Synchronous Machine

Construction &Types
Type:
Depending upon the geometrical structure of the rotor the synchronous
motor is of two type (a) Cylindrical rotor or non salient pole type and
Salient pole type.
According to the energy conversion the synchronous machine are of two
type, (a) Synchronous generator or Alternator & (b) Synchronous motor.
A synchronous generator is a synchronous machine which receives
mechanical energy from prime mover and delivers electrical energy.
A synchronous motor receives electrical energy from ac supply and
delivers mechanical load.

Construction:
A synchronous machine consists of two parts, (a) stator and (b) rotor.

Stator:
The stator of both the type of synchronous machine consist of a cast
iron stator frame, a cylindrical laminated and uniformly slotted stator core,
a polyphase distributed winding placed in the stator core, bearings etc.The
stator frame serves merely as a mechanical support to the stator core and
not designed to carry the magnetic flux.

Rotor:
(a) Cylindrical rotor: The rotor of this type of synchronous machine
consists of a cylindrical laminated and uniformly slotted rotor core, a
distributed winding placed in the rotor core.
This type of synchronous machine is used in very high speed. To
reduce the peripheral velocity the diameter of the rotor is reduced and axial
length is increased. This type of synchronous machine is employed with steam
and gas turbine.

(b) Salient pole: The rotor of this type of synchronous machine

resembles a flywheel with electro-magnets, similar to the field magnet of a dc
machine. The field winding on the salient pole is a concentrated winding.
This type of synchronous machine is used for slow and moderate
speed. Salient pole synchronous machine are cheaper than cylindrical rotor
machine. The salient pole synchronous machine has larger no of poles
compared to cylindrical rotor synchronous machine. This type of synchronous
machine is employed with hydraulic turbine and diesel engine.
 Working Principle
Synchronous generator: According to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction
an emf will induce in a coil when there is a rate of change of flux linkage. In
Synchronous generator rotor is moved by a prime mover and a dc supply is
given to the rotor winding (i.e Field winding) and so according to the
faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction a three phase emf is induced in the
three phase distributed armature winding.

Synchronous Motor:
When a three phase supply is given to a three phase distributed winding, a
rotating magnetic field is produced. The rotor is given a dc supply & by prime
mover or damper winding the rotor is moved near synchronous speed and so
the rotor is locked with the rotating magnetic field and moves at synchronous
speed.

Advantages of stationary armature and revolving field system:

(1) It is easier to insulate stationary armature winding for very high voltage because
insulation of stationary armature is not subjected to mechanical stress due to
centrifugal action and more space is available on the stator for providing more
insulation as the stator is outside the rotor.
(2) The armature winding is cooled more effectively because the stator core can be
made large enough with many air passages or cooling ducts for force air
circulation.
(3) The number of slip rings and current rating of the slip rings and so the cost of slip
rings are less.
(4) Due to simple, light and robust construction of the rotor, higher speed of dc field
is possible. This results in increased output from the machine of given
dimensions.

Distribution factor, Pitch factor, EMF equation. Field winding

EMF equation Axis
Let Nph = no of turns in series per phase x
P= no of pole N
Ф= flux per pole θ = ωt
ω
ω = angular velocity in radians per second
f= frequency in herz Stator coil Axis
S
Kw=winding factor
●
Kp= pitch factor
Kd = distribution factor
θ = ωt= electrical time angle Fig:3.1
In fig 3.1 the time origing is chosen at the instant stator coil axis coincides with the
field winding axis. At θ = ωt = 0, the entire flux produce by one pole passes through
the coil. At θ = ωt = 900, the flux passes through the coil is zero.
Therefore flux linkage, ψ= N ph cos t .
By Faraday’s Law emf induced in full pitch
concentrated coil is given by
 d
e=  = N ph sin t
dt
The rms value of generated emf in a full pitch
Coil is, E= 2 N ph = 2fN ph
But in synchronous machine the stator coil is neither
concentrated nor full pitch.
For distributed winding , The rms value of generated emf = 2fN ph K d 
For short pitch coil with distributed winding, The rms value of generated emf is given
by
Erms= 2fN ph K d K p

Distribution factor
Defination: The distribution (or breadth)factor is defined as the ratio of
resultant emf with the coil distributed in slots to the resultant emf with the coils
concentrated in one slot.
Expression: Let
n= no of slots per pole.
q= no of slots per pole per phase.
0
γ= angular displacement between the slots= 180n
γ B
D
q
γ 0
90 2
C
 O
2
A Fig:3.2

The emf induced in different coils of one phase under one pole are
Represented by side AC, CD, DB,… Which are equal in magnitude
And differ in phase by angle γ from each other.

EMF induced in each coil side, E=AC=CD=DB=2OA sin
2

Arithmetic sum of coil emf=m  2 OA sin
2
q
The resultant emf induced in one polar groupof one phase=AB= m x 2 OA sin
2
q q
2  OA  sin sin
Distribution factor, Kd  2 = 2
 
m  2  OA  sin q  sin
2 2
 Advantage of distributed Winding in armature slots:
(1) Reduction of harmonics in the generated emf wave.
(2) Full utilization of the armature iron and copper.
(3) Adding rigidity and mechanical strength to the winding.
Pitch factor
Defination:The ratio of resultant emf of a short pitched coil to the resultant
emfs if the same coil been full pitched is known as pitch factor or coil span factor or
simply pitch factor.

