The guy was a Japanese. It also has other names, which I forget right now. Hayland is one of them, I think.
It is quite simple, actually. What you see is a closed curve, almost a circle. For qualitative purposes, a circle will do.
There are some basic rules how to find the center of the circle. Please note that the diagram has a horizontal axis for reactive currents (phi=90) and a vertical axis for active currents (phi=0).
The three red lines are Current at synch speed (the short one at 90 degrees), Current at nominal load (the middle-long one tuching the circle) and Locked rotor current (the long one). It is then relatively easy to draw a circle that goes through these three points.
This simple circle is a good representation of current and phase angle at different operating points.
The more elaborate diagram (with the cos(phi) line and points) can be used for rather accurate estimate of slip when phi is known.
Gunnar Englund
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...