Project Prototype

CAPACITOR MOTOR
Jasper John B. Canda, Henar Mike Canilang, Ian Guieb, Christian Angelo R. Lagradilla, John Rey Trinidad, Japhet Moreno
School of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Mapua University
Muralla St. Intramuros, Manila Philippines
jjbcanda@mymail.mapua.edu.ph, hmcanilang@mymail.mapua.edu.ph, iguieb@mymail.mapua.edu.ph,
carlagradilla@mymail.mapua.edu.ph, jrtrinidad@mymail.mapua.edu.ph, jmoreno@mymail.mapua.edu.ph

Abstract Capacitor-start, capacitor-run single-phase induction II. Related topics

motors are analyzed by means of rotating field theory using the
method of symmetrical components. The approach is based on the SINGLE-PHASE INDUCTION MOTORS
current ratio , relating the backward and forward rotating
components of the main and auxiliary-phase winding currents.
Since the losses of such a machine are greatly dependent upon the There are probably more single-phase ac induction
elliptic shape of the rotating field, such an analysis in terms of motors in use today than the total of all the other types put
will be of value for any efficiency optimization. The dependency of together. It is logical that the least expensive, lowest
the efficiency on the run capacitor's capacitance is investigated. maintenance type of ac motor should be used most often. The
Since the parameters of the equivalent circuit are slip, single-phase ac induction motor fits that description. Unlike
temperature, and saturation-dependent, a computer program is polyphase induction motors, the stator field in the single-phase
developed which determines in an iterative manner the motor does not rotate. Instead it simply alternates polarity
performance of such machines. A large number of tests are
between poles as the ac voltage changes polarity. Voltage is
performed for a 4-pole, 2 Hp, 115/230 V motor. The experimental
data corroborate the calculated characteristics which show that induced in the rotor as a result of magnetic induction, and a
the maximum efficiency is reached for a nonzero but small value magnetic field is produced around the rotor. This field will
of design. always be in opposition to the stator field (Lenz's law applies).
The interaction between the rotor and stator fields will not
I. Introduction produce rotation, however. The interaction is shown by the
double-ended arrow in figure 1, view A. Because this force is
A Capacitor Start Motors are a single phase Induction across the rotor and through the pole pieces, there is no rotary
Motor that employs a capacitor in the auxiliary winding circuit motion, just a push and/or pull along this line.
to produce a greater phase difference between the current in the
main and the auxiliary windings. The name capacitor starts
itself shows that the motor uses a capacitor for the purpose of
the starting. The figure below shows the connection diagram of
a capacitor star motor. The capacitor start motor has a cage
rotor and has two windings on the stator. They are known as the
main winding and the auxiliary or the starting winding. The two
windings are placed 90 degrees apart. A capacitor C S is
connected in series with the starting winding. A centrifugal
switch Sc is also connected in the circuit. IM is the current in the
main winding which is lagging the auxiliary current I A by 90
degrees as shown in the phasor diagram above. Thus, a single
phase supply current is split into two phases. The two windings
are displaced apart by 90 degrees electrical, and their MMFs
are equal in magnitude but 90 degrees apart in time phase. The
motor acts as a balanced two-phase motor. As the motor
approaches its rated speed, the auxiliary winding and the
starting capacitor is disconnected automatically by the
centrifugal switch provided on the shaft of the motor. Figure 1. Rotor Currents in a Single-Phase AC Induction
The Capacitor Start Capacitor Run Motor has a cage rotor, and Motor
its stator has two windings known as Main and Auxiliary
Windings. The two windings are displaced 90 degrees in space. Now, if the rotor is rotated by some outside force (a
There are two capacitors in this method one is used at the time twist of your hand, or something), the push-pull along the line
of the starting and is known as starting capacitor. The other one in figure 1, view A, is disturbed. Look at the fields as shown in
is used for continuous running of the motor and is known as figure 1, view B. At this instant the south pole on the rotor is
RUN. being attracted by the left-hand pole. The north rotor pole is
being attracted to the right-hand pole. All of this is a result of Resistance Start
the rotor being rotated 90 by the outside force. The pull that
now exists between the two fields becomes a rotary force, Another type of split-phase induction motor is the resistance-
turning the rotor toward magnetic correspondence with the start motor. This motor also has a starting winding (shown in
stator. Because the two fields continuously alternate, they will fig. 3) in addition to the main winding. It is switched in and out
never actually line up, and the rotor will continue to turn once of the circuit just as it was in the capacitor-start motor. The
started. It remains for us to learn practical methods of getting starting winding is positioned at right angles to the main
the rotor to start. There are several types of single-phase winding. The electrical phase shift between the currents in the
induction motors in use today. Basically they are identical two windings is obtained by making the impedance of the
except for the means of starting. In this chapter we will discuss windings unequal. The main winding has a high inductance and
the split-phase and shaded-pole motors; so named because of a low resistance. The current, therefore, lags the voltage by a
the methods employed to get them started. Once they are up to large angle. The starting winding is designed to have a fairly
operating speed, all single-phase induction motors operate the low inductance and a high resistance. Here the current lags the
same. voltage by a smaller angle. For example, suppose the current in
the main winding lags the voltage by 70. The current in the
Capacitor Start auxiliary winding lags the voltage by 40. The currents are,
therefore, out of phase by 30. The magnetic fields are out of
The first type of split-phase induction motor that will phase by the same amount. Although the ideal angular phase
be covered is the capacitor-start type. Figure 2 shows a difference is 90 for maximum starting torque, the 30-degree
simplified schematic of a typical capacitor-start motor. The phase difference still generates a rotating field. This supplies
stator consists of the main winding and a starting winding enough torque to start the motor. When the motor comes up to
(auxiliary). The starting winding is connected in parallel with speed, a speed-controlled switch disconnects the starting
the main winding and is placed physically at right angles to it. winding from the line, and the motor continues to run as
A 90-degree electrical phase difference between the two
windings is obtained by connecting the auxiliary winding in
series with a capacitor and starting switch. When the motor is
first energized, the starting switch is closed. This places the
capacitor in series with the auxiliary winding. The capacitor is
of such value that the auxiliary circuit is effectively a resistive-
capacitive circuit (referred to as capacitive reactance and
expressed as XC). In this circuit the current leads the line
voltage by about 45 (because XC about equals R). The main
winding has enough resistance-inductance (referred to as
inductive reactance and expressed as X L) to cause the current
to lag the line voltage by about 45 (because XL about equals
R). The currents in each winding are therefore 90 out of phase
- so are the magnetic fields that are generated. The effect is that
the two windings act like a two-phase stator and produce the
rotating field required to start the motor.

an induction motor. The starting torque is not as great as it is in

the capacitor-start.

Figure 3. Resistance Start, AC Induction Motor

III. Pictures of the prototype

Figure 2. Capacitor Start, AC Induction

When nearly full speed is obtained, a centrifugal device (the

starting switch) cuts out the starting winding. The motor then
runs as a plain single-phase induction motor. Since the auxiliary
winding is only a light winding, the motor does not develop
sufficient torque to start heavy loads. Split-phase motors,
therefore, come only in small sizes.

Figure 4. 300 turns in Both Primary and Secondary


Figure 5. 2.0 microfarad and 1.5 microfarad Capacitors
Other pictures of the prototype
IV. Analysis
A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical
component used to store energy in an electric field. A capacitor
consists of at least two electrical conductors separated by a
dielectric (insulator). Electric current flows through the
conductor to the dielectric creating an electric field across the
dielectric. The electrical energy in the dielectric is then used to
provide extra energy to start a motor. Less energy is thus
required from the main source to start the motor. An ideal
capacitor is characterized by its capacitance. This is the ratio of
the electric charge on each conductor to the potential difference
between them. The SI unit of capacitance is farad, which is
equal to one coulomb per volt.
Two capacitors were used, 1.5 microfarad and 2 microfarad.
We then used a tachometer to measure the speed in both cases.
The results are shown in the table and graph below.
Table 1. Speed of Motor Depending on Capacitor
Capacitor (microfarad) Speed (rpm)
1.5 microfarad 1680 rpm
2.0 microfarad 1750 rpm
Speed Vs. Capacitance
1800
1750
1700
1650
1600
1.5 uF 2 uF
speed
Based on the results, it was seen that as the capacitance
increases, the speed of the motor also increases.
V. CONCLUSIONS
In order for an induction motor to operate, we need to have a
rotor with a short circuited winding inside a stator with a
rotating magnetic field.
The flux from the rotating field cuts through the rotor winding
and induces a current to flow. The frequency of the current
flowing is equal to the difference between the rotational speed
of the stator field and the rotor.
The rotor current causes a rotor magnetic field which is
spinning relative to the rotor at the rotor current frequency and
relative to the stator, at the same frequency as the stator field.
The interaction between these two magnetic fields generates the
torque in the rotor. There must always be a small difference in
speed between the stator field and the rotor in order to induce a
current flow in the rotor. This difference in speed or frequency
is known as the slip. If we take a stator with a single winding,
and apply a single phase voltage to it, we will have an
alternating current flowing and thereby an alternating magnetic
field at each pole.
REFERENCES
[1] C.I. Hubert, Electric Machines: Theory, Operation, Applications,
Adjustment and Control 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall: New Jersey , 2002
[2] http://www.learn-about-electronics.com/Three-Phase-Alternator.html
[3]
http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/eltamaly/Documents/Courses/EE%20339/Alternator.
pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3269075_Design_analysis_of_capac
itor-start_capacitor-run_single-phase_induction_motors
https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/aee.2012.61.issue-2/v10171-012-
0021-3/v10171-012-0021-3.pdf