Comparison of Soft Starting and Frequency Converter Motor Starting

Soft starting

A soft starter is, as you would expect, a device which ensures a soft starting of a motor.

A soft starter has different characteristics to the other starting methods. It has thyristors in the main circuit, and the motor voltage is regulated with a printed circuit board. The soft starter makes use of the fact that when the motor voltage is low during start, the starting current and starting torque is also low.

Motor soft starter

Advantages //

Soft starters are based on semiconductors. Via a power circuit and a control circuit, these semi-conductors reduce the initial motor voltage.

This results in lower motor torque.

During the starting process, the soft starter gradually increases the motor voltage, thereby allowing the motor to accelerate the load to rated speed without causing high torque or current peaks.

Soft-starting curve – Synchronous speed – Full load torque (left) and Full load current (right)

Soft starters can also be used to control how processes are stopped. Soft starters are less expensive than frequency converters.

Another feature of the soft starter is the soft stop function, which is very useful when stopping pumps where the problem is water hammering in the pipe system at direct stop as for star-delta starter and direct-on-line starter.

Drawbacks //

They do, however, share the same problem as frequency converters: they may inject harmonic currents into the system, and this can disrupt other processes. 

Voltage ramp for soft starter. Run-up time is around 1 sec.

The starting method also supplies a reduced voltage to the motor during start-up.

The soft starter starts up the motor at reduced voltage, and the voltage is then ramped up to its full value. The voltage is reduced in the soft starter via phase angle. In connection with this starting method current pulses will not occur. Run-up time and locked-rotor current (starting current) can be set.

Electric Motor Soft Start 60HP (VIDEO)

Part 1

Part 2

Frequency converter starting

Frequency converters are designed for continuous feeding of motors, but they can also be used for start-up only.

The frequency converter is sometimes also called VSD (Variable Speed Drive), VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) or simply Drives, which is probably the most common name.

The drive consists primarily of two parts, one which converts AC (50 or 60 Hz) to DC and the second part which converts the DC back to AC, but now with a variable frequency of 0-250 Hz. As the speed of the motor depends on the frequency this makes it possible to control the speed of the motor by changing the output frequency from the drive and this is a big advantage if there is a need for speed regulation during a continuous run.

As stated above, in many applications a drive is still only used for starting and stopping the motor, despite the fact that there is no need for speed regulation during a normal run. Of course this will create a need for much more expensive starting equipment than necessary.

By controlling the frequency, the rated motor torque is available at a low speed and the starting current is low, between 0.5 and 1.0 times the rated motor current, maximum 1.5 x In.

Another available feature is softstop, which is very useful, for example when stopping pumps where the problem is water hammering in the pipe systems at direct stop. The softstop function is also useful when stopping conveyor belts from transporting fragile material that can be damaged when the belts stop too quickly.

It is very common to install a filter together with the drive in order to reduce the levels of emission and harmonics generated.

Frequency converter and its line diagram

Advantages //

The frequency converter makes it possible to use low starting current because the motor can produce rated torque at rated current from zero to full speed. Frequency converters are becoming cheaper all the time.

As a result, they are increasingly being used in applications where soft starters would previously have been used.

Frequency converter curve – Synchronous speed – Full load torque (left) and Full load current (right)

Drawbacks //

Even so, frequency converters are still more expensive than soft starters in most cases; and like soft starters, they also inject harmonic currents into the network.

What is a drive? (VIDEO)

VLT drives in large desalination plant (VIDEO)

VLT drives control cooling tower fans (VIDEO)

References //

• Motor book by Grundfos (Download guide)
• Sofstarter Handbook (Download handbook)

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Cara Mudah Mengkonfigurasi Inverter

Tahukah anda, apa itu inverter?

Inverter merupakan alat/komponen untuk mengatur kecepatan motor-motor listrik/servo. Atau bisa disebut converter, drive. Cuma kalau untuk servo lebih dikenal dengan istilah servo drive. Dengan menggunakan inverter motor listrik menjadi variable speed. Kecepatannya bisa diubah-ubah atau disetting sesuai dengan kebutuhan.

Didunia otomatisasi industri, inverter sangat banyak digunakan. Aplikasi ini biasanya terpasang untuk proses linear (parameter yang bisa diubah-ubah). Linear ya seperti grafik sinus. atau untuk sistem axis (servo) yang membutuhkan putaran/aplikasi yang presisi.

Mungkin kita kenal dari semua vendor automasi industri pasti membuat inverter juga. Contohnya saja Allen Bradley, Siemens, Hitachi, Panasonic, Omron, Mitsubishi, Danfoss dan masih banyak lagi merek-merek lain. Dari masing-masing brand tersebut mempunyai kelebihan dan kekurangan masing-masing.

Anda pasti tahu didalam inveterter kita harus mensetting parameter yang disesuaikan dengan komponen yang akan di kontrol via inveter tersebut. Contohnya: Tegangan Motor Listrik, Ampere, Frekwensi, High Speed, Torsi, dll. Dengan cara yang manual menggunakan display hal tersebut bisa dilakukan dengan mengikuti manual book yang dikeluarkan oleh vendor inveter tersebut.

Protokol komunikasi yang diimplementasikan oleh setiap inveter berbeda-beda. Ada yang menggunakan Analog output PLC, Profibus, Device NET, Sysmac (Omron), USS, Controlnet dll.

Nah disini, saya memperkenalkan software MCT-10 (VLT Motion Control Tool) yang dikeluarkan oleh DANFOSS. Dengan menggunakan software ini dan kabel serial (COM1) yang dihubungkan antara PC dan Inventer, process configurasi menjadi sangat mudah. Kita hanya menggunakan sebuah kabel interface DB9/RS232 dari PC ke inverter. Selain mudah dalam penggunaannya, dalam operation dilapangan jika mempunyai jenis inveter yang sama dengan aplikasi beban yang sama, kita bisa langsung mendownload file configurasi ini dari satu inverter ke inverter yang lainnya. Lebih mudah kan?.... mijit-mijit tombol inverterpun sudah tidak perlu lagi.

Ingin tahu lebih banyak mengenai software ini, silahkan Klik Disini untuk DOWNLOAD! Jika anda ingin mendowload softwarenya silahkan Cek Disini! Gratiss ko...

Dibawah ini contoh display dari software MCT-10 tersebut.

Jika anda menggunakan inveter Omron, mungkin anda tahu sofware CX-Drive.

Kita bahas di lain waktu... Bersambung...

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