Simulation of Ward Leonard

Test Set and Induction Motor

on MATLAB for Teaching
Performance Characteristics
of Induction Motor to
Undergraduate Students
B. VAHIDI, M. R. BANK TAVAKOLI
Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Hafez Ave., Tehran 1591634311, Iran

Received 23 January 2008; accepted 19 April 2008

ABSTRACT: Accurate knowledge of an induction motor performance is very essential to have an idea of its
operation conditions. The aim of this article is to present an approach for teaching the concept of electric
machines laboratory using specially designed exercises that can be done using MATLAB-SIMULINK. This article
present a MATLAB based technology to simulate Ward Leonard test set to analyze performance characteristics of
induction motor. Evaluation of the simulation with more than 40 students is very positive in terms of their
developing confidence in and understanding the test and theoretical concepts. By using the simulator, four
groups of students are tested via designed question sheets to determine the effectiveness of the method for
teaching induction motor performance concept. ß2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 224
233,
2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20256

Keywords: index terms-MATLAB; induction motor; Ward Leonard; torque; speed

INTRODUCTION This test is the duty of power system engineers; therefore,

the students of power system engineering should be familiar with
Computer simulation plays an important role in engineering testing of induction motor, and other electric machines. Electrical
course teaching. Nowadays, a variety of software tools are machinery is taught to undergraduate students under classroom
available to simulate electrical circuits, one of them is MATLAB. sections which consist of four theoretical modules:
Many simulations of engineering applications as well as different
aspects of a power system by use of MATLAB have been (a) Electrical machine I (dc machines),
presented by different researchers [1
6]. (b) electrical machine II (transformers þ induction
A large percentage of the electrical power generated in the machines),
world is consumed by induction motors, as these are the main (c) electrical machine III (synchronous machines),
drive motors used in industry [7,8]. Practicing engineers should (d) special machines.
be conversant with the performance characteristics of these types
of motors. Laboratory sections divide into three categories:
An induction motor, being a vital piece of equipment in an
electric system, requires critical attention from the standpoint of (1) DC machines laboratory,
its performance under steady state; therefore, it is highly desirable (2) AC machines laboratory,
to observe the behavior of an induction motor during steady state (3) special machines laboratory.
operation [9].
Theoretical course on each electric machine module is taken
Correspondence to B. Vahidi ([email protected]). by students in 15 weeks (3 h/week) plus 10 weeks (3 h/week)
ß 2009 Wiley Periodicals Inc. laboratory works on each laboratory module. In each usual 3 h/

224
 WARD LEONARD TEST SET AND INDUCTION MOTOR 225

week laboratory section, students are required to set up and

perform a test. In practice, it is difficult to understand the
engineering concepts of electrical machinery by taking only
theoretical courses and it is of value to design a set of laboratory
tests for electrical machinery. To do so we need to equip the
laboratory with different test instruments and laboratory test
machines and document special regulations for students and
instructor to safely use the equipments. The components of
electric machines laboratory are expensive; therefore, there are
some problems when the budget is limited. Moreover, in a real
laboratory it is not possible to test all the situations (like high load Figure 2 Torque-slip curve for induction motor.
torque, high motor currents, or overvoltages) because there are
risks of damages to machines. In short, the testing bands for power can be computed from the equivalent circuit. Thus, all the
students are limited. Computer-based simulation is a relatively performance characteristics will be available with the knowledge
effective alternative for performing special tests and viewing of the parameters and the losses.
results which is; in essence, safe, simple, cheap and easy to The performance of the induction motor can be predicted
implement and use. Keeping this in mind, in this article a using the parameters which are given by following formulas.
simulator is designed in a virtual library format for testing
Z1 ¼ R1 þ jX1 ð2Þ
induction motor performances in computers. The capability of
this method for teaching the laboratory section experiments are
1
tested on four groups of students by using the special test sheets Z2 ¼ R2 þ jX2 ð3Þ
s
and questions. It has been revealed that using the simulator has
improved the understanding level of students quit well. jRc Xm
Zm ¼ ð4Þ
Rc þ jXm

