Load (external) characteristics D.

C separately excited Generator

Experiment Name:
Load (external) characteristics of D.C separately excited Generator.

Objective:
To connect the separately excited generator to an external load ,to run
it at normal speed and to obtain its external characteristics.

Experiment Tools :
 Generator
 Motor
 Taco_Generator
 Digital_Taco_generator
 Two Voltmeter
 Three Ammeter
 Control unit
 Two DC power supply
 Wires connection.
 Two variable resistance

Connection Diagram:

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

Experiment Procedures:
1-The motor-generator set is arranged and connected to the D.C supplies as
shown in the figure.
2-The generator is run up to its normal speed by means of the shunt motor .
3-the speed is kept constant during the experiment by means of the motor field
regulating resistance R1.
4-With the generator at no – load ,its terminal voltage is adjusted to the rated
value by adjusting Ifg which will kept constant after that.
5-To obtain the external characteristic a load resistance RL is connected and a
series of readings between zero load current and 25% over load is taken.
6-plot the relation between VL and IL .
7-plot the variation of power input ,power output, and efficiency with the load
current .

Result & Measured values:

Motor(measure values) Generator(measure Calculated values
values)
n (r.p.m) Vin [V] Iin[A] Ifg [A] IL[A] VL [V] Pin[W ] Pout [W ] ᵑ [%]
174 0.197 0 172 34.29 0 0
2000 0.09
175 0.25 0.1 166 43.75 16.6 29.64
177 0.3 0.2 159 53.1 31.8 47.46
182 0.38 0.3 154 69.16 46.2 66
187 0.5 0.41 147 120.28 60.27 86.1
198 0.72 0.5 140 142.56 70 100

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

Calculated values:

Calculated input power in motor : Pin=Iin∗Vin

Pin1=Iin1*Vin1=0.18*195=35.1W
Pin2=Iin2*Vin2=0.29*210=60.9 W
Pin3=Iin3*Vin3= 0.4*220=88 W
Pin4=Iin4*Vin4=0.53*230=121.9W
Pin5=Iin5*Vin5=0.73*230=167.9W
Pin6=Iin6*Vin6= 1 * 230 =230 W

Calculated output power in generator : Pout =Iout∗Vout

Pout1=Iout1*Vout1= 0*195 = 0 W
Pout2=Iout2*Vout2=0.1*190 = 19 W
Pout3=Iout3*Vout3=0.2*182 = 36.4 W
Pout4=Iout4*Vout4=0.3*172 = 51.6 W
Pout5=Iout5*Vout5=0.42*160 = 67.2 W
Pout6=Iout6*Vout6= 0.52*152 =79.04 W

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

Calculated the total efficiency of machine ( generator and

Pin
motor ): ᵑ=
Pout
∗100 %
0
= ∗100 %=0 %
35.1
19
= ∗100 %=31.2 %
60.9
36.4
= ∗100 %=41.36 %
88

51.6
= ∗100 %=44.254 %
116.6
67.2
= ∗100 %=41.84 %
160.6
79.04
= ∗100 %=34.365 %
230

Armature resistance is Ra=54.5ῼ

to plot the line of Ra we will chose value for IL = 0.3A
V=Ra*IL =54.5*0.3=16.35V so the point is (0.3 , 16.35 )

Curves:

Conclusion:
1-when we starting the experiment at constant speed and constant field
current at no-load the value of VL is maximum because armature
circuit is open and Ia =0 so Eg=VL – Ia*Ra ,and Eg = køn , k is
constant for any machine because we can’t making control on “k”
pz
because k = 60 a this by the designer and “ø” is constant because If is
constant so Eg constant and VL will be constant and Eg = VL at no load.

