Computing and Measuring Dynamic

Characteristics of the Induction Motor

A. Bosovi, . Mai, S. Smaka

Abstract -- This paper contains computing and measuring

results of start-up, step load, braking and reversing
performance of the induction motor. Computing of dynamic
states was carried out using idealized mathematical model of
the induction motor. In order to obtain comparative results,
measuring of the dynamic characteristics of the induction
motor was carried out with U/f power converter. The load of
the induction motor is realized with eddy current brake. The
results of computing and measuring are presented and
compared.
Index Terms -- dynamic characteristics, induction motor,
reversing, step load, start-up, U/f power converter

NOMENCLATURE
Lm mutual inductance (stator/rotor)
Ls stator windings inductance
Lr rotor windings inductance
Rs stator windings resistance
Rs rotor windings resistance
TL torque load
J torque inertia
V voltage
f frequency
p pair pole
n speed
s slip
electrical angular speed
m mechanical angular speed
flux linkage
total dissipation factor
I. INTRODUCTION
Induction motors are the most frequently used type of
motor today, and they are the work backbone of the industry.
In comparison to other types of motors they have many
advantages. The most significant ones are simple design,
which leads to less required maintenance, and low cost of
production. Electrical drives with inverter supplied induction
motor require more detailed research. Drives with inverter
fed squirrel cage motors are capable of achieving wide speed
ranges, but nonsinusoidal voltage from the inverter leads to
some undesirable consequences: higher losses in copper and
iron, longer duration of transient states, oscillations of the
electromagnetic torque on the shaft, and increased noise.

II. MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF THE INDUCTION MOTOR

Mathematical model of the induction motor for dynamic
characteristics calculation is given in the "dq" coordinates,
which rotate with the angular speed k [1]. The
mathematical model is based upon the assumptions: B-H
curve of the iron is linear, the air gap is slotless and
bilaterally cylindrical, the winding distribution in the air gap
is continuous and sinusoidal, and iron losses are neglected.
In the form suitable for numerical integration, it consists
of the following equations:

d sd
R
RL
= Vd s sd s m rd + k sd
dt
Ls
Ls Lr
d sq
dt

= Vq

Rs

Ls

sq +

Rs Lm

Ls Lr

rq k sq

d rd
RL
R
= r rd + r m sd p (k m ) rq
dt
Lr
Ls Lr
d rq
dt

RL
Rr
rq + r m sq + p (k m ) rd
Lr
Ls Lr

d m 3 1 Lm
T
= p
sq rd sd rq L
2 J Ls Lr
dt
J

Vd and Vq components for three-phase sinusoidal voltage

supplied to the stator of the motor are:

Vd = Vmax cos ( k ) t = Vmax cos ( 2 f k ) t

Vq = Vmax sin ( k ) t = Vmax sin ( 2 f k ) t

Equivalent circuit of the induction motor is shown on Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Equivalent circuit of induction motor

The parameters of the equivalent circuit of the induction

motor are obtained from no load and blocked rotor tests. The
inductances Ls and Lr in mathematical model are:
Ls = Lm + L s

A. Bosovi is with Public Enterprise Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and

Herzegovina,
Sarajevo,
Bosna
and
Herzegovina
(e-mail:
a.bosovic@elektroprivreda.ba)
. Mai and S. Smaka are with University of Sarajevo, Faculty of
Electrical Engineering, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (e-mail:
smasic@etf.unsa.ba and ssmaka@etf.unsa.ba)

Lr = Lm + L r
The rotor quantities are referred on the stator side.

III. DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS - COMPUTING

Vd = Vmax cos ( 2 f ) t

120
80
Torque (Nm)

The calculations of the dynamic characteristics of the

induction motor were made with the mathematical model in
"dq" coordinates, rotating with the angular speed k = 0 for
three-phase sinusoidal voltage.
Stator voltage components Vd and Vq are:

40
0

Vq = Vmax sin ( 2 f ) t

and they are calculated at each integration step.

Numerical integration of differential equations of the
mathematical model was made by Runge-Kutta IV order
method, with constant integration step length.
The calculation of dynamic performance of the induction
motor was made with the full load torque and rotor inertia of
both the motor and the eddy current brake. The simulation of
power converter in mathematical model was carried out very
simply through V/f = const ratio.
Start-up
Speed, torque and stator current during start-up of the
motor, obtained by mathematical model for V/f =110/25 and
220/50, are given on Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 respectively.
1600

400

800
Speed (rpm)

1200

1600

Fig. 5. Torque-speed characteristic during start-up of the motor

B. Step load
Step load transient was carried out by sudden change of
load torque from no load torque to full (nominal) torque of
the motor, in the moment when motor speed was constant.
Fig. 6 to Fig. 8 shows speed, torque and RMS value of stator
phase current during step load for V/f =110/25 and 220/50.
1600

Speed (rpm)

