Current-Limiting Soft Starting Method for a High-Voltage and High-Power Motor

Abstract

Focusing on the starting problems of a high-voltage and high-power motor, such as large starting current, low power factor, waste of resources, and lack of harmonic control, this paper proposes a current-limiting soft starting method for a high-voltage and high-power motor. The method integrates functions like autotransformer voltage reduction–current limiting starting, magnetron voltage regulation–current limiting starting, and reactive power compensation during starting, and then the power filtering subsystem is turned on to filter out harmonics in power system as the starting process terminates. According to the current-limiting starting characteristic curve, the topological structure of the integrated device is established and then the functional logic switching strategy is put forward. Afterwards, the mechanisms of current-limiting starting, reactive compensation and dynamic harmonic filtering are analyzed, and the simulation and experimental evaluation are completed. In particular, the direct starting and the current-limiting are performed by developing a simulation system. In addition, a 10 kV/19,000 kW fan-loaded motor of a steel plant is chosen as the subject to verify the performance of the current-limiting soft starting method. As shown by the experimental results, the motor’s starting current is about 2 times that of its rated current, the power factor is raised to over 0.9 after the reactive power compensation, and the harmonic filter can effectively eliminate current harmonics and reduce the total harmonic distortion (THD) of supply currents.