Overvoltage Analysis in Inverter Driven Induction

Motors
Ioan ilea, Clin Munteanu
Electrotechnics and Measurements Department
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: Ioan.TILEA@ethm.utcluj.ro


AbstractThe motor overvoltage in inverter driven induction
motors is one of the most difficult current technical problem in
variable speed system. The conducted electromagnetic
interference (EMI) in inverter motor system is related to the
inverter load which is the induction motor and cable. The
analysis of the impedance characteristic of the motor and cable is
fundamental in predicting the overvoltage phenomenon
occurring at the motor terminals due to the parallel and series
resonance. The overvoltage problem in variable speed system
with high power motors and long cables can be predicted based
on the motor and cable resonant frequency.
Keywords-surges; pulse width modulation inverters; induction
motors; electromagnetic interference
I. INTRODUCTION
The increase in the carrier frequency of pulse width
modulation and fast switching rates of the power electronics
can induce serious problems in inverter fed induction motor
drive system.
Many small capacitive couplings exist in the motor drive
systems which may be neglected by the low frequency
analysis but the conditions are completely different at high
frequencies were the influence of the parasitic capacitance is
noticeably higher.
When the inverter is connected to the motor through a long
cable because of the cable inductance, the stray capacitance
distributed between the cable wires and the high rise times of
the pulse width modulation (PWM) voltage from the inverter,
overvoltages appear at the motor terminals, [1]-[3], as presented
in Fig. 1. The cable and motor can be considered a resonant
circuit, which is excited by the rectangular pulses of the inverter
[4]. The overvoltages at the motor terminals stress the motor
winding insulation reducing its life, causing partial discharges
that damage the insulation of the motor.
This paper analyzes conducted EMI generated by an
induction motor drive system fed by a PWM inverter, analyzing
the overvoltages occurring at the motor terminals when the
motor is connected to a PWM inverter through different cable
lengths.
Using a finite element analyses (Maxwell 3D software) for
the extraction of the induction motor high frequency equivalent
circuit and Q2D Extractor for extracting the high frequency
equivalent circuit of the cable and a circuit analysis (Simplorer)
for the inverter fed induction motor drive system.


Figure 1. Motor terminal overvoltage.

II. INDUCTION MOTOR AND CABLE HIGH FREQUENCY
MODEL
At low frequencies, the equivalent circuit of the electric
motor consists of inductances and resistances without
considering the motor capacitances. At high frequencies, the
electric motor can be modeled as distributed capacitors,
inductors and resistors [5]-[7]. The stray capacitance of electric
motors is very important in predicting EMI problems [8]-[11].
Using Maxwell software a finite element analysis of the
induction motor is carried out to obtain the inductances and the
capacitances of the induction motor. The induction motor
inductances and capacitances obtained from the Matrix
solution in Maxwell are exported in Simplorer for circuit
analyses. The numerical 3D model of the induction motor
simulated in Maxwell is presented in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Numerical model of the induction motor.
2012 International Conference and Exposition on Electrical and Power Engineering (EPE 2012), 25-27 October, Iasi, Romania
978-1-4673-1172-4/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE
509
For an accurate determination of the induction motor
capacitance and inductance a 3D model of the motor must be
analyzed for the reason that it incorporates the end winding of
the induction motor. The investigated motor is a three phase
induction motor with a double layer winding and an output
power of 7.5 kW, a rated voltage of 400 volts and a speed of
1360 rpm.
The high frequency model of the motor cable is obtained
by extracting the capacitance and inductance of the cable
using the Q2D Extractor software; the results are presented in
Fig. 3.

a)

b)

c)

Figure 3. Results from Q2D Extractor simulations a) Capacitance Matrix,
b) Inductance Matrix, c) Electric field intensity of the motor cable.

III. OVERVOLTAGE ANALYSIS OF THE INVERTER DRIVEN
INDUCTION MOTOR
To analyze the overvoltages at the motor terminals when
the motor is connected to a PWM inverter the simulation model
presented in Fig. 4, is used.
The model consists of an inverter, the equivalent high
frequency circuit of the cable and the induction motor
capacitance and the inductance imported from the finite element
analysis.


Figure 4. Inverter fed induction motor simulated model.
Current measurements from a frequency sweep of the
induction motor and cable are presented in Fig. 5, based on the
result, the resonance frequencies of the motor and cable can be
determined.

a)

b)

c)
Figure 5. Current measurements from a frequency sweep when the inverter is
connected to the motor: a) through a 1m cable,
b) through a 10m cable, c) through a 100m cable.