800

-40

50 Hz

1200

50 Hz

1200
Speed (rpm)

50 Hz

25 Hz

25 Hz

25 Hz

800

400

400

0
0

0
0

Time (s)

Time (s)

10

Fig. 6. Speed during step load

160

Fig. 2. Speed during start-up of the motor

120

Torque (Nm)

80

Torque (Nm)

120

50 Hz

25 Hz

40

80

50 Hz

40
0

25 Hz

-40

-40
0

Time (s)

Time (s)

10

Fig. 7. Torque during step load

Fig. 3. Torque during start-up of the motor

50

50

40

40
Current (A)

50 Hz
Current (A)

30
20
25 Hz

10

50 Hz
30
25 Hz
20
10

0
0

Time (s)

Fig. 4. Stator current during start-up of the motor

Time (s)

Fig. 8. Stator current during step load

10

C. Dynamic braking and reversing

Calculation of the dynamic braking and reversing
transient was done by simulating by exchange of terminals
of two stator phase during full load torque.
Speed, torque and stator current during dynamic braking
and reversing are given on Fig. 9 to Fig. 11.
2000

Speed (rev/min)

50 Hz
1000

25 Hz

0
-1000
-2000
0

Time (s)

12

16

20

Fig. 9. Speed during braking and reversing

160

Torque (Nm)

120

The first dynamic state monitored is start-up of the motor.

Reference speed given was 1428 rpm, with the full torque
load on the motor shaft. Value of the electromagnetic torque
in stationary state, which is required to compensate full load
torque, is 100 %. The current needed for the motor to
produce that torque is 9,12 A.
Fig. 12 shows all three variables, during start-up of the
motor with full load, plotted on the graphs with scaling
factor 1. Limits for torque and stator current, imposed by
power converter, were respectively 300 % of nominal torque
and 24 A.
1500

80

Monitor

1 4 2 8 .1 [1 ]

50 Hz

40

1200

0
900

-40
25 Hz

-80

600

Time (s)

12

16

20
300

Fig. 10. Torque during braking and reversing

50

Stator current (A)

All three mentioned variables are plotted on all of the

graphs, and they reached their stationary values in
asymptotic transition.
Unit for speed used was revolutions per minute (rpm),
electromagnetic torque was calculated in percentages of
nominal torque (%), while the current was measured in amps
(A). The load of the motor was given by eddy current brake.
Since some of the variables on the graphs are scaled, their
real values are shown on the vertical graph cursor, which is
plotted on every graph. Signs used for all the graphs are:
[1] Speed;
[2] RMS stator phase current;
[3] Electromagnetic torque.

1 0 0 .6 0 1 [3 ]
9 .1 2 4 8 6 [2 ]
0

1 0 .0

50 Hz

40

2 0 .0

3 0 .0

Time (s)

Fig. 12. Measured speed, torque and stator current during start-up

30

25 Hz

20
10
0
0

Time (s)

12

16

20

As we can see it is inconvenient to plot all of these three

variables on the same graph with scaling factor 1, so for this
research, variables were plotted on the graphs with different
scaling factors. Scaled characteristics during start-up are
shown on Fig 13. Only speed is plotted with the scaling
factor 1, while motor torque and stator current are plotted
with scaling factors of 55 and 2 respectively.

Fig. 11. Stator current during braking and reversing

1500

IV. DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS - MEASURING

Dynamic performance of the 4 kW induction motor was
tested. The motor was controlled by ABB power converter
(model ACS-800). The communication with converter was
realized via PCMCIA card, with optical cable as the
connection between computer and power converter.
Computer program Drive Window (ver. 2.0), developed by
ABB, enabled simple and effective adjustment of the motor
parameters and graph drawing of the motor variables.
For three dynamic states mentioned, three variables were
monitored and plotted on the graphs: speed of the motor
shaft, electromagnetic torque, and RMS value of stator phase
current.

Monitor

1 4 2 7 .5 2 [1 ]

1200

900

600

5 0 8 .7 7 5 [2 ]
300

2 0 2 .0 8 9 [3 ]
0

1 0 .0

2 0 .0

3 0 .0

Time (s)

Fig. 13. Measured speed, torque and stator current during start up
(scaled current and torque; scaled factor 55 and 2 respectively)

Fig. 14 shows scaled characteristics during step load.

1500

Monitor

Experimental setup with tested motor, power converter,

eddy current brake with control unit, and PC are shown on
Fig. 17.