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF INDUCTION MOTOR Z2 Zm

Z ¼ Z1 þ ð5Þ
Z2 þ Zm
It can be shown by means of either traditional theory or
generalized theory that the steady-state performance of a poly V1
phase induction motor can be represented by the equivalent I1 ¼ ð6Þ
Z
circuit of Figure 1, which shows one phase of the machine.
The symbols in this figure are defined as follows: V, input I1 Zm
I2 ¼ ð7Þ
voltage per phase; R1, X1, resistance and leakage reactance of Zm þ Z2
stator per phase; R2, X2, resistance and leakage reactance of rotor
  
referred to stator; Xm, magnetizing reactance; Rc, resistance R
representing core loss; I1, I2, stator and rotor currents (referred to pf ¼ cos tan
1 ð8Þ
X
stator) per phase.
The developed torque is given by where R ¼ Re(Z) and X ¼ Im(Z)

3I22 R2 Pin ¼ 3V1 I1 pf ð9Þ

T¼ Nm ð1Þ
os s
Pout ¼ ð1
sÞosT ð10Þ
where os is the synchronous speed in radians/s and s is the p.u.
slip.
Pout
It can be easily seen from the equivalent circuit that at h¼ ð11Þ
constant voltage V, I2 is dependent on the slip. The developed Pin
torque will depend on the slip, supply voltage and equivalent
circuit parameters. The typical shape of the torque-speed WARD LEONARD SETUP SET FOR INDUCTION
characteristic is shown in Figure 2, where Ts, Tm, and Tf are MACHINE TESTING
starting torque, pull-out (maximum) torque, and full load torque
respectively, sf is the slip at full load torque, and sm is the slip at Figure 3 shows typical Ward Leonard testing set for induction
maximum torque. Input current, power factor, and developed machine. If machine M2 (Fig. 3) is a swinging frame dc
dynamometer the torque of the machine can be directly measured
on its dial. If it is just a dc machine the torque has to be calculated
using electrical readings as the machine torque would be
proportional to the armature current Id, if field current of dc
motor (If(dc motor)), being kept constant. The internal developed
torque of the induction motor would be the sum of output torque
and the friction torque at all speeds.
To measure the friction torque, the machine M2 is driven as
a separately excited motor at different speeds by the Ward
Leonard method (i.e., by varying I(dc generator)), with the induction
Figure 1 Equivalent circuit of induction motor. machine unexcited. Let the input armature current be Id0 at any
226 VAHIDI AND TAVAKOLI

Figure 3 Ward Leonard test setup for induction motor testing.

speed. With the induction motor excited with appropriate voltage, In order to enable educator to teach these characteristics
the armature current Id is measured at different speeds utilizing performance in the classroom by computer the authors of this
identical speed control method. The developed torque at any article have been using MATLAB 6.5 as an instructional tool to
speed would be proportional to (Id
Id0). Therefore: teach Ward Leonard testing method of induction motor to
undergraduate students. This method of instruction has enabled
T ¼ KðId
Id0 Þ  Ifðdc motorÞ ð12Þ
students to understand the techniques of this test. The success rate
where K is a constant which should be determined by test. It can of students in understanding the test shows the ability of this
be shown that: method.
ea
K¼ ð13Þ
oIf motor
SIMULATED CIRCUIT
where ea is the voltage on dc motor armature (driven by separately
excited generator) and o is the speed in radians/s. The test setup that is simulated on MATLAB-SIMULINK is
The other performance parameters will be calculated shown in Figure 4 [10]. This figure is simply an implementation
according to Equations (8)
(11). of Ward Leonard test set which is shown in Figure 3. Similar to
Owing to the instability of the induction machine to hold its real laboratory test setup, under test induction motor, (Motor
speed constant for a given load in the unstable region a Ward ASYNC in Fig. 4), is coupled mechanically to a dc motor (Motor
Leonard speed control arrangement is being used, as shown in DC in Fig. 4). The expository COUPLING box in Figure 4 can help
Figure 3. to identify where the mechanical coupling presents between

Figure 4 Simulated test setup circuit for induction motor testing.

