EEE 243

Electrical Machines II

Synchronous Motors (SM)

Prof. Dr. Mahmud Abdul Matin Bhuiyan
Mahmud, EEE, CUET 1
 References
1. I. L. Kosow “Electrical Machines and
Transformer” Prentic-Hall, ISBN 087692-
775-4

2. BL Theraja & AK Theraja “Electrical

Technology” Vol. II, 2010, ISBN 81-219-
1142-7

3. Rosenblatt and Friedman “AC and DC

Machinery” CBS

4. Internet based sources: If required….

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 Synchronous Motors (SM)
An alternator may operate as SM like DC m/c

Synchronous motor is very similar to a

synchronous Gen.

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 Synchronous Motors (Cont.)
Rated 150 kW ~ 50MW (150 ~ 1800 rpm)……
It runs either at synchronous speed Ns (120f/P) or not
at all but N can be changed from (f - converting)….
It is not inherently self starting….
Can be operated wide range of pf (lag-unity-lead) by
field control….

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Applications of Synchronous Motors
(i) Synchronous motors are particularly attractive for
constant speed & low speeds (< 300 rpm) because the
power factor can always be adjusted to unity and
efficiency is higher

(ii) Overexcited synchronous motors can be used to

improve the pf of system where lagging loads (IM, light,
welders.. etc.)

(iii) They are used to improve the voltage regulation of

transmission line (SM with field regulator, rise & fall
controlled)
(iv) High-power electronic converters generating very low
frequencies enable us to run SM at ultra-low speeds,
Large motors in the 10 MW range are use in industry5 and
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variable-speed ball mills etc..

 Construction of SM
 Same as Alternators
(i) a stator which houses 3-phase armature winding
(ii) a rotor that has a set of poles excited by DC
(iii) Damper winding in the rotor….

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 Operating Principle
Consider a 3-phase SM having two rotor poles NR and SR
The stator is designed for two poles NS and SS
DC applied to the rotor and a 3p voltage given to stator
The stator winding produces a rotating field which
revolves round the stator at Ns (=120 f/P)
A pair of revolving armature poles (i.e., Ns - Ss) and a
pair of stationary rotor poles (i.e., NR - SR) for this case

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 Operating Principle (Cont.)
Suppose at any instant, the stator poles are at positions
Fig. NS and NR repel each other and so do the poles Ss
and SR. The rotor tends to move in the CCW direction
After a period of half-cycle, the polarities of the
stator poles are reversed but not the rotor poles Now Ss
and NR attract each other and so do Ns and SR. Ns-SR

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 Operating Principle (Cont.)
Therefore, the rotor tends to move in the clockwise
direction. Since the stator poles change their polarities
rapidly, they tend to pull the rotor first in one direction
and then after a period of half-cycle in the other. Due
to high inertia of the rotor, the motor fails to start (No
rotation). Thus, SM has no self-starting torque….

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 Operating Principle (Cont.)
How to get continuous unidirectional torque? If the
rotor poles are rotated by some external means at such a
speed that rotor poles interchange their positions along
the stator poles: NR-Ss and Ns-SR, then rotor will
experience a continuous unidirectional torque
NR-Ss locked and vice versa both rotating at Ns
If loaded, counter torque develops….(If Tc>Td, rotor
slip out & motor will stop) So SM runs at Ns or not at all

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 Methods of Starting of SM
The rotor has to speed up near Ns by arrangements….
NR-Ss and vice versa both interlocked for synchronism
If load increase the rotor progressively tends to fall
back in phase (but not in speed) by an angle α
In reality rotor brought up to Ns by a) A shunt motor
b) Exciter as a DC motor c) IM (less poles) & d) Damper
winding as a IM

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Motor on Load with Constant Excitation
If DC motor speedup, Eb setup: Ia=(V-Eb)/Ra: Eb ∞ N
Likewise, In SM Eb setup in the stator: This Eb depends
on excitation (If) only. Ia=(V-Eb)/Z
Let SM has no load & loss: excitation is adjusted, Eb=V

Eb-V=0 If losses but no load If losses & loaded the rotor
Ia=0, as Eb falls back by an falls back by grater angle α
angle α: So resultant (load angle or coupling angle)
there is no voltage Er (Ia) come in So Er & Ia increased with
load or loss existence little decrease in pf

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 SM with Different Excitation
SM called Normal
excited when Eb=V

SM called Under

excited when Eb<V

SM called Over

excited when Eb>V:

