ELECTRICAL POWER & CONTROL LABORATORY

1. Control Devices
A. Push-button is a simple switch mechanism for controlling some
aspect of a machine or a process.
A push-button station is a device that provides control of a motor
through a motor starter by pressing a button, which opens or closes
contacts .
Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually plastic or
metal
The surface is usually flat shaped to accommodate the human
finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed or pushed.
Different people use different terms for the "pushing" of the button,
such as press, depress, mash, and punch.
Push Button connections

push buttons can be either normally open (no) or

normally (nc). some types can be stacked to have
multiple sets of no and nc contacts.
B. Indicator Light

an indicator light (sometimes referred to as a pilot light) is a

small electric light used to indicate a specific condition of a
circuit. for example, a green light might be used to indicate a
motor is running.
C. Selector switches
selector switches, as can be seen in figure below are usually
"maintained" contact position, with three and sometimes two selector
positions. selector switch positions are made by turning the operator
knob - not pushing it.
Figure below(A) is a single-break contact arrangement, figure below
(B) is a double-break contact, disconnecting the control circuit at two
points.
D. Float Switches

A float switch is a device used to detect the level of liquid within a tank.
The switch may be used to control a pump, as an indicator, an alarm, or to
control other devices.
Afloat switch is used when a pump motor must be started and stopped
according to changes in the water (or other liquid) level in a tank or sump.
The operation of a float switch is controlled by the upward or downward
movement of a float placed in a water tank.
E. Limit Switches

A limit switch is an electromechanical device that consists of an

actuator mechanically linked to a set of contacts. When an object
comes into contact with the actuator, the device operates the
contacts to make or break an electrical connection.
Limit switches are used as pilot devices in the control circuits of
magnetic starters to start, stop, speed up, slow down or reverse
electric motors.
Limit switches may be used either as control devices for regular
operation or as emergency switches to prevent the improper
functioning of machinery.
G. Solenoid Valves

A solenoid valve is an electromechanical device in which the

solenoid uses an electric current to generate a magnetic field and
thereby operate a mechanism which regulates the opening of fluid
flow in a valve.
H. Temperature Switches
temperature switches are designed to provide automatic control
of temperature regulating equipment. industrial temperature
controllers are used for applications where the temperature to be
controlled is higher than the normal or ambient temperature.
in general, the applications of temperature control are more
concerned with the temperature regulation of liquids than of
gases. this is a result of the relatively greater conductivity between
the bulb and a liquid, as compared to the conductivity between
the bulb and a gas (such as air).
I. Timing Relays
Their purpose is to control an event based on time. The difference between
relays and time delay relays is when the output contacts open & close: on a
control relay, it happens when voltage is applied and removed from the coil;
on time delay relays, the contacts can open or close before or after some time
delay.
[Link] Failure Relays
When one phase of a three-phase system is lost, a phase loss occurs. This is also
called 'single phasing'. Typically, a phase loss is caused by a blown fuse,
thermal overload, broken wire, worn contact or mechanical failure. ... Quickly
troubleshooting a phase loss and determining the root cause is often difficult.
In the operation of elevators and in many industrial applications, phase reversal
may result in serious damage to the equipment and injury to people using the
equipment.
Power and control circuit components

a. fuse
in electronics and electrical engineering, a fuse is an electrical
safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection
of an electrical circuit.
It is an essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts
when too much current flows through it, thereby interrupting the
current.
it is a sacrificial device; once a fuse has operated it is an open
circuit, and it must be replaced or rewired, depending on type.
Short circuits, overloading, mismatched loads, or device failure
are the prime reasons for fuse operation.
B. Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch

designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by
excess current from an overload or short circuit. Its basic function
is to interrupt current flow after a fault is detected. .
The commonly available preferred values for the rated current are
15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 125, 150, 175,
200, 225, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 1000, 1200,
1600, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000 5000, and 6000 amps..
Many classifications of circuit breakers can be made, based on
their features such as voltage class, construction type, interrupting
type, and structural features.
Contactors

A contactor is an electrically-controlled switch used for switching an electrical