 WARD LEONARD TEST SET AND INDUCTION MOTOR 227

Figure 5 Simulated circuit for one phase of induction motor in the test setup.

machines. The power to derive the dc motor is supplied by a dc modeled in this simulator are also shown in Figures 5
7. In
generator (Gen. DC in Fig. 4) which is a separately excited Figure 5, the well-known induction motor equivalent circuit is
generator and provides a controlled voltage to dc motor terminals. implemented [7]. In this figure, the current and voltage of motor
In this virtual test setup implementation, like in real laboratory, dc is supplied by Aþ and A-terminals. The per unit slip (s in Fig. 5),
motor terminal voltage (V), dc motor terminal current (I), induction s ¼ (os
o)/os, is then calculated from input o and os ¼ 2  f/
generator speed (o), induction generator input power (P) and p. In this figure, the output torque is also calculated by using rotor
induction generator input current (I) are measured by MATLAB- current (i in Fig. 5), per unit slip and rotor circuit resistance (R2).
SIMULINK Display tool (Gray rectangles in Fig. 4). The Figure 6 shows the dc motor circuit. In this figure, taking the
induction motor, dc motor and dc generator circuits which are torque coming from induction motor model (Fig. 5) and using the

Figure 6 Simulated circuit for dc motor in the test setup.

228 VAHIDI AND TAVAKOLI

dc motor field current (If in Fig. 6), dc motor armature resistance Therefore, T and K is computed according to Equations (12)
(Ra in Fig. 6) and dc motor terminal voltage (V in Fig. 6), dc motor and (13).
speed (which is equal to induction generator speed due to
mechanical coupling) is derived [7]. In Figure 7 which is the dc
generator model, the field current (If in Fig. 7) and speed (o in PARAMETERS OF MACHINES
Fig. 7) are used to implement the internal voltage of dc generator
(EMF block in Fig. 7). DC generator torque is also calculated by In this simulation parameters of machines are as follow:
using speed, field current, and terminal current (Ia_mot in Fig. 7)
[7]. In this setup, the terminal current of dc generator can be (1) Parameters of induction motor are:
changed to set the induction motor in different characteristic R1, L1 (resistance and leakage inductance of stator per
points and perform a virtual experiment on induction machine. phase) ¼ 1.5 O, 0.0141 H
The procedure of measuring the induction machine performance R2, L2 (resistance and leakage inductance of rotor
data is described in Torque Determination Section and Determin- referred to stator) ¼ 0.64 O, 0.0141 H
ing Id0 and K Section. Lm (magnetizing inductance) ¼ 0.042 H
Rc (resistance representing core loss) ¼ 81 O
(2) Parameters of dc motor are:
TORQUE DETERMINATION Armature resistance ¼ 1 O
Field resistance ¼ 100 O
In order to determine the torque-speed characteristics of the (3) Parameters of dc generator are:
experimental three-phase induction motor (20 hp, 400 V, 50 Hz, 4 Armature resistance ¼ 1 O
poles) some parameters have been determined. The torque has to Field resistance ¼ 50 O
be calculated using electrical readings as the machine torque
would be proportional to the Id (armature current of dc generator)
if field current of dc motor being kept constant. The internal DETERMINING Id0 AND K
developed torque of induction motor would be the sum of output
torque and the friction torque at all speeds. To measure the In all of the tests, the test setup circuit (Fig. 4) was used in
friction torque, the dc motor is driven as a separately excited MATLAB-SIMULINK environment to find the results.
motor at different speeds by the Ward Leonard method (i.e., by
varying the field current of dc generator) with the induction motor
Determination of Id0
unexcited. Let assume that the armature current be Id0 at any
speed. With the induction motor excited with appropriate voltage, The terminal of induction motor is disconnected. Then, for
the armature current; Id, is measured at different speeds. The different speeds of dc motor by changing the field current of
developed torque at any speed would be proportional to (Id
Id0). dc generator, Id0 was measured. In this test the field current of

Figure 7 Simulated circuit for dc generator in the test setup.

 WARD LEONARD TEST SET AND INDUCTION MOTOR 229

Table 1 Measuring Id0

Id0 (A) Speed (Rad/s) Field current of dc generator (A)

2.501 2.49 0.3

2.501 7.49 0.7
2.501 15 1.3
2.501 23 1.94

dc motor and speed of dc generator were kept constant (for our

tested machine: field current of dc motor ¼ 4 A, speed of dc
generator ¼ 50 radians/s). The test point values are shown in
Table 1.

