Single Phase Induction Motors

Single Phase Induction Motors

Single phase Induction motors perform a great variety of useful services at home, office, farm, factory and in business establishments. Single phase motors are generally manufactured in fractional HP ratings below 1 HP for economic reasons. Hence, those motors are generally referred to as fractional horsepower motors with a rating of less than 1 HP. Most single phase motors fall into this category. Single phase Induction motors are also manufactured in the range of 1.5, 2, 3 and up to 10 HP as a special requirement.

Theory of Operation

A single phase induction motor is similar in construction to that of a polyphase induction motor with difference that its stator has only one winding. If such a stator is supplied with single phase alternating current, the field produced by it changes in magnitude and direction sinusoidally. Thus the magnetic field produced in the air gap is alternating one but not rotating as a result these kind of motors are NOT SELF STARTING. Fig: (a) shows the torque-speed characteristic of single phase induction motor.

Such an alternating filed is equivalent to two fields of equal magnitude rotating in opposite directions at equal speed as explained below: