The slip of an induction motor is the difference between the synchronous speed of the rotating magnetic field and the actual speed of the rotor. It's expressed as a percentage of the synchronous speed. Mathematically, slip (S) can be represented as:
=
−
×
100
S=
N
s
N
s
−N
×100
Where:
N
s
= Synchronous speed of the rotating magnetic field (in RPM)
N = Actual speed of the rotor (in RPM)
Load affects the slip of an induction motor due to the fundamental operating principle of induction motors. As the load on the motor changes, it influences the torque requirement and thus affects the rotor speed and slip. Here's how load affects slip:
No Load (Light Load): When the motor is running with little or no load, the rotor experiences very little mechanical resistance. As a result, the rotor speed approaches the synchronous speed, and the slip becomes very low (close to zero). This is because the motor doesn't need to generate much torque to overcome the minimal resistance, so there's minimal difference between the synchronous speed and the rotor speed.
Full Load (Heavy Load): When the motor is subjected to a heavy load, the mechanical resistance on the rotor increases. The motor needs to produce more torque to maintain its speed and overcome the load. As the load increases, the slip also increases. This is because the rotor speed lags behind the synchronous speed by a larger percentage due to the higher torque requirement.
In summary, an increase in load on an induction motor leads to an increase in slip. The slip is directly proportional to the mechanical load on the motor. This relationship between load and slip is an essential factor in determining the performance characteristics of an induction motor under different operating conditions.