Control of electric motors.

08/30/2024

Practice 3:
Full voltage starting of a three-phase motor and changing direction.

Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.

San Juan del Río.

Career:
Electromechanical engineering.

Subject:
Control of electric motors.

Student:
Ismael Pacheco Villeda - 308477.

Professor
Dr. Juan Pablo Amézquita Sánchez.

August - 30 - 2024.

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I. OBJECTIVE.
Create, simulate and implement the force and control diagrams for a three-phase, rotation-shifting motor
with full-voltage starting.

II. INTRODUCTION.
The rotation control of three-phase motors is an essential aspect in industrial applications, as it allows the
efficient and safe management of the operation of electric motors. Three-phase motors, powered by three
phases of alternating current, are widely used for their ability to handle large loads and their high efficiency.
Controlling the rotation of these motors involves not only turning the motor on and off, but also changing
the direction of its rotation, protecting it against overloads and faults, and optimizing its performance.

A key element in this control is the contactors, which are electromechanical switches designed to connect
or disconnect the motor from the power source. Contactors are activated by an internal coil that, when
energized, closes or opens the main contacts, allowing the passage of current. In addition, they have
auxiliary contacts, which are used in control circuits to indicate the status of the system or to integrate with
other devices, such as start or stop buttons.

Motor protection is achieved through devices such as the thermal relay, which is responsible for preventing
the motor from being damaged by overloads. This device detects if the current exceeds the predefined limit,
disconnecting the motor if necessary to avoid overheating or serious damage.

A fundamental aspect of the control is the ability to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor, which is
achieved by exchanging two of the three power phases. To do this, two contactors are used: one for forward
rotation and one for reverse rotation. These contactors must be properly coordinated by electrical and
mechanical locks to prevent them from being activated simultaneously, which could cause a short circuit.

In control systems, push buttons allow the motor to start and stop. In addition, signaling systems and other
protection devices such as overcurrent relays and phase loss relays are included, which protect the motor
from abnormal conditions, such as the loss of one of the phases, which could seriously damage the motor.

In summary, the rotation control of three-phase motors combines various components such as contactors,
thermal relays, pushbuttons and protection devices to ensure that the motor operates correctly and is
protected against possible failures. These systems are essential for efficient and safe operation in a wide
range of industrial applications.

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III. MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTS, TOOLS AND RESOURCES.

A contactor is a special type of relay used to make or break an electrical circuit. They are most commonly
used with electric motors and in lighting applications. Using a contactor provides a level of isolation, away
from the high electrical currents associated with those applications, protecting workers and equipment [1].

Fig. 1. Contactor.
The thermal relay is a device designed to protect motors and electrical installations from overloads and
excessive heating, which can cause damage to the equipment and also cut off and damage the supply. It is a
way to keep your motor or electrical installation in good condition, prolonging its life and providing peace
of mind to your home [2].

The operation of the electrical thermal relay is based on a bimetallic plate (usually iron, nickel and brass are
used). This plate identifies possible internal fluctuations in electricity and temperature, as it reacts by
expanding [2].

When the plate expands, the electric current is automatically cut off. Until the plate cools down and
recovers its position, the supply is not enabled again [2].

Fig. 2. Thermal relay.

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Materials:
● Banana-Alligator clips.
● Banana-Banana clips.
● 2 contactors.
● 1 Thermal relay.
● 1 Push Button NO - 2 connections.
● 1 Push Button NC.
● 1 multimeter.
● PC.
● Oscilloscope.
● Ammeter clamp.
● Three-phase motor 220V, 60Hz

Software:
● SolidWorks Electrical.
● CADe_SIMU.

IV. METHODOLOGY.
Simulation:
● Design the control system to generate the interlocking system.
● Recreate the force diagram.
● Verify the operation of the system.

Physical assembly:
● Check the continuity of the cables to be used.
● Check the continuity of the components and their connections.
● Recreate the control system with the real elements.
● Check the operation of the system.
● Measure the current in one of the power phase wires.

