Induction Motor

An induction motor or asynchronous motor is an AC electric motor in which the electric current
in the rotor needed to produce torque is obtained by electromagnetic induction from the
magnetic field of the stator windings. An induction motor can therefore be made without
electrical connections to the rotor. An induction motor's rotor can be either wound type or
squirrel-cage type. Three-phase squirrel-cage induction motors are widely used as industrial
drives because they are self-starting, reliable and economical. Single-phase induction motors
are used extensively for smaller loads, such as household appliances like fans. Although
traditionally used in fixed-speed service, induction motors are increasingly being used with
variable-frequency drives (VFDs) in variable-speed service. VFDs offer especially important
energy savings opportunities for existing and prospective induction motors in variable-torque
centrifugal fan, pump and compressor load applications. Squirrel cage induction motors are
very widely used in both fixed-speed and variable-frequency drive (VFD) applications.

Principle of operation
In both induction and synchronous motors, the AC power supplied to the motor's stator creates
a magnetic field that rotates in synchronism with the AC oscillations. Whereas a synchronous
motor's rotor turns at the same rate as the stator field, an induction motor's rotor rotates at a
somewhat slower speed than the stator field. The induction motor stator's magnetic field is
therefore changing or rotating relative to the rotor. This induces an opposing current in the
induction motor's rotor, in effect the motor's secondary winding, when the latter is short-
circuited or closed through an external impedance. The rotating magnetic flux induces currents
in the windings of the rotor, in a manner similar to currents induced in a transformer's
secondary winding(s).
The induced currents in the rotor windings in turn create magnetic fields in the rotor that react
against the stator field. Due to Lenz's Law, the direction of the magnetic field created will be
such as to oppose the change in current through the rotor windings. The cause of induced
current in the rotor windings is the rotating stator magnetic field, so to oppose the change in
rotor-winding currents the rotor will start to rotate in the direction of the rotating stator
magnetic field. The rotor accelerates until the magnitude of induced rotor current and torque
balances the applied mechanical load on the rotation of the rotor. Since rotation at
synchronous speed would result in no induced rotor current, an induction motor always
operates slightly slower than synchronous speed. The difference, or "slip," between actual and
synchronous speed varies from about 0.5% to 5.0% for standard Design B torque curve
induction motors
The induction motor's essential character is that it is created solely by induction instead of
being separately excited as in synchronous or DC machines or being self-magnetized as in
permanent magnet motors. For rotor currents to be induced, the speed of the physical rotor
must be lower than that of the stator's rotating magnetic field otherwise the magnetic field
would not be moving relative to the rotor conductors and no currents would be induced. As
the speed of the rotor drops below synchronous speed, the rotation rate of the magnetic
field in the rotor increases, inducing more current in the windings and creating more
torque. The ratio between the rotation rate of the magnetic field induced in the rotor and
the rotation rate of the stator's rotating field is called "slip". Under load, the speed drops
and the slip increases enough to create sufficient torque to turn the load. For this reason,
induction motors are sometimes referred to as "asynchronous motors". An induction motor
can be used as an induction generator, or it can be unrolled to form a linear induction
motor which can directly generate linear motion. The generating mode for induction
motors is complicated by the need to excite the rotor, which begins with only residual
magnetization. In some cases, that residual magnetization is enough to self-excite the
motor under load. Therefore, it is necessary to either snap the motor and connect it
momentarily to a live grid or to add capacitors charged initially by residual magnetism and
providing the required reactive power during operation. Similar is the operation of the
induction motor in parallel with a synchronous motor serving as a power factor
compensator. A feature in the generator mode in parallel to the grid is that the rotor speed
is higher than in the driving mode. Then active energy is being given to the grid.

Construction
The stator of an induction motor consists of poles carrying supply current to induce a
magnetic field that penetrates the rotor. To optimize the distribution of the magnetic field,
windings are distributed in slots around the stator, with the magnetic field having the same
number of north and south poles. Induction motors are most commonly run on single-
phase or three-phase power, but two-phase motors exist; in theory, induction motors can
have any number of phases. Many single-phase motors having two windings can be viewed
as two-phase motors, since a capacitor is used to generate a second power phase 90° from
the single-phase supply and feeds it to the second motor winding. Single-phase motors
require some mechanism to produce a rotating field on startup. Cage induction motor
rotor's conductor bars are typically skewed to avoid magnetic locking.
Standardized NEMA & IEC motor frame sizes throughout the industry result in
interchangeable dimensions for shaft, foot mounting, general aspects as well as certain
motor flange aspect. Since an open, drip proof (ODP) motor design allows a free air
exchange from outside to the inner stator windings, this style of motor tends to be slightly
more efficient because the windings are cooler. At a given power rating, lower speed
requires a larger frame.
Power factor
The power factor of induction motors varies with load, typically from around 0.85 or 0.90
at full load to as low as about 0.20 at no-load, due to stator and rotor leakage and
magnetizing reactances. Power factor can be improved by connecting capacitors either on
an individual motor basis or, by preference, on a common bus covering several motors. For
economic and other considerations, power systems are rarely power factor corrected to
unity power factor. Power capacitor application with harmonic currents requires power
system analysis to avoid harmonic resonance between capacitors and transformer and
circuit reactances. Common bus power factor correction is recommended to minimize
resonant risk and to simplify power system analysis.