It will draw leading

current normally Fig.a

It will draw unity pf

current at some value
of excitation as in Fig.b
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 Increased Load at Constant Excit.
1) Normal excited Eb=V
 Motor is running with light
loads So, α1, Er1, Ф1 & Ia1 is
small but CosФ1 is large
If load is increased motor
have to develop more torque by
drawing more Ia
[Td ∞ IaCosФ: In DC motor
(Load inc. Ia inc.: N & Eb dec.]
Here Ns & Eb are constant, So
Rotor falls back in angle
Load angle increased to α2
Er1 will increased to new
value (Er2)
Ia1 to new value Ia2 & Td
increased to meet new load
Note Ф1 inc to Ф2, So pf
dec
Thus, Ia inc. but pf dec.
Inc. of Ia.>>slight dec.of
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pf: So Td increased
 Incr. Load at Constant Excitation (Cont.)
2) Under excited Eb<V
Let Motor is running with
light load So, α1, Er1, & Ia1
is small and CosФ1 is small
If load is increased motor
have to develop more torque
by drawing more Ia [Td α
IaCosФ: So load angle inc.
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 and motor falls back]
Load angle increased to α2
Er1 will increased (Er2)
Ia1 to Ia2 & Td increased
to meet new loads
Ф1 decreased to Ф2, So pf
inc. (CosФ2)
Here change in pf is more
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of Ia change (Viceversa b4)
Incr. Load at Constant Excit. (Cont.)
3) Over excited Eb>V Summary
1) As load inc. Ia inc
(regardless of
excitation)
2) When Eb≠V (Over &
under excitation): As
load inc. pf tends to
be unity
At light load, α1 is small but 3) Change in pf>
Ia1 is large & here Ia1 lead V change in Ia for Over
by Ф1 & Under excitation…
If load is increased: α2 , Er2 4) With normal
& Ia will increase but pf angle excitation, Change in
(Ф) will decrease & pf CosФ inc. Ia>> change in pf:16
Hence, motor will develop more which tend to become
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torque to meet the new load increasing lagging

 Changing Excit. at Constant Load
Let SM is operating at
Normal excitation (Eb=V)
and at unity pf with a load
If Ra=0: So Ia lags Er by
90° & with phase V as Fig.a
Armature drawing a power
of VIa/phase is just enough
for the motor’s loads….
Let us discuss the change
excitation with const. load
(a) Excitation decrease
If decreased Eb dec & α inc.
Let, For initial cond. If1-
Er1-Ia1 (is lagging) such
that: |Ia1|> |Ia| But 17

|Ia1CosФ1|<|Ia|: Pd<PL
Effect of Changing Exci. at Cot. Load (Cont)
Hence, load angle have to
increase from α1 to α2 & Eb1
to Eb2 it will turn Er1 to Er2 &
Ia1 to Ia2 in such a way that:
|Ia2CosФ2|= |Ia| : Pd=PL

(b) Excitation Increase

If now field excitation is Inc.
Eb inc. At initial condition:
Let, If1-Er1-Ia1 is leading
Hence, variation in
such that |Ia1|>|Ia| But
excitation of SM running
|Ia1CosФ1|>|Ia|: Pd>PL
with a given const. load
So, α1 decrease to α2 it will
produce variation in its
turn Er1 to Er2 & Ia1 to Ia2
in such a way that: Ia, load angle (α) and18 pf
|Ia2CosФ2|= |Ia| : Pd=PL as well. Solve Problems…
Effect of Exci. on Ia and pf at Cont. Load
For Normal, over and under excitations Two thinks are
important (i) |Ia| varies with excitations [Ia has high
value for low excitation & high excitations, in-between it
has min. value: So there will be a “V” curves]
(ii) pf varies with excitations [Lagging for under excitation
and leading for over excitations, in-between it has unity:
Thus, there will be a “inverted V curves”

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Effect of If on Ia and pf at Cont. Load (V-curves)
If: excitation change from under to over with const load
and recording of Ia & If plot will give “V” curves as in Fig.
If exci. vs. pf (CosФ=P/VI) plot gives inverted “V” curve]

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Effect of Excit. on Ia and pf at Cont. Load (Con.)
The rotational loss are supplied by the min Ia in each case
Slightly increased field excitation required from normal
excitation as load is increased shown in Fig.[point 1, 2 & 3]

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Effect of Excit. on Ia and pf at Cont. Load (Cot.)
By applying a given constant load to the shaft of a
synchronous motor and varying the field current If from
under excitation to over excitation and recording the
armature current and wattmeter reading at each
step, the inverted V curves is obtained as of Fig. ….

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Effect of Excit. on Ia and pf at const. Load (Cot)

Prob: A six-pole, 50 hp, 440 V, 60 Hz, three-phase,

Y-connected motor has an effective armature
resistance of 0.1ohm/phase and a synchronous
reactance of 2.4 ohm/phase. When the motor is
operating at a torque angle of 20 electrical degrees
and the motor is under excited, producing a generated
phase voltage of 240 V, calculate;

(a) The armature current, the power factor and the

horse power developed by the armature.
(b) The same items as in part (a) when the generated
phase voltage is 265 V.
(c) The same items as in part (a) when the generated
phase voltage is 290 V.
α=20
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Soln Ra= 0.1Ω, E°, Eb<V, Eb=240V
Effect of Excit. on Ia and pf at const. Load (Cot)

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Effect of Excit. on Ia and pf at const. Load (Cot)

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 The sol. of various parts are summarized

 By changing excitation: developed power,

torque angle and pf changes: If the excitation is
increased, the torque angle must necessarily to
be decreased in order to develop the same power
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at the motor shaft!!

