Tests Performed in an

Alternator
DC R ES ISTA NCE T EST
OP E N CI RCUI T T EST
S HORT CI RCUI T T EST
NOTE: If not
indicated, assume
multiplier of 1.5 to
convert it to its
effective ac
resistance.
DC Resistance Test
Open Circuit Test

Take note of the field current in which the open

circuit voltage reaches the rated voltage.
Short Circuit Test

Measure short circuit current at that field

current which gives the rated EMF per phase.
Alternator Parameters Derived From
Tests
The synchronous impedance ZS will then be
equal to the open circuit voltage divided by
the short circuit current at that field
current which gives the rated EMF per
phase.

The synchronous reactance is determined

as
Assumptions in the Synchronous
Impedance Method
The synchronous Impedance is constant
At lower excitations, ZS is constant, since the open circuit
characteristics coincide with the air gap line. This value of
ZS is called the linear or Unsaturated Synchronous
Impedance.
However, with increasing excitation, the effect of saturation
is to decrease ZS and the values beyond the linear part of
the open circuit called as Saturated Value of the
Synchronous Impedance.
Example
Find the synchronous impedance and reactance of an
alternator in which a given field current produces an
armature current of 200A on short circuit and a
generated emf of 50V on open circuit. The armature
resistance is 0.1 ohm. To what induced voltage must
the alternator be excited if it is to deliver a load of
100A at a pf of 0.8 lagging, with a terminal voltage of
200 V.
Example
A 3-phase 50-Hz star-connected 2000-kVA, 2300 V
alternator gives a short circuit current of 600 A for a
certain field excitation. With the same excitation, the
open circuit voltage was 900 V. The resistance
between a pair of terminals was 0.12 Ω. Find full-load
regulation at (i) UPF (ii) 0.8 p.f. lagging.
Answer Tutorial Problem No. 37.2
Losses Present in an
Alternator
REFERENCE: ELECTRICAL MACHINES BY SISKIND
With the alternator operating under
load, losses include:
1. Rotational Losses 2. Electrical Losses
1. Friction and windage 1. Field winding
2. Brush friction at the field 2. Armature winding
collector rings 3. Brush contacts
3. Ventilation to cool the
machine (if necessary) 3. Losses in the exciter used
4. Hysteresis and eddy currents for field excitation
in the stator 4. Stray-load loss
Alternator Efficiency
REFERENCE: ELECTRICAL MACHINES BY SISKIND
Efficiency
After the total of the foregoing losses has been found, it may be used in the following equation
to evaluate the alternator efficiency:
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = × 100
𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡

𝑘𝑤 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 1 − × 100
𝑘𝑣𝑎 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡×𝑃𝐹 + 𝑘𝑤 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠
Efficiency
Determine the efficiency of a 1500 kVA, 2300 V, 3 phase, Y-
connected alternator, which operated at rated output with a power
factor of 80%. The DC armature resistance at 70 ℃ between the
terminals is 0.08 ohm. The field takes 70 A at 120 V from the exciter
equipment. Friction and windage losses are 15 kW, iron loss is 35 kW
and stray load losses is 1.5 kW. Assume the effective armature
winding resistance is 1.5 times the DC value.
Parallel Operation of
Alternator
Synchronizing of Alternators
The operation of connecting an alternator in parallel with
another alternator or with common bus-bars is known as
synchronizing.
Often the electrical system to which the alternator is
connected, has already so many alternators and loads
connected to it that no matter what power is delivered by
the incoming alternator, the voltage and frequency of the
system remain the same. In that case, the alternator is said
to be connected to infinite bus-bars.
Synchronizing of Alternators
For proper synchronization of alternators, the following
three conditions must be satisfied :
1. The terminal voltage (effective) of the incoming
alternator must be the same as bus-bar voltage.
2. The speed of the incoming machine must be such
that its frequency (= PN/120) equals bus-bar frequency.
3. The phase of the alternator voltage must be identical
with the phase of the bus-bar voltage. It means that the
switch must be closed at (or very near) the instant the
two voltages have correct phase relationship.
Condition (1) is indicated by a voltmeter, conditions (2)
and (3) are indicated by synchronizing lamps or a
synchronoscope.
Case 1: e.m.f. E1 of machine No. 1 is in exact
phase opposition to the e.m.f. of machine No.
2 E2.
Let
𝐸1 = 𝐸∠90
𝐸2 = 𝐸∠90
𝐼𝑠 = 𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝐸1 + 𝐼𝑠 2𝑍𝑠 − 𝐸2 = 0

