Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY in PRAGUE

Faculty of electrical engineering

Department of electric drives and traction
K13114

Application of electric contactors

Subject: BE5B 14 SP1

Working group:

Leader of WG:

Date of measurement:

Evropský sociální fond. Praha & EU: Investujeme do vaší budoucnosti

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 Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

"Ladder" diagrams
Ladder diagrams are specialized schematics commonly used to document industrial control
logic systems. They are called "ladder" diagrams because they resemble a ladder, with two
vertical rails (supply power) and as many "rungs" (horizontal lines) as there are control
circuits to represent.
If we wanted to draw a simple ladder diagram showing a lamp that is controlled by a hand
switch, it would look like this:

Permissive and interlock circuits

A practical application of switch and relay logic is in control systems where several process
conditions have to be met before a piece of equipment is allowed to start. A good example of
this is burner control for large combustion furnaces. In order for the burners in a large furnace
to be started safely, the control system requests "permission" from several process switches,
including high and low fuel pressure, air fan flow check, exhaust stack damper position,
access door position, etc. Each process condition is called a permissive, and each permissive
switch contact is wired in series, so that if any one of them detects an unsafe condition, the
circuit will be opened.

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 Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

Basic control circuit for DOL (direct-on-line) starter

Figure 7.1(a) shows a typical circuit for a DOL starter for a three-phase motor. A full-line
voltage is applied across the windings with this starter. The rating of motors which can be
started direct-on-line depends on the capacity of the distribution system and the acceptable
bus voltage drop during starting. In large industrial systems it is not unusual for even a 200
kW motor to be DOL started especially when fed by a transformer of 1600 kVA or higher.
However, when a motor is fed by an LV emergency generator, DOL starting has to be
planned with due consideration to starting voltage drop.

Main circuit

Figure 7.1(a) shows the circuit with a three-phase power supply (L1, L2, and L3), main circuit
fuses (F1), main contactor (K1), and an overload protection relay (F2) for a three- phase
motor.

The motor can be started by the following two methods:

1. Momentary contact control with press and release type pushbutton

2. Maintained contact control with press and latch type pushbutton.

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 Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

Momentary contactor control

Figure 7.1(b) shows a momentary control circuit to start and stop the three-phase motor using
a DOL starter with a start and stop pushbutton S1and S0 respectively.

The control circuit consists of an overload relay (F2) NC contact, an NC contact of stop
pushbutton (S0), NO contact of start pushbutton (S1) connected in series to the main contactor
(K1) coil. The control supply for the circuit passes through a control fuse (F3).

The main contactor coil gets the phase line (L1) through the control circuit only when all the
contacts are closed. In this case, when the start pushbutton is pressed, the control circuit is
closed and the main contactor is energized. As shown in Figure 7.2, an NO contact of the
main contactor is connected in parallel to the start pushbutton. As the main contactor is
switched on, it is latched through this parallel NO contact (K1) even after the start pushbutton
is released. The main contactor remains on and the motor continues to run until the stop
pushbutton is pressed to stop the motor or the motor trips due to an overload relay operation.

Maintained contactor control

Figure 7.1(c) shows a control circuit to start and stop the three-phase motor using a DOL
starter with a single pushbutton (S1).

The control circuit consists of an NC contact of overload relay (F2) and NO contact of a
toggle type switch (S ), connected in series to the main contactor (K) coil. The control supply
for the circuit passes through the control fuse (F3).

The main contactor (K1) coil gets power only when all the contacts are closed. In this case,
when the switch (S ) is closed, the control circuit closes and the main contactor (K1) is
energized.

As long as switch (S ) is maintained on, the main contactor remains on and the motor
continues to run until the switch (S ) is opened or the motor trips due to an overload relay
operation.

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 Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

Motor revolution reversion

The interlock contacts installed in the previous section's motor control circuit work fine, but
the motor will run only as long as each pushbutton switch is held down. If we wanted to keep
the motor running even after the operator takes his or her hand off the control switch(es), we
could change the circuit in a couple of different ways: we could replace the pushbutton
switches with toggle switches, or we could add some more relay logic to "latch" the control
circuit with a single, momentary actuation of either switch. Let's see (Fig. 7.2a and 7.2b) how
the second approach is implemented, since it is commonly used in industry:
otáčení vpřed
K1 Forward
L1 Poj1
L2 M
L3 3

K2
otáčení vzad Revers
Fig. 7.2a Main circuit for motor revolution reversion.

L1 PowerNapájení
supply 24V
24 V AC L2

STOP
vpřed K1
S1
1 S3 2 1 2 61 62 A1 A2

13 1K1 14 2K2
K2
S2 vzad
61 62 A1 A2
1 2

13 1K2 14 2K1

53 54 1 H1 2
3K1

53 54 1 H2 2
3K2

Fig. 7.2b Control circuit for motor revolution reversion

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 Laboratory measurement – BE5B 14 SP1

Star–delta starter

The circuit shown in Figure 7.3(a) is the main circuit for the star–delta starter and Figure
7.3(b) is the control circuit.

Usually, a motor has the tendency to draw 500% higher current than the full load of normal
current from the supply line during startup. This in turn increases the starting torque that is
higher than normal, which can result in a mechanical damage. To avoid this, reduced voltage
starters are used. Star–delta starters are also used when a weak system cannot support the
DOL starting of a large capacity motor. The starting current (line) when using this method is
reduced by factor of 3 (i.e. 200% in place of 600%). The starting torque however also reduces
by a factor 3. This method is therefore not suitable for loads with high inertia or those that
require high starting/break away torque.

During the start-up in a star–delta starter, the winding is connected in a star configuration with
contactor K1 and K2, which applies reduced voltage (approximately 58% of rated). Then after
a while, connect the windings in delta configuration with contactor K1 and K3.

K1 Motor winding
vinutí motoru K2
L1
L2
L3

K3

Fig. 7.3a Main circuit of star – delta starter

Star–delta starter working

The main contactor K1 will energize only when the control circuit S3, S1 and coil K1 is
closed. It will be achieved, when START button S1 will be pressed.

Reduced-voltage configuration (star configuration)

Star–delta timer coil (KT) gets power in the same moment like K1 and over NC contacts 2K2
and 3K1. Contactor K3 coil is energized via 2K2 and 3K1 to. At this time motor winding to
star is connected.

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Full voltage configuration (delta configuration)

Timer KT is activated and after adjusted time delay interrupt energizing of K2 coil.
Contactor K2 is disconnected and contactor K3, activated via 2K2 and 3K1 contacts
reconfigure motor connection to delta.

L1 Napájení
Power 24V24 V AC
supply L2

STOP START
K1
S1
1 S3 2 1 2 A1
A2

13 1K1 14
KT

A1 A2

K2
15 16 A1 A2

2KT H1
1 2

K3
3K1
61 62 A1
A2

2K2 53 54
H2
1 2

Fig. 7.3b Control circuit of star – delta starter

The task of laboratory training

On demonstration panel connect and verify operational function of control circuits:

1. Reversion of induction motor revolutions

2. Star – delta starter circuit

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