Electrical Machine & Drives

Synchronous motors
 Definition
The motor which runs at synchronous speed is known as the
synchronous motor. The synchronous speed is the constant speed at
which motor generates the electromotive force. The synchronous
motor is used for converting the electrical energy into mechanical
energy. This is not a self starting motor.
 Rotor Winding
• Rotor is the rotating part of the machine
• Can be classified as: (a) Cylindrical Rotor and (b) Salient
• Pole rotor
• Large salient-pole rotors are made of laminated pol
 Stator Winding
• It is a stationary member
• It is the cylindrical portion inside which the rotor
• rotates
• An air gap is provided between the stator and the rotor
• Armature winding are 3 phased and are housed in the
• slots cut in the stator
• It consists of cast iron stator frame, a cylindrical
• laminated , a cylindrical laminated and uniformly slotted
• core.
 Specifications of the Synchronize Motor
 Operate as a motor by connecting its armature winding to a 3-phase
supply. It is then called a synchronous motor.
 As the name implies, a synchronous motor runs at synchronous speed

 A synchronous motor runs at synchronous speed or not at all. Its

speed is constant (synchronous speed) at all loads
 The only way to change its speed is to alter the supply frequency

 The outstanding characteristic of a synchronous motor is that it can

be made to operate over a wide range of power factor by adjusting of
its field.

 However, synchronous motors are not used so much because they

run at constant speed (i.e., synchronous speed)
 Working principal
 The stator and rotor are the two main parts of the synchronous motor. The
stator is the stationary part, and the rotor is the rotating part of the machine.
The three-phase AC supply is given to the stator of the motor.

 A synchronous motor is not self-starting and an auxiliary has to be used for

starting it.
 We use either induction motor principle or a separate starting motor for this
purpose
 The stator and rotor both are excited separately. The excitation is the process
of inducing the magnetic field on the parts of the motor with the help of an
electric current.

.
 Making Synchronous Motor Self-Starting
1) A synchronous motor cannot start by itself.

2) The damper winding serves to start the motor.

3) To start with, 3-phase supply is given to the stator winding while the rotor
field winding is left energized
.
4) The rotating stator field induces currents in the damper or squirrel cage
winding and the motor starts as an induction motor.

5) As the motor approaches the synchronous speed, the rotor is excited with
direct current.