STARTING HIGHINERTIA LOADS

ON

ADJUSTABLE
SPEED
DRIVES
LESMANZ
IEEEMEMBER
GE MOTORS& INDUSTRIAL
SYSTEMS
PO BOX 2205
FT. WAYNE,IN 46801-2205

I. ABSTRACT
In a cement mill there are
applications that require high starting torques
like draft inducer fans and ball mills.
Sometimes a larger motor is required just to
give enough starting torque to accelerate the
load. This paper will review how adjustable
speed drives can be used to give high starting
torque on a motor sized for running torque,
not starting torque, with a side benefit of low
starting current. This allows the user to install
a smaller motor one sized for running the
load, not starting it and gives adjustable
speed capability for process flow control and
speed control.

While accelerating high starting

torque loads is the subject of this paper, the
same principals can be used to maximize the
starting torque with a certain drive size
(maximum torque for a given amps rating of
the ASD.)
11. INTRODUCTION

When starting motors with high

inertia loads across the line, it is common
practice to determine load inertia and then
make
acceleration
time
calculations.
Comparing acceleration time to the motors
maximum allowable time to accelerate, the
motor can either be used or if necessary the
next larger rating may be required because
the acceleration time with the particular
inertia is too long. It is not uncommon to find
a motor to be sized for the starting /
accelerating load instead of the running load
in applications with high inertia loads.

JOHN OLDENKAMP
IEEE FELLOW

GE MOTORS & INDUSTRIAL

SYSTEMS
PO Box 2205
Fr.WAYNE, IN 46801-2205

What should be done differently

when an adjustable speed drive (ASD) is
applied on these loads with high inertias? In
this paper, a method will be established to
calculate running torque, calculate starting I
accelerating torque, and size the motor and
the ASD appropriately.
111. ASD OVERVIEW
More and more applications are
using ASDs in the cement and other
industries. These ASDs are used to control
the speed (and torque in more refined
applications) that the motor delivers to the
load. Modern ASDs control motor speed by
changing the frequency (and voltage) supplied
to the motor. What the user wants is process
control. This process control can often be
achieved by speed control. Subsequently, the
speed may be controlled by controlling the
frequency supplied to an AC 3 phase
induction motor. Therefore, process control
may be achieved by controlling the speed of
the AC induction motor driving the process.
Since the speed of the AC induction
motor under normal operation is determined
by the frequency supplied to the motor,
todays ASDs achieve speed control by
controlling the frequency to the motor.
Further, the ASDs must also adjust voltage to
the motor since flux to the motor is
determined by the ratio of voltage divided by
frequency.
Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an
ASD. ASDs change frequency and voltage

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Figure 1. Block Diagram of an ASD

to the motor by first converting the 3 phase
AC power to DC power in the rectifier
section. This DC power is then stored in the
capacitor bank. The inverter section delivers
pulses of DC to the motor in a controlled
manner to simulate an AC voltage and
frequency.

To start the motor on the ASD,

instead of setting the frequency to the desired
end frequency, the ASD starts at a low
frequency, and slowly increases the frequency
accelerating the load.

IV. HOW ASDS CHANGE SPEED AND

TORQUE

One of the advantages of using an

ASD is that the ASD starts the load a t reduced
voltages and frequency.

A guide for the maximum inertia that

a given H P rated motor can accelerate is
tabulated in NEMA MG 1,12.54.
Notes
indicate that if the inertia exceeds those of the
tables to contact the motor manufacturer.
Although slight deviations from this
maximum load inertia may be accomplished,
if the load inertia greatly exceeds the table
values, special design considerations are
required. Special designs include going to the
next larger HP rated motor or going to a high
starting torque design like the NEMA C or
NEMA D motors. NEMA C or D design
motors typically give high starting torque at
the expense of running efficiency.
When using an ASD, one picks the
approximate speed the motor will run by
setting the frequency. This adjusts the
synchronous speed of the motor in a
proportional fashion from rated synchronous
speed. (A motor that runs approximately 1800
RPM on 60 Hz, will run approximately 1500
RPM a t 50 Hz and 900 RPM a t 30 Hz.) The
load causes slight variation from the
approximate speed.
In conjunction with the reduction in
frequency, the voltage to the motor terminals
must also be reduced to keep a similar flux
level. If the frequency is dropped while
holding a constant voltage, the flux increases
proportional to ltfrequency.

