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Abstract- Reduced voltage motor starting has advantages and Because it is difficult to rebuild a motor once it is installed, It
issues that must be understood when applying these is important that this information be obtained during the
technologies. This paper addresses these considerations on negotiation cycle.
primary reactor, autotransformer, star delta and solid-state
reduced voltage starters. Motors draw much more current during starting than they do
at full load. They also have a low power factor at locked rotor
Index Terms Reduced voltage motor starting, primary (LR). When this is resolved into its kW and KVAR curves Fig.
reactor, autotransformer, star delta, and solid-state motor 2 results.
starters.
I. INTRODUCTION
When installing large motors on a power system, voltage
drop on the incoming power system is usually a primary
concern to the power company. Often the best solution is to
apply a reduced voltage starter. This paper provides guidance
as to what type and discusses the issues that must be
considered with each type.
II. MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
The medium voltage motor characteristics differ in many
ways from low voltage motors. In particular the locked rotor
torque (LRT) is typically 50-70 % of Full Load Torque (FLT). In
this case study we will use an 800 hp 900-rpm machine as a
model. This information is available from the motor
manufacturer as a graph or as a listing of torque, stator Fig. 2 kW, kVA and kVAR During Full Voltage Starting
current and power factor (PF). When the motor is used in a
reduced voltage starting application, the motor manufacturer III. EFFECTS ON SYSTEM VOLTAGE DROP WITH REDUCED VOLTAGE
STARTING
can supply the motor damage curves, and reduced voltage,
current, and torques. If asked he will supply the acceleration There are computer programs that help with these studies;
times. To do this he will require the driven machines inertia, however the studies for this paper were done using a
acceleration torque requirement both loaded and unloaded as spreadsheet program.
well as the power system impedance.
PRESENTED AT THE 2007 IEEE IAS PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY CONFERENCE IN WILLIAMSBURG, VA: IEEE 2007 - PERSONAL USE OF THIS MATERIAL IS PERMITTED.
reactive current flows, opposes the voltage source. Where as be started once an hour then the maximum voltage drop
the voltage across a resistance, through which reactive would be 6% and it would be good if it were less than 3%.
current flows, is at right angles to the voltage source and the
resultant voltage drop is small compared to the reactive
voltage drop. Fig. 3 shows this rather complex relationship in
graphical detail. The approximate formula for voltage drop is
given in IEEE Std 141-1993 3.11.1 Red Book.
XIII. Vita
Thomas A. Farr was born in Birmingham Alabama in
November 15,1968. He spent 6 years in the US Navy working
on the Aegis Weapon System followed by 2 years with
Lockheed Martin.
Received an AASEET from Asheville Buncombe Technical
Community College in 1995. Joined Eaton Electrical in 1997,
received a BSEET from Western Carolina in 2002.
Tom has worked as a tester and customer order engineer in
medium voltage motor starters. As an excitation control tester,
Fig. 20 Motor Voltage, Current and PFC Current on a 700 hp manufacturing engineer, customer order engineer and field
motor when the 1 500 hp motor is started on the same bus service engineer.
This is site specific and the harmonic resonance will change Tom is currently the Medium Voltage Motor Control
depending on what motors are on line with its power factor Application Engineer for Eaton Electrical at the Arden NC
capacitors on line. Plant.
One thing dont put the PF Capacitors between the starter and Lawrence B. Farr was born in Port Arthur TX, December 17,
the motor. The SCRs dont like it. The inrush to the capacitors 1941. He received a BSEE from Lamar State Collage of
damage the SCRs with high charging current . Technology, Beaumont, TX, and the MBA degree from the
University of Detroit, Detroit, MI in 1978.
Additional training will be required to service this type of
starter. He was with the Air Force in Control Center Design and
Installation, stationed in the Far East. He joined Westinghouse
X. Conclusion
in 1967 as a Field Service Engineer, He has had varied
When an engineer is faced with the problem of starting a assignments from steel and paper mill design and power
large motor on a weak power system, a reduced voltage system analysis to manufacturing and maintenance.
motor starter is a good option. The reactor starter is the Mr. Farr is Chair of the CANENA THC 17A WG1 for Medium
simplest and least expensive. However as we have seen it Voltage Motor Starters. Delegate for the US to the Working
has the least effect on reducing the line voltage drop Groups Revising IEC 60470, IEC 60289 and IEC 60694 High
associated with motor starting. The most expensive, complex Voltage, Motor Starters, Switchgear and Controlgear and
and requires the most expert maintenance is the Solid State Common Clauses.
starter. This paper provides the applications engineer a simple
method of calculation the effectiveness of each system and He is the Technical Advisor to the IEC USNC for High Voltage
outlines the strengths and pitfalls associated with starter type. Equipment and chief delegate to the IEC General Meetings.
XI. Nomenclature He was appointed Westinghouse Fellow Engineer in 1988 and
is Currently an Eaton Principal Engineer.
V is the voltage drop in circuit, line to neutral
I is the current flowing in the circuit
R is the resistance in one conductor, in ohms
X is the reactance in one conductor, in ohms
is the angle whose cosine is the load power factor
cos is the load power factor, in decimals
sin is the load reactive factor, in decimals
PU is per unit
PFC is power factor correction capacitor
Z Impedance in PU
SC Short Circuit in mVA
Vdtx Voltage drop after transformer
LRA Motor Locked Rotor Amps
RVSS Reduced Voltage Solid state Starter