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

2-When we adding load as variable resistance and we starting by small

load means maximum value of variable resistance means minimum
value of current and increasing load step by step the value of terminal
voltage will be decrease because from the law:
VL = Eg – Ia *Ra , and by increasing load so Ia will increasing so the
value of VL will decrease because two reason :
 When Ia increase the voltage drop in armature resistance “Ia*Ra”
will increase so the value of terminal voltage will decrease.
 Armature reaction will changing the value of Eg and will
making two problem:
 Flux Weakening (Demagnetising Effect):when we
connecting load current will start flow in armature circuit
and this current will produce flux and this flux inverse the
main flux so the net flux in machine won’t be constant it
will be variable so when we increasing load IL this flux
will increase and total flux will decrease.
 Cross-magnetizing Effect (Neutral plane shift):the
directon for the total flux will be change because inverse
flux so MNA (magnetic neutral axis : is the axis which
passes through the zero – crossing of the resultant field
waveform in the air-gap) will change and this case brush
making contact between two segement so the voltage in
coil in this time must be zero otherwise that will lead for a
large sparks.
So when we connect load the value of VL will decrease because the
armature reaction in machine and voltage drop at Ra .
3- The relationship between the voltage drop due to armature reaction
and IL won’t be linear because the relation between IL and Eg will be
as B-H curve as it shown in figure and the relation between Ia and Ra
is linear V=I*R as we know from oham’s law .
4-when we connect the load speed of rotor will decrease larger than
the previous experiment (O.C.C) because in previous experiment we
have one flux (main flux ) but in this experiment we have two flux
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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

because we have load so we have Ia so it will produce flux and this

flux is variable because the current before brush is A.C so the rotor
will be like south with respect to this flux and this flux will be very
large if we compared it with main flux in additional to main flux will
do to gravitate the rotor because the rotor will be as south poles for this
flux so it will try to prevent it from rotating so the speed of rotor will
decrease.
5-The value of Ra in lab is large for two reason
 Because starting current for motor will be large so the value of
Ra is large of decreasing the current when we start up the rotor.
 the value of Ra is large for protecting from high current when we
making short circuit so Ra is working to reduced current Ia and
the value of Ia will not be infinity.
6- Reaching to the rated value of Ia for motor first but we can’t reach
to the rated value of Ia for generator using our machine in Lab because
the power for generator and motor is same and the output power in
generator less than the input power in motor so we must use motor
have power larger than generator if we want to reach to the rated value
of armature current Ia of generator.
7-the value of field resistor of motor is large at field circuit because it
connecting shunt so the value of Rf is large to allow most of current to
pass to armature circuit .
8-Using large resistance in series with field circuit in motor because
the rotor is connecting shunt so field resistor is large so if we
connecting small resistance it will don’t any change in current.
9-The values from voltmeter will given the values of Vt means the
output voltage from armature circuit in generator so it will give us the
external characteristic between IL and Vt .
10-we can use this curve of external C.C to plot the internal
characteristic between Ia and Eg by ploting the line of Ra by chosing
one value of Ia let it be Ia1 and finding V1=Ia1*Ra and plotting the
line from orgin to (Ia1 , V1) it will be linear as we explain that above
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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

and making many columns from above that crossing the curve of
external C.C and line of Ra and measuring the vertical distances that
are under the line of Ra and moving them to upper the curve of
external characteristic and matching between this point from value of
Eg voltage at no-load (Eg no-load) so this curve will be internal C.C, so
the distance between dashed line (Eg no-load ) and internal C.C will
be drop voltage due to armature reaction and the distance between
internal C.C and external C.C will be drop voltage due to armature
resitance Ra.
11- The benefit from this curve of external C.C if we has device we
want to know the values of current that passing through it and the
voltage across it using machine that we found the curve of it and we
knowing the value of resistance of new load RLso the experiment are
by ploting the line of RL by chosing one value of Ia let it be Ia2 and
finding V2=Ia2*RL2 and plotting the line from orgin to (Ia2 , V2) it will
be linear as we explain that above this line of RL will cross the curve
of external C.C for this machine at one point let this point be (IL2 , VL2
) so VL2 will be the voltage across new load and IL2 current that pass
through this load.

Discussion :
1-Comment on the shape of the curves you have obtained and state
why a d.c separately excited generator is called “a constant voltage
generator” .
 Comment:
The relation between Ra and ILis linear
The relation between Eg and IL is reverse proportional
The relation between termial voltage and IL is reverse proportional

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

The voltage drop due to armature resistance is larger than the voltage
drop due to armature reaction
The input power is larger than output power as shown so the losses in
machine is very high.
The relation between IL and power is directly proportional.
The relation between IL and efficiency at first time will increase
faster ,after that the increasing in efficiency will be shorter and finally
at the end efficiency will decrease when IL is increase as shown in
figure.
 D.C separately excited generator is called “a constant voltage
generator” because the value of Eg in real generator doesn’t change
because the voltage drop is very small , in real generator the voltage
drop due to Ra is small because Ra is nearly 0.002ῼ and there is no
voltage drop due to armature reaction because there are some
methods to remove armature reaction so Eg will be constant so flux
in machine doesn’t change even if load increase and speed is
constant .
 Methods used to remove armature reaction :
 Putting the brushes on (MNA) don’t in (GNA) and nearly at
80% from the load because real machine can’t reach to rated.
 Commutating poles or Interpoles : are a small poles placed
midway between the main poles , and the effects of the interpoles
do not extended the main pole faces , the armature reaction under
them is unaffected ,that mains the flux weakening in the machine
is unaffected, the interpoles must be of the same polarity as the
next upcoming main pole in generator.
 Compensating Windings : to completely cancel armature reaction
and eliminate both neutral plane shift and flux
weakening ,placing compensating windings in slots curved in the
facs of the poles parallel to the rotor conductors ,the windings are
connected in series with the rotor windings.

