Introduction
Electric motors and electric current are respectively the muscles and blood of an industrial plant; no matter what kind of industrial plant it is, it may have one or several electric motors that drive blowers, water pumps, or whatever equipments that delivers linear or rotational motions. Because Electric motors consist of moving and non-moving parts which are the stator, rotor, and ball bearings; it is always subjected to wear and tear, especially during plant operations.
Electric current that the electric motor draws is directly proportional to the conditions of the moving parts of the electric motors, aside from the load of the equipment it is driving. Electric current is one of the electrical parameters in which the conditions or performance of electric motors can be determined thru an installed ammeter.
Common type of Ammeter installations
Ammeter can either be installed direct on line or thru a current transformer but for reliability and safety purposes, it is much better to install ammeter thru a current transformer. Installing the ammeter direct on line presents a possibility of a three phase electric motors running on single phase, a condition which may burn the stator winding, specifically if the electric motors are running on full load.
Advantage of Installing Ammeter
Some electric motors are located in places which are not favorable for frequent inspection by maintenance personnel of the plant, such as the electric motor driving the cooling fan of a cooling tower; in this case, the only way to determine the condition of the motor is thru an ammeter installed on motor control center or control panel.
Ammeter may affect the efficiency and economy of plant operation in the sense that it can indicate whether the electric motor is running at or above its rated current. When the electric motor is running above its rated current, maintenance can be immediately scheduled to prevent damage to the electric motor itself and prevent down time during normal plant operation. Further, energy lost because of the abnormal condition of the electric motor can immediately be corrected and minimize the cost of wasted energy.
Electric motors and electric current are respectively the muscles and blood of an industrial plant; no matter what kind of industrial plant it is, it may have one or several electric motors that drive blowers, water pumps, or whatever equipments that delivers linear or rotational motions. Because Electric motors consist of moving and non-moving parts which are the stator, rotor, and ball bearings; it is always subjected to wear and tear, especially during plant operations.
Electric current that the electric motor draws is directly proportional to the conditions of the moving parts of the electric motors, aside from the load of the equipment it is driving. Electric current is one of the electrical parameters in which the conditions or performance of electric motors can be determined thru an installed ammeter.
Common type of Ammeter installations
Ammeter can either be installed direct on line or thru a current transformer but for reliability and safety purposes, it is much better to install ammeter thru a current transformer. Installing the ammeter direct on line presents a possibility of a three phase electric motors running on single phase, a condition which may burn the stator winding, specifically if the electric motors are running on full load.
Advantage of Installing Ammeter
Some electric motors are located in places which are not favorable for frequent inspection by maintenance personnel of the plant, such as the electric motor driving the cooling fan of a cooling tower; in this case, the only way to determine the condition of the motor is thru an ammeter installed on motor control center or control panel.
Ammeter may affect the efficiency and economy of plant operation in the sense that it can indicate whether the electric motor is running at or above its rated current. When the electric motor is running above its rated current, maintenance can be immediately scheduled to prevent damage to the electric motor itself and prevent down time during normal plant operation. Further, energy lost because of the abnormal condition of the electric motor can immediately be corrected and minimize the cost of wasted energy.