https://www.ebah.com.

br/content/ABAAAgT5AAB/transmission-and-

distribution-of-electrical-engineering?part=2

In the most fundamental terms: the electromagnetic torque inside a synchronous machine (air-gap
torque) is developed by the interaction of two magnetic fields: one created by dc current applied to the
field winding, and another one created by the positive-sequence components of the stator currents.
The flux created by the currents in the stator is "rotating" at the frequency of the ac currents (relax for a
moment and consider a 2-pole machine only). The flux created by the field winding is rotating at the
mechanical speed of the shaft.
These two fluxes are stationary with respect to each other only when the mechanical speed matches the
frequency of the ac currents, therefore the name "synchronous machine".

If you have two magnetic fluxes, the torque between them will be proportional to the magnitude of
each flux and the sine of the angle between these fluxes. That angle, the angle between the rotor flux
and the stator flux, is called the load angle. You have to increase the angle to get more torque (or
power).

Because the torque follows a sine curve, its maximum occurs at 90 degrees. Exceed 90 degrees and
you'd have a pole slip and, in general, protection would trip the machine.

In practical terms, due to stability and all, synchronous machines do not operate anywhere near that 90
degrees threshold.

Note that the load angle and the torque is related to active power. Reactive power has some impact (via
demagnetizing effects) but it is a secondary effect. The load angle between the internal fluxes of the
machine can be understood (at least as a first approximation) as dependent exclusively on active power.

The flux produced by the field winding leads the flux produced by the stator winding during operation as
a generator (i.e., power conversion from the mechanical side, turbine, to the electrical output of the
machine). You can visualize it as the field flux "pulling" the stator flux. Or the stator flux being the
"load", the drag trying to slow down the speed.

The flux produced by the stator windings will lead the flux produced by the stator winding during
operation as a motor.

Speaking in practical terms, load angle is kept at 30 degrees electrical and as the Mega Watt load on the
machine increases, load angle also increases, machine delivering more power and this goes on upto 90
degrees electrical.
If the load angle is increased beyond 90 degrees, machine looses synchronism and falls out of step from
other machines and will no more operate as synchronous machine