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Abstract
In this experiment we will study the starting characteristics of three-phase

synchronous motor by observing the effect of DC excitation on the motor under load. We will

test and study how a synchronous motor can be used as variable inductor or capacitor

depending on the amount of the DC excitation flowing in the rotor. Moreover, we will study

the DC current vs AC current characteristics for a synchronous motor using the AC current vs

DC current curve.
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Table of contents

I. Abstract …………………………………..………… 1

II. Procedure ………………….……………………….. 3

III. Discussion &Conclusion ………………….……...8

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Procedure
Warning: High voltages are present in this Laboratory Experiment! You must ask the
instructor to check your connections before turn the power on! The power should be
turned off after completing each individual measurement!

1. Connect the following circuit shown in figure 1

Figure 1

2. a) Turn on the power. Note that the motor starts smoothly and continues to run as an
ordinary induction motor.
b) Note the direction of rotation and the current.
Rotation = CW I1 = 0.4 A (AC)
c) Turn off the power supply and interchange any two of the leads from the power supply.
d) Turn on the power supply and note the direction of rotation and the current.
Rotation = CCW I1 = 0.4 A (AC)

e) Turn off the power supply.

3. By using the electrodynamometer and synchronizing module, connect the circuit

shown in figure 2. Couple the motor to the electrodynamometer with the timing belt.
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Figure 2
Note-: This part will explain that the synchronous motor is not self a self starting motor.
The rotor is heavy and from the deep stop, it is not possible to bring the rotor into magnetic
lock with the rotating magnetic field.

4. a) The synchronizing module will used an on-off switch for the 3-ph power to the stator
winding. Set the switch in its off position
b) Set the electrodynamometer control knob for approximately 40% excitation in order to
put some load on synchronous motor while starting.
c) Connect rotor of synchronous Motor to fixed 240V dc output of the Power Supply 8
and N. Set the field rheostat for zero resistance (control knob turned fully cw) and close
the switch S (down position).

5. a) Turn on the power supply. Then apply 3-ph power by closing the synchronizing switch
and observe what happens. Do not leave the power on for longer 5 seconds.
b) Describe what happened.
 When we closed the synchronizing switch, The synchronous motor hardly
rotates clockwise.

c) What did the AC ammeter indicate?

I1 = 0.6 AC

d) Should a synchronous motor, under load be started with DC excitation on its field?

Yes No

6. a) Connect the rotor of the synchronous motor/generator to the variable 0-240 DC output
of the power supply( terminals 7 and n). The switch S should be in closed position (Down
position). Do not disturb any of the other connections or change and control settings.
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b) With the variable dc output voltage control at zero, turn on the power supply. Apply 3-
ph power by closing the synchronizing switch and observe what happens.
 The motor starts rotating clockwise.

c) Measure the stator current and the rotor speed by using the tachometer.
I1 = 0.55 AC n = 1400 r/min

d) Is the motor operating as an induction motor?

Yes No

e) Carefully adjust the power supply output to 240 V DC as indicated on the power
supply meter.

f) Measure the stator current and the rotor speed by using the tachometer.
I1 = 0.4 AC n = 1500 r/min

g) Describe what happened.

 With no DC supply, the motor works as induction motor where it accelerates
up to near the synchronous speed. Then when we apply DC supply, the motor
speed will lock into step at synchronous speed such that it works as a
synchronous motor.

h) Is the motor operating as an induction motor?

Yes No

i) Return the voltage to zero and turn off the power supply.

6. a) Connect the circuit in figure 3

Figure 3
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b) Set the electrodynamometer control knob at it’s fully cw position (to provide a
maximum starting load for the synchronous motor/generator).
c) Turn ON the switch S.
7. a) Turn on the power supply and quickly measure E1, E2, I1 and the developed starting
torque on the electrodynamometer. Turn off the power supply as soon as possible.

E1 = 420 V AC E2 = 440 V AC

I1 = 1.6 A AC Starting torque = 3 N.m

b) Calculate the apparent power (S) to the motor at starting torque

S = 420*1.6= 672 VA

c) Calculate the full load torque corresponding to 175 W at 1500 r/min

Full load torque = 175/1500 = 0.1167 N.m

d) Calculate the ratio of the starting torque to the full load torque.

Ratio = 3/0.1167= 25.7

e) Explain why a large AC voltage E2 was induced in the rotor windings.

 Because the motor works as an Induction Motor, and there is high induced
voltage in the inductor.

