Classification of Electrical Motors

Introduction

We all know that without electricity, we cannot do any of our job. If we look into the world we
live in, the major development in technology and civilization took place only after the
introduction of electricity and electrical devices. Can we imagine a life with out air
conditioners/ceiling fans, lights, computers and communication devices and many more.

So it is quiet evident that electricity and electrical equipments play a vital role in every inch of
our life. One such equipment which created a giant leap to the mankind in both domestic &
industrial sectors is the "Motor". The usage of AC motors is much more prevalent than DC

motors due to several practical reasons which we shall learn later on.

A.C. Motors are playing a very vital role in everyday life, right from pumping water to overhead
tank to modern robot's manoeuvring arm. The main factor which lead to the adoption & wide
usage in various fields is its flexibility and its huge variety which can be matched with almost
any kind of demand. To know what are the different types of A.C.Motors available, to match it
perfectly with the demand, it is highly essential to know about the different classifications of
A.C.Motors.

Types of AC Motors

• Classification Based On Principle Of Operation:

(a) Synchronous Motors.

1. Plain
2. Super

(b) Asynchronous Motors.

1. Induction Motors:

(a) Squirrel Cage

(b) Slip-Ring (external resistance).

2. Commutator Motors:

(a) Series

(b) Compensated

(c) Shunt

(d) Repulsion

(e) Repulsion-start induction

(f) Repulsion induction

• Classification Based On Type Of Current:

1. Single Phase

2. Three Phase

• Classification Based On Speed Of Operation:

1. Constant Speed.

2. Variable Speed.

3. Adjustable Speed.

• Classification Based On Structural Features:

1. Open

2. Enclosed

3. Semi-enclosed
4. Ventilated

5. Pipe-ventilated

6. Riveted frame-eye etc..

Overview of A.C.Motors

1. Synchronous Motors & it's Uses: These motors have the rotor(which
is connected to the load) rotating at the same speed as the speed of rotation of the stator current.
In other words, we can say these motors don't have slip with respect to the stator current. They
are sometimes used no to drive the load but instead act as "synchronous condenser", to improve
the power factor of the local grid to which it is connected to. These kind of motors are used even
in high precision positioning devices like modern robots.They can also act as stepper motors.

2. Asynchronous Motors & it's Uses: The most common form of motor which is used in
everyday life from pumping water up the overhead tank to power plant boiler feed pumps, these
kind of motors rule. These motors are very flexible to use and matches the load demand almost

for everything. The most widely used Induction Motors are very
important for many industries due to their load bearing capacity and flexibility. These
motors,unlike synchronous motors, slip when compared to the stator current field. They are
generally used for various types of pumps, compressors and acts as prime movers for many
machineries.

3. Single & Three Phase Motors and their Uses: The A.C.Motors can find their usage in 2
forms based on their power supply. The single phase motors are generally found their use in low
power requirements/domestic appliances like ceiling fans, mixer grinders, portable power tools
etc. The three phase motors are generally found for high power requirements like power drives
for compressors, hydraulic pumps, air conditioning compressors, irrigation pumps and many
more.

4. Constant, Variable & Adjustable Speed Motors: As already said,

A.C.Motors are highly flexible in many ways including their speed control. There are motors
which should be run at a constant speed for air compressors. Certain cooling water pumps driven
by a.c.motors can be run at two or three speeds by just switching the number of poles used. If the
number of poles are changed then the speed also changes. These serve best for sea water cooling
pumps in marine engine room applications & many power plants. The speed of the motors can
also be varied continuously by some electronic arrangements thus this can be suited for certain
applications like a ship's cargo pump, whose discharge rate has to lowered as per the terminals
requirement.

5. Varied Structure Motors: These types of motors have different outer cage arrangements,
depending upon the usage or any special industrial requirement. For motors used in gas and oil
terminals, the casing must be of intrinsically safe, thus it may either have a enclosed casing or a
pipe ventilated arrangement such that the sparks produced inside the motor does not cause a fire
outside it. Also many motors are totally enclosed as it may be open to weather like those used in
hydro-electric power plants.

STATE the applications of the following types of AC motors:

a. Induction b. Single-phase c. Synchronou

b. AC Motors AC MOTOR TYPES AC MOTOR TYPES Various types of AC motors are used
for specific applications. By matching the type of motor to the appropriate application,
increased equipment performance can be obtained. EO 1.5 DESCRIBE how torque is
produced in a single-phase AC motor. EO 1.6 EXPLAIN why an AC synchronous motor
does not have starting torque. EO 1.7 DESCRIBE how an AC synchronous motor is started.
EO 1.8 DESCRIBE the effects of over and under-exciting an AC synchronous motor. EO 1.9
STATE the applications of the following types of AC motors: a. Induction b. Single-
phase c. Synchronous Induction Motor Previous explanations of the operation of an AC
motor dealt with induction motors. The induction motor is the most commonly used AC
motor in industrial applications because of its simplicity, rugged construction, and
relatively low manufacturing costs. The reason that the induction motor has these
characteristics is because the rotor is a self-contained unit, with no external
connections. This type of motor derives its name from the fact that AC currents are
induced into the rotor by a rotating magnetic field. The induction motor rotor (Figure 5) is
made of a laminated cylinder with slots in its surface. The windings in the slots are one of
two types. The most commonly used is the "squirrel-cage" rotor. This rotor is made of
heavy copper bars that are connected at each end by a metal ring made of copper or brass.
No insulation is required between the core and the bars because of the low voltages
induced into the rotor bars. The size of the air gap between the rotor bars and
stator windings necessary to obtain the maximum field strength is small.

