Voltage Dip Protection with DC Motorstarter Coils

Continuous process plants are being designed today with fewer and larger components arranged in ``single train´´ configurations. Maintaining operating continuity with fewer components requires high equipment reliability. Motor controls for larger components are using magnetic contactors equipped with automatic undervoltage reclosing. A voltage dip where contactors drop open and reclose can be very serious because of the nature of motors and their driven loads during voltage transients. The reclosing of magnetic starters on motors with a decaying internal voltage is reviewed. A method of riding through voltage dips with dc coil magnetic contactors is described. Application of this method will depend upon the individual characteristics of each electrical system and the process that it serves.