A.C.

series motor

Mrs. S. N. Chaphekar
Contents
• Operation of D.C. series motor on a. c. supply
• nature of torque developed
• problems associated with AC. operation and remedies
• Compensated series motor: Compensating winding,
• conductively and inductively compensated motor.
• Use of compoles for improving commutation.
• Approximate phasor diagram
• Ratings and applications of Compensated Series motors
Operation of D.C. series motor on a. c. supply
What will happen when we give an AC supply to DC series motor?
• An AC supply will produce an unidirectional torque because the
direction of both the currents(i.e. armature current and field current)
reverses at the same time.
• Due to presence of alternating current, eddy currents are induced in
the yoke and field cores which results in excessive heating of the yoke
and field cores. Its efficiency is low due to high hysteresis and eddy
current losses.
• Due to the high inductance of the field and the armature circuit,
the power factor is very low.
• There is sparking at the brushes of the DC series motor.
Operation of D.C. series motor on a. c. supply
• It is observed that the performance of DC series motor on the application
of AC supply is deteriorated.
• To reduce the eddy currents there is need to laminate the yoke and field
core. This is the first modification to DC series motor.
• As the power factor is directly related to reactance of the field and
armature circuit, reduce the field winding reactance by reducing the
number of turns in the field winding.On reducing the number of turns, field
mmf will decrease and due to this the air gap flux decreases.
• The overall result is that there is an increase in the speed of the motor but
decrease in the motor torque. This is not desirable.
• The solution to this problem is the use of compensating winding.
Modifications in D.C. series motor to run on
a. c. supply
• Field core is constructed using a material that has low hysteresis losse
and it laminated to reduce eddy current.
• The field winding is constructed with small numbers of turns, due to
this pole area increases and flux density decreases. This reduces iron
losses and reactive voltage drop.
• The number of armature conductors increases to achieve the
required torque with low flux.
• Compensation winding is used to reduced armature reaction and
increase commutation.
Working Principle of AC series motor
• The working principle is the same as Torque-speed characteristic of an ac
the dc series motor. When the ac series motor
series motor connected to the AC
supply the alternating current start
flowing through the field and
armature winding.
• The field winding produces an
alternating flux Φ that reacts with
current flowing in armature winding to
produce a torque. Since both
armature and field current reverse
simultaneously. the torque always
produced in the same direction.
• Due to its high starting torque and
high-speed, it finds more application
in devices like High-speed vacuum
cleaner, Sewing machines, drills and
power tools,Electric shavers etc.
AC series motor
• Conductively Compensated
Type of Motors
• In this type of motor, the
compensating winding is
connected in series with the
armature circuit.
• The winding is put in the stator
slots.
• The axis of the compensating
winding is 90o (electrical) with
main field axis.
AC series motor
• Inductively Compensated Type of
Motors
• In this type of motor, the
compensating winding has no
interconnection with the armature
circuit of the motor.
• In this case, a transformer action
will take place as the armature
winding will act as primary winding
of the transformer and the
compensation winding will acts as a
secondary winding.
• The current in the compensating
winding will be in phase opposition
to the current in the armature
winding.
Schematic diagram of DC and AC series
motor
Methods of improving commutation
Methods of improving commutation
1) Resistance Commutation-The Resistance Commutation method
uses carbon brushes for improving commutation. The use of carbon
brushes makes contact resistance between commutator segments
and brushes high. This high contact resistance has the tendency to
force the current in the short-circuited coil to change according to
the commutation requirements.
2) Voltage Commutation-In the Voltage Commutation method, the
arrangement is made to induce a voltage in the coil undergoing the
commutation process, which will neutralize the reactance voltage.
This injected voltage is in opposition to the reactance voltage. If the
value of the injected voltage is made equal to the reactance
voltage, there will be a quick reversal of current in the
short-circuited coil and as a result, there will be sparkles
commutation.
Types of voltage commutation
The two methods used to produce the injected voltage in opposition to the
reactance voltage are as follows-
1) Brush Shift-The effect of armature reaction is to shift the magnetic neutral axis
(MNA) in the direction of rotation for the generator and against the direction of
rotation for the motor. Armature reaction establishes a flux in the neutral zone.
A small voltage is induced in the commutating coil since it is cutting the flux.
2) Commutating Poles or Interpoles- Interpoles are narrow poles placed in
between the main poles and are attached to the stator Interpoles are also
called commutating poles or Campoles. The interpoles windings are connected
in series with the armature because the interpoles must produce fluxes that are
directly proportional to the armature current. The armature and the interpoles
mmfs are affected simultaneously by the same armature current.
Consequently, the armature flux in the commutating zone, which tends to shift
the magnetic neutral axis, is neutralized by an appropriate component of
interpole flux. The interpoles must induce a voltage in the conductors
undergoing commutation that is opposite to the voltage caused by the neutral
plane shift and reactance voltage.
Voltage commutation
In case of a generator:
• The neutral plane shifts are in
the direction of rotation. Thus,
the conductor undergoing the
commutation, the polarity of the
interpole must be the same i.e.
similar to the next main pole in
the direction of rotation. To
oppose this voltage, the
interpoles must have the
opposite flux, which is the flux of
the main pole ahead according
to the direction of rotation.
• In case of a motor:
• For a motor, the neutral plane
shifts opposite to the direction
of rotation, and the conductors
undergoing commutation have
the same flux as the main pole.
For opposing this voltage, the
interpole must have the same
polarity as the previous main
pole. The polarity of an interpole
and main pole is opposite in the
direction of rotation.
voltage commutation
The Interpoles serve only to provide sufficient flux to assure good commutation. They do not overcome
the distortion of the flux resulting from cross-magnetizing mmf of the armature.
 Compensating Windings
• During severe overloads or rapidly changing loads, the voltage between adjacent
commutator segments may become very high. This ionizes the air around the commutator
to the extent that it becomes sufficiently conductive. An arc is established from brush to
brush. This phenomenon is known as Flashover.
• This arc is sufficiently hot to melt the commutator segments. It should be extinguished
quickly. To prevent flashover, compensating windings are used.
• The most efficient method of eliminating the problem of armature reaction and flashover
by balancing the armature mmf is the compensating windings. The windings are placed in
the slots provided in pole faces parallel to the rotor conductors. These windings are
connected in series with the armature windings.
• The direction of currents in the compensating winding must be opposite to that in the
armature winding just below the pole faces. Thus, compensating winding produces mmf
that is equal and opposite to the armature MMF. The compensating winding demagnetizes
or neutralizes the armature flux produced by the armature conductors. The flux per pole is
then undisturbed by the armature flux regardless of the load conditions.
• The major drawback with the compensating windings is that they are very costly. The
primary use of the compensating winding is in particular cases, as given below:
• In large machine subject to heavy overloads or plugging.
• In small motors subject to sudden reversal and high acceleration.
Rating and Applications of AC series motor
AC series motor is having a rating upto 1 HP.
It is used for purposes where speed control and high values of speed (upto
20000 rpm)are necessary.
The various applications of the Universal Motor are as follows:
• Portable drill machines.
• hairdryers,
• grinders,
• table fans.
• blowers,
• polishers,
• kitchen appliances.