High-Inertia Synchronous Motor

Protection and Lessons Learned

Faouzi Jebali
Saudi Aramco
Kamal Garg
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

Copyright © Saudi Aramco and SEL 2014

Introduction

• System overview
• Settings
• Design requirements
• Thermal model
• Custom starting sequence
• Field results and analysis
• Conclusion

1
 Saudi Aramco History

• Established in 1933 as CASOC

• Renamed Aramco in 1944, Saudi Aramco
in 1980
• Is world leader in hydrocarbon exploration,
production, refining, distribution, shipping,
and marketing
• Is top exporter of crude oil and natural gas
liquids (NGLs)
• Has more than 54,000 employees

Gas Plant

• Compressors driven by 24,500 hp motors

• Three motors and their field excitation
control panels replaced with 27,000 hp
synchronous motors

2
 Why Plant Motors Were Replaced

• Old compressor motors were 26 years old

• Frequent motor trips occurred due to
failures and required maintenance
♦ Interturn spatial insulation failures
♦ Fan blade failures
♦ Lube oil leaks
♦ Defective ripple springs
♦ Potential armature failures

Synchronous Motor Basics

• Difference between induction and

synchronous motors is rotor construction
• Synchronous motor typically started like
induction motor

3
 Synchronous Motor Basics

• Once motor is started and reaches around

97% speed, field can be applied and motor
can pull into synchronism with system
• Synchronous motor thermal capability and
allowable locked-rotor time are generally
much less than induction motor (special
protection for damper winding required)

Typical Motor Operating Characteristics

Breakdown
Full Voltage Stator Torque
Multiples of Full-Load Amperes

(BDT)
Multiples of Full-Load Torque

Current Curve 2
6

5 LRA

Full Voltage Motor

(FLA)

4
(FLT)

Torque Curve P
3 1

2 Load Torque Curve LRT

1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90(ω)n100
Percentage of Synchronous Speed

4
 Best-Fit Motor Applications
Medium-
Voltage
Synchronous Motor Bus
M

Induction
M

Special Starting
M
High Inertia, Two-Speed,
Reduced Voltage
VFD Fed
M
Variable Frequency Drive

Parameter Synchronous Motor Induction Motor

Compressors, large pumps,
extruders, refiners, vacuum Pumps, fans, compressors,
Application pumps, chippers, mining conveyers, crushers, mixers,
mills, applications requiring shredders, extruders
large AFD

Lower cost if hp < 8,000,

Higher cost (needs excitation
Cost and simple construction,
system) and more complex
construction lowest installed cost
construction
(except for high hp ratings)

Power factor PF correction and voltage Low PF in low-speed ranges;

(PF) regulation lagging (0.5 to 0.9)

Starting
250 to 400% 500 to 650%
current

5
 Parameter Synchronous Motor Induction Motor

Torque and NEMA standard: higher

inertia torque, higher inertia

Response to Difficult to re-accelerate

Can usually be
momentary after momentary
re-accelerated easily
voltage dips voltage interruption

More efficient (98%),

Efficiency 2% at high speed
(more at low speed)

Maintenance Higher maintenance

Rotation Slower than electrical grid

Synchronous
speed (slip)
Rotor Rotor has field winding Rotor lamination and
construction around salient poles rotor bars (squirrel cage)

Saudi Aramco Standards for

Large Motors
• Standards require synchronous motors
• Motors are installed in area where volatile,
flammable gases are handled and processed
• Only brushless excitation systems are
allowed with synchronous motors

6
 SEC
Grid
230 kV
T706
90 MVA 50/51H
230 / 13.2 kV T704T

400 A

50/
51N 51P/PD

13.2 kV

KM002B

Load

Synchronous 27,000 hp
Motor 1,002 FLA

Motor Relay Features

• Thermal overload (49)
• Phase overcurrent
(50 / 51P)
• Neutral overcurrent (50N)
• Undervoltage and
overvoltage (27 / 59)
• Motor differential (87M)
• Phase reversal (47)
• Speed switch (14)
• Load jam
• Power factor, VAR, and
loss of field
• Frequency elements (81)
• Motor starts
• Unbalance (46, 50Q)