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A set of discrete speed torque curves

is shown in Fig. 2. If the desire is to change the
motor speed, one changes the frequency on
the ASD setting. (The voltage is adjusted also
by the drive.) This changes the speed torque
curve from one to another of the curves
shown in Fig. 2. Naturally, the frequency
adjustment on the drive is much finer than
depicted on the curves.

0.5

1.0

Speed (PU)
Figure 2. A series of speed torque curves with
linear voltages per Hz withcut boost. The
solid lines show the part available on an ASD.
As can be seen in Fig. 2, the ASD
makes available the portion of the speed
torque curve at rated torques and below. That
portion above rated torque - in dashed lines
is not available continuously. (Most ASDs
allow the load to have 150% of rated amps for
60 seconds, allowing roughly 150% overload
torques for a short period of time.

At low frequencies, Fig. 2 depicts the

fact that the torque available from a Volts per
Hz scheme is reduced.
The available starting torque a t these
reduced voltages and frequencies is reduced
because the actual Volts that needs to be kept
at the constant Volts per Hz is the Voltage
that makes flux line Volts minus the Volt
drop across the stator impedance. (Vg in the
equivalent circuit of Fig. 5.)

To compensate for the reduction in

flux producing Volts (Vp), most ASDs have
available a function to increase the line Volts
at the low frequencies. This function is called
boost.
By using the boost function, the Volts
can be increased until the torque at starting is
also increased. Fig. 3 shows the increased
torque available at low speeds when boost is
used.
3.0 1

0.0

load? First, the maximum amps to accelerate

the load is calculated. Then, the volts and
frequency to produce these amps are
calculated.
As can be seen from observing Fig. 4,
by adjusting boost voltage at a particular
starting frequency, the starting torque (and
associated amps) can be increased or
decreased. It can further be observed in Fig.
4 that by changing the minimum frequency to
a higher or lower value, then modifying the
boost, one can arrive at the same starting
torque. This same amount of starting torque
at the different frequency will however come
with a different starting amps.

GGI
0

0.5
Speed (pu)

1.0

2.5

Figure 3. A series of speed torque curves with

boost.
V. OPTIMIZING MOTOR TORQUE
AT LOW SPEEDS EXPERIMENTALLY
In addition to controlling the boost
voltage at low speeds, the ASD can also
control the frequency that is supplied to the
motor at the time it is started.
By controlling both the boosted
voltage and the starting frequency, the
starting torque and the starting amps can be
optimized.
Before getting into the mathematical
calculations of how to optimize starting
torque, it is meaningful to look at the concept
that will be used in terms related to what the
ASD can actually control. The three
parameters that will be used to control the
starting torque will be (1) drive overload
amps, (2) boost at low speeds, and (3)
minimum frequency of operation the drive
will allow.
Two methods can be considered with
the principals discussed in this paper. The
main focus of this paper is that a minimum
starting torque is required to accelerate a
load. A certain motor has been selected. How
many amps are required to accelerate the

Figure 4. Curves A-C have the same starting

frequency with varying boost. Curves C, E,
and F have the same starting torque but
differing boost and starting frequency.
The optimization routine is to select
the voltage boost and frequency to deliver a
certain starting torque with a minimum
amperage.
The above method can actually be
used to maximize starting torque or minimize
starting amps with an existing drive and
motor. For obtaining the maximum starting
torque, the routine would be to change the
minimum starting frequency, then increase
the boost until the drive trips. At this point,
back the boost down by a notch until the drive
trips and after assuring that the drive no
longer trips, observe the starting torque. (May
be accomplished by observing whether it
starts, or how fast the load is accelerated or
other similar methods.) Experimentally,
various starting minimum frequencies could
be used and this process repeated until the
maximum starting torque were observed. (An
obvious drawback with this experimental
solution arises if one would determine
experimentally that the ASD could not deliver

