89.3 % to 91.8 %. The biggest difference except power and stack length is in amount
of winding turns. Motors with stack length 0.22 m has 48 turns; the longest motors have only 16 turns.
This has impact to the equivalent circuit parameters.
The total cross-section of stator winding is almost constant. The resistance of stator winding is then

1 l wh  l   N
Rs   , (7)
c a  S1c  n p
where σc is the conductivity and lwh the length of winding heads of one turn. The product l·N is
constant (see Table II) and because of the product lwh·N the total length of stator conductor decreases
with increasing stack length. The total cross-section of conductors increases with the stack length. This
means, that the stator resistance decreases with increasing stack length and it is proportional to number
of turns in series N.
The stator leakage inductance Lσs and the magnetizing inductance Lm are proportional to lN2 so overall
these are proportional to the number of turns in series N. The frequency is almost constant, so
reactances X are also proportional to N.
Rotor resistance Rr and rotor leakage inductance Lσr are both proportional to the stack length. These
values are needed to be referred to the stator by impedance transformation ratio Ki. The only variable
in equation for this ratio is N2. So parameters R'r and L 'r are proportional to number of turns in series
N like stator parameters.
The last equivalent circuit parameter is RFe - the resistance representing iron losses. It cannot be
described by relationship to the number of turns but the final values are also proportional to this
parameter.

Conclusion
The power of the motor is proportional to its volume by constant C and synchronous speed nsyn.
Assuming invariable diameter D, the power is proportional to the stack length. But it is not possible to
only change the stack length expecting power change. This process affects primary the frequency;
power stays constant. It is not suitable to change frequency in wider range because of growing losses.
So it is necessary to change the current. It can be done by change of the winding connection and
 number and cross-section of conductors – 11 different powers and stack lengths are obtained. The last
possibility is a change of the cooling system. Until now, the forced ventilation was considered. Using
self-ventilated motors only current density changes. So the stack lengths are the same and all powers
decrease.
Finally there were made two linear power series with 5 elements – one for forced ventilation, another
for self-ventilated motors. It is suitable to create series with linear powers. But linear stack length is
not necessary because the real motor length is extended by winding heads, end shields and ventilator
(for self-ventilated motors).
With power and stack length also equivalent circuit parameters are changing. It can be proven that all
of them are proportional to the number of turns in series.

References
[1] Pyrhönen J.; Jokinen T.; Hrabovcova V.: Design of Rotating Electrical Machines, 2nd ed., Chichester,
England, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2014. ISBN 978-1-118-58157-5.
[2] Müller G.; Vogt K.; Ponick, B.: Berechnung elektrischer Maschinen (Calculations of electric machinery),
Wiley-Vch, Weinhein, Germany, 2007. ISBN 978-3527405251.
[3] Bartos, V.; Teorie elektrickych stroju (Theory of electric machines), UWB, Pilsen, Czech Republic, 2006.
ISBN 978-80-7043-509-0.

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