7
 Motor Protection

• Overcurrent (50 / 51P / 50N)

♦ 50P is 1.65 to 2.5 • LRA at 6 cycles
♦ 51P is enabled 115% • FLA during running
♦ 50N is 20 A primary at 6 cycles
• Current unbalance (46 and 50Q)
♦ 46 alarm for 10% unbalance at 10 seconds
♦ 46 trip for 20% unbalance at 5 seconds
♦ 50Q trip for 40% • FLA at 4 seconds

Motor Protection

• Locked-rotor and overload thermal element

♦ 49T is stator and rotor thermal overload
♦ Load jam (JAMTRIP) is 2.0 • FLA at 2-second
delay
• Power factor (55T) and loss of field
♦ Operates on leading power factor (import
watts, export VARs)
♦ Selected for 0.8 to 0.9 lag with 1-second delay

8
 Motor Protection

• Undervoltage and overvoltage element

(27 / 59)
♦ ±10 percent of rated voltage acceptable
♦ 80% undervoltage setting is typical
• Underfrequency and overfrequency
element (81): ±5 percent of nominal
frequency for monitoring (no tripping)
• Speed switch (14): provides locked-rotor
protection (10% of speed in 7 seconds)

Motor Protection
35.0 Accelerating Time
32.0 With 80% of Nominal
Voltage (UN)
28.0
24.0 Accelerating Time
Time (seconds)

With 90% of UN
20.0 Trip Setting:
7 Seconds at Accelerating Time
16.0 10% Speed With 100% of UN
12.0
8.0
4.0 Maximum Time to
Reach 10% Speed
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Speed (pu)
Speed = 1 pu = 1,800 rpm

9
 10,000
5,000 2XB Bus 8 R45-704

1,000 Rating
500 Cold Stall Thermal
= 13.5 s
Relay 100
51P
Coordination 50 CTR 5000:5

Seconds
Hot Stall CO11
= 11 s
10
Motor Relay
5 CTR 1200:5 Cable
C4
Pickup = 4.8
1 TD = 0.17
.5

50/51H 704T
.1 CTR 5000:5
.05 CO9
Pickup = 5
TD = 4.5
.01
.5 1 3 5 10 50 100 5001,000 10,000
A • 100 2XB (Plot Reference kV = 13.2)

Typical Motor Rotor

Resistance / Time
4.5
Rotor Current
4
3.5
3
Per Unit

2.5
2
1.5
Rotor Resistance • 100
1
Load Motor
0.5 Torque Torque
0
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
Rotational Speed (ω per unit)

10
Digital Relay – Accurate Thermal Model

• Rotor thermal model

• Stator thermal model
• Slip-dependent rotor resistance
• Accurate time between start
• High-inertia motors
♦ Have starting time longer than locked-rotor
time
♦ Must have accurate rotor resistance model

Starting Example
1.0 10
Conventional Relay
0.9 9

0.8 8

0.7 7
Thermal Capacity Used

0.6 6
Current

Motor Additional Start

0.5 5 Time
Current
0.4 4
Dynamic Resistance Model
0.3 3 Safe Start Time
Constant Resistance Model
0.2 2 Safe Start Time
Slip Detection Time
0.1 1
Start Monitor Trip Time
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Time (seconds)

11
 Thermal Model

 I2 – I0 2 
t  TC • ln  2 2 
 I – SF 

• t = time to reach limiting temperature

• TC = 47 minutes (stator thermal time
constant)
• I = current in per unit of rated full load
• I0 = preload current

Thermal Model
3

2.5
• I1 = 3x
T1 = 250 seconds
2
Stator Thermal • I2 = 2.5x
Current (pu)

Limit (cold) T2 = 375 seconds

• I3 = 2.0x
1.5
T3 = 650 seconds
Stator Thermal
1
Limit (hot)

