Educational Starting Board for Three-Phase Squirrel Cage Induction Motor

When an electric load is turned on, it creates an inrush current. During the starting period, an Induction Motor draws a high starting current which can have an impact on electromagnetic torque, speed, and current. There are various ways to start AC induction motors, such as full voltage, reduced voltage through methods like autotransformer or star-Delta, soft starters, or adjustable speed drives. Reduced voltage starting can be helpful in decreasing starting torque and preventing damage to the load. To choose the appropriate starting method for a motor, an analysis of the power system and the starting load is essential to ensure that the motor can deliver the required performance while minimizing cost. In this project, an educational starting board will be designed for the three-phase squirrel cage induction motor in the Electrical Machine Lab at Palestine Technical University (Kadoorie). This board will allow students to learn different general methods of starting three-phase squirrel cage induction motors, such as full voltage (DOL), reduced voltage (Y-Δ, Autotransformer, and Soft Starter), and variable frequency drives (VFD). The highest starting current is the direct conduction current, and the other methods discussed in this project will solve this issue.