Induction motor at low voltage

In summary, if you run an induction motor at a lower voltage, it might not have as much starting torque.
  • #1
manche
2
0
I have got an 1HP induction motor rated at 230V(line), 60Hz. If I run it at 185V(line) at 65Hz, what factors are affected in its performance?

I am hoping for your expert advices..
 
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  • #2
If this is a single phase motor it may have starting issues and will have less torque in general regardless of single or 3 phase. I believe wiki has some good stuff on variable frequency drives. You will likely get some good ideas from there.
 
  • #3
At this lower voltage, you might start to see the motor getting a little warmer than if it were running at the rated voltage. It's probably not going to be enough difference to cause too much concern however I would want to try it to see. What is your application?
For induction motors, as Averagesupernova says, it might have a little trouble starting. Again you can try it to see.
Here's a Wikipedia page explaining how slip effects induction motor speed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_motor"

Welcome to PF
 
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  • #4
By my cacluations you'll be running about 74% flux density, get about 60% peak torque and as little as 54% starting torque.
 
  • #5
I see that lower voltage means not so good performance.

My confusion is, if that is the case, why constant v-f is so popular. I will make my confusion clearer.
For V-f, inverter is used to generate three phases. Inverter is fed by DC bus voltage which itself is rectified from supply voltage.
Here is the problem,(step by step)
-if supply voltage is 208V line,dc bus is 294V. (using three phase bridge rectifier)
-Since max. phase voltage (from inverter) is only 0.5Vdc (about 150Vdc)
-So,the motor driven at 208V directly is now only driven at sqrt(3)*150V/sqrt(2)=184Vrms
line voltage.
-Since all other V's and f's for const v-f is scaled from 184Vrms, all other values are skewed
in their performances too.

I went through different VFD for v-f, and almost all uses same scheme. Am I missing something here?
 
  • #6
I'm not sure what you are asking here, but the general rule is to maintain a voltage to frequency ratio (V/f) to maintain the motors rated torque (230/60 in this case). So you can speed up or slow down the motor while keeping the torque constant. If you want to decrease its toruqe, reduce the V/f ratio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Frequency_Drive"
 
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  • #7
uart said:
By my cacluations you'll be running about 74% flux density, get about 60% peak torque and as little as 54% starting torque.

Can you please explain or show your calculations for this? I have an induction motor that is nominally 400V 50Hz and I would like to know how its torque changes when running at 400V 60Hz. Thanks.
 

1. What is an induction motor at low voltage?

An induction motor at low voltage is an electric motor that operates at a lower voltage than its rated voltage. This can be due to various factors such as power supply limitations or intentional voltage reduction for energy efficiency.

2. How does an induction motor operate at low voltage?

An induction motor operates at low voltage by reducing the voltage supplied to the motor. This can be done through a transformer or by using an inverter to convert the voltage from AC to DC and then back to AC at a lower voltage.

3. What are the advantages of using an induction motor at low voltage?

The main advantage of using an induction motor at low voltage is energy efficiency. By operating at a lower voltage, the motor consumes less power and reduces energy costs. It also helps in reducing motor heating and extends the lifespan of the motor.

4. Are there any disadvantages of using an induction motor at low voltage?

One potential disadvantage is that the torque output of the motor decreases at low voltage, which can affect the performance of the motor. Additionally, using an inverter to reduce the voltage can introduce harmonics and affect the power quality.

5. Can an induction motor be used at any voltage?

No, an induction motor has a specific rated voltage that it is designed to operate at. Operating the motor at a significantly lower voltage than the rated voltage can cause damage to the motor and decrease its efficiency.

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