Single-Phase AC Induction Motors If two stator windings of unequal

impedance are spaced 90 electrical degrees apart and connected in parallel to a
single-phase source, the field produced will appear to rotate. This is called
phase splitting. In a split-phase motor, a starting winding is utilized. This
winding has a higher resistance and lower reactance than the main winding
(Figure 6). When the same voltage VT is applied to the starting and main
windings, the current in the main winding (IM) lags behind the current of the
starting winding IS (Figure 6). The angle between the two windings is enough
phase difference to provide a rotating magnetic field to produce a starting
 torque. When the motor reaches 70 to 80% of synchronous speed, a centrifugal
switch on the motor shaft opens and disconnects the starting winding. Single-
phase motors are used for very small commercial applications such as
household appliances and buffers.

Synchronous Motors Synchronous motors are like induction motors in that they
both have stator windings that produce a rotating magnetic field. Unlike an
induction motor, the synchronous motor is excited by an external DC source
and, therefore, requires slip rings and brushes to provide current to the rotor. In
the synchronous motor, the rotor locks into step with the rotating magnetic field
and rotates at synchronous speed. If the synchronous motor is loaded to the
point where the rotor is pulled out of step with the rotating magnetic field, no
torque is developed, and the motor will stop. A synchronous motor is not a self-
starting motor because torque is only developed when running at synchronous
speed; therefore, the motor needs some type of device to bring the
rotor to synchronous speed. Synchronous motors use a wound rotor. This type
of rotor contains coils of wire placed in the rotor slots. Slip rings and brushes
are used to supply current to the rotor. (Figure 7).

Types of Motors
 Direct Current (DC) Motors

DC motor—Click image to enlarge and view reference

Direct-current (DC) motors are often used in variable speed applications. The DC motor can be
designed to run at any speed within the limits imposed by centrifugal forces and commutation
considerations. Many machine tools also use DC motors because of the ease with which speed
can be adjusted.

All DC motors, other than the relatively small brushless types, use a commutator assembly on
the rotor. This requires periodic maintenance and is partly responsible for the added cost of a DC
motor when compared to an alternate-current (AC) squirrel-cage induction motor of the same
power. The speed adjustment flexibility often justifies the extra cost.

Alternate Current (AC) Motors

AC motor
Click image to enlarge and view reference

Alternate-current (AC) motors - As in the DC motor case, an AC motor has a current passed
through the coil, generating a torque on the coil. The design of an AC motor is considerably
more involved than the design of a DC motor. The magnetic field is produced by an
electromagnet powered by the same AC voltage as the motor coil. The coils that produce the
magnetic field are traditionally called the "field coils" while the coils and the solid core that
rotates is called the "armature."

Two basic types of AC motors:

Induction motor—The induction motor is a three-phase AC motor and is the most widely used
machine. Its characteristic features are:
 • Simple and rugged construction.
• Low cost and minimum maintenance.
• High reliability and sufficiently high efficiency.
• Needs no extra starting motor and does not need to be synchronized.

Two basic assemblies make up an induction motor: the stator assembly and the rotor assembly.
The motor "induces" current into the rotor by the rotating magnetic flux produced in the stator.
Motor torque is developed from interaction of currents flowing in the rotor bars and the stator's
rotating magnetic field. When a three-phase voltage is applied to the stator winding, a rotating
magnetic field of constant magnitude is produced. This rotating field is produced by the
contributions of space-displaced phase windings carrying appropriate time displaced currents.
The rotating field induces an electromotive force (emf).

Synchronous motor—The most obvious characteristic of a synchronous motor is its strict

synchronism with the power line frequency. The reason the industrial user is likely to prefer a
synchronous motor is its higher efficiency and the opportunity for the user to adjust the motor's
power factor.

A specially designed motor controller performs these operations in the proper sequence and at
the proper times during the starting process.
AC Motor Types Summary In a split-phase motor, a starting winding is utilized.
This winding has a higher resistance and lower reactance than the main
winding. When the same voltage (VT) is applied to the starting and main
windings, the current in the main winding lags behind the current of the
starting winding. The angle between the two windings is enough phase
difference to provide a rotating magnetic field to produce a starting torque. A
synchronous motor is not a self-starting motor because torque is
only developed when running at synchronous speed. A synchronous motor may
be started by a DC motor on a common shaft or by a squirrel-cage winding
imbedded in the face of the rotor poles. Keeping the same load, when the field
excitation is increased on a synchronous motor, the motor operates at a leading
power factor. If we reduce field excitation, the motor will operate at a lagging
power factor. The induction motor is the most commonly used AC motor in
industrial applications because of its simplicity, rugged construction, and
relatively low manufacturing costs. Single-phase motors are used for very
small commercial applications such as household appliances and buffers.
Synchronous motors are used to accommodate large loads and to improve
the power factor of transformers in large industrial complexes.
(a) Synchronous Motors.
1. Plain
2. Super
(b) Asynchronous Motors.
1. Induction Motors:
(a) Squirrel Cage
(b) Slip-Ring (external resistance).
2. Commutator Motors:
(a) Series
(b) Compensated
(c) Shunt
(d) Repulsion
(e) Repulsion-start induction
(f) Repulsion induction
• Classification Based On Type Of Current:
1. Single Phase
2. Three Phase
• Classification Based On Speed Of Operation:
1. Constant Speed.
2. Variable Speed.
3. Adjustable Speed.
• Classification Based On Structural Features:
1. Open
2. Enclosed
3. Semi-enclosed
4. Ventilated
5. Pipe-ventilated
6. Riveted frame-eye etc..