power circuit.
Contactors are mainly used to control machinery which uses electric motors.
Very often for Single phase Motors, 230V coils are used and for three phase
motors, 415V coils are used.
The contactor has three main NO contacts and lesser power rated contacts
named as Auxiliary Contacts [NO and NC] used for the control circuit.
A contact is a conducting metal part which completes or interrupts an
electrical circuit.
They are specifically designed for switching load currents.
CONTACTOR COILS
the coils of most modern contactors can be quickly
changed without the use of any special tools. these
contactor coils may be ac or dc operated.
ac standard coil voltages are 24, 110, 230, 400 volts 50 hz.
dc standard coil voltages are 12, 24, 48, 230 volts dc.
other non-standard voltage ratings are available on
request.
It is most important that the coil voltage, type and value
are matched to the supply available.
A 230 Volt supply will not energize a 400 Volt coil. A 400 Volt
supply will operate a 230 Volt coil, however the coil will
quickly overheat and burn-out.
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATION
electrically, contactors consist of two main parts, the
operating coil and the switching contacts. a contactor will
have a number of contacts , usually three normally open
contacts for power switching and a set of auxiliary contacts
for use at lower current in the control circuit.
their basic electrical specifications are mainly concerned
with:
[Link] voltage required to operate the coil.
[Link] the coil needs ac or dc.
[Link] current-carrying capacity of the contacts.
[Link] maximum voltage the contacts can switch.
LABELING OF CONTACTORS (MAIN AND AUXILIARY)
OVERLOAD RELAY
overload relays prevent an electric motor from drawing too much current
and overheating; includes thermal and magnetic types.
there are two types of overload device in use;
1. the thermal overload relay.
2. the magnetic overload relay.
A. The magnetic overload relay
An electromagnetic relay is a switch, which is driven
electromagnetically and is used in cases of low power control.
Those relays are mainly applied in control circuits.
they are usually capable of switching currents in the region of 10
amps, although relays up to 30 amps are available.
[Link] OVERLOAD RELAYS:
it is suitable for the protection of a motor with a full load current of
any value from 1.6 amps to 2.5 amps. this value can be set using the
current range adjustment. it also features a stop button, a hand /
auto – reset button and a test button.
The effect of an overload is an excessive rise in temperature in the
motor windings due to current higher than full load current.
Properly sized overload protection disconnects the motor from the
power supply when the heat generated in the motor circuit or
windings approaches a damaging level for any reason.
Thermal overload relays
[Link] harmless temporary overloads (such as motor starting)
without disrupting the circuit.
[Link] trip and open a circuit if current is high enough to cause motor
damage over a period of time.
[Link] be reset once the overload is removed.
Labeling of overload relays
Operation of Thermal Overload Relay
thermal overload relay works on the principle that, current flowing
through a conductor produces heat. If the current is doubled in value the
amount of heat produced will be quadrupled.
The current taken by a three phase motor is passed through a set of three small
heater elements under normal conditions .
The heat produced by the heater elements is just balanced by the heat lost
from them to the surroundings and consequently there is no effect on the bi-
metal strips.
when an overload current flows, more heat will be produced by the heater
elements, resulting in further heating of the bi-metal strips, thus causing them to
bend more. this bending of the bimetal strips changes the position of the trip
lever, which causes the auxiliary contacts to change over.
The N/C contact opens and is used to disconnect supply from the contactor
coil, thereby disconnecting the supply from the motor. The N/O contact closes
and is generally used to supply a signal lamp to indicate that the overload relay
has tripped.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTACTOR AND RELAY
since a contactor is required for a higher load, a relay is
always cheaper than a contactor.
a relay is normally used in appliances below 5kw, while a
contactor is preferred when the appliance is heavier.
a relay is used only in control circuit while a contactor can
be used in both control and power circuits.
in general contactors are little slower than relays
contactor is so designed that it can be repaired while it is
not normally done in the case of relays.
 Direct online motor starter
Motor controlled from two locations
Forward –Reversing of motor (Electrical interlock)
Full-voltage Reverse-Forward Magnetic Starter (mechanical inter lock)
ELECTRICAL POWER AND CONTROL LABORATORY LECTURE 2
Motor protections
 A typical motor installation requires both over current protection and
overload protection.
I. Over current protection
• Short circuits and ground faults mainly cause over current faults..
• An over current protection device, such as a fuse or a circuit
breaker , reacts rapidly to a very large current.
• If the current is above the device rated current, the fuse or circuit
breaker opens the circuit to avoid ill consequences.
II. Overload protection

 At start-up, a motor requires a current higher than the nominal

current until the rotation speed stabilizes.
A current of such value can cause overheating and eventually
damage the motor if it circulates in the windings for an extended
period, hence the need for overload protection in addition to over
current protection.
Overload protection, commonly implemented with an overload
relay, protects a circuit from overheating due to a high current
that flows for too long.
Reasons for Overload Protection