8. With your circuit unchanged, turn on the power supply and slowly turn the
electrodynamometer control knob ccw to reduce the loading. The motor will come up to
full speed and run as a squirrel cage induction motor. Note the effect on the induced
voltage E2.
Why does E2 decrease as the motor speed increase?
 E2 drops to zero because at high speed, the magnetic field cause the rotor to
rotate, which decrease the inductance, and hence, decrease the voltage at E2

9. Connect the circuit in figure 4. The power supply control knob should be at zero and the
switch S open. Set the field rheostat for zero resistance (turned fully cw).
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Figure 4

10. a) Turn on the power supply. The motor should be running. Note the value of AC current
I1. The motor is drawing positive reactive power from the power supply at zero DC
excitation and looks like inductor.

b) Close the switch S and gradually increase the DC excitation until the AC current I1
reach its minimum value. Both watt meters should have equal positive indications, and,
as far as the power supply is connected, the motor looks like resistor.

c) Measure I1, I2, W1 and W2

I1min = 0.06A AC I2 = 0.25 A DC

W1 = 25 W W2 = 25 W

d) Increase the DC excitation and note that the AC current I2 begins to increase again. The
motor is drawing negative reactive power from the power supply and looks like capacitor.

11. a) With the DC excitation at zero, measure and record E1, I1, W1 and W2 in table 2.
b) Repeat for each of the DC current values listed in table 2. Take your measurements
as quickly as possible when the excitation exceeds 0.4 A DC. Turn off the power
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supply and change the ammeter ranges when the currents drop below 0.3 A DC.
Remember to note the polarity of the wattmeter indications.

I2 E1 I1 S W1 W2 P Cos Ø
A DC V A AC VA w
0 420 0.5 210 -50 150 100 0.476
0.05 420 0.3 126 -30 105 75 0.595
0.1 420 0.25 105 -20 85 65 0.619
0.15 420 0.16 67.2 0 60 60 0.893
0.2 420 0.1 42 10 45 35 0.833
0.25 420 0.06 25.2 20 30 10 0.397
0.3 420 0.09 37.8 30 15 15 0.397
0.35 420 0.15 63 45 0 45 0.714
0.4 420 0.22 92.4 60 -20 40 0.433
0.5 420 0.3 126 85 -35 50 0.397

Table 2

12. Complete table 2 by calculating the apparent power (S), active power and power factor
for each of the DC current listed.

13. a) From the results of table 2 calculate the reactive power (Q) at zero DC rotor current

Q = 184.66 VAR

b) Is the power factor leading or lagging?

Leading Lagging

14. a) From the results of table 2 calculate the reactive power (Q) at maximum DC rotor
current

Q = 115.65 VAR

b) Is the power factor leading or lagging?

Leading Lagging

15. From the results of table 2 calculate the reactive power (Q) when the Ac current I1 is at its
minimum value.

Q = 23.13 VAR

16. Plot the recorded Ac current values vs DC current from table2 in figure 5. Also plot the
power factors vs DC current values on the same graph.
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DC Current vs AC Currrent and Power factor

1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6 I1 A AC
Cos Ø
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Figure 5

17. Comment on your results.

 From the graph above, we can say that the motor acts as a three-phase inductive
motor. First, when the rotor is excited, the magnetic field forces the rotor to rotate,
which will decrease the supply from the stator and will decrease the reactive
power. However, if the rotor is excited until it produce all the magnetism, the
reactive power will be close to zero and the power factor will be close to unity.
Therefore, the synchronous motor will act as pure resistive load. If we further
excite the rotor, it will produce negative reactive power to the stator, and the
motor will act as a capacitive load. Hence, we can control the synchronous motor
to b either inductive or capacitive by changing the DC excitation to the rotor

Discussion & Conclusion

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In this lab we studied the starting characteristics of three-phase synchronous motor.

We noticed that the rotor of a synchronous motor could not start rotating due to the heavy DC

excitation, so we remove the DC source at the beginning such that the motor works as an

induction motor. When the speed of the induction motor become close to the synchronous

speed, we apply DC excitation and the motor become synchronous and the motor’s speed

became the same as the synchronous speed and loads can be added. In the second part, we

studied and examined how a synchronous motor could be used as a variable inductance with

lagging power factor, or a variable capacitance with leading power factor depending on the

DC excitation. Synchronous motor acts as inductive load when no DC excitation is applied at

no load because the magnetic field coming from the DC excitation is low, and the

synchronous motor will consume the reactive power coming from the supply. As we

introduce DC excitation, the reactive power is reduced and we get unit power factor. If we

increase the DC excitation further, the motor acts as capacitive load and supply a negative

reactive power.