INDUCTION MOTOR PROTECTION

Introduction

Based on the control action i.e. starting, stopping or reversal, controlling elements known in
electrical terms as switchgear are employed for the protection of induction motor. Generally two
basic protections viz. short circuit protection and overload protection are provided for each
motor. The switchgear used for protection includes contactors with H.R.0 fuse and thermal
overload relays along with circuit breakers. If the rating of the motor is up to 150 kW then
contactors and fuses can be used while for motors having rating beyond 150 kW, circuit breakers
are used. The contactor is a kind of switch through which supply can be given to the motor when
its coil is energized. If the current to be interrupted is six times the rated current of the motor
then contactors can be used.

Abnormal Conditions and Failure in Case of Induction Motor:

The three phase induction motors are used in numerous industrial applications. Hence before
studying the protection circuit we have to consider the abnormal conditions and failure that may
occur in case of induction motor. If the motor is heavily loaded beyond its capacity then it will
be overload condition of motor in which case motor draws heavy current from the supply and
there will be simultaneous rise in temperature of winding and deterioration of the insulation
resulting in damage of winding. Hence the motor must be protected against tins mechanical
overloading with overload protection circuits. Normally thermal overload relays, over current
relays or miniature circuit breaker with built in trip coils may be used. It might be possible that
the rotor is locked or starting lasts for longer duration or rotor does not move because of
excessive load (stalling) at start. In all these cases motor draws heavy current from the supply
and results in damage to the winding due to overheating as stated above. In this case thermal
relays or instantaneous overcurrent relays are used.

If the supply conditions are abnormal such as loss of supply voltage, unbalanced supply voltage,
phase sequence reversal of supply voltage, over voltage, under voltage or under frequency then
also the performance of the motor is affected. With unbalanced supply voltage there will be
excessive heating while with under voltage the motor draws more current for the same load. For
under voltage protection, under voltage relays are used. With correct phase sequence, the motor
runs in one direction. With change in phase sequence of supply it runs in other direction which is
dangerous in some of the applications such as cranes, hoists or elevators. In such cases phase
reversal relay may be provided which will disconnect the supply to the motor through the circuit
breaker. Due to excessive temperature rise, the insulation may get damaged which may lead to
stator earth fault or stator phase to phase fault which are rare in nature. For low rating motors,
HRC fuses provide sufficient protection against these faults while for large motors, differential
protection may be used. Due to blowing of fuse in any phase or open circuit in one of the three
phases results in single phasing. In such case motor continues to run and if it is loaded to its rated
value then it will draw excessive current which will damage the rotor and eventually the motor
will be damaged due to excessive overheating. Normally thermal overload relays are used
against single phasing. Sometimes special single phase preventer may be provided.

Ground fault protection

The ground fault protection is achieved using earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB). When the
fault current or leakage current flows through earth return path then it forms the earth fault.
These faults are relatively frequent and hence protection is required against these which is
provided with the help of Earth leakage circuit breaker. Consider an example of a person whose
finger sticks into the socket. Even though the metal enclosure is securely earthed, the person will
receive a severe shock. Under such case there must be certain device that will cut the supply.
This can he done with the help of ELCB which will typically trip in around 25 cms if current
exceeds its preset value. The schematic of ELCB is shown in Fig.

As shown in the Fig ELCB consists of a small current transformer surrounding live and neutral
wire. The secondary winding of current transformer is connected to relay circuits which can trip
the circuit breaker which is connected in the circuit. Under normal conditions, the current in line
and neutral conductor is same so the net current (IL -IN) flowing through the core is zero.
Eventually there will not be any production of flux in the core and no induced emf. So the
breaker does not trip. If there is a fault due to leakage from live wire to earth or a person by
mistake touching to the live terminal then the net current through the core will no longer remain
as zero but equal to IL -IN or I, which will set up flux and emf in CT. As per the preset value the
unbalance in current is detected by C.T. and relay coil is energized which will give tripping
signal for the circuit breaker. As C.T. operates with low value of current, the core must be very
permeable at low flux densities.

Phase Fault Protection

This protection is also called short circuit protection. At the time of such a fault, the current
increases by 8 to 10 times the full load current of the motor. Attracted armature type relay unit is
connected in each phase with a current setting of 4-5 times the full load current. This is because
starting current can he 4-5 times full load current.
 The phase faults can cause burn out of coils and stampings and hence motor should be
disconnected as quickly as possible when fault occurs. Fast over current relays also are used to
provide phase fault protection. As mentioned above to avoid relay functioning during starting,
the short circuit protection current setting must be just above the maximum starting current of the
motor.

Phase Reversal Protection:

The direction of induction motor depends on the direction of rotating magnetic field
produced by the stator windings. For a particular phase sequence RYB the motor rotates in a
particular direction due to corresponding direction of rotating magnetic field. But if any two lines
are interchanged after repairs the phase sequence reverses such as YRB. Then the direction of
rotating magnetic field also reverses and induction motor starts rotating in opposite direction.
Such a change of direction is dangerous if the induction motor is used for cranes, hoists, lifts or
in threading mills etc.
Thus to disconnect induction motor from supply if there is phase reversal, phase reversal
protection is provided. This protection is provided using motor driven disc working on
electromagnetic principle. The secondaries of two current transformers connected in two lines
drive the motor to operate the disc. The arrangement is such that for a normal direction of motor,
disc rotates in a particular direction which keeps the auxiliary contacts closed. But if there is
phase reversal then the torque produced reverses to rotate the disc in opposite direction. Due to
this auxiliary contacts get opened. This in turn either operates the circuit breaker or de-energizes
starter coil to disconnect the motor from the supply. Thus phase reversal protection for the
induction motor is achieved. Now a day's solid state phase reversal relay sensing the phase
reversal is used.

Single Phase Preventer