Numeric:
● Check the continuity of the cables to be used.
● Obtain the maximum current.
● Obtain the maximum RMS current.
● Obtain the gain between maximum current and nominal current.
● Obtain the speed of the magnetic field and rotor.
● Obtain the slip with and without load

V. EXPERIMENTATION.
Simulation:

The simulation section is divided into two parts: the CADe_SIMU part and the SolidWorks Electrical part.
The first part shows the control diagram for the interlocking system and the force diagram in operation.

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In SolidWorks Electrical, the force diagram is shown to adapt the elements and connections to the
specifications of the standard used (IEC).

CADe_SIMU:

Fig. 3. Control diagram for the changing direction. Fig. 4. Force diagram for the changing direction.

Figure 3 shows the control diagram required to create the rotation change system in the three-phase motor,
based on the force diagram in Figure 4, where F refers to the thermal relay that protects the motor (M);
KM1 and KM2 are the contactors required in the circuit and Q to the thermal magnetic switch that protects
the power line.

In this circuit, when the power line is energized, the current stays until it reaches the start buttons (Str1 and
Str2). If Str1 is pressed, the NO contact of KM1 closes and locks this section until it reaches the coil of
KM1, which connects the three phases in the following way:

L1-U1
L2-V1
L3-W1

On the contrary, if Str2 is pressed, the coil of KM2 is locked, which makes the following connections:

L1-W1
L2-V1
L3-U1
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This change in the connections of the phases with the motor causes the change of rotation. If you want to
stop the system, you must press the Stp button, which cuts off the power for both branches.
To prevent the two systems from being interlocked at the same time (which would cause a short circuit) the
NC contact of KM2 is added to the line that supplies the KM1 coil and the NC contact of KM1 to the line
that supplies the KM2 coil, to ensure that when one of the buttons is pressed, one of these contacts opens,
cutting off the current flow to one of the coils and ensuring that only one of the two connections comes into
operation.

SolidWorks Electrical:

Fig. 5. Force diagram in SolidWorks Electrical.

Figure 5 shows the force diagram adapted to the symbols and colors dictated by the standard provided by
the IEC, with the color for neutral being blue, and for the different lines being brown, black and gray.

In addition to this, the elements present in the system are also shown, such as the thermal magnetic switch
Q1, the contactors K1 and K2, the thermal relay is F1, in addition to the motor M.
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Physical assembly:

Fig. 6. Real assembly.

Figure 6 shows:

● White: KM1. ● Yellow: Thermal relay.

● Blue: KM2. ● Orange: Control buttons.

Fig. 7. Motor used for experimentation.

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VI. RESULTS.
Simulation:

Fig. 8. Motor rotating clockwise.

Fig. 9. Motor rotating counterclockwise.

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Fig. 10. Short circuit protection test.

Fig. 11. Thermal relay protection test.

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Physical assembly:

Fig. 12. System operating and monitored.

La figura 12 muestra el sistema operando y cómo es medida la corriente en una de las fases conectadas al
motor para observar su estado transiente y obtener valores como corriente máxima o tiempo de
estabilización.

Fig. 13. Measures from the oscilloscope.

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Numeric:

To carry out the corresponding analyses, some values ​are taken from the motor data plate:

Fig. 14. Motor data plate.

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 14. 4 𝐴 𝑡𝑠𝑠 = 180 𝑚𝑠

𝐼𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑅𝑀𝑆 = 1. 6 𝐴 ω𝑅 (𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑) = 3450 𝑟𝑝𝑚

𝐼𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑅𝑀𝑆𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 = 1. 2 𝐴
ω𝑅 (𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑) = 3520 𝑟𝑝𝑚

In order to calculate de 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑅𝑀𝑆 , and the 𝐼𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑅𝑀𝑆 it is necessary to use equation 1:

𝐼
𝐼𝑅𝑀𝑆 = (1)
2

14.4 𝐴 1.2 𝐴
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑅𝑀𝑆 = 𝐼𝑛𝑜𝑅𝑀𝑆 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 =
2 2

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑅𝑀𝑆 = 10. 182 𝐴 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑅𝑀 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 = 0. 848 𝐴

To calculate the current gain, i.e. how many times the current is raised above the rated current, simply
divide the maximum RMS current by the rated RMS current.

