- Teacher: Gloria Torres
The starting current of most AC motors is several times normal full load current. Both synchronous and induction motors can draw five to ten times full load current when starting them across the line. Motor-starting torque varies directly as the square of the applied voltage. If the terminal voltage drop is excessive, the motor may not have enough starting torque to accelerate up to running speed. Running motors may stall from excessive voltage drops, or under-voltage relays may operate. In addition, if the motors are started frequently, the voltage dip at the source may cause objectionable flicker in the lighting system.
By using motor-starting study techniques, these problems can be predicted before the installation of the motor. If a starting device is needed, its characteristics and ratings can be easily determined. A typical digital computer program will calculate speed, slip, electrical output torque, load current, and terminal voltage data at discrete time intervals from locked rotor to full load speed. Also, voltage at important locations throughout the system during start-up can be monitored. The study can help select the best method of starting, the proper motor design, or the required system design for minimizing the impact of motor starting on the entire system.
The material in this course is presented with numerous diagrams, waveforms to help students understand how large motors are started in large industrial systems.
The ability of a power system, containing two or more synchronous machines, to continue to operate after a change occurs on the system is a measure of its stability. The stability problem takes two forms: steady-state and transient. Steady-state stability may be defined as the ability of a power system to maintain synchronism between machines within the system following relatively slow load changes. Transient stability is the ability of the system to remain in synchronism under transient conditions, i.e., faults, switching operations, etc. In an industrial power system, stability may involve the power company system and one or more in-plant generators or synchronous motors. Contingencies, such as load rejection, sudden loss of a generator or utility tie, starting of large motors or faults (and their duration), have a direct impact on system stability. Load-shedding schemes and critical fault-clearing times can be determined in order to select the proper settings for protective relays.
These types of studies are probably the single most complex ones done on a power system. A simulation will include synchronous generator models with their controls, i.e., voltage regulators, excitation systems, and governors. Motors are sometimes represented by their dynamic characteristics as are static var compensators and protective relays.