0.5
Horsepower: 27,000 hp
Line Volts: 13.2 kV
0
100 1,000 10,000
Time (seconds)

12
 Nameplate Data
Motor Parameters Value Description
28,361 lb/ft
Locked-rotor torque Per data sheet
(0.36 pu)
69,500 lb/ft2
Inertia of rotor Per data sheet
(2,928.75 kg/m2)
25,557.6 lb/ft2
Inertia of load Per data sheet
(1,077.0 kg/m2)

Hot safe stall time 11 seconds Per data sheet

Obtained from cold

Cold safe stall time 13.5 seconds safe stall (1.2 times
hot stall time)
Motor acceleration time
18.3 seconds Per data sheet
(100% voltage)

Rotor Thermal Limits

1,000.00
A
Volts: 13.20 kV
Locked-Rotor Acceleration time:
Thermal Limit (cold) Accelerating Thermal Limit 18.3 seconds
100.00
Time (seconds)

Locked-Rotor C B
Thermal Limit (hot) B Volts: 11.88 kV
A Acceleration time:
24.3 seconds
10.00
C
C B A
Volts: 10.56 kV
Acceleration time:
33.2 seconds
1.00
100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Current

13
 27,000 hp Motor – Initial Rotor
Thermal Analysis
1.2

1 Motor Voltage

0.8
Per Unit

Speed
0.6 Rotor
Temperature
0.4

0.2

0
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00
Time (seconds)

Start: Successful Start Maximum Rotor Temperature: 85.1%

Time: 18.9 seconds Maximum Air Gap Torque: 1.89 pu

27,000 hp Motor – Initial Rotor

Thermal Analysis
• Weak system conditions, longer
starting time
• Hot start using more than 100% thermal
capacity
• Results from actual field data

14
 Custom Starting Sequence

• Custom logic in • Front display for

motor relay motor state
• Two cold starts and • Lockout time
one hot start countdown

B. Motor Stops C. Motor Stops D. Motor Stops

Cold First A. Motor
in 2 Minutes Between 2 Minutes After 2 Hours or
Start Start Runs
or Less and 2 Hours More

Second One
Running Cold Lockout Warm
Start Start
...
...

C. Motor D. Motor Stops

Second A. Motor
Stops in Less After 2 Hours
Start Runs
Than 2 Hours or More

One
Running Lockout Warm
Start

C. Motor Stops D. Motor Stops

First A. Motor
Hot Start in Less Than After 2 Hours
Start Runs
24 Hours or More

One
Running Lockout Warm
Start
...

15
21,000 hp Motor Start (Motor 5B)

Start Time(s) 8.0

Start TCU (%) 70
Maximum Current (A) 3,002
Minimum Voltage (V) 11,214

21,000 hp Motor Start (Motor 4B)

Start Time(s) 9.2

Start TCU (%) 74
Maximum Current (A) 3,116
Minimum Voltage (V) 11,553

16
 21,000 hp Motor – Rotor
Thermal Analysis
1.2
Motor Field
Speed Quantity Analysis
1 Voltage Results
0.8 Starting
Per Unit

Rotor
0.6 Time 7.9 7.5
Temperature
(seconds)
0.4
Starting
0.2 Current 3,016 2,984
0 (A)
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Voltage
Time (seconds) (% of 85 90
nominal)
Starting
Thermal 72 76
(%)

27,000 hp Motor – Rotor

Thermal Analysis
1.2
Field
Speed Quantity Analysis
1 Results
Motor Voltage Starting
0.8
Per Unit

Time 13.8 13.8

0.6 (seconds)
Rotor
0.4 Temperature Starting
0.2 Current 4,700 4,464
(A)
0
0.00 4.00 8.00 12.00 16.00 Voltage
Time (seconds) (% of 95 92
nominal)
Starting
Thermal 63 61.8
(%)

17
 Conclusion

• Rotor and stator thermal model for motor

start is accurate
• Motor starting time is less than
locked-rotor time
• Digital relay capable of programming
custom motor starting logic
• History and record for motor starts provide
information for motor monitoring

Questions?

18