Experiment no: 08
AIM: TO STUDY THREE POINT AND FOUR
POINT STARTER OF DC MOTOR
Function of starter is to limit the starting current
Ia = (V - Eb) / Ra
at starting speed N=0
Eb =0
I st = V/ R a
by using a starter Ist becomes as
Ist = V/ (Ra +Rs)
Types of starter:
1. Three point Starter
2. Four point starter
Three Point Starter
A 3 point starter is a device that helps in the starting and running of a DC
shunt motor or compound wound DC motor (similar to a 4 point starter).
Now the question is why these types of DC motors require the assistance of
the starter in the first place? Well, it’s due to the presence of back emf (Eb),
which plays a critical role in governing the operation of the motor. The
back emf develops as the motor armature starts to rotate in presence of the
magnetic field, by generating action and counters the supply voltage.
Hence the back emf at the starting of the motor is zero, but it develops
gradually as the motor gathers speed.
The general motor emf equation is:
E= Eb + Ia.Ra
Where E=Supply Voltage; Eb=Back EMF; Ia=Armature Current; and
Ra=Armature Resistance. Since at starting Eb = 0, then E = Ia.Ra. Hence we
can rearrange for the armature current Ia:
from the above equation that the current will be dangerously high at
starting (as the armature resistance Ra is small). This is why it’s important
that we make use of a device like the 3 point starter to limit the starting
current to acceptably low value.
To understand how the starting current is restricted to the desired value,
we need to look at the construction and working of three-point starter.
The electrical symbols in the diagram below show all the essential parts of
a three-point starter.
3 Point Starter Diagram
Construction of 3 Point Starter
Construction wise a starter is a variable resistance, integrated into the
number of sections as shown in the figure beside. The contact points of
these sections are called studs and are shown separately as OFF, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
RUN. Other than that there are three main points, referred to as
1. ‘L’ Line terminal (Connected to positive of supply)
2. ‘A’ Armature terminal (Connected to the armature winding)
3. ‘F’ Field terminal (Connected to the field winding)
And from there it gets the name 3 point starter. Now studying the
construction of 3 point starter in further details reveals that the point ‘L’ is
connected to an electromagnet called overload release (OLR) as shown in
the figure. The other end of OLR is connected to the lower end of
conducting lever of starter handle where spring is also attached with it, and
the starter handle also contains a soft iron piece housed on it. This handle is
free to move to the other side RUN against the force of the spring. This
spring brings back the handle to its original OFF position under the
influence of its own force. Another parallel path is derived from the stud
‘1’, given to another electromagnet called No Volt Coil (NVC) which is
further connected to terminal ‘F.’ The starting resistance at starting is
entirely in series with the armature. The OLR and NVC act as the two
protecting devices of the starter.
Working of Three Point Starter
Having studied its construction, let us now go into the working of the 3
point starter. To start with the handle is in the OFF position when the
supply to the DC motor is switched on. Then handle is slowly moved
against the spring force to make contact with stud No. 1. At this point, field
winding of the shunt or the compound motor gets supply through the
parallel path provided to starting the resistance, through No Voltage Coil.
While entire starting resistance comes in series with the armature. The high
starting armature current thus gets limited as the current equation at this
stage becomes:
As the handle is moved further, it goes on making contact with studs 2, 3,
4, etc., thus gradually cutting off the series resistance from the armature
circuit as the motor gathers speed. Finally, when the starter handle is in
‘RUN’ position, the entire starting resistance is eliminated, and the motor
runs with normal speed.
This is because back emf is developed consequently with speed to counter
the supply voltage and reduce the armature current.
So the external electrical resistance is not required anymore and is removed
for optimum operation. The handle is moved manually from OFF to the
RUN position with the development of speed. Now the obvious question is
once the handle is taken to the RUN position how it is supposed to stay
there, as long as the motor is running.
To find the answer to this question let us look into the working of No
Voltage Coil.
Working of No Voltage Coil of 3 Point Starter
The supply to the field winding is derived through no voltage coil. So
when field current flows, the NVC is magnetized. Now when the handle is
in the ‘RUN’ position, a soft iron piece is connected to the handle and gets
attracted by the magnetic force produced by NVC, because of flow of
current through it. The NVC is designed in such a way that it holds the
handle in ‘RUN’ position against the force of the spring as long as supply is
given to the motor. Thus NVC holds the handle in the ‘RUN’ position and
hence also called hold on coil.
