STAR DELTA STARTER

INTRODUCTION:
The starting current of any heavy electric motor can be more than 4 times the normal load current it draws when it has gained speed and has reached its normal running output power and temperature. So, if it were started simply when connected in DELTA, the starting current would be huge and - just to be able to start the motor, not to run it normally - would require: y Large circuit breakers, big enough to allow the start-up surge current to pass without immediately shutting it off. (But the breakers would then be much too big to be able to protect the motor from over-current faults whilst it is running normally.) y Very thick 3-phase power service cables. (But the cable would then be much bigger than is necessary whilst the motor is running normally.) y Very large coils and contacts on the relays or contactors used to control the motor. (But they would then be much bigger than is necessary whilst the motor is running normally.) One solution to this problem is to start the motor in STAR and then, when the motor has gained sufficient speed, change its connections to DELTA to allow the motor to run at its full speed and torque from then on. It's a bit like using the gears of an automobile.

TECHNICAL EXPLANATION:

When the windings of a 3-phase motor are connected in STAR: y The voltage applied to each winding is reduced to only (1 / (3)) of the voltage applied to the winding when it is connected directly across two incoming power service line phases in DELTA. y The current per winding is reduced to only (1 / (3)) of the normal running current taken when it is connected in DELTA. y So, because of the Power Law V [in volts] x I [in amps] = P [in watts], the total output power when the motor is connected in STAR is: PS = [VL x (1/(3)] x [ID x (1/(3)] = PD x (1/3) [one third of the power in DELTA] where: VL = Line-to-line voltage of the incoming 3-phase power service ID = Line current drawn in DELTA PS = Total power the motor can produce when running in STAR PD = Total power it can produce when running in DELTA. y A further disadvantage when the motor is connected in STAR is that the total output torque is only 1/3 of the total torque it can produce when running in DELTA.

START-DELTA STARTER:
It is a starting method that reduces the starting current and starting torque. The device normally consists of three contactors, an overload relay and a timer for setting the time in the star-position (starting position). For the starting period (time set by the timer), the motors windings are connected in start (Y) and then the connection is changed to delta during normal run. Because of the start connection, the starting current is 1/3rd of the DOL (Direct-On-Line) starting; however the starting torque is also 1/3rd of the DOL starting torque. For this type of starting, the motor windings must have both ends (2 terminals for each phase, total 6 ends) terminated in the terminal.

Figure 1: Star-Delta Starter

If you use the star configuration when first starting a 3-phase motor, a much smaller "start-current" is seen than if it were switched-on directly in the delta configuration. So using Star for start-up achieves very worthwhile purchase cost savings because a smaller circuit breaker and lighter wires sizes can be used on the motor. Running a motor in a Star configuration can never deliver as much power and torque as when it is running in Delta. For that reason a 3-phase motor was usually started in star mode and then - after reaching a steady speed - switched over to run in delta mode to achieve its maximum power output.

PRINCIPLE:
The star-delta connection is mainly used for low and medium powered machines. During starting the stator winding is star-switched and subsequently delta-switched during acceleration. When connected to the equivalent three phase power source, the voltage and current computation for each of star and delta connections are shown here. In comparison of the line currents to conclude, the line current of the star connection is one third of that of the delta connection. (Phase current = 1/ (3))

Figure 2: Star Connection

Figure 3: Delta Connection

CONSTRUCTION:
The Star/Delta starter is constructed from three contactors, a timer and a thermal overload. The contactors are smaller than the single contactor used in a Direct-OnLine starter as they are controlling winding current only. The current through the winding are the 1/(3 (58%) of the current in the line. There are two contactors that are closer during run, often referred to main contactor and the delta contactor. These are AC3 rated at 58% of the current rating of the motor. The third contactor and that only carries star current in delta, so this contactor can be AC3 rated at one third of the motor rating.

Figure 4: Typical Circuit Diagram of Star-Delta Starter

WORKING:
In operation, The Main Contactor (Q11) and the Star Contactor (Q13) are closed initially and then after a period of time, the star contactor is opened and then the Delta Contactor (Q15) is closed. The control of the contactor is by the timer (Q13T) built into the starter. The Star and Delta are electrically interlocked and preferably mechanically interlocked as well.

OPEN TRANSITION STARTERS

When a motor is driven by the supply, either at full speed or at part speed, there is a rotating magnetic field in the stator. This field is rotating at line frequency. The flux is rotating at line frequency. The flux from the stator field induces a current in the rotor and this in turn results in a rotor magnetic field. When motor is disconnected from the supply (Open transition) there is a spinning rotor within the stator and rotor has a magnetic field. Due to low impedance of rotor circuit, the time constant is quite long and the action of the spinning rotor field within the stator is that of a generator which generates voltage at a frequency determined by the speed of the rotor. When the motor is reconnected to the supply, it is reclosing onto an unsynchronized generator and this result in a very high current and torque transient in a very high current and torque transient. The magnitude of the transient is dependent on the phase relationship between the generated voltage and the line voltage at the point of closure, but typically can be much higher then DOL current and torque and can result in electrical and mechanical damage.

