ISSN (Online) 2321 – 2004

IJIREEICE ISSN (Print) 2321 – 5526

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING
Vol. 4, Issue 6, June 2016

Starters for the DC Shunt Wound and

Compound Wound Motors
Kriti Shrivastava1, Prof M.D Pawar2
M.Tech Student, ENTC, MIT (T), Aurangabad, India 1
Assistant Professor, ENTC, MIT (T), Aurangabad, India 2

Abstract: DC motor unlike other types of motor has a very high starting current that has the potential of damaging the
internal circuit of the armature winding of dc motor, if not restricted to some limited value. This limitation to the
starting current of dc motor is brought about by means of the starter. Thus starting methods of dc motor is facilitated by
means of a starter, or rather a device containing a variable resistance connected in series to the armature winding so as
to limit the starting current of dc motor to a desired optimum value taking into consideration the safety aspect of the
motor. A starter allows a DC motor or a DC motor - controlled device to turn ON or OFF. This paper discuss the
various types of starters that are used for starting DC motors and also suggests the alternative methods that can be
used to construct a dc starter to overcome the limitations of the previously existing starters.

Keywords: Soft Starter, IGBT, Electromagnet, Overload Relay (OLR), SCR.

I. INTRODUCTION

An electrical motor is a machine which converts electric In present times several methods are used by industries for
energy into mechanical energy. Its action is based on the starting of D.C. motor. These external methods used
principle, when the current carrying conductor is placed in mainly provide safety to DC Motors; if the starters are not
a magnetic field; it experiences a mechanical force whose used then motor will get damaged easily.
direction is given by Fleming’s left-hand rule.
II. LITERATURE SURVEY
The starting of a DC motor is different from the starting of
all other types of electrical motors. D.C motor is self Rohit Kumar [1] gives the study of different types of
staring motor [1]. If armature and field of dc shunt motor starters used in industries, i.e. 3-coil starter and 4- point
are energized together, large current is drawn at start but starter in the paper, he also explains why the motor burn if
the torque builds up gradually as the field flux increases the starters are not used. Rakesh J. Waghmare [2] in his
gradually. To improve the torque per ampere of line paper he explains the need of a starter for DC motors,
current drawn, it is advisable to energize the field first and various commonly used methods for the starting of dc
later the armature. The starting current is given by motors and also introduces a technique of soft starting of
I = V/Ra and hence to reduce the starting current to a safe the device that is based on triggering of thyristor.
value, either the voltage V can be reduced or armature
circuit resistance Ra can be increased. III. SIMPLE STARTER
The back emf (Eb ) is developed as the motor armature To start a DC motor with sufficient starting torque, field
starts to rotate in the presence of magnetic field, this also current is maximized by keeping the field resistance to
means that the back emf is initially zero and develops zero value. To limit the starting current, a suitable external
gradually as the motor speeds up. Therefore the total resistance is connected in series with the armature. As the
motor voltage is given by the equation V = E b + IaRa . motor picks up speed, the value of external resistance is
At starting Eb=0 so the equation would be V = IaRa and gradually decreased to zero so that during running no
Ia = V/Ra external resistance remains in the armature circuit.
From the above equation it can be stated that current is
dangerously high as armature resistance i.e. Ra is But each time when one has to restart the motor, the
extremely small [6]. Hence it becomes very essential to external armature resistance must be set to maximum
use an external device to limit starting current to an value by moving the jockey manually. If the supply goes
allowable low value. These external devices are called as off (due to some problem in the supply side or due to load
starters. shedding), motor will come to stop, and all of a sudden if
supply is restored the motor would start with full voltage.
A motor’s soft starter is a device used with DC electric
motors to temporarily reduce the load and torque in the This means that, one should be constantly alert to set the
powertrain and electrical current surge of the motor during resistance to maximum value whenever the motor comes
start up. This reduces the mechanical stress on the motor to a stop. This is one major limitation of a simple
and shaft [1] rheostatic starter.

