Motor Terminology
S
Screens:
Are protection which can be placed over openings in the fan cover on a
fan-cooled motor or ventilation openings of a protected motor to help keep out
large particles and/or animals, but not block ventilation.
Secondary Windings:
Winding which is not connected to the power source, but which carries
current induced in it through its magnetic linkage with the primary winding.
Series DC Motors:
Where high starting torques are required for a DC motor, the series
motor is used. The load must be solidly connected to the motor and never
decrease to zero to prevent excessive motor speeds. The load must tolerate wide
speed variations from full load to light load.
Typical areas of application are industrial trucks, hoists, cranes, and traction
duty.
Service Factor:
1. When used on a motor nameplate, a number which indicates how much
above the nameplate rating a motor can be loaded without causing serious
degradation, (i.e., a 1.15 S-F can produce 15% greater torque than the 1.0 S-F
rating of the same motor).
2. When used in applying motors or gearmotors, a figure of merit which is used
to "adjust" measured loads in an attempt to compensate for conditions
which are difficult to measure or define. Typically, measured loads are
multiplied by service factors (experience factors) and the result in an
"equivalent required torque" rating of a motor or gearmotor.
Short Circuit:
A defect in a winding which causes part of the normal electrical circuit to be
bypassed. This frequently results in reducing the resistance or impedance to
such an extent as to cause overheating of the winding, and subsequent burnout.
Shaft:
The rotating member of the motor which protrudes past the bearings for
attachment to the driven apparatus.
Shunt Wound DC Motors:
Integral-horsepower shunt motors, are used where the primary load
requirements are for minimum speed variation from full-load to no-load and/or
constant horsepower over an adjustable speed range at constant potential. Shunt
motors are suitable for average starting torque loads. Typical applications include individual drives for machine tools, such as
drills and lathes, and centrifugal fans and blowers which are regulated by means
of the discharge opening.
Skew:
Arrangement of laminations on a rotor or armature to provide a slight angular
pattern of their slots with respect to the shaft axis. This pattern helps to
eliminate low speed cogging effects in an armature and minimize induced
vibration in a rotor as well as reduce associated noise. Also can help to
increase starting torque.
Sleeve Bearings:
A type of bearing with no rolling elements, where the motor shaft rides
on a film of oil.
Slip:
The difference between the speed of the rotating magnetic field (which is always
synchronous) and the rotor in a non-synchronous induction motor is known as slip
and is expressed as a percentage of a synchronous speed. Slip generally
increases with an increase in torque.
Space Heater:
Small resistance heater units mounted in a motor, that are energized,
during motor shutdown, to prevent condensation of moisture on the motor
windings.
Special Purpose Motor:
Motor with special operating characteristics or special mechanical
construction, or both, designed for a particular application and not falling
within the definition of a general purpose or definite purpose motor.
Splash-Proof Motor:
An open motor in which the ventilating openings are so constructed that
drops of liquid or solid particles falling on it or coming toward it in a
straight line at any angle not greater than 100 degrees from the vertical,
cannot enter either directly or by striking and running along a surface of the
motor.
Split Phase Start:
Motor which employs a main winding and an auxiliary winding, which is
called the starting winding. The windings are unlike and thereby
"split" the single phase of the power supply by causing a phase
displacement between the currents of the two windings thus producing a rotating
field. After the motor has attained approximately 75% of rated speed, the
starting winding is automatically disconnected by means of a centrifugal switch
or by a relay. The motor then continues to run on a single oscillating field,
which in conjunction with the rotation of the rotor, results in a rotating field
effect. Since there is no rotating field, after the starting winding is
de-energized, the rotation cannot be changed until the motor has come to rest or
at least slowed down to the speed at which the automatic switch closes. Special
starting switches are available as well as special reversing switches which have
a means for shunting the open contacts of the automatic switch while the motor
is running and thus permits the split phase motor to be reversed while rotating.
This type of starting is found typically on single phase fractional motors.
Speed: The speed of the motor refers to the RPM's (revolutions
per minute) of the shaft. For a three phase AC motor:
Synchronous speed = 120 X Frequency (HZ) / Number of Poles
The number of poles are a function of design.
Stabilized Shunt-Wound Motor:
A stabilized shunt-wound motor is a direct-current motor in which the
shunt field circuit is connected either in parallel with the armature circuit or
to a separate source of excitation voltage and which also has a light series
winding added to prevent a rise in speed or to obtain a slight reduction in
speed with increase in load.
Starting Current:
Amount of current drawn at the instant a motor is energized - in most
cases much higher than that required for running. Same as locked rotor current.
Starting Torque:
The torque or twisting force delivered by a motor at the instant it is
energized. Starting torque is often higher than rated running or full load
torque.
Stator: That part of an AC induction motor's magnetic structure which does not rotate.
It usually contains the primary winding. The stator is made up of laminations
with a large hole in the center in which the rotor can turn; there are slots in
the stator in which the windings for the coils are inserted.
Stress Cones:
A physical protection placed over the external connections point on
medium and high voltage motor leads. Stress cones are used to avoid di-electric
breakdown of motor leads in the vicinity of the external connection. Stress
cones generally require an oversized conduit box on large motors.
Surge Protection:
A capacitor device usually mounted in the conduit box to flatten the
voltage surges that may occur as a result of lighting or a power supply surge
(short-period peak). These surges could result in more than twice the rated
voltage going to the windings and in turn cause winding damage.
Synchronous Motor: A motor which operates at a constant speed up to full load. The
rotor speed is equal to the speed of the rotating magnetic field of the stator;
there is no slip. There are two (2) major types reluctance and permanent magnet
on synchronous motors. A synchronous motor is often used where the exact speed
of a motor must be maintained.
Synchronous Speed: The speed of the rotating magnetic field set up by the stator winding
of an induction motor. In a synchronous motor the rotor locks into step with the
rotating magnetic field, and the motor is said to run at synchronous speed.
Approximately the speed of the motor with no load on it.