REPUBLIC OF YEMEN

SANA'A UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF
ENGINEERING
MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT
LAB3
Load Characteristics of DC
ShuntGenerator

Done by:
Stu.Ahmed Abdulbari Al-Qarm

AC.3350

Group 2.

System(Parallel)

Supervised by:
E. Ali Al-Yaqahbi
 1
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator

Introduction
A self-excited generator is also known as DC Shunt
Generator, as the field winding is connected in parallel with
the armature. Thus, the armature voltage supplies the field
current. This type of generator supplies its own field
excitation.
Let us assume that the generator is working at no-load
condition, and the prime mover drives the armature at a
certain speed. This generator will build up the desired
terminal voltage. The residual flux present in the field poles
of the DC generator is responsible for the voltage buildup. A
small voltage Ear is generatedand is given by the equation
shown below.

This voltage is of the order of 1 to 2 volts. This voltage

causes a current If toflow in the field winding of the
generator. The field current is given by the equation.

The flux is increased by a magnetomotive force produced by

the field current. As a result, of this, the generated voltage Ea
increases. This increased armature voltage increases the
terminal voltage. With the increase in the terminal voltage,the
field current If increases further. This, in turn, increases flux
and hence the armature voltage is further increases, and the
process of voltage buildup continues.
The voltage buildup curve of a DC shunt generator is shown below:

1
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator 2

The generator is on no load during the process of voltage

buildup, thus, thefollowing equations shown below give the
steady-state operation.

Since the field current If in a shunt generator is very

small, the voltage drop IfRa can be neglected. Thus,
equation (1) becomes:

The straight line given by V= IfRf shown in the above figure

is known as Field Resistance Line. The voltage buildup in the
DC shunt generator for various circuit resistances is shown
below:

2
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator 3

A decrease in the resistance of the field circuit reduces the

slope of the field resistance line resulting in a higher voltage.
An increase in the resistance of the field circuit increases the
slope of the field resistance line, resulting in a lower voltage.
If the field circuit resistance is increased to Critical
Resistance of the field (RC),the field resistance line becomes
tangent to the initial part of the magnetization curve.

3
 4
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator

If the value of field resistance is higher than the critical

resistance of the field value, the generator fails to excite. The
curve shown below gives the variation ofno-load voltage with
the fixed field resistance and the variable speed of the
armature.

The magnetization curve varies with the speed and its

ordinates for any field current is proportional to the speed of
the generator. If the field resistance is keptconstant and the
speed id reduced, all the points on the magnetization curve
are lowered.
At a particular speed, called the critical speed, the field
resistance line becomes tangential to the magnetization curve.
Below the critical speed, the voltage will not build up.
The following conditions must be satisfied for voltage
buildup in a self-excited DC generator.
 There must be a sufficient residual flux in the field poles.
 The field terminals should be connected in such a way
that the field currentincreases flux in the direction of
residual flux.
 The field circuit resistance should be less than the
critical field circuit resistance.

4
 5
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator

If there is no residual flux in the field poles, disconnect the

field from the armaturecircuit and apply a DC voltage to the
field winding. This process is called Flashing the Field.
Objectives
To connect and run the machine as a shunt generator with the
required andsuitable instrument. And to obtain its load
characteristics.

Methodology
The tools used in the experiment:
 2x shunt wound machine.
 1x Tacho generators.
 4x AVO meters.
 1x DC power supplies (0-250V).
 Variable load (0 – 1560Ω resistor).
 Connection wires.

Connection Diagram

Procedure
1. The motor generator set is arranged and connected
to the DC supply asshown in the figures.
2. The generator is run up to its normal speed by means of
the motor.
3. The speed is kept constant for all readings by
varying the motor supplyvoltage.
4. To obtain the external (load) characteristics, RL is
connected and a seriesof readings between zero load

5
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator 6

current and 100% load current is taken.

5. Plot the relation between VL and IL.

Results
The following table shows the relation between I load and V
terminal while the RPM was fixed at 2000RPM

I out V
terminal
0.12 145
0.21 143
0.3 140
0.43 130

Graphs

Vt vs I load
146

144

142

140

138

136
134

132

130
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Discussion
After the buildup voltage happen when there is no load to the
generator, the generator gets to its highest voltage output
when it does not have load. However,when the load applies to
the circuit the current consumption increases while the
output

6
 7
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator

voltage decreases until it reaches the breakdown point, where

it is before the rated current, this happen because the input
current gets shared with the loadand the field windings.
The internal characteristics of the of DC separately excited
generator when the armature resistance is 50Ω

V terminal I load EG
175 0 175
175 0.1 170
175 0.19 165.5

The load voltage and current at the terminal of the generator

while the Rload is1kΩ is going to equal to 0.19A as
experimented in the lab.
The regulated voltage when the input current was nearly 0.5A
is going to equalto:
175−130
𝑉𝑅(%) = ∗ 100% = 34.61%
130

The voltage regulation is worse than the separately generator

since there are nolosses in the separately in armature
reaction nor there is field weakening.
Conclusion
In conclusion this generator will build up the desired terminal
voltage. The residual flux present in the field poles of the DC
generator is responsible for the voltage buildup. A decrease in
the resistance of the field circuit reduces the slopeof the field
resistance line resulting in a higher voltage. An increase in
the resistance of the field circuit increases the slope of the
field resistance line, resulting in a lower voltage.
If the field circuit resistance is increased to Critical
Resistance of the field (RC),the field resistance line becomes
tangent to the initial part of the magnetization curve.

7
LAB.1 load Characteristics of DC shunt Generator 8