Copyright to IJIREEICE DOI 10.17148/IJIREEICE.2016.4658 256

 ISSN (Online) 2321 – 2004
IJIREEICE ISSN (Print) 2321 – 5526

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING
Vol. 4, Issue 6, June 2016

IV. 3 POINT STARTER against the spring force to make contact with stud NO.1.
At this point the field winding of DC shunt motor gets
A 3 point starter is a device that helps in starting and supply through the parallel path provided to starting
running of a DC shunt motor or a DC compound motor. resistance, through electromagnet [6]. While entire starting
3 point starter limits the starting current to allowable lower resistance comes in series with the armature, high starting
value. armature current gets limited. As the handle is moved
A 3 point starter is a variable resistance, integrated into further, it goes on making contact with stud 2,3,4,5 and so
number of sections. The contact points of this starter are on, thus gradually cutting off series resistance from
called as studs which are shown separately as OFF, 1, armature circuit as motor gathers speed. Finally when the
2,3,4,5, RUN. The name 3 point starter has been given to starter handle is in RUN position the entire starting
this starter as it has 3 main points, which are referred as resistance is eliminated and the motor runs with the rated
speed. Hence 3 point starter also acts as protective device
1. Line terminal ‘L’ (connected to positive supply.) to safeguard the motor from damages.
2. Armature terminal ‘A’ (connected to armature
winding.) V. 4 POINT STARTER
3. Field terminal ‘F’ (connected to field winding.)

Fig: 2

The 4 point of a 4 point starter are as follows

Fig: 1 1. Line terminal ‘L’ (connected to positive supply.)
2. Armature terminal ‘A’ (connected to armature
The point L is connected to an electromagnet called winding.)
overload relay (OLR). The other end of the OLR is 3. Field terminal ‘F’ (connected to field winding.)
connected to the lower end of conducting lever of starter 4. Additional point N (connected to electromagnet.)
handle where the spring is attached to the handle, along
with these things the handle also consist of a soft iron 4 point starter is identical to 3 point starter, but the
piece. This handle is free to move, to the other end. The addition in the device is a terminal (N) that links the
spring is responsible for the movement of the handle. All supply to the electromagnet, which brings about changes
the resistors are connected in series to the armature. The in the functionality of the device. The N terminal is
electromagnet and OLR are the two protection device to necessary because higher speed of the motor reduces field
the starter. current through terminal F, so that the handle is unable to
remain in RUN position. Thus it must be ensured that
Working: The supply to the field winding is derived electromagnet always produces a force which is strong
through the electromagnet, so when the field current flows enough to hold the handle in its RUN position , against
the electromagnet is magnetized. When the handle is in force of the spring, under the operational condition. Such
Run position, the soft iron piece connected to handle gets that the current is adjusted by the electromagnet with the
attracted by magnetic field of electromagnet, because of help of fixed resistance R connected in series with the
flow of current through electromagnet. The electromagnet electromagnet using the 4th point ‘N’.
holds the handle at RUN position, hence also known as Apart from this difference the 4 point and 3 point starters
hold on coil. When there is any kind of supply failure, the are similar all ways.
current flow through electromagnet is affected and it
immediately losses its magnetic property and unable to Working: The current is divided into 3 parts.
keep soft iron on the handle. Therefore, due to the 1. 1st part, current flows starting resistance and then
combination of electromagnet ant soft iron, the handle through armature.
comes to the OFF position whenever there in supply 2. 2nd part, current flows through the field winding F.
problem. The handle is initially in OFF position when the 3. 3rd part, current flows electromagnet in series with the
DC supply is switched ON. Then handle is slowly moved protective resistance R.