Determination of K
The terminal of induction motor is disconnected, considering the
zero value for T, field current of dc generator is changed and Figure 8 Variation of input power (per phase) of induction motor versus
terminal voltage of dc motor and its speed were measured. Then speed.
by use of Equation (13), K was calculated (for our tested machine:
field current of dc motor ¼ 4 A, speed of dc generator ¼ 50
radians/s). The test point values are shown in Table 2. Figure 14 shows variation of input current of dc motor
versus motor speed.
The test could be done for different terminal voltage of
TEST RESULTS induction motor and results could be plotted on same axis for
comparison. Figure 15 shows torques for different terminal
With the test configuration of Figure 4, an ac source with 80 V voltages of induction motor. The increase in voltage will force the
rms is applied to terminals of induction motor. Field current of dc peak torque to increase and the speed in which maximum torque
motor and speed of dc generator are kept constant. Output current appears will shift slightly to the left.
of dc generator are changed in order to change the speed of The test could be done for other conditions such as different
induction motor. The output power, efficiency and torque of frequencies and results can be shown in instructional manner for
induction motor are calculated from Equations (10)
(12). The helping student to understand the behavior of induction motor.
power factor of induction motor is calculated from: Figure 16 is a comparison plot between torques at different
frequencies. Note the high starting and peak torque in lower
PacðPhaseÞ frequencies.
pf ¼ ð14Þ
VacðPhaseÞ IacðPhaseÞ Torques for different voltages and frequencies, when the
ratios of voltages to frequencies are the same, are shown in
Variation of input power (per phase) of induction motor
Figure 17. In this plot like Figure 16, the starting torque at lower
versus motor speed is shown in Figure 8. The right hand of curve
frequencies is higher. This situation is used in variable frequency
is the stable area for motor operation. If the machine operation
start-up procedure of induction machine [7].
point under any reason comes to the left side of the curve, the
motor will stall.
Variation of input phase current of induction motor versus
motor speed is shown in Figure 9. Note to the increase in current
in lower speeds.
Variation of torque (per phase) of induction motor versus
motor speed is shown in Figure 10. The right hand of curve is the
stable area for motor operation.
Variation of output power (per phase) of induction motor
versus motor speed is shown in Figure 11.
Figure 12 shows variation of efficiency of induction motor
versus motor speed.
Figure 13 shows variation of power factor of induction
motor versus motor speed.

Table 2 Determining K
Field current of DC motor
dc generator (A) ea (V) speed (Rad/s) K (N m/A)

0.2398 11.99 3 0.999

0.4998 24.99 6.25 0.999
0.8996 44.98 11.25 0.999 Figure 9 Variation of input phase current of induction motor versus
1.799 89.95 22.5 0.999 speed.
230 VAHIDI AND TAVAKOLI

Figure 13 Variation of power factor of induction motor versus speed.

Figure 10 Variation of torque (per phase) of induction motor versus
speed.

Figure 11 Variation of output power (per phase) of induction motor Figure 14 Variation of input current of dc motor versus speed.
versus speed.

Figure 15 Comparison between torques at different terminal voltages of

Figure 12 Variation of efficiency of induction motor versus speed. induction motor.
 WARD LEONARD TEST SET AND INDUCTION MOTOR 231

Figure 18 The test results in all test points.

said to understand the concept, if he or she answers all the

questions correctly.
The following questions are prepared for testing the students
Figure 16 Comparison between torques at different frequencies. whether they gained all the concepts or not:

(1) An induction motor is connected to a constant voltage

To show the results better, in Figure 18, all the tested points source. If the mechanical load of the motor makes the
are shown. In this figure, the horizontal axis is the sequence of mechanical speed to decrease, how it affect the power
points which are tested and vertical axis is the obtained value for which is drawn of the source by the machine?
different parameters. (2) An operator of a large induction machine in a milling
factory observes a sudden increase in terminal current of
the machine. She stops the machine operation and
STUDENTS FEEDBACK decreases the grain mass on the machine shaft for milling.
Can you describe why this action has to be taken by the
Assessment of learning outcomes refers to specific processes operator?
through which learners demonstrate the attainment of learning (3) If an induction motor operates under constant terminal
outcomes. In a course, the instructor has the obligation to check voltage and frequency, how the output torque would
learners whether they have attained the learning outcomes or not. change if the speed decreases slightly?
To assess the dept of learning of learners of ward Leonard (4) In an induction motor, the load and supply frequency
test and induction machine performance, a question sheet is remain constant. How the machine torque will change if
prepared. The students are required to answer the questions after the terminal voltage increases?
theoretical sessions are attained and before using the simulator. (5) Due to a short circuit in the supply electric network, the
Same questions are asked of students after each try of using the terminal voltage of an induction motor decreases. The
simulator. To be noted is that before the first try of using the mechanical load on the machine remains constant. After
simulator, working procedure with simulator is taught first and coming back to nominal voltage, the operators have seen
the questions are based only on the machine itself. A student is that stator winding of this machine is damaged due to
excessive temperature rise. Can you explain what
happened in this accident?
(6) In large induction machines, there is always desirable to
have large starting torque which is the machine torque
when the machine starts rotating. In some cases, the
machine is started with lower supply frequency. Can you
explain how it affects the starting torque of machine?

The test is performed on four groups (i.e., G1, G2, G3, and
G4) of students (10 students per group). Before using the
simulator, the understanding rate of students in each group is
shown in Figure 19. As it can be seen from this chart, the learning
rate in all four groups is low (total 13 students out of 40).
However, after the first try, the rate of understanding increases.
Figure 20 shows the understanding rate of students of each
group in four successive tries. The final result is also shown for
cumulative number of learning of students during four tries in
Figure 21. After four tries, all the students have got the concepts
by using the simulation utilities. It is good to mention that during
Figure 17 Comparison between torques at different frequencies and each try, the students may focus on the questions that they have
terminal voltages for the same ratio of voltage to frequency. not answered correctly. In a different test, with different learners,
232 VAHIDI AND TAVAKOLI

(1) The students can be familiar with test before going for
hardware test setup.
(2) For those universities with limited budget, software
laboratory can be used instead of hardware set.
(3) Of course there are differences between software labo-
ratory and actual (hardware) laboratory. The authors
believe that in all universities some laboratory hardware
setup should be implemented in order to enable the
students to gain experiences on working with hardwares.

CONCLUSION

Present paper has outlined and illustrated a MATLAB-SIMU-

Figure 19 Number of students which have understood the concept LINK model to simulate Ward Leonard test setup for induction
before using the simulator. motors. The method considerably reduces the time and cost
needed to teach torque-speed, output power-speed and other
performance curves of induction motor in comparison with
laboratory hardware setup.
The focus is placed on studying the change in the torque,
output power, efficiency and power factor with respect to speed
variation during the simulated test which are identical to
parameters that are measured in real machines during hardware
setup tests in laboratory. Students may use this model in order to
learn how the torque, output power, efficiency, and power factor
change. Effects of input voltage of induction motor and its
frequency can be investigated as well.
The effectiveness of this method was tested with the help of
four groups of students (10 student per group) by means of special
test sheets selected questions. It was proved that the simulator has
positive effect on teaching the theoretical concepts and improving
Figure 20 Number of students in each group which have understood the the understanding level of students.
concept in successive four tries of using the simulator.

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 WARD LEONARD TEST SET AND INDUCTION MOTOR 233

BIOGRAPHIES

Behrooz Vahidi was born in Abadan, Iran, in Mohammad Reza Bank Tavakoli was born in
1953. He received the BS in electrical Kerman, Iran, in 1981. He received the BS in
engineering from Sharif University of Tech- electrical engineering from Tehran University,
nology, Tehran, Iran in 1980 and MS degree in Tehran, Iran, in 2003. Presently, he is an MS
electrical engineering from Amirkabir Univer- student at the department of electrical engi-
sity of Technology, Tehran, Iran, in 1989. He neering of Amirkabir University of Technol-
also received his PhD in electrical engineering ogy. His main fields of research are power
from UMIST, Manchester, UK in 1997. From system transient and high voltage engineering.
1980 to 1986, he worked in the field of high
voltage in industry as chief engineer. From 1989 to present, he has
been with the department of electrical engineering of Amirkabir
University of Technology where he is now a professor. His main fields
of research are high voltage, electrical insulation, power system
transient, lightning protection and pulse power technology. He has
authored and co-authored five books and 120 papers on high voltage
engineering and power system. Dr. Vahidi is a senior member of
IEEE.