1 4 3 0 .0 5 [1 ]

1200

900

600

5 2 5 .3 1 7 [2 ]
300

2 1 5 .7 2 6 [3 ]
0

1 0 .0

2 0 .0

3 0 .0

Time (s)

Fig. 14. Measured speed, torque and stator current during step load
(scaled current and torque; scaled factor 55 and 2 respectively)

It can be noticed that closed-loop control implemented in

power converter enable the same speed of rotation as before
step load.
Counter-current braking was the third dynamic state
monitored. Fig. 15 shows scaled characteristics for braking
and reversing dynamic states.
1600

Monitor

800

5 4 6 .64 3 [2 ]

10 .0

Time (s)

2 0 .0

3 0 .0

-2 1 6 .4 7 4 [3 ]

-8 0 0

-1 4 2 6.0 2 [1 ]

-1 6 0 0

Fig. 15. Speed, torque and stator current during braking and reversing
(scaled current and torque; scaled factor 55 and 2 respectively)

It can be notice that motor produced negative torque to

stop the motor shaft from spinning. Counter-current braking
stopped the motor in the shortest time period possible. In
quasistatic state at the end of reversing, torque has almost
the same value as the torque at the end of the start-up. It is
equal to full torque of the motor (100 %) at the speed of
1430 rpm.
Comparison of the results between computed and
measured speed was made for start-up transient and are
given and shown on Fig. 16.
1600

computed

V. CONCLUSIONS
A procedure for computing and measuring the dynamic
characteristics of the induction motor has been presented.
The computed method was based on idealized mathematical
model in stationary "dq" system coordinates. Start-up, step
load, dynamic braking and reversing states were simulated
for tested motor for various ratios between supply voltage
and frequency.
Differences
between
computed
and
measured
characteristics are longer transient time in dynamic states.
These are caused by limits on torque and phase current of the
motor imposed by U/f power converter.
The mathematical model represents the dynamic states of
the induction motor with good accuracy.
VI. APPENDIX
A. The induction motor used for this research was threephase slip ring induction motor with nominal data:
4 kW; 1410 rpm; / Y; 220/380 V; 50 Hz; 15,2/8,8 A;
cos = 0,83; inertia moment: 0,14 kgm2.
Parameters of equivalent circuit:
R1 = 1,025 ; R2 = 1,78 ; X1 = 2,817 ; X2 = 2,817 ;
Xm = 36,77 ; RFe = 460 .
B. ABB power converter: Type: ACS-800
Input: 3~ 380 - 415 V 10% V; 4,7 A; 48 - 63 Hz.
Output: 3~ 0-Uinput; 5,1 A; 0-300 Hz.
C. Eddy current brake unit: Type: LPS 800 LK
Max. brake moment: 800 Nm; max. speed: 4500 rpm;
inertia moment: 0,5 kgm2.

1200
Speed (rpm)

Fig. 17. Experimental setup

800

measured

400

VII. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

0
0

Time (s)

12

Fig. 16. Compared results for speed between computation and measurement

The authors would like to thank F. Mehmedovi from

ABB Melbourne, Australia, and ABB Oy, Finland, for help
with preparing experimental setup.

VIII. REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]

Chee-Mun Ong, Dynamic Simulation of Electric Machinery, Prentice

Hall, 1998.
A. Bosovi , "Dynamic performance of induction motor supplied from
U/f converter ABB-ACS 800" Diploma Dissertation, Faculty of
Electrical Engineering Sarajevo, 2009.
Drive Window 2 User's manual, ABB DriveWare, 2006.
Technical Guide No.1 Direct Torque Control, ABB, 1999.
ABB industrial drives ACS 800 catalog, drive modules, 0.55 to 2240
kW, ABB, 20
Firmware manual ACS 800 Standard Application Program 7.x, ABB
2003.
Hardware Manual ACS 800-01 drives (0.55 to 110 kW), ABB, 2002.

IX. BIOGRAPHIES
Adnan Bosovi was born in Sarajevo in 1987, where he finished his primary
and secondary education. He was awarded both times with the title of the best
student in the generation. He graduated at the University of Sarajevo, Faculty
of Electrical Engineering, and Department for Electrical Power Engineering in
2009 with the highest average score of grades. He is currently working for Mr.
Sci. diploma at the same department.
From 2010 he is an employee of the Public Enterprise Elektroprivreda of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Department for Strategic Development.

emsudin Mai graduated from University of Sarajevo 1974, received

M.S. degree from University of Zagreb 1982 and Ph.D. degree from
University of Sarajevo 1992. After completing his graduate studies, he
became an Assistant in Department of Power Engineering at the Faculty of
Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo. Since 1982 he is Research
Fellow at the Institute for Automatic and Computer Science and at the
Electrical Power Institute by Energoinvest Company, Sarajevo. His research
interests are in the areas of electric machines and drives, especially
numerical analysis of magnetic fields, mathematical models and measuring
characteristics of electric machines and electrical drives in traffic systems.
He is now Full Professor, Head of Department of Electrical Machines and
Drives. Dr Mai is senior member of IEEE. Currently, he is the Chairman
of the A1 Study Committee of Cigr section of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Senad Smaka was born on 1969 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He
graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at University of
Sarajevo in 1996. From 2000 he works as teaching assistant on Department
of Power Engineering of Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Sarajevo. He
received M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering and Computing at University of Zagreb in 2004. He is
currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering. His
research interests include HEVs, modeling and numerical analysis of
electrical machines and drives. He is member of IEEE.