Source: Electric Motor Handbook

Chapter

Terminology and Definitions

2
N.Ghai

2.1 Types of Motor

There are many ways in which electric motors may be categorized or
classified. Some of these are presented below and in Fig. 2.1.

2.1.1 AC and DC
One way of classifying electric motors is by the type of power they
consume. Using this approach, we may state that all electric motors fall
into one or the other of the two categories, viz., AC or DC. AC motors
are those that run on alternating current or AC power, and DC motors
are those that run on direct current, or DC power.

2.1.2 Synchronous and induction

Alternating current motors again fall into two distinct categories,
synchronous or induction. Synchronous motors run at a fixed speed,
irrespective of the load they carry. Their speed of operation is given by
the relationship

where f is the system frequency in Hz and P is the number of poles for

which the stator is wound. The speed given by the above relationship is
called the synchronous speed, and hence the name synchronous motor.
The induction motor, on the other hand, runs very close to but less than

7
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 Terminology and Definitions

8 Chapter Two

Figure 2.1 Classification of AC and DC motors.

the synchronous speed. The difference between the synchronous speed

and the actual speed is called the slip speed. The slip speed of any
induction motor is a function of its design and of desired performance.
Further, for a given motor, the slip speed and the running speed vary
with the load. The running speed decreases as the load on the motor is
increased.

2.1.3 Salient-pole and cylindrical-rotor

Synchronous motors fall into two broad categories defined by their
method of construction. These are salient-pole motors and cylindrical-
rotor motors. High-speed motors, those running at 3600 r/min with 60
Hz supply, are of the cylindrical-rotor construction for mechanical
strength reasons, whereas slower speed motors, those running at 1800
r/min and slower, are mostly of the salient-pole type.

2.1.4 Single-phase and three-phase motors

All AC motors may also be classified as single-phase and multiphase
motors, depending on whether they are intended to run on single-phase
supply or on multiphase supply. Since the distribution systems are
universally of the three-phase type, multiphase motors are almost always
of the three-phase type. Single-phase motors are limited by the power
they can produce, and are generally available in sizes up to only a few
horsepower, and in the induction motor variety only. Synchronous motors
are usually available in three-phase configurations only.

2.1.5 Other variations

Many variations of the basic induction and synchronous motors are
available. These include but are not limited to the synchronous-induction
motor, which is essentially a wound-rotor-induction motor supplied with
DC power to its rotor winding to make it run at synchronous speed; the

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 Terminology and Definitions

Terminology and Definitions 9

TABLE 2.1 Operating Temperatures for Insulation System Classes

TABLE 2.2 Allowable Temperature Rises

permanent-magnet motor in which the field excitation is provided by

permanent magnets; the reluctance motor in which the surface of the
rotor of a squirrel-cage induction motor is shaped to form salient-pole
structures causing the motor to run up to speed as an induction motor
and pull into synchronism by reluctance action and operate at
synchronous speed; and the ac-commutator motor or universal motor,
which possesses the wide speed range and higher starting torque
advantages of DC motor, to name a few. One could also include here
single-phase induction motor variations based on the method of starting
used—the split-phase motor, the capacitor-start motor, the resistance-
start motor, and the shaded-pole motor.

2.2 Insulation System Classes

The classification of winding insulation systems is based on their
operating temperature capabilities. These classes are designated by the
letters A, E, B, F, and H. The operating temperatures for these insulation
classes are shown in Table 2.1.
These temperatures represent the maximum allowable operating
temperature of the winding at which, if the motor were operated in a
clean, dry, free-from-impurities environment at up to 40 hours per week,
an operation life of 10 to 20 years could be expected, before the insulation
deterioration due to heat destroys its capability to withstand the applied
voltage.
The temperatures in the Table 2.1 are the maximum temperatures
existing in the winding, or the hot spot temperatures, and are not the
average winding temperatures. It is generally assumed that in a
welldesigned motor, the hot spot is approximately 10°C higher than the
average winding temperature. This yields the allowable temperature rises
(average, or rises by resistance) in an ambient temperature not exceeding
40°C, that one finds in standards. These are shown in Table 2.2.
Class A insulation is obsolete, and no longer in use. Class E insulation
is not used in the United States, but is common in Europe. Class B is

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 Terminology and Definitions

10 Chapter Two

the most commonly specified insulation. Class F is slowly winning favor,

although for larger motors in the United States, the users tend to specify
class F systems with class B temperature rises to improve the life
expectancy of the windings. Class H systems are widely specified in
synchronous generators up to 5 mW in size.

2.3 Codes and Standards

Both national and international standards exist for electric motors. For
the most part, these apply to general purpose motors. However, in the
United States, some definite purpose standards also exist which are
industry or application specific. Examples of the latter are the IEEE
841, which applies to medium size motors for petroleum and chemical
applications, American Petroleum Institute standards API 541 (large
induction motors) and API 546 (large synchronous motors), both for
petroleum and chemical industry applications, and the American
National Standards Institute standard ANSI C50.41 for large induction
motors for generating station applications.
In the United States, in general, the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) writes standards for motor testing and test
methods, and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
writes standards for motor performance. In the international field, the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which is a voluntary
association of countries, writes all standards applicable to electric motors.
U.S. and international standards that apply to electric motors are:

n NEMA MG1-1993, Rev 4, “Motors and Generators.”

n IEEE Std 112–1996, “IEEE Standard Test Procedure for Polyphase
Induction Motors and Generators.”
n IEEE Std 115–1983, “IEEE Guide: Test Procedures for Synchronous
Machines.”
n IEEE Std 522–1992, “IEEE Guide for Testing Turn-to-Turn Insula-
tion on Form-Wound Stator Coils for Alternating Current Rotating
Electric Machines.”
n IEC 34–1, 1996, 10th ed., “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 1: Rat-
ing and Performance.”
n IEC 34–1, Amendment 1, 1997, “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part
1: Rating and Performance.”
n IEC 34–2, 1972, “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 2: Methods of
Determining Losses and Efficiency of Rotating Electrical Machinery
from Tests.”
n IEC 34–2, Amendment 1, 1995 and Amendment 2, 1996, “Rotating
Electrical Machines, Part 2: Methods of Determining Losses and
Efficiency of Rotating Electrical Machinery from Tests.”

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 Terminology and Definitions

Terminology and Definitions 11

n IEC 34–5,1991, “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 5: Classification

of Degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures of Rotating Electri-
cal Machines (IP Code).”
n IEC 34–6, 1991, “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 6: Methods of
Cooling (IC Code).”
n IEC 34–9, 1990 and 2/979/FDIS, 1997, “Rotating Electrical Machines,
Part 9, “Noise Limits.”
n IEC 34–12, 1980, “Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 12: Starting
Performance of Single-speed, Three-phase Cage Induction Motors for
Voltages up to and Including 600 Volts.”
n IEC 34–14, 1990 and 2/940/FDIS, 1996, “Rotating Electrical Machines,
Part 14: Mechanical Vibration of Certain Machines with Shaft Heights
56 mm and Larger.”
n IEC 34–15,1995, “Rotating Electric Machines, Part 15: Impulse Volt-
age Withstand Levels of Rotating AC Machines with Form-wound
Coils.”
n IEC 38, 1983, “IEC Standard Voltages.”
n IEC 72–1, 1991, “Dimension and Output Series for Rotating Electri-
cal Machines.”

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