 As stated earlier, excess current flowing through a motor winding

will cause overheating.
This in turn will result in damage to the winding insulation. if this
occurs the motor is described as being “burned out” and must be
rewound or replaced.
Here are some of the reasons why motors burn out:
1. no overload protection.
2. incorrect overload relay fitted.
3. incorrect overload relay setting.
Overloading applies to all motors, while single phasing only applies
to three phase motors.
Principle connections of three phase motor
Wye Connections
STAR CONNECTION  Each phase winding has a
voltage drop known as the
phase voltage.
 The line voltage is measured
from phase conductor to a
different phase conductor.
 In a wye system, the line voltage
is higher than the phase voltage
by a factor of the square root of 3
(1.732).
ELine = EPhase x 1.732
EPhase = ELine / 1.732
In a wye system,
the line current is
equal to the phase
current.
 ILine = IPhase
Delta Connections
In a delta system, the line
current is higher than the
phase current by a factor
of the square root of 3
(1.732).
ILine = IPhase x 1.732
IPhase = ILine / 1.732
In a delta system, the line
voltage is equal to the
phase voltage.
ELine = EPhase
Starting Method for Induction Motors
Need of starter
If a rated stator voltage is applied to the motor at the time of starting, then the
motor will draw heavy starting current.
This will lead to excess i2R losses in the winding which will overheat the motor.
The heavy starting current may damage the motor windings.
In order to avoid these problems, we can use some kind of a starter to start the
induction motor safely.
Working principles for three phase induction motor
A 3-phase induction motor is theoretically self starting.
The stator of an induction motor consists of 3-phase windings, when connected
to a 3-phase supply creates a rotating magnetic field.
This will link and cut the rotor conductors which in turn will induce a current in
the rotor conductors and create a rotor magnetic field.
The magnetic field created by the rotor will interact with the rotating magnetic
field in the stator and produce rotation.
Therefore, 3-phase induction motors employ a starting method because of
the following reasons.
1) reduce heavy starting currents and prevent motor from overheating.
2) provide overload and no-voltage protection.
In order to choose a particular type of starting method for the
squirrel cage type of induction motor, we have three main
considerations and these are:
(a) a particular type of starter is selected on the basis of power capacity
of the power lines.
(b) the type of starter selected on the basis of the size and the design
parameters of the motor.
(c) the third consideration is the type of load on the motor (i.e. the load
may be heavy or light).
We classify starting methods for squirrel cage induction motor into
two types on the basis of voltage. the two types are
(i) full voltage starting method ,example DOL.
(ii) reduced voltage method for starting squirrel cage induction motor
[Link] voltage method for starting squirrel cage induction motor
1. star-delta starter
2. auto transformer starter
3. rotor impedance starter
4. power electronics starter
why is star delta starting used?
Let’s consider an example motor: 120kw, 4 pole, 380 volt, delta connected, 3 phase, 50 hz. to
truly grasp the differences between these two starting methods, we will list the values next to
each other in table.
Immediately we notice the primary reasons for using star delta starters on
electric motors:
The starting power is reduced from 98 kw to 33 kw (by approximately 67%).
the starting current is reduced from 1495 a to 500 a (by approximately 67%).
The reason for these 67% changes becomes clear when we examine the phase
voltage on the motor, we see that the phase voltage when the motor is connected
in delta is 380 volt.
when the motor is however connected in star, the phase voltage will be 219.3
volt. thus, when the motor is started in the star connection, the phase voltage of
the motor is reduced by a factor of √3.
 If we apply this equation for the star delta starting,

The most significant advantage of using Star-Delta starting is the huge reduction
in the starting current of the motor, which will result in a significant cost saving
on cables, transformers and switch gear.
Working principles
As shown in the control circuit of figure 1.2.3 when push-button –s2 is
pressed contactor –k3 energised thus, intern makes No(13,14) of
contactor –k3 to close and NC(21,22) to open, as a result contactor –
k1and K3 energised and contactor –k2 de- energised .
This helps the motor to run in star connection (figure 1.2.2). when push-
button –s3 is pressed contactor –k3 de-energised, both –k1 and –k2
energised, and the motor operated in delta.
As shown in the control circuit of
figure1.2.4 when push-button –PB2 is
pressed both contactors – K3 and –K1
energised and the motor runs in star
after a pre defined time NC contact of
the off delay timer (-K4T) opens, thus
makes contactor –K3 to de-energise and
contactors -K2 and -K1 to energise, and
the motor operates in delta.
Control circuits and diagrams
the circuits drawn for motor control circuits are in two forms:
(a) circuit or schematic diagram.
(b) wiring diagram.
(a) Schematic or Circuit Diagram: While designing a control circuit, the schematic diagram
is drawn first as it is easy, simple, clear and easy to follow for implementation in practical
wiring diagram. 'The diagram drawn below is a schematic diagram for a simple [Link] starter.

(b) Wiring Diagram": The wiring diagram is practically implemented design showing
connection to various components, While designing the control circuit, the schematic diagram
is drawn first and then on the basis of connections shown on schematic diagram, the power
circuit wiring diagram is prepared showing layout and connections to component.
Two motors start sequentially (manual)
Sequence Starting of Two Motors Automatically with time delay
Motor Selection Criteria
The motor selection process begins
with evaluating the application
and ensuring the motor chosen will
properly match the needs of the
application.
Motor Installation considerations