𝐼𝑠 = 0
Case 2: A change in the speed of the governor
of second machine, E2 falls back by a
phase angle of α electrical degrees
Let
𝐸1 = 𝐸∠90
𝐸2 = 𝐸∠90 − 𝛼
𝐼𝑠 = 𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝐸1 + 𝐼𝑠 2𝑍𝑆 − 𝐸2 = 0
𝐸2 −𝐸1
𝐼𝑠 =
2𝑍𝑠

If one alternator is to be connected to an

infinite bus bars, consider Zs to be of one
infinite bus-bars are those whose frequency and
the phase of p.d.’s are not affected by changes in the machine only
conditions of any one machine connected in parallel 𝐸2 − 𝐸1
𝐼𝑠 =
to it. In other words, they are constant-frequency, 𝑍𝑠
constant-voltage bus-bars.
Case 2: A change in the speed of the governor
of second machine, E2 falls back by a
phase angle of α electrical degrees

This current Is sets up a synchronizing

torque, which tends to retard the generating
machine (i.e. No. 1) and accelerate the
motoring machine
(i.e. No. 2).

infinite bus-bars are those whose frequency and

the phase of p.d.’s are not affected by changes in the
conditions of any one machine connected in parallel
to it. In other words, they are constant-frequency,
constant-voltage bus-bars.
Case 3: E2 advances by a phase angle of
α electrical degrees

Is is the generating current for machine

No. 2, tends to retard it and being motoring
current for machine No. 1 tends to accelerate it

infinite bus-bars are those whose frequency and

the phase of p.d.’s are not affected by changes in the
conditions of any one machine connected in parallel
to it. In other words, they are constant-frequency,
constant-voltage bus-bars.
Formulas
𝐸 𝑉 60 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑠𝑦
𝑃𝑠𝑦 = cos 𝛼 sin(𝛿) 𝑇𝑠𝑦 = ×
𝑍𝑠
2𝜋 𝑁𝑠
𝑃𝑠𝑦 = Synchronizing power per phase
𝑇𝑠𝑦 = Synchronizing torque in N-m
E = no load voltage of the alternator
V = terminal voltage of the bus bar and alternator 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑠𝑦 = Total Synchronizing Power in Watts
Z = synchronous impedance 𝑁𝑠 = Synchronizing speed in rpm
𝛼 = power angle
𝛿 = electrical displacement
𝑃
𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠 = 2
× 𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑠𝑦 = # 𝑜𝑓 𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑃𝑠𝑦

Example
A 3-MVA, 6-pole alternator runs at 1000 r.p.m on 3.3-kV
bus-bars. The synchronous reactance is 25 percent.
Calculate the synchronising power and torque for one
mechanical degree of displacement when the alternator is
supplying full-load at 0.8 lag.
Example
A 750-kVA, 11-kV, 4-pole, 3-φ, star-connected
alternator has percentage resistance and reactance
of 1 and 15 respectively. Calculate the synchronising
power per mechanical degree of displacement at (a)
no-load (b) at full-load 0.8 p.f. lag. The terminal
voltage in each case is 11 kV.
Example
Two 3-phase, 6.6-kV, star-connected alternators supply a
load of 3000 kW at 0.8 p.f. lagging. The synchronous
impedance per phase of machine A is (0.5 + j10) Ω and of
machine B is (0.4 + j 12) Ω. The excitation of machine A is
adjusted so that it delivers 150 A at a lagging power factor
and the governors are so set that load is shared equally
between the machines. Determine the current, power factor,
induced e.m.f. and load angle of each machine.
Example
Two single-phase alternator operating
in parallel have induced e.m.fs on open
circuit of 230 ∠ 0° and 230 ∠ 10° volts
and respective reactances of j2 Ω and
j3 Ω. Calculate (i) terminal voltage (ii)
currents and (iii) power delivered by
each of the alternators to a load of
impedance 6 Ω (resistive).
Answer Tutorial No. 37.6