83

adequate starting torque without tripping the

drive. One would then need to go to a larger
drive to obtain the required torque.)
Similarly, if the object were to
minimize amps to start, the same method
could be used, with the differentiating factor
being amps to accelerate, not accelerating
torque o r time. (In this condition, one may not
want to maximize the boost at a given
frequency.)

and the resulting slip is 1.0. The resulting ,r2/s

for s = 1.0 is r,.
To simplify
calculations, it is
convenient to move the rotor leakage
reactance - X2 - to the stator side of the
circuit. This results in a modified equivalent
circuit as shown in Fig. 6. The equivalent
circuit of Fig. 6 is very similar to the
equivalent circuit used by vector control
algorithms.

~vp
rl

To determine a good frequency to

start the iteration process, from the speed
torque curve of the motor, determine the slip
RPM of the motor under rated conditions that
gives the torque desired to start the motor. (If
an 1800 RPM motor delivers the torque
desired at 1770 RPM, the slip RPM would be
30 - [1800-17701).The starting frequency for
the first iteration would then be calculated
using: Frequency for first iteration = (Slip
RPM / Synchronous RPM at Rated) * Rated
Frequency. In the example above this would
be (30RPM/1800RPM)*60Hz=1 Hz.
VI. CALCULATING OPTIMUM MOTOR
STARTING TORQUE
To understand how to calculate both
the starting voltage and frequency to optimize
starting volts and amps, look at the induction
motor equivalent circuit in Fig. 5. The
parameters used in this equivalent circuit are:
rl (stator winding resistance); x1 ( stator
leakage
reactance);
x,
(magnetizing
reactance); x2 (rotor leakage reactance); r2
(rotor winding resistance) and s (slip of the
motor.) Slip is defined by the following
equation: s (slip) = (Synchronous speed of the
motor-Actual speed of the motor) /
Synchronous speed of the motor.

Fvq7
rl

Vphase

r21s

Figure 5. The standard induction motor

equivalent circuit.
Note that for nearly all of the
calculations in this paper the actual RPM is 0

84

j(xl'+x2')

Vphase

Figure 6. The modified induction motor

equivalent circuit.

One further equivalent circuit

refinement is desired for calculating the
starting voltage. This is shown in Fig. 7.
rl

j(xl'+x2')

r2 Fls

Note: For Starting, s=l and r2F/s = r2F.

Figure 7. Equivalent circuit model for

calculating starting voltage.
It can be shown that the maximum
torque per amp that can be delivered by the
motor of Fig. 54s achieved when the current
used to produce torque (I,) equals the current
to produce flux (I,,,). Although this is a true
statement, a machine would need to be
designed with this in mind. Most machines as
designed would oversaturate if the I,,, were
that high. For optimizing starting torque per
amp on an existing machine, it is beneficial to
push for higher than normal 1,'s but not to
get it equal to I,.
To calculate the optimum motor
voltage and frequency to start the motor, it is
necessary that the equivalent circuit
parameters be known.

In the calculations that follow, some

approximations are used, but the estimates
are close enough to give good starting
performance. Fine tuning in the field will be
required to get exact performance.
The steps to use to determine
optimum starting frequency and boost volts
are:
Iteration 1:
Step 1: Assume lI,I=
supplier.

lVsphaselis the absolute value of the phase

voltage during starting. (Also line volts for a
delta connected motor.)
IIphasel is the absolute value of the phase
current during starting. lIphasel
= lIlinel
for wye
connected machines. It is calculated as:

I, from the motor

rl is from the motor supplier,

Step 2: Specify the torque - Tg required to

start. (All equations are written assuming the
units are pound feet.)
Caution: If the starting torque required (Tq)
exceeds the breakdown torque of the motor
being considered, a big potential for
saturation and not being able to deliver the
torque exists. Coordinate carefully with the
motor supplier if the starting torque exceeds
90% of the breakdown torque available from
the motor at rated speed.

