Lesson 3

Synchronous Motor
Module 3A
Synchronous Motor
Fundamentals
 Introduction

▰ Synchronous motors are widely used in the industry for high-

precision applications.
▰ This motor runs at constant speed and it does not depend on the
torque acting on it.
 it has a constant-speed torque characteristic.
▰ The efficiency of synchronous motor is around 90%–93%.

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 Introduction

▰ Synchronous motor is a doubly fed motor

 three-phase power is given to the stator
 the rotor is fed from a DC source for excitation of the field
winding.

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 Construction of Synchronous Motor

▰ There is no constructional difference between

synchronous motor and synchronous generator

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 Construction of Synchronous Motor

▰ 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
▰ Synchronous motor is likely to hunt and so damper
winding or amortisseur winding are also provided in
the rotor poles.
▰ Hunting means momentary fluctuations in rotor speed
 oscillation of the rotor about its equilibrium or
steady state position 5
Construction of Synchronous Motor

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 Principle of Operation of Synchronous Motor

▰ When a three phase-supply is given to

the stator of the synchronous motor,
 it produces a rotating magnetic
flux of constant magnitude
 rotating at synchronous speed
▰ DC supply on the rotor will also
produce a flux of constant magnitude.
▰ A three phase synchronous motor is
not self-starting.

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 Principle of Operation of Synchronous Motor

▰ If the rotor of the synchronous motor is

rotated by some external means at the start,
there will be a continuous force of attraction
between the stator and the rotor. This is
called magnetic locking.
 when one of the two magnets is
rotated, the other magnets also rotate
in the same direction with the same
speed due to the strong force of
attraction
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 Principle of Operation of Synchronous Motor

▰ The rotor pole is dragged by the

revolving stator field and thus the
rotor will continue to rotate.
▰ The rotating magnetic field has
fixed relationship between, the
number of poles, the frequency of
ac supply and the speed of rotation.

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 Synchronous Motor Characteristics

1. A three-phase stator similar to that of an induction motor.

 Medium voltage stators are often used
2. Starts as an induction motor.
 The synchronous motor rotor also has a squirrel-cage
winding, known as an Amortisseur winding or damper
winding, which produces torque for motor starting.

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 Synchronous Motor Characteristics

3. A wound rotor (rotating field) which has the same

number of poles as the stator, and is supplied by an
external source of direct current (DC).
 Both brush-type and brushless exciters are used
to supply the DC field current to the rotor.
 The rotor current establishes a north/south
magnetic pole relationship in the rotor poles
enabling the rotor to “lock-in-step” with the
rotating stator flux.

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 Advantages of Synchronous Motor

▰ The initial cost of a synchronous motor is more than that of a

conventional AC induction motor
 due to the expense of the wound rotor and synchronizing
circuitry
 but initial costs are often off-set by its advantages

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 Advantages of Synchronous Motor

1. Precise speed regulation

 ideal choice for certain industrial processes and as a prime
mover for generator
2. Constant speed - torque characteristics
 ideally suited for direct drive of large horse-power, low-rpm
loads such as reciprocating compressors.
3. Operate at an improved power factor
 frequently used for power factor corrections
 an improved power factor reduces the
system voltage drop and the voltage drop
at the motor terminals. 13
 THANKS!
Gabriel M. Salistre, Jr.
EE Department
CEA - ISAT U

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