Efficiency
Full load motor efficiency varies from about 85% to 97%, related motor losses being
broken down roughly as follows:
 Friction and windage, 5–15%
 Iron or core losses, 15–25%
 Stator losses, 25–40%
 Rotor losses, 15–25%
 Stray load losses, 10–20%.
Various regulatory authorities in many countries have introduced and implemented
legislation to encourage the manufacture and use of higher efficiency electric motors. There
is existing and forthcoming legislation regarding the future mandatory use of premium-
efficiency induction-type motors in defined equipment.

Steinmetz equivalent circuit

Many useful motor relationships between time, current, voltage, speed, power factor, and
torque can be obtained from analysis of the Steinmetz equivalent circuit (also termed T-
equivalent circuit or IEEE recommended equivalent circuit), a mathematical model used to
describe how an induction motor's electrical input is transformed into useful mechanical
energy output. The equivalent circuit is a single-phase representation of a multiphase
induction motor that is valid in steady-state balanced-load conditions.
The Steinmetz equivalent circuit is expressed simply in terms of the following components:
 Stator resistance and leakage reactance ( R s , X s ).
 Rotor resistance, leakage reactance, and slip ( R r , X r or R r’ , X r ′ , and s).
 Magnetizing reactance ( X m).

Paraphrasing from Alger in Knowlton, an induction motor is simply an electrical

transformer the magnetic circuit of which is separated by an air gap between the stator
winding and the moving rotor winding. The equivalent circuit can accordingly be shown
either with equivalent circuit components of respective windings separated by an ideal
transformer or with rotor components referred to the stator side as shown in the following
circuit and associated equation and parameter definition tables.

Advantages of Induction Motor

The motor construction and the way electric power is supplied all give the induction motor
several advantages is shown in figure below. And let’s see of them in brief.
Advantages of Induction Motor
Low cost: Induction machines are very cheap when compared to synchronous and DC motors.
This is due to the modest design of induction motor. Therefore, these motors are overwhelmingly
preferred for fixed speed applications in industrial applications and for commercial and domestic
applications where AC line power can be easily attached.
Low maintenance cost: Induction motors are maintenance free motors unlike dc motors and
synchronous motors. The construction of induction motor is very simple and hence maintenance
is also easy, resulting in low maintenance cost.
Ease of operation: Operation of induction motor is very simple because there is no electrical
connector to the rotor that supply power and current is induced by the movement of the
transformer performs on the rotor due to the low resistance of the rotating coils. Induction
motors are self-starting motors. This can result in reducing the effort needed for maintenance.
Speed Variation: The speed variation of the induction motor is nearly constant. The speed
typically varies only by a few percent going from no load to rated load.
High starting torque: The staring torque of induction motor is very high which makes motor
useful for operations where load is applied before the starting of the motor.3 phase induction
motors will have self-starting torque unlike synchronous motors. However, single-phase
induction motors do not have self-starting torque and are made to rotate using some auxiliaries.
Durability: Another major advantage an induction motor is that it is durability. This makes it the
ideal machine for many uses. This results the motor to run for many years with no cost and
maintenance.
All these advantages make an induction motor to use in many applications such as industrial,
domestic and in many applications.

Synchronous speed
The rotational speed of the rotating magnetic field is called as synchronous speed.

where, f = frequency of the supply

P = the number of poles

Slip
Rotor tries to catch up the synchronous speed of the stator field, and hence it rotates. But in
practice, rotor never succeeds in catching up. If rotor catches up the stator speed, there won't
be any relative speed between the stator flux and the rotor, hence no induced rotor current and
no torque production to maintain the rotation. However, this won't stop the motor, the rotor will
slow down due to loss of torque, the torque will again be exerted due to relative speed. That is
why the rotor rotates at speed which is always less the synchronous speed.
The difference between the synchronous speed (Ns) and actual speed (N) of the rotor is called
as slip.

Types of induction motors:

(A) Single phase Induction Motor
1. Split phase induction motor
2. Capacitor start induction motor
3. Capacitor start capacitor run induction motor
4. Shaded pole induction motor
(B) Three phase Induction Motor
5. Squirrel cage induction motor
6. Slip ring induction motor
Applications of Single-Phase Induction Motor
These are used in low power applications and widely used in domestic applications as well as
industrial. And some of those are mentioned below

 Pumps
 Compressors
 Small fans
 Mixers
 Toys
 High speed vacuum cleaners
 Electric shavers
 Drilling machines
Three-Phase Induction Motor: These motors are self-starting and use no capacitor, start winding,
centrifugal switch or other starting device. Three-phase AC induction motors are widely used in
industrial and commercial applications. These are of two types, squirrel cage and slip ring motors.
Squirrel cage motors are widely used due to their rugged construction and simple design. Slip
ring motors require external resistors to have high starting torque.
Induction motors are used in industry and domestic appliances because these are rugged in
construction requiring hardly any maintenance, that they are comparatively cheap, and require
supply only to the stator.

Applications of Three Phase Induction Motor

 Lifts
 Cranes
 Hoists
 Large capacity exhaust fans
 Driving lathe machines
 Crushers
 Oil extracting mills
 Textile and etc.

Mandeep Singh Chib

Roll no. -43/2017

Branch - Electrical