 Making SM Self-Starting
A synchronous motor cannot start by itself, If stator is
feed & rotor excitation is given motor develop no torque
at standstill. It will develop running torque once it has
been brought up to Ns. In order to make the motor
self-starting, There are several methods of
accomplishing this:
1.Induction start 2.Auxiliary devices
Induction start: All most all SM
equipped with squirrel cage winding
(also called damper winding) is
provided on the rotor. The damper
winding consists of copper bars
embedded in the pole face. The
barsMahmud,
are short-circuited at both
ends. Act as a IM during starting
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period……at Ns these became inactive.

 SM Self-Starting with DW
To start SM with DW, 3-phase supply is given to the
stator winding while the rotor field winding is left un
energized. The rotating stator field induces currents
in the damper or SC winding the motor starts as an IM.
As the motor approaches Ns, rotor is excited properly….
The rotor poles lock in with the stator poles & motor
pull into synchronous speed, motor started to drive load
Now, Cu bars at Ns, do not cut any flux any more
and removed from the operation of the motor, Now SM….
It is important to excite at the right moment, otherwise
might produce a violent mechanical shock…. CB may trip…
OR the life of the motor will reduces….
Rotor will induce a large emf (over kV) at starting….SM
is design for 110-250 V only even for large m/c. Thus,
autotransformer/other
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techique is employed for reduced
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voltage at starting…
 Procedure of Starting SM with DW
If SM are equipped with squirrel cage winding:

Field winding is short-circuited

Reduced stator voltage applied

Motor start as IM

A weak DC excitation applied

M/C pulled into synchronism

Now full supplied voltage is applied

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By changing field it can be operated at any desired pf
 Making SM Self-Starting (Cont.)
Auxiliary devices:
A direct coupled DC/IM can be
used rating is about 10% of SM,
Pole less (2)
SM as Alternator
(a) Synchronized with supply
Now remove IM, will run as SM
(b) Without Synchronizing:
Need to speed up by IM or DC
motor near at Ns
When Ns is reached, Stator is
feed and rotor is excitated…
SM start
Using
(c)Mahmud, the field exciter
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generator as a DC motor
 Synchronous Condenser
 A synchronous motor takes a leading current when
over-excited and therefore, behaves as a capacitor.
An over-excited synchronous motor running on
no-load in known as synchronous condenser (SC).
When SC is connected in parallel with IM or
other devices that operate at low lagging pf, the leading
kVAR supplied by the SC partly/fully neutralizes the
lagging reactive kVAR of the loads. Consequently, the
pf is improved.

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 Synchronous Condenser (Cont.)
Advantages
(i) By varying the field excitation, the magnitude
of current drawn by the motor can be changed by
any amount. This helps achieving step less control of
pf in PFI
(ii) The motor winding have high thermal stability at Isc
(iii) The faults can be removed easily

Disadvantages
(i) There are considerable losses in the motor.
(ii) The maintenance cost is high & It produces noise
(iii) Except in sizes above 500 kVA, the cost is
greater than that of static capacitors of the same
rating in PFI unit.
(iv) As a SM has no self-starting torque, So, an
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auxiliary equipment has to be provided for this purpose.

 POWER-FACTOR CORRECTION
We know decreased pf results in increased current. So greater
I2R losses in the connecting lines to a load, in transformers
(at both ends) and finally in Generators
Furthermore, since most power loads have a lagging pf, this
results in poor voltage regulation in all equipment said above.
Thus, from the viewpoint of both efficiency and voltage
regulation, it is distinctly advantageous to bring a load power
factor as close to unity as is possible. This is illustrated follows:

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 Pf CORRECTION (Cont.)

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 Synchronous Condenser (Cont.)

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 Synchronous Condenser (Cont.)

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36%
Line I= 11%
X-mer=11%
 Ω

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 Equivalent Circuit of SM
Fig.1 shows 1Ф equivalent ckt. model of a SM.

Fig. 2 shows that V = (-Eb+IaZs)

The angle α is called the load angle & Ф is pf

angle

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 Power flow in SM
Let Ra= Armature resistance/phase, V = supply
voltage/phase, Eb = back e.m.f./phase, Xs = synchronous
reance/phase, Zs = synchronous impedance/phase
Zs=Ra+jXs, Ia=Er/Zs=(V-Eb)/Zs [V=Eb+IaZs]
Angle ϴ (internal angle) tanϴ=Xs/Ra, ϴ=90° if Ra negligible
Motor Input power/phase, Pi = VIa cosΦ: √3Vl cosΦ [3Ф]
Mech power devp. by motor/phase,
Pm = Eb Ia cosine of bet. Eb and Ia
= Eb Ia cos(α - Φ)

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 Power flow in SM (cont.)
Power at the shaft Pout is less than the developed power Pd
as have to supply losses (iron, friction and excitation)

Pin = Pm+armature loss (Ia2Ra)

Pm=Pin- (Ia2Ra)

Pm= √3Vl cosΦ - 3Ia2Ra [3ph]

The different power stages of SM:

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 Power flow in SM

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Comparison of SM & Induction Motors

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