"Pole-changing" refers to a method used in the control of alternating current (AC) motors to change the number of poles in the motor's stator winding. The number of poles in an AC motor refers to the number of magnetic pole pairs that are present in the stator. Each pair of poles generates a magnetic field that interacts with the rotor, causing it to turn and produce mechanical motion.
The concept of pole-changing is primarily used in induction motors, which are a common type of AC motor. Induction motors work based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. By altering the number of poles in the stator winding, you can effectively change the motor's speed, torque, and other operating characteristics.
The pole-changing technique involves having multiple windings in the stator, each corresponding to a different number of poles. By switching between these windings, the effective number of poles can be changed, altering the motor's operating parameters. This is often achieved using a switch or a combination of switches that control which winding is active.
The role of pole-changing in AC motor control is to provide a simple and efficient way to achieve multiple speed or torque settings without the need for complex electronic speed control devices. By changing the number of poles, the motor's synchronous speed (the speed at which the rotating magnetic field in the stator would rotate) can be altered, which in turn changes the motor's actual operating speed. This allows for a limited degree of speed control without changing the frequency of the power supply, which is typically fixed in many industrial applications.
In summary, pole-changing is a method used in AC motor control to achieve different operational characteristics by altering the number of poles in the motor's stator winding. This provides a basic way to adjust the motor's speed and torque without resorting to more complex control methods.