Expression : Let E= induced emf in each coil side,

ε =short pitch angle, E
Arithmetic sum of coil emf = 2E,
If the coil is short-pitched by ε electrical degree the resultant induced ε/2
ER in the coil is the phasor sum of two voltages.
 ε/2 ε
 Phasor sum of coil emf = 2  E  cos
2
E
Fig: 3.3

2  E  cos
Pitch factor = 2 = cos 
2 E 2

Advantage of Fractional pitch Winding in armature slots:

(1) Reduction in the copper for overhang. This results in less cost of the
machine.
(1) Reduction of harmonics in the generated emf wave.

Relation between maximum value of flux density and flux per pole:
Flux per pole=average flux density  area per pole

1 DL
  Bmax Sint d (t ) 
 0 P
2 DL
 Bmax 
 P
2 DL
 Bmax
P

Problem 3.1: A 3Φ,12pole, 500 rpm, star connected alternator has 144 slots with 10
conductors per slot. The coils are full pitch and flux per pole is 0.094 Wb.
Determine the phase and line emfs.

Problem 3.2: A 4 pole,3Φ, 50 Hz star connected alternator has 60 slots, coils are short
pitched by 3 slots. If the phase spread is 600 , find the line voltage, for a
flux per pole of .943 Wb distributed sinusoidally in space.
[Ans:Eph=7613V,EL=13185V]
Problem 3.3: A 3Φ, 6 pole, 1000 rpm alternator has an airgap diameter of 28 cm and a
core length of 23 cm. A two-layer narrow spread (σ = 600) winding is
employed and the winding is accommodated in 4 slots per pole per phase,
with 8 conductors per slot. The coils are short-pitched by one slot. The
amplitude of the sinusoidal flux wave is 0.87 T. Estimate the phase and
line voltage if the alternator is star connected.

Problem 3.4: A 3 phase, 50Hz, salient pole synchronous generator is driven by a

hydroelectric turbine at a speed of 125 rpm. There are 576 stator slots with two
conductors per slot. The airgap diameter is 6.1 m and the stator length is 1.2 m.
The sinusoidally distributed flux density has a peak value of 1.1 T. Find the
value of induced emf per phase.

Problem 3.5: A three phase, 50 Hz, star connected alternator with two layer winding is
running at 600 rpm. It has 12 turns per pole, 4 slots per pole per phase and a
coil pitch of 10 slots. If the flux per pole is 0.035 Wb sinusoidally distributed,
find the phase and line emfs induced. Assume the total turns per phase are series
connected.

Distribution & Pitch factor for nth harmonics:

In addition to the fundamental flux, the field flux may consist of
harmonics flux also. Therefore harmonics may be present in the generated emf
wave. An nth harmonics component of the flux may be imagined as produced by n
pole as compare to one pole for the fundamental component. In view of this, the
angular slot pitch angle γ on fundamental scale would be nγ for the nth harmonic
component. Similarly the short pitch angle or chording angle ε on fundamental
scale would be nε for nth harmonic.
Thus distribution factor for the nth harmonic is given by
qn
sin
k dn  2
n
q sin
2
And pitch factor for the nth harmonic is given by
n
k pn  cos
2
EMF Equation due to nth harmonics flux:

Emf induced per phase of nth harmonics flux is given by

Eph= 2f n n N ph k pn k dn
Where f n =frequency of nth harmonics flux=n f
 n = nth harmonics flux
k pn = pitch factor for nth harmonics flux
k dn = distribution factor for nth harmonics flux
Problem 3.6: Calculate the rms value of the induced emf per phase of a 10 pole, three
phase, 50 Hz alternator with 2 slots per pole per phase and 4 conductors
per slot in two layers. The coil span is 1500. The flux per pole has a
fundamental component of 0.12 Wb and a 20% third harmonic
component.

Problem 3.7: The total flux per pole in the air gap of a 50Hz ac generator is 0.069Wb. If
the flux density distribution is given by
B=B1Sinθ+ B3Sin3θ+ B5Sin5θ
1 1
Where B3= B1 and B5= B1 and θ is the angle measured from the
3 5
interpolar axis, then determine the r.m.s value of the emf per turn. The coil
4
span is th of the pole pitch. [Ans: 12.94 V]
5

Problem 3.8: 3 A 3-Φ, 6 pole, 1000 rpm alternator has an airgap diameter of 28 cm and
a core length 23 cm. a two layer narrow spread (σ = 600) winding is
employed and the winding is accommodated in 4 slots per pole per phase,
with 4 conductors per slot. The coils are short-pitched by one slot. When
the flux density wave covering two pole pitches, is analyzed into space
harmonics, the fundamental is found to have amplitude of 0.87 Wb/m2 and
the third 5th harmonics to have amplitudes of 0.24 and 0.14 Wb/m2
respectively. Estimate the resultant phase and line voltages on no load if
the alternator is (i) star-connected & (ii) delta-connected.

