WHAT IS MEANT BY SHORT circuit torque (SCT) of an induction motor?

Should it concern the motor installer or user?

The simple answer is that SCT is produced within a running motor when a fault
occurs on the motor circuit. The energy stored within the motor's magnetic field
causes it to act briefly as an induction generator, feeding high current to the fault,
accompanied by a high transient torque. If that torque is great enough, it can
overstress the attachment of the motor to its foundation or damage shafts and
couplings in the drive train.

Determining the SCT magnitude, however, is far from simple. First, the type of
fault, its location, and its duration (how rapidly protective devices open the
circuit) all influence that magnitude. The most damaging occurrence is the so-
called three-phase bolted fault, in which all three phase conductors become solidly
joined to one another through zero impedance.

Although the resulting short-circuit current is the maximum possible, the

likelihood of such an event is extremely small. Much more apt to occur is the
single-phase line-to-ground fault, with a consequently lower value of fault current
(and associated torque).

The farther the fault is from the motor, the less will be the resultant SCT. The
worst case, although least likely, is right at the motor terminals.

Second, despite the name "short-circuit torque," occasional torque peaks can also
result from various switching operations on the circuit. Of particular concern is
rapid reclosing of a suddenly opened circuit, as occurs during bus transfer.
Relative phase angles of motor internal voltage and external circuit voltage will
have an effect.

Third, the theoretical SCT depends upon other circuit components besides the
motor. Capacitors can be a major influence.
Fourth, SCT is a transient phenomenon. Consider it analogous to the flow of fault
current through a current-limiting fuse. Although the "available" or possible peak
value may be dangerously high, externally detectable torque begins to die away
before that theoretical peak is reached.

Finally, and most important, what's produced within the motor is an "air gap" or
"electrical" torque. What appears at the shaft or mounting will be significantly
lower because of electrical and mechanical energy absorption.

Estimating torque magnitude

Given all those variables, what torque magnitude can be expected? Technical
papers over the past half century have offered a bewildering variety of answers.
Rigorous calculation procedures are hard to come by and impossible for anyone
but the motor designer to apply.

For estimating purposes, peak SCT values have been quoted throughout the range
from 3 to 15 times the rated full-load torque of the motor. A few authors have
suggested even higher ratios. Again, this is an internally developed electrical
torque. As one engineer puts it, "The peak shaft torque cannot be directly related
to the peak electrical torque:' Any quoted value of SCT is probably going to be
quite conservative. No test method exists to verify the value; a short-circuit can't
be simulated on the test floor.

Based on what's been published, a reasonable value of maximum SCT at the shaft
or motor base is six times rated torque. That should not endanger the motor shaft
itself, which is typically designed with a significant factor of safety applied to the
stress expected at maximum torque (the breakdown or pullout value, which is
usually from 200% to 250% of rated torque). Evidence suggests that shaft
failures from excessive torque are not common. More likely causes are torsional
oscillation, fatigue in reversing stress applications such as belt loading, and
corrosion.
Like shafts, hold-down bolts are under continuous stress during normal motor
operation. Such loading isn't dangerous as long as the bolts remain tight.

Let's look at a simple example taken from one manufacturer's product line. The
rating is 700 hp, 1,765 rpm, 4,000 volts. Figure 1 is an end view of the motor.

The center-to-center hold-down bolt distance is 20", or 1.67'. Size of the four
holes is 16"; good practice dictates use of the largest standard bolts such holes
can accommodate, which in this example would be 7/8" diameter.

Assuming an SCT of six times fullload torque, the value is:

(6)(5,250)(700)/1,765=12,500 lb-ft

The upward reaction force at the left side in the illustration will be 12,500/1.67, or
7,480 pounds, equally shared between two bolts at 3,740 each. That is little more
than half the steady-state safe load for a 7/8" bolt.

Furthermore, this assumes no initial tightness of the bolts. The reaction force will
not impose any added bolt stress until it becomes great enough to cancel the
initial tightening tension.

Of course, if the bolts are initially loose, allowing reaction forces to bounce the
motor up and down, impact damage will inevitably lead to failure. The use of bolts
smaller than the motor base is designed for is another obviously unwise practice.

In all of this, remember that a serious system fault or emergency bus transfer-
unlike normal motor starting and running-is a rare occurrence for any normal
motor application. Metal fatigue is therefore not a concern. The technical literature
discloses no significant history of motors breaking loose from their foundations for
any reason unless the mounting bolts (or the foundation structure itself) were
plainly inadequate, or were not properly tightened.
Short circuit or electrical fault analyses are performed with the motor speed adjusted so that the applied
electrical frequency is coincident with the torsional resonant frequency to produce the maximum dynamic
torque (conservative assumption). For the short circuit analysis, the motor air gap torque as a function of
time is usually obtained from the motor manufacturer.

A line-to-line short circuit is a short between two of the phase circuits while the motor is running. It
produces a braking torque which has fundamental and second order frequency components. On the other
hand, a three phase short circuit produces a braking torque at the fundamental with no second order.

A non-synchronous short circuit is a short that occurs when the generator is synchronized when a phase
difference between the generator and network voltages exists. It produces a braking torque which has a
fundamental electrical frequency component. Proper controls can prevent the occurrence of a non-
synchronizing short circuit.