10.182 𝐴𝑅𝑀𝑆
𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 = 1.6 𝐴𝑅𝑀𝑆
= 6. 363
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To find the speed of the magnetic field, equation 2 is used, both for load and without load.

120·𝑓
ω𝑚 = (2)
𝑝

Where:

● ω𝑚: Angular velocity of the magnetic field of the motor.

● 𝑓: Frequency in the electric line.
● 𝑝: Number of poles in the motor (2 for this specific motor).

Therefore:
(120)(60𝐻𝑧)
ω𝑚 =
2

ω𝑚 = 3600 𝑟𝑝𝑚

The slip is calculated according to equation 4:

ω𝑅 = ω𝑚(1 − 𝑆) (3)

ω𝑅
∴𝑆 = 1 − (4)
ω𝑚

Where:

● ω𝑚: Angular velocity of the magnetic field of the motor.

● ω𝑅: Angular velocity of the rotor.
● 𝑆: Slip.

Without load: With load:

3520 3450
𝑆= 1 − 𝑆= 1 −
3600 3600

𝑆 = 2. 222 % 𝑆 = 4. 166 %

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VII. DISCUSSION.
One of the complications encountered during the control diagram creation process was that it was necessary
to ensure that the two paths of the power lines to the motor were not activated, since this would create a
short between the lines, damaging the system. This was solved by using the NC auxiliary contacts of the
contactors.

However, since the laboratory panel only has one contactor section with 2 auxiliary contacts (NC and NO),
it was necessary to wait for the other team to finish their practice to be able to use these contactors. This did
not present a major problem and was carried out properly.

When taking measurements with the oscilloscope, it was necessary to verify that the coupling was in AC in
order to correctly measure the current signal coming from the ammeter clamp, in addition to verifying that
the oscilloscope was configured at x10 to properly observe the values ​that would otherwise be minimally
visible.

When measuring the maximum current and comparing it with the nominal current, an increase of 6.363
times the nominal current indicated by the manufacturer was observed, which agrees with the theory
discussed in class, in addition to the fact that this value could increase if the nominal current measured (1.2
A) was taken, instead of the nominal current provided by the manufacturer (1.6 A).

This nominal current value was chosen since what the manufacturer provides is with a maximum load
coupled to the motor, so if the value of 1.2 A were used, it would be analyzed for the motor without load.
Even so, the maximum current was measured without a load connected to the motor, since it was not
counted on, so a new calculation must be taken into account if there was a load on the motor.

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VIII. DESIGN CONSEQUENCES.

In this design, starting from the power system, it is necessary to consider that only two of the phases are
changed in position, since if all three were changed, it is likely that the motor will not change its direction
of rotation, which does not ensure 100% that this characteristic sought with this practice is achieved. In
addition to this, it is possible to notice that the power line is protected by the thermal magnetic switch
regardless of which phase connection path is used since it is placed before the division of both paths. The
same occurs with the thermal relay, which protects the motor regardless of which contactor is being used
since it is placed just after the return of both paths.

Regarding the control diagram, the most important point considered for this design was not to cause a short
circuit between phases, caused by the activation of the coils of the two contactors at the same time. This
was avoided by using the auxiliary NC contacts of both contactors. When activating, for example, the coil
of KM1, its NC contact would open, preventing the passage of current to the coil of KM2, and vice versa,
which guaranteed that this short circuit problem would not occur.

