EE 280 e_Lecture 10 3-Phase Induction Motors

Rotor Inductance

• Rotor conductors may have a small inductance Lc.

Rc Rc = resistance
Lc Vc = induced voltage
vc Ic Ic = induced current,

Fig. 9

• Rotor current lags the induced voltage for s > 0 and Lc > 0.
Peak currents occur somewhat later than vc.
Peak rotor field too occurs later.
Stator poles will have moved away from this conductor.

Note 1: Rotor conductors are not only resistive but can

also be inductive. Fig. 9 illustrates the rotor equivalent
circuit with the induced voltage, the resistance and the
inductance. Ohms law results in the induced current
which becomes complex due to the rotor reactance
jsωLc. In addition, the current lags the induced voltage by
arctan(sωLc/Rc). Therefore, the current due to a certain
induced voltage at time instant t1 flows somewhat later at
time t2 where t2 > t1.

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•
NR at t2

Ns at t2

Ns at t1 at t2

Fig. 10

-rs < 900 , smaller torque

- For larger s or Lc, pole pairs may become nearly
aligned causing rs = 00 and no torque.

Note 2: In Fig. 10, the locations of NR and SR shown

(at time t2) correspond to the voltage induced when Ns
and Ss were at t1. At current time t2, NS and SS have
rotated up and come closer to NR and SR. This makes
rs smaller than 900 and results in less torque. Hence,
when the rotor is inductive, the torque is less than that
for purely resistive conductors.

Prepared By KDR Jagath Kumara

 Torque-Speed Characteristics
• At no load, nm = ns (the motor is rotating at ns)
s = 0 and u = 0
vc = 0 Ic = 0 torque = 0

• As load increases, nm starts decreasing.

• s starts increasing from 0.
• Stator field starts moving past the rotor conductors (u > 0).
• vc starts increasing linearly with s.
• For small s (increasing from 0),
• Inductive reactance is negligible, .
• Maximum rotor currents flow in the conductor which is
almost under the stator poles.
• rs 900 and torque is still high.
• vc  s and Ic  s
• Because torque  current; torque  slip

Note 3: When the rotor speed (nm) is equal to synchronous

speed (ns), the slip (s) is zero. The induced voltage (vc) is
proportional to s (vc = uBl and u  s) and hence vc = 0; no
induced current; no induced field; no induced torque.

When nm decreases (by loading the rotor shaft), s

increases from 0; vc increases linearly. For small s, inductive
reactance (jsωL) is negligible; rs is still close to 900; torque
increases linearly with s and vc.

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• If the rotor slows down further (even smaller nm)
• s increase further and
• Stator and rotor poles come closer.
• rs < 900
• Levels out the torque.

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

Torque-speed characteristics of an induction motor

can be modified by changing,
- Dimensions and geometry
- Materials.

Note 4: When s increases further, vc increases further too

but jsωL too become significant; reactance is no longer
negligible; rs become smaller; reduces torque. Two
counteracting effects stops the increase in torque with s as
shown in Fig. 11. The torque at s = 1 is the starting torque.

Prepared By KDR Jagath Kumara

 Power and Torque
• Input power,
• Vs = rms phase voltage
• Is = rms phase current
• In -configuration, ;
√
• In Y-configuration, ;
√
• Machine ratings normally specify the line quantities.
• Losses
• Stator copper loss
• Rotor copper loss
• Core losses (hysteresis and eddy current)
• Rotational losses (bearing and air friction, windage)

Note 5: Some of the 3-phase power supplied to the 3-

phase winding of the stator (Pin) is consumed by the stator
resistance, which is the stator copper loss (Ps). The
remaining power crosses the airgap to the rotor, which is
known as the airgap power (Pag). Some of Pag is
consumed by the rotor resistance, which is the rotor
copper loss (Pr). The balance is the power converted into
mechanical form, which is known as the developed power
(Pdev). However, the real output power (Pout) is even
smaller due to mechanical losses (rotational losses, (Prot))
such as the frictional and windage losses. The power flow
diagram in Fig. 13 illustrates these losses at the
corresponding place in the equivalent circuit.

Prepared By KDR Jagath Kumara

• Power flow diagram: Fig. 13

Input Output
Power Pag Pdev power, Pout
Pin

stator rotor rotational

copper copper losses, Prot
loss, Ps loss, Pr

Pag = air gap power (power crossing the air gap)

Pdev = developed power (converted power)
•
• Ps
•
• Output torque,

• Developed torque,

Note 6: Apart from the copper losses (electrical) and frictional

(mechanical) losses, core losses (magnetic) are present too.
Note that at high speeds core losses are small but mechanical
losses are high. This is vice versa at low speeds. It is difficult
to measure rotational losses and core losses separately at all
speeds. But, they add up approximately to a constant at any
speed. Therefore, normally, rotational losses include core
losses, unless specified.

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• Example 1: A 5 hp, 4-pole, 60 Hz, 3 induction motor
runs at 1750 rpm under full load conditions. Determine
the slip and the frequency of the rotor currents at full
load.
• Synchronous speed,
= 1800 rpm

• Slip,

• Rotor current frequency,

Hz

Note 7: In example 1, the frequency of the induced voltage

and current is given by sf in Hz (or sω in rad/s) where f
(and ω) are those of the supply.

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• Example 2: A 220 v, 60 Hz, 3, Y-connected induction
motor draws 31.87 A at a pf of 0.75 lagging. For all
three phases, the total stator copper loss is 400 W and
the total rotor copper loss is 150 W. The rotational
losses are 500 W. Find the power crossing the air gap,
developed power, output power and the efficiency.
• Input power,  ;
√
•
•  Air gap power,
= 9107 – 400 = 8707 W
• Developed power,

• Output power,
= 8557 – 500 = 8057 W
 Motor efficiency,  =

Note 8: Example 2 is about a Y connected motor. The

supply voltage and the current is given. Therefore, there is
no need to know the lumped elements in the equivalent
circuit. Similarly, the speed or the slip is not needed unless
the torque is to be found.
If not specified, the voltage and the current must be
treated as line quantities. Therefore, first the phase voltage
in Y configuration is found and then Pin can be found.
Afterwards, the stator copper loss, rotor copper loss and the
rotational losses are subtracted to find Pag, Pdev and Pout
respectively which then results in the efficiency. Note that the
losses are given for all the three phases.

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• Example 3: A certain 30 hp, 4-pole, 440 v, 60 Hz, 3, -
connected induction motor runs at 1746 rpm with
rotational losses of 900 W. It draws a line current of
37.6-570 A. Find the phase current, power factor and
the input power. If the copper losses of the stator and
rotor are 1.695 kW and 711 W respectively, find the
developed power and torque, and the output power and
torque.
• Phase current,
.
 A
√
• Power factor, 88.6%
• Input power,
 kW

Note 9: Example 3 is about a  connected motor and the

motor specifications together with the line current at a
certain speed are given. The rotational losses and the
copper losses are given too.
To find the phase current in a  connected motor, the
line current is divided by √3 -300. Then, the input power
can be found.

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• Developed power,
kW
• Developed torque,
Nm
×

• Output power,
kW
• Output torque,
Nm
×

Note 10: The developed power and the output power can
be found by subtracting the rotor copper and the rotational
losses respectively. To find the developed torque and the
output torque, the speed in rpm must be expressed as an
angular velocity in rad/s.

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