High Torque Low Inrush Current Motor Design or Voltage Recovery Dependance for Loaded Start Conditions

With today’s increased focus on net-zero emissions, Oil & Gas companies around the world are working towards reducing flaring as much as possible to reduce the environmental impact.Topsides footprint and real estate inside electrical buildings is a luxury for new and existing facilities, so gear boxes, Adjustable Speed Drives (ASD), and other methods to reduce starting currents, are less desirable options. In the Industry there is a common misconception around low inrush current motors, regarding weight, kW and footprint increments, when compared with a typical direct on-line (DOL) induction motor with the same parameters (kW);This misconception assumes that the only benefit is the low inrush, but torque is jeopardized for low inrush motors. In this paper we will present the benefits of low inrush motors, and how higher torques can be achieved to clarify this misconception.