4/6/24, 3:55 PM Mechanical Power Developed by a Synchronous Motor

Mechanical Power Developed by a Synchronous Motor

Electronics & Electrical Electron Digital Electronics

Consider an under-excited (i.e., Ef < V), 3-phase cylindrical rotor synchronous motor
driving a mechanical load. The figure shows the per phase phasor diagram of the motor.
Since the motor is under-excited, it will be operating at a lagging power factor cos φ.

In practice, for a synchronous motor, XS>>Ra, then the armature resistance (Ra) of the
motor can be neglected. Since Ra is neglected, the armature copper loss will be zero.
Therefore, the mechanical power developed (Pm) by the synchronous motor is equal to
the input power (Pi) to the motor.

Also, Ra= 0, Er=IaXS, thus the armature current (Ia) lags the resultant voltage (Er) by
90°.

Input power per phase,

Pi = V Ia cosφ

Therefore, the mechanical power developed per phase is,

Pm = Pi = V Ia Cosφ . . . (1)

Referring to the phasor diagram of the motor, we get,

In triangle ABO,

AB = Er Cosφ = Ia XS Cosφ

And, in triangle ABC,

AB = Ef Sin(180° − δ) = Ef Sinδ

∴ Ia XS Cosφ = Ef Sinδ

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4/6/24, 3:55 PM Mechanical Power Developed by a Synchronous Motor

Ef
⟹ Ia Cosφ = Sinδ . . . (2)
XS

Substituting the value of IaCosφ in Equation (1), we get,

VEf
Pm = Sinδ . . . (3)
XS

Equation (3) gives the mechanical power developed per phase of the synchronous motor.

The total mechanical power developed for the three phases is,

3VEf
Pm = Sinδ . . . (4)
XS

Condition for Maximum Mechanical Power Developed

For maximum mechanical power developed of the synchronous motor,

2
dp m d pm
= 0 and < 0
2
dδ dδ

d VEf
⟹ [ Sinδ] = 0
dδ XS

VEf
⟹ Cosδ = 0
XS

⟹ Cosδ = Cos90°

∴ δ = 90°

Therefore, the mechanical power developed will be maximum when torque angle is equal
to 90° (electrical). The maximum power developed is given by,

VEf
Pm(max) = . . . perphase
XS

3VEf
Pm(max) = . . . perphase
XS

Numerical Example
A 3-phase, 5000 kW, 11 kV, 200 RPM, 50 Hz synchronous motor has per phase
synchronous reactance of 1.5 Ω. At full-load, the torque angle of the motor is 23°
electrical. If the excitation EMF is 3.4 kV. Calculate the mechanical power developed and
maximum mechanical power developed by the motor.

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4/6/24, 3:55 PM Mechanical Power Developed by a Synchronous Motor

Solution
Terminal voltage per phase,

11000
V = = 6351.04V
–
√3

Mechanical power developed,

3VEf 3 × 6351.04 × 3400

Pm = Sinδ = × Sin23°
XS 1.5

⟹ Pm = 16.875MW

The maximum developed mechanical power is,

3VEf 3 × 6351.04 × 3400

Pm(max) = = = 43.187MW
XS 1.5

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