EE 280 e_Lecture 12 Single Phase Induction Motors

Types of Single Phase Induction Motors

• Classified and known by the method used for starting.

• Split-phase motors
• Uses an additional winding known as the auxiliary
winding for starting only.

• Capacitor-start motors
• Uses a capacitor to adjust the phase difference between
the currents in the main winding and in the auxiliary
winding.

• Shaded pole motors

• Uses a small passive winding (ring) for starting.

• Parameters
• Starting torque
• Run time torque
• Starting current
• Run time current

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 Split-phase Motors
• Auxiliary winding (‘a’)
• an additional stator winding.
• 900 apart from the main winding (‘m’) in space.
‘a’ uses a thinner wire (higher
resistance-to-reactance ratio).

and impedance
angle of ‘a’ is lower.
Ia and Im are out of phase
and Ia leads.

i.e. the motor is similar to an

unbalanced 2 motor.

Note that in a balanced 2 motor,

the two currents are in phase
quadrature (900 apart).
Fig. 4

Note 1: Unlike the single phase winding, a balanced two

phase winding results in a rotating magnetic field in the
forward direction similarly to a 3 phase winding.

In the balanced 2 phase configuration, the two windings

are 900 apart in space and the currents have 900 phase
difference exactly. If the currents are out of phase by any
other angle θ < 900, there is both the forward rotating field and
the counter rotating field but one of them is stronger
(unbalanced).
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 • When the switch (S) is ‘ON’ a rotating magnetic field
results.
• Adequate to start the motor (makes s < 1 by starting the
rotor to spin).
• Motor will accelerate depending on the load.

• When the speed reaches about 75% of the synchronous

speed, ‘S’ is turned ‘OFF’ (using a centrifugal device).

Note 2: The split-phase type single phase motor is an

unbalanced 2 phase motor at starting. It uses an auxiliary
winding with a higher resistance and as a result, the phase lag
of the auxiliary current is smaller compared to that of the main
winding. The phase difference of the auxiliary and main currents
is less than 900. Hence, the forward field torque is higher than
the counter field torque, which is adequate to start the motor.

Exercise: Write the two equations describing the fields of a

balanced two phase winding. Add them together to show that
there is a single rotating field.

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Fig. 5: Typical torque-speed characteristics of a split-phase motor

- Has moderate starting torque and low starting current.

- Rated 40-400 W typically.

- Cost is not high.

- Applications: fans, blowers, centrifugal pumps, office

equipment.

Note 3: After starting, the auxiliary winding is switched

off for more efficient running. Note that Fig. 5 illustrates
the torque-speed curves of both the single phase motor
and the two phase motor. Initially, at starting, the torque
is given by that of the two phase motor. Once the
auxiliary winding is switched off, the torque is given by
that of the single phase motor.
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 Capacitor Type Motor
• Higher phase difference (close to 900)
• Reactance of auxiliary winding is made even smaller,
• By placing a capacitor (C) in series.
• Impedance angle may become smaller (still negative)
or even positive.
C can be selected s.t. Ia and
Im are in phase quadrature
at standstill
a balanced 2 motor
(forward rotating field only.)
i.e.
Fig. 6
There is no counter field in .

A higher starting torque is

possible.
Starting current could be higher
too.

Note 4: A capacitor type motor is a balanced two phase

motor at starting. It changes the phase of the auxiliary
current by using a capacitor so that the two currents are
out of phase by 900. Hence, there is only one rotating field
in the motor which increases the starting torque.
Starting current and the torque can be compromised
by making the phase difference slightly less than 900.

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• Torque-speed characteristics of a capacitor type motor

‘a’ and the capacitor

is disconnected
using the switch (S)
after starting.

Fig. 7

• Applications
• Compressors
• Pumps
• Refrigerators and ACs
• Other high inertia loads

Note 5: As shown in Fig. 7, the balanced two phase

motor has a much higher starting torque than the
unbalanced two phase motor.

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• Example:
• A 250 W, 120 v, 50 Hz capacitor-start motor has the
following impedances in the main and auxiliary windings
at standstill: Zm= (4.5 + j3.7); Za= (9.5 + j3.5). Find the
value of starting capacitance that will place the main and
auxiliary winding currents in phase quadrature.
• Answer:
• existing impedance angles
.
•
.
.
•
.

Fig. 8: Current phasors (V/Z)

With the capacitor (XC),
-20.20 1200 v a should be –(900 – 39.40)
Ia without C = - 50.60
( . )
Im  = -50.60
.
Ia with C 
Capacitance at 50 Hz,
1200 v 15
C=212 F
39.40 Im

Note 6: Find the impedance angles without C first. The

phase angles of the currents are negatives of them. Then,
note that Ia must be given a 50.60 phase shift to make Ia
and Im 900 out of phase. A capacitive reactance of 15 
would provide this shift. At 50 Hz, C must be 212 F for
that.

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 Shaded Pole Motors
• Usually has salient poles
• Wires are wound around protruded parts around the inner
surface of the stator.
• One portion of each pole is encircled by a shading coil. (i.e.
just a short-circuited turn of copper wire)
Induced currents in the shading coil cause the resultant flux
to lag that in the unshaded portion.
This implies that the flux reaches a peak in the unshaded
area earlier.
Main winding (cross section)

Stator inner surface

Supply, Vs Shading coil

Rotor

Fig. 9
Main winding

Note 7: The induced currents in the small shading coil

results in another field (induced field). The interaction
between the field of the main winding and the induced
field causes the resultant field to lag in phase with
respect to that at the unshaded portion of the salient
pole. This implies that if the field is maximum at the
unshaded portion now, it will be a maximum at the
shaded portion somewhat later. This further implies that
the field maximum (the pole) rotates.

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 And later in the shaded area.
Similar to a rotating field in the direction from unshaded to
shaded portion of the pole.
A small starting torque is produced.
• Efficiency is low.
• Suitable for small motors rated less than 40 W
• Least expensive
• Torque-speed characteristics

Torque

200%

100%

0 50 100
Fig. 10 % synchronous speed

Note 8: The resulting starting torque is small and suitable

for very small, light-weight motors.

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