- x,,
XI

x2, f,, and f a r e all defined above

= x1 * f, / f

rF= (x,

* r 2 j/ (r, + x,)

xF = (x, * r22)/ (r2 + x,)

and:

Step 3: Calculate the absolute value of the

rotor current 11,l where:

1121= [Tq * 16/11.8]/ [1.5 * P * L,

* lIMl]

and:
Tq is from Step 2,
P is the number of poles (4 for an
1800 RPM motor),
L, = x, 2 / (x, + x,) * 2nf,
x, ,x, come from the motor
supplier, and
f is the frequency at which x, and x2
are calculated.

These calculations would then yield a

starting boost voltage to set boost voltage on
the ASD value of Vsphase (if the motor
calculated is wye connected, this voltage needs
to be multiplied by the square root of 3 to get
the line to line value). The starting frequency
would be set to f,, and the amps required to
accelerate the load would be approximated by
Pphase (multiply by the square root of 3 for line
amps if the motor calculated is delta
connected). Fine tuning in the field could be
accomplished using the procedures laid out in
Section V. of this paper.

Step 4. Calculate the starting frequency as:

Iteration 2:
f, = r,

* II,I/[ 2 * n * L, * II,~1

Step 5. Calculate the voltage for starting at

the frequency calculated in Step 4.

and:

Having finished the first iteration, an

optimum starting voltage and frequency have
been achieved for rated flux conditions.
As was stated earlier, it can be shown
that optimum starting torque per amp is
obtained (assuming linearity) when lIzl = II,I.
In existing machines, better performance may
be achieved by increasing the starting flux by

85

going to a higher I,. If after the first iteration

it is desired to have more starting torque o r
less starting amps, try using a higher I, and
repeating the calculations of Iteration 1.
It should be pointed out here that
most motors are produced at fairly high
rated flux. What this means to the
calculations is that when I, is increased, x,
and perhaps some of the other equivalent
circuit parameters may change. Therefore,
the parameters of the equivalent circuit need
to be known as I, changes to go through
Iteration 2.
A great benefit will be reached simply
by understanding the correct starting volts
and frequency with Iteration 1. Extra benefit
may be achieved by also repeating with
Iteration 2.

If an ASD were desired in this

application for process control o r energy
savings it may be possible to buy a 300 HP
motor as required by the load. To see if this
would be possible, one would go through the
calculations of this paper and determine if
adequate starting torque were available and if
so, at what amperage. Since ASDs can give
150% overload current for 60 seconds, it is
possible that the 500 HP across the line start
motor could be replaced with a 300 HP motor
and a 300 ASD. If the amps required exceed
those available from a 300 HP ASD, a larger
ASD may be required with the 300 HP motor.
VIII. SUMMARY

Further caution needs to be exercised

if I,,, is increased in Iteration 2. If I, is too
high, the motor will be running in saturation.
Experience shows that a motor that is fairly
highly saturated may give improved
performance (higher starting torque or lower
starting amps) a t starting, but if the motor is
run for long periods of time at low speeds with
this higher flux it may overheat. Many loads
operate at o r near rated speed and this is not
a concern. Where it is a concern is in loads
that require high starting torque (or peak
torques to clear jams) and also run at very
low speeds for long periods of time a t light
loads.

Using the methodology of this paper,

one can determine good approximate values
for setting the starting voltage and frequency
to maximize starting torque for a motor on an
ASD.

VII. USING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO

SIZE A MOTOR TO A LOAD

1. NEMA MG 1-1993, National Electric

Manufacturers Association, Washington,
D.C.

One can then determine the motor

size based on two important facts: load
requirements at
running
and
load
requirements at starting.
Most industrial motors are sized for
running and have adequate starting
performance. In some instances like ball mills,
draft inducer fans, and centrifuges this is not
true. The motor is sized to start the load.
An example might be a draft inducer
fan where the running load is 300 HP.
Looking at the starting / accelerating needs of

86

this load, it is determined that a 500 HP motor

is required. So, for across the line conditions,
a 500 HP motor would need to be purchased.

This is useful in setting a given ASD 1

motor combination for maximum starting
torque or for determining before installing if
a given motor can deliver adequate starting
torque and what amps are required to deliver
this torque.

BIBLIOGRAPHY