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Article from TMEIC GE e-news (http://www.tmge.com/upload/library_docs/english/LCI_-_Multi-Motor_App_Article_1142533120.htm)

October 28, 2004
Cement Plant uses LCIs to Start Multiple Mill Motors
by Paul Blaiklock

The two adjacent Cruz

Azul cement plants of
Cementos y Concretos
Nacionales, S.A. de
C.V. in Mexico make
use of variable speed
drives for a number of
applications. Eight
motors ranging from
248 to 2,410 hp are
driven by TM GE
Dura-Bilt5i MV®
drives, and two TM GE
Load Commutated
Inverters (LCI) are
used to start six mill
motors, each of 4,000
hp size. This article
discusses the
comprehensive
synchronous motor
starting system using
the two LCIs.

Mill Motors and

Starting System
The first plant has two cement mill motors MTR1 and MTR2, and one raw mill motor MTR3. The
second similar plant has MTR4 - MTR6 as shown in Figure 1. The two plants are in one facility,
with a tie contactor allowing any LCI to start any mill motor, providing backup in case of a problem
in one plant.

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All six mills are driven by synchronous motors of identical ratings. One LCI starts any of the three
motors in any desired sequence as shown by the blue lines in the figure. Once the synchronous
motor is started, the LCI is bypassed to operate the motors directly across the line. As soon as the
first motor is started and bypassed to the line, the LCI is available to start the second mill. The
same process is repeated to make the LCI available for starting the third mill. All three mills can
operate directly across the line, or one can remain connected to the LCI for variable speed
operation to improve process control.

Figure 2. LCI for Starting Mill Motors

The synchronous motor has the lowest operating cost of all of the alternative type motors due to
the high efficiency and the capability to provide controlled leading VAR's to the power system
(control the power factor angle). Also, a synchronous motor with brushless excitation and a LCI
has very low maintenance costs - basically equivalent to an induction motor. Synchronous motors
were requested because of the very high cost of poor power factor where the cement plant is
located. When the motors are operating across the line, they are each capable of supplying 2000
kVAR to the power supply system. This additional reactive power corrects the power factor for the
remainder of the plant. The customer calculated that the incremental cost of the LCI system,
versus the lower cost wound induction rotor option, would be repaid in less than two years. Given
20 years of operation is typical for LCI drives, users financial performance is improved in years
three through twenty.

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Figure 3. Synchronous Motor Driving Mill

Synchronous Motor with LCI

The LCI allows application of the motor field from zero speed and controls the amount of stator
and rotor excitation, and the rate at which this power is applied, to provide a smooth starting
profile. Driven equipment can be started and accelerated to rated speed (or any desired speed
below rated speed) without exceeding rated volts and amps. This is particularly useful where
power system grids are weak or the plant is at the end of a long transmission line.
The Role of the Mill Unit Controller
The Mill Unit Controller (MUC) controls the starting and acceleration ramps for the mill,
coordinates the transfer to the utility and, when required, commands the performance of the drive
during adjustable speed operation. The MUC manages the transfer of the synchronous motors to
across-the-line operation using a PLC for the primary intelligence, as directed by the plant
distributed control system (DCS). The MUC initiates the start sequence as directed by the DCS and
manages the switchgear transfers. The LCI is responsible for the actual phase and voltage
matching for the final transfer of the motor to utility operation.
An example of a starting sequence is as follows:
· The MUC applies the LCI to one of the motors by the appropriate starting contactor
· The motor and mill are accelerated to synchronous speed using only the power required to
overcome the work done in the mill plus a small margin to accelerate the mill to full speed.
· The bypass contactor (Run Breaker) is closed and the LCI isolation contactor is opened,
transferring the motor to the utility connection.
The coordination between when one contactor closes and another is opened must occur in a
matter of milliseconds to prevent damaging torques or loss of synchronization with the line.
Customer Benefits
The customer's analysis has indicated excellent savings through using synchronous motors to
correct the power factor for the whole plant. Also, of the three mills in this case, one was a finish
mill, where the optimum grinding speed had not been finalized. The gearbox between the motor
and the mill had been designed to carry three interchangeable gear ratios to allow the client to
experiment with different grinding speeds. The LCI system made it possible to operate the finish
mill on the LCI in order to determine the optimum grinding speed. The proper gearing was then
selected to suit this speed for best performance when the motor and mill are running directly on
the utility

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