Figure 5

In effect, there are four states: 1. OFF State: All contactors are open. 2. Star State: The Main and the Star contactors are closed and the Delta contactor is open. The motor is connected in star and will produce one third of DOL torque at third of DOL current. 3. Open State: The Main Contactor is closed and the Delta and Star are open. There is voltage on one end of the motor windings, but the other end of the motor windings, but the other end is open so no current can flow. The motor has a spinning rotor and behaves like a generator. 4. Delta State: The Main and the Delta contactors are closed. The Star contactor is open. The motor is connected to full line voltage and full power and torque are available.

CLOSE TRANSITION STARTER

There is a technique to reduce the magnitude of the switching transients. This requires the ues of a fourth contactor and a set of three resistors. The resisitors must be sized such that considerable current is able to flow in the motor windings while they are in circuit.

The auxilary contactor and resistor are connected across the delta contactor. In operation, just before the star contactor opens, the auxiliary contactor closes resulting in current flow with the resistors into the star connection. Once the star contactors opens, current is able to flow round through the motor windings to the supply with the resistors. These resistors are then shorted by the delta contactor. If the risistance of the resistors is too high, they will not swamp th voltage generated by the moto and will serve no purpose. In effect, there are four states: 1. OFF State: All contactors are open. 2. Star State: The Main and the Star contactors are closed and the Delta contactor is open. The motor is connected in star and will produce one third of DOL torque at third of DOL current 3. Star transition states: the motor is connected in star and the resistors are connected across the delta contactor with auxiliary contactor. 4. Closed Transition State: The Main contactor is closed and the delta and star contactors are open. Current flows through the motor windings and the transition resistors with auxiliary contactor. 5. Delta State: The Main and the Delta contactors are closed. The transition resistors are shorted out. The Star contactor is open. The motor is connected to full line voltage and full power and torque are available.

STAR-DELTA STARTERS WITH OVERLOAD RELAY:

Arrangement in the Motor Line
The star-delta starter with overload relay, including a thermally delayed over current relay are situated in the cables leading to the motor terminals U1, V1, W1 or V2, W2, U2. The overload relay can also be operated in a star circuit as it is usually connected in series with the motor winding and the relay current flowing through it = rated motor current 0.58.

Figure 6

Arrangement in the Mains Supply Line

Instead of the arrangement in the motor line, the overload relay can be placed in the mains supply line. The section shown here indicates how the circuit differs from that on Automatic star-delta starters. For drives where the F2 relay trips out when the motor is starting in the star circuit, the F2 relay rated for the rated motor current can be switched in the mains line. The tripping delay is thus increased by approximately four to six times. In the star circuit the current also flows through the relay but here the relay does not offer full protection since its limit current is increased to 1.73 times the phase current. It does, however, offer protection against non-starting.

Figure 7

Configuration in the Delta Circuit

Instead of the arrangement in the motor line or mains supply line, the overload relay can be placed in the delta circuit. When heavy, long-starting procedures are involved (e.g. for centrifuges) the F2 relay, rated for relay current = rated motor current 0.58, can also be connected in the connecting lines between delta contactor Q15 and star contactor Q13. In the star circuit no current then flows through relay F2. This circuit is used wherever exceptionally heavy and long starting procedures are involved and when saturable core current transformeroperated relays react too quickly.

Figure 8

ADVANTAGES:
* Low cost and simple

DISADVANTAGES:
* Torque too high causes snatch * Torque too low motor stalls * Transition peak up to 20 x In * Motor can stall in transition

APPLICATIONS:
The Star/Delta starter is probably the most commonly used reduced voltage starter, but in a large number of applications, the performance achieved is less than ideal, and in some cases, the damage and interference is much worse than that caused by a Direct on Line starter. The Star/Delta starter requires a six terminal motor that is delta connected at the supply voltage. The Star Delta starter employs three contactors to initially start the motor in a star connection, then after a period of time, to reconnect the motor to the supply in a delta connection. While in the star connection, the voltage across each winding is reduced by a factor of (1 /.'/'3) [1 divided by root three]. This results in a start-current reduction to (1 /.'/'3) [1 divided by root three] of the DOL start current and a start torque reduction to one third of the DOL start torque. If there is insufficient torque available while connected in star, the motor can only accelerate to a partial speed compared to the full speed it would reach if connected in delta. When the timer operates (set normally from 5-10 seconds), the motor is disconnected from the supply and then reconnected in delta, resulting in full line voltage running currents and torque.

The transition from star connection to delta connection requires that the current flow through the motor is interrupted. This is termed "Open Transition Switching" and with an induction motor operating at a partial speed compared to full load speed, there is a large current and torque transient produced at the poi, unless proper protection methods are used, can cause severe damage to the supply service's infrastructure and to other connected equipment. If there is insufficient torque produced by the motor when running in star, there is no way to accelerate the load to full speed without switching to delta and causing those severe current and torque transients. These must be allowed-for in the design of the motor and its starting system if they are to have an economic useful life.