It can be observed that there is a parallel resonance and a
series resonance, the series resonance of the motor and cable is
very important in predicting serious overvoltage problems in
inverter driven asynchronous motors, and it is the key reason
for the appearance of motor overvoltage.
The parasitic capacitance of the cable moves the resonance
frequencies of the motor and cable towards the lower ranges,
worsening the overvoltage problem.
In Fig. 6, the output voltage inverter and motor terminal
voltage is presented, the overvoltage at the motor terminal is
clearly visible with a peak amplitude of 1000 V, here the
inverter output voltage presents no voltage spikes. The
inverter output voltage has an amplitude of 500 V and a
fundamental frequency of 50 Hz with a carrier frequency of 50
kHz and the induction motor is connected to the inverter
through a 1m cable.

a)
510

b)

Figure 6. Inverter and motor terminal voltage waveforms: a) Inverter output
voltage, b) Motor terminal voltage.

The overvoltage at the motor terminal has a peak amplitude
of 1000 V, and a frequency of 17 MHz. The frequency of the
overvoltage oscillations is the same as the one of the motor
and cable series resonant frequency. The motor terminal
voltage waveforms at different time intervals are presented in
Fig. 7. In Fig.7.d) a Fourier analysis of the signal in Fig.7.b) is
presented and the 17 MHz frequency of the overvoltage
oscillations is clearly visible.

a) b)

c) d)
Figure 7. Motor terminal voltage waveforms at different time intervals: a) Motor
terminal voltage at 200 us, b) Motor terminal voltage at 8 us, c) Motor
terminal voltage at 2 us, d) Fourier analysis of the signal in Fig. 7.b).

When the inverter is connected to the motor trough a longer
cable, the cable inductance and capacitance moves the series
resonant frequency of the cable and motor towards the lower
ranges and the overvoltage at the motor terminals becomes a
growing problem. As presented in Fig. 8 the motor terminal
overvoltage becomes noticeably higher when the inverter is
connected to the motor through a longer cable. The inverter
output voltage has an amplitude of 500 V and a fundamental
frequency of 50 Hz with a carrier frequency of 50 kHz and the
induction motor is connected to the inverter through a 10 m
cable (Fig. 8.a) and 100 m cable (Fig. 8.b).

a)

b)

Figure 8. Motor terminal voltage waveforms: a) Motor connected to the inverter
through a 10 m cable, b) Motor connected to the inverter through a 100 m
cable.

The overvoltage at the motor terminal when the motor is
connected to the inverter through a 10 m cable (Fig. 8.a)
reaches a maximum amplitude of 1.5 kV that is three times
greater than the amplitude of the inverter output voltage (Fig.
6.a) and when the motor is connected to the inverter through a
100 m cable (Fig. 8.b) the overvoltage at the motor terminal
reaches a maximum amplitude of 1.8 kV.
The inverter and motor terminal voltage waveforms at
different time intervals when the motor is connected to the
inverter through a 10 m cable are presented in Fig. 9. In
Fig.9.d) a Fourier analysis of the signal in Fig.9.b) is presented
and the 4 MHz frequency of the overvoltage oscillations is
clearly visible, which is the same as the frequency of the series
resonance of the motor and cable when the motor is connected
to the inverter through a 10 m cable (Fig. 5.b).

a) b)
511

c) d)
Figure 9. Inverter and motor terminal voltage waveforms at different time
intervals: a) Inverter output voltage at 60 us, b) Motor terminal voltage at 60
us, c) Motor terminal voltage at 7 us, d) Fourier analysis of the signal in Fig.
9.b).

The motor terminal voltage waveforms at different time
intervals when the motor is connected to the inverter through a
100 m cable are presented in Fig. 10. In Fig.10.c) a Fourier
analysis of the signal in Fig.10.b) is presented and the 0.65
MHz frequency of the overvoltage oscillations is clearly
visible, which is the same as the frequency of the series
resonance of the motor and cable when the motor is connected
to the inverter through a 100 m cable (Fig. 5.c).

a) b)


c)
Figure 10. Inverter and motor terminal voltage waveforms at different time
intervals: a) Inverter output voltage at 60 us, b) Motor terminal voltage at 60
us, c) Fourier analysis of the signal in Fig. 10.b).

IV. CONCLUSIONS

The characteristic frequency range where the overvoltage
problems appear can be relatively easily determined based on
the motor and cable resonant frequency. The series resonant
frequency of the motor and cable is very important for the
reason that the voltage spikes at the motor terminal have the
same frequency. The frequency of the overvoltage at the
motor terminal does not depend on the inverter fundamental
frequency or inverter switching frequency only on the series
resonant frequency of the motor and cable.
Determining the resonant frequency of the motor and cable
is very helpful in predicting serious EMI problems in inverter
driven motor system.
Overvoltages in inverter fed induction motor system, with
long motor cable can be predicted using the field-circuit
coupled method presented in this paper.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This paper was supported by the project "Improvement of the
doctoral studies quality in engineering science for
development of the knowledge based society-QDOC contract
no. POSDRU/107/1.5/S/78534, project co-funded by the
European Social Fund through the Sectorial Operational
Program Human Resources 2007-2013.

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