Synchronous Motor

Introduction
Synchronous motors are widely used in the industry. This
motor runs at constant speed and it does not depend on
the torque acting on it. So it has a constant-speed torque
characteristic. The efficiency of synchronous motor is
around 90%–93%.
 Introduction
Synchronous motor is a doubly fed motor; three-phase
power is given to the stator while the rotor is fed from a
DC source for excitation of the field winding.
 CONSTRUCTION

•There is no constructional difference between

synchronous motor and synchronous generator
4
CONSTRUCTION

• The stator has a laminated core with slots to hold the

three-phase windings.
• Rotor holds the field winding. The rotor can be of
salient-pole type or cylindrical type.

5
Difference B/W IM and SM
Principles of motor operation
WHY SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR IS NOT SELF STARTING
WHY SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR IS NOT SELF STARTING
STARTING METHODS OF SYNCHRONOUS MOTORS

The starting methods are

1. Auxiliary motor starting(DC motor)

2. Starting by Damper Winding(starting as a

induction motor)

3. Starting by reducing Electrical frequency

Synchronous Motor starting
1. Auxiliary motor starting
The auxiliary motor may be ac motor or dc motor.
It is mechanically coupled with synchronous motor.
R

AC or DC
DC
Motor
supply
B Y
The armature winding of synchronous motor is energized
from 3-phase supply.
AC or DC motor is started and run near to synchronous speed
Synchronous Motor starting
2. Starting by damper winding
(Squirrel cage Induction motor
starting)
In order to make the motor self starting, the damper or
amortisseur wdg is embedded in slots in the rotor pole faces.
This wdg is short –circuited at both ends by end rings.
This damper winding is similar to squirrel cage winding of 3-ph
induction motor.

Pole
Damper End Ring Damper Bars
Bars (skewed)
Synchronous Motor starting
Three phase supply is given to stator.
Synchronously rotating magnetic field is produced.
Now rotate the rotor in the same direction with
same speed or speed near to syn speed.
Then field wdg is excited.

B S Y
Synchronous Motor starting
Three phase supply is given to stator.
Synchronously rotating magnetic field is produced.
Now rotate the rotor in the same direction with
same speed or speed near to syn speed.
Then field wdg is excited.
There is magnetic locking between stator and
R rotor magnetic field
With relative speed zero, stator N pole is
N locked with rotor S pole and
S stator S pole is locked with rotor N pole.
Rotor will now experience a torque.

N If prime mover of rotor is cut off,

rotor will continue to rotate in the
B S Y same direction, with same syn
speed.
Synchronous Motor starting
Thus rotor always rotates at synchronous
speed.
Hence name of this motor is synchronous
motor.

R If the load is applied on the rotor, rotor lags

behind the stator field by some angle.

N
S

N
B S Y
Synchronous Motor starting
Thus rotor always rotates at synchronous
speed.
Hence name of this motor is synchronous
motor.

R If the load is applied on the rotor, rotor lags

behind the stator field by some angle.

N This angle is called as torque angle / load

angle or power angle δ.
S

N
B S Y
Synchronous Motor starting
3. By reducing Electrical Frequency

Ns=120f/P
Excitation Systems
Field winding
Always absorbs or imports dc power
whether Motor or Generator operation.
Field winding is connected to dc source.
The excitation systems are:
1. DC exciter
2. Brushless exciter
3. Pilot exciter
Synchronous motor equivalent circuit
Synchronous motor from magnetic field perspectives
Synchronous motor from magnetic field perspectives

Direction of omega when

prime mover loss occur
Steady-state operation of motor: Torque-speed curve
Steady-state operation of motor: Torque-speed
curve
Behavior of synchronous motor during loading and
unloading
There are two methods to control the power factor of synchronous motor:

1.By keeping the field excitation constant and varying the load

2.By keeping the load constant and varying the field excitation
Steady-state operation of motor: Effect of torque
changes on p.f of SM
Steady-state operation of motor: Effect of torque
changes
Example:5.1
Steady-state operation of motor: Effect of field
current changes on pf
Steady-state operation of motor:
Effect of field current changes

Draw both
P and Q
Suppling Q to
the system
and Active
power is
constant
Draw only P
Steady-state operation of motor: Effect of
field current changes
Example:5.2
Steady-state operation of motor: power factor
correction
Steady-state operation of motor: power factor
correction