Assessment and comparison of conventional motor starters and modern power electronic drives for induction motor starting characteristics

Induction motor is the workhouse of industry and particular attention is required to monitor and control it. An induction motor draws a high starting current and develops a high torque during start-up. The high starting current often causes problem such as voltage dips which will be penalized by the energy companies. Various motor starters were introduced to overcome this problem. The different motors starters available in Malaysian market are discussed and analyzed in this paper; these include both conventional electromechanical starters and power electronic drives. The advantages, disadvantages and energy saving features of each type of starter mentioned will also be discussed. An analysis of the industrial applications and the demand of these starters in Malaysia are also made and to finally conclude, this paper will also provide a suggestion of which starter is most suitable for an application based on the stated constraints.