Phasors of armature mmf, field mmf, armature flux and field flux of cylindrical
rotor synchronous Generator:

c’ b
Fr   
Fa
ψ
a a’
 Nr Sr 
Ff
  
b’  c

Fig:3.4
Consider a two pole cylindrical rotor synchronous generator. Let three full
pitch concentrated coils aa’, bb’ and cc’ represent three phase windings a, b, c
respectively. Let rotor rotates in anti-clockwise and field mmf produces Nr & Sr
 pole on the rotor. At the instant shown in fig:3.4 phase ‘a’ have its coil sides a, a’
in the maximum flux density position and hence emf induced in the coil sides a, a’
will be maximum and the polarity of the emf is as shown in fig. This emf is
known as excitation emf. At this instant the phasor of field mmf Ff is as shown in
fig:3.5 and excitation emf will lag Ff by 900.
Now let us assume that armature current Ia lags the excitation emf
by an angle ψ. It is known that when balance polyphase currents flow in a
polyphase winding, the peak value of the resultant mmf wave is along axis of the
coil that carries the maximum current. Since the emf is maximum in phase ‘a’ and
the armature current lags the excitation emf by angle ψ, the resultant armature
mmf Fa will lag field mmf by a angle of (900+ ψ). The armature current Ia will be
in phase with Fa. Since cylindrical rotor synchronous machine is a uniform airgap
machine, the field flux Фf, armature flux Фa and resultant flux Фr will be in phase
with Ff, Fa and Fr respectively. From the above discussion the phasor of armature
mmf, field mmf, resultant mmf, armature flux, field flux, resultant flux, excitation
emf, armature current can be drawn and it is as shown in fig:3.5
Ef

Ia
Fr
ψ Fa
Фr
Фa

Ff Фf Fig:3.5
Complete Phasor Diagram of synchronous Generator

Phasor Diagram of synchronous Generator

Let
Ff = Field mmf per phase,
Fa=armature mmf per phase,
Fr=resultant mmf per phase,
Vt=terminal voltage per phase,
Ia=armature current per phase,
Ef = Excitation emf per phase,
Er= airgap voltage
ra=armature resistance per phase,
xal=leakage reactance per phase,
θ=power factor angle,
δ= load angle,
ψ=internal power factor angle,

At first the field mmf is drawn. The excitation mmf will lag the field mmf by 900.
Then terminal voltage Vt and armature current at a given power factor are drawn. The
armature resistance drop Iara in phase with Ia and armature leakage reactance drop Iaxal
perpendicular to Ia are added to terminal voltage Vt. The phasor sum of Vt, Iara, & Iaxal
gives the airgap voltage Er per phase. The resultant mmf will lead airgap voltage by
900 and armature mmf will be in phase with armature current.
 The phasor diagram of alternator for lagging, unity &leading power factor
are drawn in fig :3.8 , 3.9 &3.10 respectively.

Ear
Ef Ef Iaxal
Iaxal Er
Er
Iara ψ Vt
δ Vt δ
900 900
Fa θ Fr Ia
Fr Ia
ψ Fa
Ff Ear
Fig:3.8 Fig:3.9

900 Ef Iaxal
Iara
Er
ψ Vt
δ
Fr Ia
`
Fa θ
Ff Fig:3.10

Open-circuit and short-circuit characteristic of alternator

Open-circuit characteristic of alternator: This is the relationship between the field

excitation and emf developed when the machine is driven at rated speed with
armature terminal open circuited.

Short-circuit characteristic of alternator: This characteristics is the relationship

between the armature current per phase and field excitation at rated speed with
armature terminal open circuited.
Fig 3.15 shows the open circuit and short circuit characteristic of an alternator

OCC

Ef, SCC
Isc

If or Ff
Fig :3.15
Explain why Short-circuit characteristic of an alternator is a straight line
whereas open-circuit characteristic is a curve.
At small value of field current If or field mmf Ff ,the airgap require almost
the whole of Ff and mmf required by the iron is almost negligible. That is for small
value of field current, field current is proportional to field flux which is proportional
to emf( since Ef=√2πfNphФkpkd ) induced. But when field current or field mmf
exceeds a cirtain value, the iron part require a good amount of mmf . That is for a
large value of field current, field current is not proportional to field flux or emf
induced and so OCC is not a straight line.
Under short-circuit condition, the terminal voltage Vt=0 and the phasor
diagram at this condition is as shown in fig 3.16.
The emf generated by resultant mmf Fr is just sufficient to overcome the internal
impedance drop. As the value of xal is much greater than ra, armature mmf becomes
almost in phase opposition with the field mmf and so the resultant mmf Fr is almost
the numerical difference between field mmf and armature reaction mmf Fa.
That is Fr = Ff - Fa Er
=> Fr = K1If - K2Ia ……..
Er = Ia(ra+jxal)  Iaxal Iaxal
`=>K3  Fr = Iaxal `
I x
=> Fr= a al Fa Fr Ia
K3 
Iara
From equation (3.4.1) Ff
I x Fig :3.16
K1If = a al + K2Ia
K3 

 If  Ia
Therefore the SCC is a straight line.