Torque Speed Curve

General Curve

Using the induction machine power and torque equations it is possible to produce the torque
speed curve shown below.

The torque speed curve is approximately symmetric about synchronous speed. (The
magnitude of the peak negative torque is larger than the positive torque, the difference
being a function of stator resistance)
Operating Regions

The torque-speed curve brakes down into three operating regions:

1.

Braking,

nm<0, s>1

Torque is positive whilst speed is negative. Considering the power conversion equation

Pconv=(1s)Pgap
it can be seen that if the power converted is negative (from

P= ) then the airgap power is

positive. i.e. the power is flowing from the stator to the rotor and also into the rotor from the
mechanical system. This operations is also called plugging.
This mode of operation can be used to quickly stop a machine. If a motor is travelling
forwards it can be stopped by interchanging the connections to two of the three phases.
Switching two phases has the result of changing the direction of motion of the stator
magnetic field, effectively putting the machine into braking mode in the opposite direction.
2.

Motoring,

0<nm<ns, 0<s<1

Torque and motion are in the same direction. This is the most common mode of operation.
3.

Generating,nm>ns,

s<0

In this mode, again torque is positive whilst speed is negative. However, unlike plugging,

Pconv=(1s)Pgap
indicates that if the power converted is negative, so is the air gap power. In this case, power
flows from the mechanical system, to the rotor circuit, then across the air gap to the stator
circuit and external electrical system.

The torque equation

Using the equation

=3I22R2ss
the torque speed curve can be solved by first solving the circuit model to find the rotor
current. In the absence of a computer, this is a tedious process at best. Multiple solutions of
the above equation for torque at different slips can be made simpler by simplifying the
equivalent circuit model. Consider the diagram below:

The stator part of the equivalent circuit (together with the magnetising branch) can be
replaced by a Thevenin equivalent circuit. In the Thevenin circuit, the stator phase voltage
has been replaced by its Thevenin equivalent,

V THVTH=jXmR1+j(X1+Xm)V 1=|V TH|

and the impedances have been replaced by Thevenin equivalent impedances.

ZTHZTHZTH=(R1+jX1)||jXm=jXm(R1+jX1)R1+jX1+jXm=RTH+jXTH
Incorporating the Thevenin model into the circuit model results in the Thevenin equivalent
circuit model of an induction machine.

In the above circuit, the calculation of rotor current is greatly simplified

I 2I 2=V THZTH+Z2=V TH(RTH+R2s)+j(XTH+X2)

The above expression for rotor current can be squared and substituted into the torque
equation

I 22=V2TH(RTH+R2s)2+(XTH+X2)2=3V2TH(RTH+R2s)2+(XTH+X2)2R2ss
Using the above equation, the variation of torque with slip can be plotted directly .
Note that if power or efficiency calculations are needed, the full equivalent circuit model
should be used (not the Thevenin version).

Motoring Torque Characteristic

The motoring region of the induction machine torque-speed curve is the region of greatest
interest. The plots below show a number of different torque speed curves, due to differences
in the motor designs. Common features of interest are noted and discussed below.

rated . The rated torque of the machine. This is the design operating point.

start . The start torque of the machine, when the machine is at standstill.

max or po . The maximum torque or pull-out torque. Once a machine has reached rated
operating point, this is the maximum torque that can be applied without stopping the
machine (pulling out). In reality, since this torque is significantly more than the design rated
torque, operation at maximum torque is not possible due to thermal heating issues.
(Currents will be above rated values, I2R losses will be excessive.)

pu . The pull-up torque of the machine. In some machines, the lowest point on the
torque speed curve between starting and pullout is not the start torque. In this case it is
important to know the pull-up torque. This is the minimum torque that the motor can
accelerate up to the desired operating speed.
In steady state operation, an induction motor will operate at the speed where the
mechanical load torque equals the torque developed by the motor. At low speeds, the
difference between the motor torque and the load torque accelerates the machine. Normal
operation is to the right of the maximum torque. In this region, an increase in the load
torque will cause the motor to slow, increasing the motor torque until an equilibrium is
reached. To the left of the pullout torque, no such equilibrium can be reached. Mechanically,

motorload=Jdmdt
where J is the rotational inertia of the mechanical system.
Andy Knight