Three Phase Induction Machine

Learning Objectives
 Explain how a three-phase induction motor operates
 Compute the synchronous speed of an induction motor and the slip between
motor rotor and stator magnetic field
 Compute the power that crosses that air gap of an induction motor
 Explain how the parameters of an induction motor circuit model relate to its
performance

Definition of an induction machine

An induction machine is a motor or generator whose field current in the rotor, needed to
produce torque is obtained by electromagnetic induction from the magnetic field of the stator
windings

The induction motor has two main parts (just like the transformer):
The Stator – is a magnetic structure (iron core) with windings that create magnetic field
when connected to a three-phase voltage supply.

The Rotor – is an iron core with conductors that rotate and drive the shaft of the motor. The
rotor conductors can be either copper bars (squirrel cage) or wound coils (wound-rotor).
Supply Salient
pole

Supply Supply

Rotor

Supply

Schematic diagram of a 4 – pole stator and rotor

Principle of operation of an induction motor

1. 3-phase voltages supply to the stator will produce a rotating magnetic field in the stator
windings.
2. Current is induced into the rotor conductor by moving magnetic field (based on Faraday’s
law of electromagnetic induction
3. Induced current in the rotor produces a magnetic field in the rotor
4. Magnetic Field in rotor interacts with the magnetic field in the stator to produce a rotating
force called torque (i.e. rotor "chases" stator field)
5. The rotating force or torque will rotate according to Flemming’s left-hand rule.

The magnitude of force is determined by:

Where B: intensity of magnetic field; I: induced current; L = length of rotor conductor.

Torque is rotational or rotating force and is given by:

‖ ‖‖ ‖
Where : torque vector; r : position of vector and angle between force vector and lever arm

Determination of speed of an induction motor:

The rotating magnetic field moves at the speed of the supply frequency i.e. at synchronous
speed ns. The torque produced pushes the rotor to catch up with the rotating magnetic field at
a rotor speed nr. The equation for synchronous speed is given by.

Where is supply frequency, number of poles. The relative speed between the moving
rotor and rotating magnetic field is determined by the slip ‘s’. where the slip ‘s’ is given by

Worked Examples
A 4 pole 3 phase, 50 Hz induction motor. Calculate the frequency of the rotor currents at
1. Standstill
2. Rotor is running at 500rpm in the same direction as field
3. Rotor is running at 500rpm in opposite direction as field
4. Rotor is running at 2000rpm in same direction as field
 Solution
The synchronous frequency

1. At standstill,

Therefore, at standstill, s =1 and

2. nr = 500rpm in the same direction

Since 0 < s < 1; normal motoring condition;

3. Motor turns at 500rpm but in the opposite direction

Since s > 1 braking condition

4. nr = 2000rpm in the same direction

Since 0 < s < 1; normal motoring condition;

The negative sign indicates generating condition

Operating zone of an induction motor

Braking mode
T
Motoring mode Generating mode

S=1 S=0
S>1 0 <S<1 S< 0

0 ns
Torque – speed characteristics

Motoring mode
C
Torque
Braking mode
A
B

Shaft speed, n
D
0 ns

Generating mode
The following points, on the torque- speed characteristics represents

A. Starting torque to move motor from standstill position

B. Pull down torque
C. Maximum or breakdown torque
D. Zero torque i.e when the rotor moves at synchronous speed, nr =ns, s = 0 and there is no torque
Motor Torque – speed characteristics

Unstable region stable region

Torque

Shaft speed, n
0 ns
Increase in speed, n

Increase in slip, s

Increase in slip indicates increase in load, thus beyond the point of maximum torque, any
further increase in motor load results in decrease of torque developed by motor. The result is
that the motor slows down and eventually stops.

Power stage of an induction motor

brushes

Pi Useful mechanical
Stator Rotor
power from rotor
Ps Pr Pm
shaft

Friction and
windage
losses
Stator Rotor
losses copper
losses
Ps = Pi – stator losses

Pr = Ps – rotor copper losses

Pm = Pr – friction and windage losses

Worked example

The power supplied to a three-phase induction motor is 32 kW and the stator losses are 1200
W. if the slip is 5% and motor runs at 1152 rpm, determine:

(a) The rotor copper losses

(b) The total mechanical power developed by the rotor
(c) The output power of the motor if the friction and windage losses are 750 W
(d) The efficiency of the motor, neglecting rotor iron losses
(e) The generated torque at mechanical shaft

Solution
(a) Ps (i.e input power to rotor) = Pi – stator losses = 32 kW – 1.2 kW = 30.8 kW
Losses in the rotor is dependent on slip = s Ps = 0.05 x 30.8 = 1.54 kW
(b) Total rotor power Pr = Ps – rotor losses = 30.8 – 1.54 = 29.2 kW
(c) Output mechanical power,
Pm = Pr - friction and windage losses = 29.26 - 0.75 =28.51 kW
(d) Efficiency = (output / input power) x 100% =89.1%
(e) The generated torque developed at mechanical shaft

or
 Equivalent Circuit of an Induction Motor
The energy is transferred from primary (stator) winding to secondary (rotor)
winding entirely by induction. Therefore the induction motor behaves like a
transformer.

R1 X1
X2 R2

Io

Three phase RL
Xo

Ro
power supply E1 E2 = sE1

RL in this case is mechanical load, which can be replaced by electrical load given by

[ ]

Where ;

R2 = Resistance per phase of rotor

K = turm – ratio of the secondary (rotor) to Primary (stator)

R2 and X2 are rotor resistance and leakage reactance per phase

Ro and Xo are the no-load resistance and reactance per phase with the rotor

E1 – emf induced per phase in the stator

E2 – emf induced per phase in the rotor

The equivalent circuit can be simplified further by transferring no load current components to
the supply terminals as shown in the figure below
 R1 X1 X2/ K2 R2 / K2

Io

power
supply Xo E2/ K 𝑅

Ro
𝑅𝐿 [ ]
𝑘 𝑠

Io

Worked Example

A 25 hp, 6-pole, 50 Hz, 3-ph, induction motor has stator/rotor phase voltage ratio of 6/5. The stator
and rotor impedances per phase are (0.25 + j 0.75) ohms and (0.173 + j 0.52) ohms respectively.
Find the starting torque exerted by the motor when and external resistance of 1.0 ohms is inserted in
each phase, the motor being started directly on the 400 V supply system assume delta/delta
connections.

Solution

Supply voltage per phase,

Rotor to stator phase voltage ratio,

Equivalent resistance of motor as referred to rotor

( )

Equivalent reactance of motor as referred to rotor

( )

When an external resistance of 1 ohms per phase is inserted in the rotor circuit, the equivalent motor
impedance as referred to rotor circuit

√
Induced emf in rotor at standstill,

Rotor current,

Total copper losses in rotor

Rotor power input at standstill, P2 = Total rotor copper loss (i.e Pr = ) and s = 1 at stand still

Synchronous speed,

Starting torque, Tq