Copyright to IJIREEICE DOI 10.17148/IJIREEICE.2016.4658 257

 ISSN (Online) 2321 – 2004
IJIREEICE ISSN (Print) 2321 – 5526

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING
Vol. 4, Issue 6, June 2016

With this arrangement any change in the shunt field does IGBT processes high input impedance like PMOSFET and
not bring about any change in the electromagnet as the two has low ON – state power loss as in BJT’s. In this way we
circuits are independent of each other[6]. This indicates can consider that the IGBT is better than the MOSFET to
that the electromagnetic pull on the soft iron should be be used in a starter. Also the IGBT shows better
high enough at all points of time to keep the handle at its performance with higher power ratings as required by the
RUN position, or rather prevent the spring force from bigger motors, i.e. in DC shunt and compound wound
restoring the handle at its original OFF position, motors.
irrespective of how the field rheostat is adjusted.
On the other hand SCR can also be considered in making
This is where the 4 point starter differs in it operation from starter for DC motors, but even in this case IGBT is more
3 point starter, otherwise both 4 point and 3 point starters advantageous as compared to SCR. The comparative study
are almost similar and are also used for the similar purpose of SCR and IGBT is given below to show that in what all
i.e. for limiting the starting current and protecting the DC ways IGBT is better as compared to SCR.
shunt wound and DC compound wound motors.
VI. CONCLUSION
V. IGBT BASED STARTER
The switching devices would show better performance
The types of starters discussed above have certain when considered in constructing the starters for DC
limitation and also some disadvantages like they have motors. The IGBT based starter would not have any
moving parts which require maintenance at regular moving parts so they would require comparatively less
intervals, these starters give jerk to the motor every time maintenance and will be more durable. The time required
the starting process takes place which reduces the for starting the motor is much more by 3 point and 4 point
efficiency of the DC, etc. So, if the switching devices like starter as compared to the time required by the switching
MOSFET, SCR or IGBT’s are used to construct the devices i.e. it would be depended on the switching
starters for soft start of DC motors it would help to frequency of the device used. The stepwise performance of
overcome all the limitations of the above mentioned the 3 point and 4 point starters would be efficiently
starters. replaced by linear and faster performance of the starter if
IGBT is a switching device that is made by combining the IGBT is used. If simple starters, 3 point or 4 point starters
best qualities of BJT and MOSFET, i.e. IGBT is used as are used for the motors for longer duration of time, then
MOSFET input and BJT output characteristics. the motor’s efficiency is reduced with time. But if IGBT
based starter are used for starting DC motors for longer
Sr Parameters IGBT SCR duration of time then the motor does not loss its efficiency.
No. Therefore it can be concluded that IGBT based starters
1. Gate- Drive Lower Higher would be better than the existing starters in many aspects.
Requirements
2. Switching Less More REFERENCES
Losses
[1] Rohit Kumar, 3- COIL STARTER USE FOR STARTING D.C
3. Snubber Circuit Small Large MOTOR. International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering
Requirements & Technology (IJSRET) March, 2015z
4. Efficiency More Less [2] Rakesh J. Waghmare, Dr. S.B Patil Mr. Uddhav S Shid2 and Uttam
Y Siddha, NEED OF ELECTRONIC STARTER FOR DC
efficient efficient MOTOR. International Journal of Science, Engineering and
being being bulky Technology Research (IJSETR) Volume 2, Issue 12, December
smaller , and generate 2013
lighter and more [3] http://www.elprocus.com/electrical
[4] ”Universal motors” (http://www.electicaleasy.com/ 2012/ 02/
generate harmonics
universal-motors-construction-working).
fewer [5] Laughton M.A and Warne D.F, Editor. Electrical engineering
harmonics reference book
5. Switching Faster than Slower than [6] B.L Theraja, A.K Theraja, Electrical Technology, AC & DC
Machines, Volume II
Speed BJT but IGBT &
lesser than MOSFET
MOSFET
6. Input High Low
Impedance
7. Second Absent Present
Breakdown
Voltage
8. Control Voltage Current
Parameter Controlled Controlled
device device
9. Cost Costly Cheap

Copyright to IJIREEICE DOI 10.17148/IJIREEICE.2016.4658 258