
470 CHAPTER 9 Single- and Two-Phase Motors
In a polyphase motor (Section 6.5), the maximum internal torque and the slip at
which it occurs can easily be expressed in terms of the motor parameters; the maximum
internal torque is independent of rotor resistance. No such simple expressions exist
for a single-phase motor. The single-phase problem is much more involved because
of the presence of the backward field, the effect of which is twofold: (1) it absorbs
some of the applied voltage, thus reducing the voltage available for the forward field
and decreasing the forward torque developed; and (2) the backward field produces
negative torque, reducing the effective developed torque. Both of these effects depend
on rotor resistance as well as leakage reactance. Consequently, unlike the polyphase
motor, the maximum internal torque of a single-phase motor is influenced by rotor re-
sistance; increasing the rotor resistance decreases the maximum torque and increases
the slip at which maximum torque occurs.
Principally because of the effects of the backward field, a single-phase induction
motor is somewhat inferior to a polyphase motor using the same rotor and the same
stator core. The single-phase motor has a lower maximum torque which occurs at a
lower slip. For the same torque, the single-phase motor has a higher slip and greater
losses, largely because of the backward-field rotor
12R
loss. The volt-ampere input
to the single-phase motor is greater, principally because of the power and reactive
volt-amperes consumed by the backward field. The stator
12R
loss also is somewhat
higher in the single-phase motor, because one phase, rather than several, must carry all
the current. Because of the greater losses, the efficiency is lower, and the temperature
rise for the same torque is higher. A larger frame size must be used for a single-phase
motor than for a polyphase motor of the same power and speed rating. Because of
the larger frame size, the maximum torque can be made comparable with that of a
physically smaller but equally rated polyphase motor. In spite of the larger frame
size and the necessity for auxiliary starting arrangements, general-purpose single-
phase motors in the standard fractional-kilowatt ratings cost approximately the same
as correspondingly rated polyphase motors because of the much greater volume of
production of the former.
9.4 TWO-PHASE INDUCTION MOTORS
As we have seen, most single-phase induction motors are actually constructed in the
form of two-phase motors, with two stator windings in space quadrature. The main
and auxiliary windings are typically quite different, with a different number of turns,
wire size, and turns distribution. This difference, in combination with the capacitor
that is typically used in series with the auxiliary winding, guarantees that the mmfs
produced by the two winding currents will be quite unbalanced; at best they may
be balanced at one specific operating point. We will thus discuss various analytical
techniques for two-phase motors, both to expand our understanding and insight into
machine performance and also to develop techniques for the analysis of single- and
two-phase motors.
Under balanced operating conditions, a symmetrical two-phase motor can be
analyzed using techniques developed in Chapter 6 for three-phase motors, modified