Now when there is any kind of supply failure, the current flow through
NVC is affected and it immediately loses its magnetic property and is
unable to keep the soft iron piece on the handle, attracted. At this point
under the action of the spring force, the handle comes back to OFF
position, opening the circuit and thus switching off the motor. So due to
the combination of NVC and the spring, the starter handle always comes
back to OFF position whenever there is any supply problem. Thus it also
acts as a protective device safeguarding the motor from any kind of
abnormality.
Drawbacks of a Three Point Starter
The 3 point starter suffers from a serious drawback for motors with a large
variation of speed by adjustment of the field rheostat. To increase the speed
of the motor field resistance can be increased. Therefore current through
the shunt field is reduced.
Field current becomes very low which results in holding electromagnet too
weak to overcome the force exerted by the spring. The holding magnet
may release the arm of the starter during the normal operation of the motor
and thus disconnect the motor from the line. This is not desirable. A 4 point
starter is thus used instead, which does not have this drawback.
Four Point Starter
Working Principle of 4 Point Starter
A 4 point starter protects the armature of a DC shunt motor or compound
wound DC motor against the initially high starting current of the DC
motor.
The 4 point starter has a lot of constructional and functional similarity to a
3 point starter, but this special device has an additional point and coil in its
construction (as the name suggests). This brings about some difference in
its functionality, though the basic operational characteristic remains the
same. The basic difference in the circuit of a 4 point starter as compared to 3
point starter is that the holding coil is removed from the shunt field current
and is connected directly across the line with current limiting resistance in
series.
Now to go into the details of the operation of 4 point starter, let’s have a look
at its construction diagram. This will help demonstrate the difference
between a 4 vs 3 point starter.
Construction and Operation of Four Point Starter
A 4 point starter as the name suggests has 4 main operational points,
namely
1. ‘L’ Line terminal (Connected to positive of supply.)
2. ‘A’ Armature terminal (Connected to the armature winding.)
3. ‘F’ Field terminal. (Connected to the field winding.)
4. Like in the case of the 3 point starter, and in addition to it there is,
A 4th point N (Connected to the No Voltage Coil NVC)
The remarkable difference in case of a 4 point starter is that the No Voltage
Coil is connected independently across the supply through the fourth
terminal called ‘N’ in addition to the ‘L’, ‘F’ and ‘A’. As a direct
consequence of that, any change in the field supply current does not bring
about any difference in the performance of the NVC. Thus it must be
ensured that no voltage coil always produce a force which is strong enough
to hold the handle in its ‘RUN’ position, against the force of the spring,
under all the operational conditions. Such a current is adjusted through No
Voltage Coil with the help of fixed resistance R connected in series with the
NVC using fourth point ‘N’ as shown in the figure.
4 Point Starter Diagram
Apart from this above mentioned fact, the 4 point and 3 point starters are
similar in all other ways like possessing is a variable resistance, integrated
into number of sections as shown in the figure above. The contact points of
these sections are called studs and are shown separately as OFF, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
RUN, over which the handle is free to be maneuvered manually to regulate
the starting current with gathering speed.
Now to understand its way of operating let’s have a closer look at the
diagram given above. Considering that supply is given and the handle is
taken stud No.1, then the circuit is complete and the line current that starts
flowing through the starter. In this situation we can see that the current
will be divided into 3 parts, flowing through 3 different points.
1. 1 part flows through the starting resistance (R1+ R2 + R3…..) and then
to the armature.
2. A 2nd part flowing through the field winding F.
3. And a 3rd part flowing through the no voltage coil in series with the
protective resistance R.
So the point to be noted here is that with this particular arrangement any
change in the shunt field circuit does not bring about any change in the no
voltage coil as the two circuits are independent of each other.
This essentially means that the electromagnet pull subjected upon the soft
iron bar of the handle by the no voltage coil at all points of time should be
high enough to keep the handle at its RUN position, or rather prevent the
spring force from restoring the handle at its original OFF position,
irrespective of how the field rheostat is adjusted.
This marks the operational difference between a 4 point starter and a 3 point
starter. As otherwise both are almost similar and are used for limiting the
starting current to a shunt wound DC motor or compound wound DC
motor, and thus act as a protective device.