IX. CONCLUSIONS.

When implementing a rotation control circuit on a three-phase motor using contactors, it is essential to
consider several key features to ensure safe, efficient and reliable operation. Among the most important
aspects is the correct selection and configuration of the contactors. These devices must be of adequate
capacity to handle the motor current, and it is crucial to ensure that their auxiliary contacts are correctly
connected to the control circuit to avoid signaling failures or improper starting.

Rotation reversal, which is achieved by reversing two phases, requires special attention to avoid short
circuits. An electrical and mechanical interlock must be implemented between the forward and reverse
rotation contactors, ensuring that they are never activated at the same time. This is essential, since a
simultaneous connection of both contactors would cause a dangerous and damaging short circuit for the
system.

Motor protection is another key factor, and devices such as the thermal relay are used for this, which
disconnects the motor in the event of overloads, protecting both the equipment and the facilities. It is also
advisable to integrate suitable fuses or circuit breakers that act quickly in the event of serious faults, such as
short circuits.

Finally, the usefulness of a rotation control system with contactors extends to multiple industrial
applications. This type of control allows the direction of rotation to be managed in machines such as
conveyor belts, elevators and power tools, improving operational flexibility. At the same time, it ensures
that the motor is protected against adverse conditions, minimizing risks and costs associated with repairs or
downtime.

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X. NORMATIVE REFERENCES.
IEC 60034-12 provides specific technical details on full-voltage starting (direct-on-line starting, DOL) of
asynchronous motors. Below are some key and specific points that the standard addresses for this type of
starting:

1. Starting current.
The starting current of a three-phase motor when connected to full voltage is typically 6 to 8 times the
motor's rated current. The standard classifies motors based on their ability to withstand these currents
without compromising the integrity of the equipment.

2. Starting torque.
The starting torque is the torque generated at the moment of starting at full voltage. IEC 60034-12 classifies
motors according to the percentage of their rated torque that they are able to generate during starting.
Different classes of motors are defined based on the level of torque available to overcome load inertia
during starting:

Class N: Normal starting torque, equivalent to 60%-70% of the nominal torque.

Class H: High starting torque, generally higher than 80% of the nominal torque.

3. Starting time
The standard specifies that motors must be able to start under normal load conditions within a reasonable
time, preventing high starting currents from lasting too long and causing overheating. Starting time will
depend on the motor design and the characteristics of the connected load.

4. Thermal limitations.
IEC 60034-12 establishes maximum limits for temperature rise during starting. Motors must be designed to
handle the heat generated during starting current peaks, and the standard specifies that thermal protection
devices, such as thermal relays, must be considered to prevent damage from overheating.

5. Mechanical impacts.
Starting at full voltage involves high mechanical stresses due to high currents and torques. The standard
specifies that motors must be mechanically robust to withstand the stress caused by vibrations and the
initial shock of starting.

6. Maximum number of starts.

IEC 60034-12 also limits the number of starts per hour that a motor can make without risk of overheating.
It is generally recommended not to make more than 2 to 4 starts per hour under full load conditions, unless
the motor is specifically designed for applications with frequent starts.

7. Protection during starting.

To protect the motor and the electrical system, the standard recommends the use of devices such as:
Thermal relays: To disconnect the motor in case of overheating.
Overcurrent relays: To protect against high current peaks during starting.
Circuit breakers: To prevent short circuits in the system.
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REFERENCES.

[1] c3controls. (2024). Los conceptos básicos de un Contactor y diferentes tipos de Contactores. c3controls
line of IEC Contactors are ideal for motor, actuator, solenoid, and other power switching applications.
https://www.c3controls.com/es/documento-tecnico/los-conceptos-basicos-de-un-contactor-y-diferentes-tipo
s-de-contactores/

[2] ENDESA (2023). Protege tu instalación eléctrica con el relé térmico.

https://www.endesa.com/es/blog/blog-de-endesa/luz/proteger-instalacion-electrica-rele-termico

[3] International Electrotechnical Commission (2024). IEC 60446:2007. Basic and safety principles for
man-machine interface, marking and identification - Identification of conductors by colors or
alphanumerics. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/16226

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