1

Phenomena
Module 9: Motor start


2
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
It is not easy to calculate the actual voltage
drop
One must know the applied voltage and the load
current at the time of starting
However, the voltage drop can be estimated

3
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
One way to calculate the voltage drop is to use the impedance
of the service transformer, service conductor, and inrush kVA
of the motor
R is the total per phase resistance of the transformer in series with the
service conductor in ohms
X is the total per phase reactance of the transformer in series with the
service conductor in ohms
kV is the voltage at the motor terminals
kVA
inrush
is the locked rotor value times the hp
The pf at start up should be given by the vendor. Otherwise, the
following table is suggested:
4
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
Starting Power Factor
Table.

The Voltage drop due
to the motor starting
is:

Motor Rating
(hp)
Starting pf
Up to 50 0.4 to 0.45
50 to 100 0.3 to 0.4
100 to 500 0.3 to 0.2
500 to 1000 0.2 to 0.15
> 1000 0.15 to 0.11
( )
( )
2
kV 3 10
X R kVAinrush
Vd

+
=
u u sin cos
%
5
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
Example # 2
Given:
200 hp motor, Type B, Locked rotor code G
Transformer is 2.5 MVA, secondary volts at
480/277GRDY
Assume that R = 0.00395 and X = 0.03715 ohms for the
transformer and the cable.
Find: Voltage drop due to motor start

6
From the NEMA locked rotor code Table and G type the value of
KVA/hp is 5.6-6.29. Assume it is 6.29. Then
kVAinrush = 6.29 x 200 = 1,258 kVA
Pf from Starting Power Factor Table at hp = 200 is 0.3
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
Solution EX #2
( )
( )
2
kV 3 10
X R kVAinrush
Vd

+
=
u u sin cos
%
( )
( )
% 92 . 9
480 . 0 3 10
) 954 . 0 ( 03175 . 0 ) 3 . 0 ( 00395 . 0 258 , 1
%
2
=

- + -
= Vd
7
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
The previous example does not take into account the load current.
Determine the load current prior to the start of the motor.
Determine the total resistance and reactance.
Determine the voltage prior to the motor start.
Calculate the starting current from the locked rotor equation.
Substitute these values in the following formulas.

( )( )
100
V
V V
1 Vd
X R I I V
initial
dstart initial
load start dstart

|
.
|

\
|

=
+ + =
%
sin cos u u
8
Voltage Drop due to Motor Start
Example # 3
Using the same parameters from the previous examples,
efficiency of 95% and pf at full load of 0.88 lagging and
the voltage is 480V.

( )
( )
Amps
x x x
x
pf kV
hp
kV
kVA
I
Amps
x kV
kVAinrush
I
load
load
Load
dstart
214
88 . 0 95 . 0 480 0. 3
746 0. 200
) )( )( ( 3
746 . 0 *
) ( 3
1513
480 0. 3
1258
3
= = = =
= = =
q q
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
% 32 . 11 100
480
36 . 54 480
1 %
V 36 . 54 954 . 0 03175 . 0 3 . 0 00395 . 0 513 , 1 214
=
(

|
.
|

\
|

=
= + + =
Vd
Vdstart
9
Motor Starting methods
Direct-on line start (Synch motors and squirrel cage
Induction motor).
Power system must be stiff.
Synch motors: high acceleration and oscillation torque.
Squirrel cage motors: high starting and breakdown torque
may cause shock.
Reactor Start.
Current is reduced linearly by the voltage.
Torque is reduced by the square of the voltage.
May cause flickers.

10
Motor Starting methods
Auto-Transformer.
Switching transients cause autotransformer failures.
Capacitor Start.
Switched capacitor compensates about 50% of the motor-
starting VAR.
Improve acceleration Torque and reduce acceleration time.
(good for high inertia load).
Check for resonance.
Reactor-Capacitor Start.


11
Motor Starting methods
Captive Transformer Start. The switching is provided
at the primary only.
Transformer is sized and built for motor-start duty.
Reduce short circuit current from motor to the primary
switchgear and from the system to the motor.
Variable voltage Start.
Injects some harmonics to the power system.
Not suitable for high-inertia and high-torque loads.


12
Motor Starting methods
Variable Frequency Start.
Smooth acceleration with no voltage drop in
power system.
No transient torque.
High cost and large space.
Harmonics generation.