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

2-Measure the generator armature resistance and use its values to

obtain “internal characteristics”.
The value of armature resistance when we measuring it in lab Ra = 54.5ῼ
using the curve of external C.C to plot the internal characteristic between
Ia and Eg by ploting the line of Ra by chosing one value of Ia let it be Ia1
and finding V1=Ia1*Ra and plotting the line from orgin to (Ia1 , V1) it
will be linear as we explain that above and making many columns from
above that crossing the curve of external C.C and line of Ra and
measuring the vertical distances that are under the line of Ra and moving
them to upper the curve of external characteristic and matching between
this point from value of Eg voltage at no-load (Eg no-load) so this curve
will be internal C.C, so the distance between dashed line (Eg no-load )
and internal C.C will be drop voltage due to armature reaction and the
distance between internal C.C and external C.C will be drop voltage due
to armature resitance Ra.

3-Why does the terminal voltage (load voltage) decrease with increase of
of the load current ?
When we adding load as variable resistance and we starting by small
load means maximum value of variable resistance means minimum
value of current and increasing load step by step the value of terminal
voltage will be decrease because from the law:
VL = Eg – Ia *Ra , and by increasing load so Ia will increasing so the
value of VL will decrease because two reason :
 When Ia increase the voltage drop in armature resistance “Ia*Ra”
will increase so the value of terminal voltage will decrease.
 Armature reaction will changing the value of Eg and will
making two problem:
 Flux Weakening (Demagnetising Effect):when we
connecting load current will start flow in armature circuit
and this current will produce flux and this flux inverse the
main flux so the net flux in machine won’t be constant it

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

will be variable so when we increasing load IL this flux

will increase and total flux will decrease.
 Cross-magnetizing Effect (Neutral plane shift):the
directon for the total flux will be change because inverse
flux so MNA (magnetic neutral axis : is the axis which
passes through the zero – crossing of the resultant field
waveform in the air-gap) will change and this case brush
making contact between two segement so the voltage in
coil in this time must be zero otherwise that will lead for a
large sparks.
So when we connect load the value of VL will decrease because the
armature reaction in machine and voltage drop at Ra.

4-Knowing the value of the load resistance RL , show how can you
locate the operating point on the external characteristic ?
The benefit from the curve of external C.C if we has device we want to
know the values of current that passing through it and the voltage across
it using machine that we found the curve of it and we knowing the value
of resistance of new load RLso the experiment are by ploting the line of
RL by chosing one value of Ia let it be Ia2 and finding V2=Ia2*RL2 and
plotting the line from orgin to (Ia2 , V2) it will be linear as we explain that
above this line of RL will cross the curve of external C.C for this machine
at one point let this point be (IL2 , VL2 ) this will be the operating point
so VL2 will be the voltage across new load and IL2 current that pass
through this load.

5-Determine the value of generator voltage VnL - VfL regulation at full

load?
V nL−V fL
From the law : VR= V fL
∗100 %

Where : VnL : is the no-load terminal voltage of the generator.

VfL : is the full-load terminal voltage of the generator

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 Load (external) characteristics D.C separately excited Generator

195−152
VR= ∗100 %=28.29 %
152

VR is positive means a dropping characteristic

6-Although at no-load the value of IL is zero , Ii have a certain value

called he no load current , i.e. at zero output power there is a small
amount of input power, Comment on this result .
At no-load there is input power but we don’t have output power because
all input power is losses in motor and generator
Losses at motor will be :
 Losses due to R I2and brush losses.
 Core losses due to hysteresis and Eddy current.
 Mechanical losses due to friction and windage losses.
 Stray losses
And the output power from the motor Po=wt will insert to generator
and it will losses at generator by the same factor above that in motor so
all power at no load will be losses in motor and generator

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