Module 3

Construction of
DC Generators

Engr. Gerard Ang

School of EECE
 Generators
 Dynamo – it is a rotating machine used for
converting mechanical energy into electrical energy,
or vice versa, electrical energy into mechanical
energy.

 Generator – it is a machine which converts

mechanical energy (or power) into electrical energy
(or power).

 Prime Mover – it is a machine (usually a motor) that

drives the generator.
 Principle of Operation
The generator works on the production of dynamically (or motionally)
induced emf. According to Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction,
whenever a conductor cuts a magnetic flux, dynamically induced emf is
produced in this conductor which is collected from the commutator
fitted on the shaft of the armature.

Basic Operation of the DC Generator

 Main Parts of a Generator
Yoke or Magnetic Frame. It is
cylindrical in shape to which an even
number of poles are bolted. It may
be of cast iron in small generators.
But for large machine, usually cast
or rolled steel is employed.

Functions of the field yoke:

 It provides mechanical support
for the poles.
 It acts as a protecting cover for
the whole machine.
 It carries the magnetic flux
produced by the poles.
 Main Parts of a Generator
Pole and pole shoes. For small machines, poles are made
with yoke and both are of cast iron. For big machines, poles
are made from laminated sheet steel which are riveted
together under hydraulic pressure. The poles are screwed
with the yoke. Each pole is fitted with an extension known as
pole shoe.

Functions of the pole shoe:

 It spreads out the flux in the air gap and reduces the
reluctance of the magnetic path due to its larger cross
section
 It supports the field coils or exciting coils.
 Main Parts of a Generator

Field Windings or Field

Coils or Pole Coils. They
are used to
electromagnetized the poles
which produce the
necessary flux that is cut by
the revolving armature
conductors.
 Main Parts of a Generator
Armature Core. It is cylindrical or drummed-shaped and is built up of
usually circular sheet steel laminations and insulated from each other
by a thin layer of paper and varnish to reduced iron losses. Its slots
carry the armature coils or conductors and cause them to rotate and
hence cut the magnetic flux of the field of the field magnets. The core is
slotted to provide a low reluctance path for the flux in the armature.
 Main Parts of a Generator
Commutator. Its function is to convert the alternating current induced
in the armature conductors into unidirectional current in the external
load circuit. The commutator consists of a large number of copper
segments insulated from each other and form the armature shaft by a
mica strip. Armature windings are finished on it. It is also called a
mechanical rectifier.
 Main Parts of a Generator
Brushes. The brushes are used to collect current from the
commutator to the external load circuit. Carbon brushes are
used to reduce sparking and provide better commutation. The
brushes are held in position by spring pressure.
 Classification of Armature
Windings
According to the core or frame upon which the winding is
place
 Gramme-ring type. It consists of a laminated iron core
having the shape of a hollow cylinder (or ring) upon which
the winding was placed.
 Classification of Armature

Windings
Disk type. The core is a hollow disk instead of a hollow cylinder. The disk
is constructed by a tightly rolling or thin strip of sheet iron into a spiral coil.
The disk type of armature is a modification of the Gramme-ring type.

 Drum type. The laminated iron core is cylindrical in shape with parallel
slots in the outer surface of the cylinder. The conductors are placed in the
slots on the surface of the core and are connected together and to the
commutator.

Drum-type Armature
 Classification of Armature
Windings
According to the arrangement of the conductors on the core and
their connection to the commutator:
 Lap Winding. In a lap winding, the finishing end of one coil is
connected to a commutator segment and to the starting end of the
adjacent coil situated under the same pole and so on, until the coils
have been connected. Lap windings develop lesser voltage and deliver
more current.
 Classification of Armature
Windings
 Wave Winding. In this winding, the end of the first coil is not
connected back but progresses forward to another coil. The
beginning of which is under the third pole of the same polarity as
that of the first coil. Wave windings develop higher voltage and
deliver less current.
 Winding Terms
 Pole Pitch or Pole Span (Y P) – it is the distance
between two adjacent poles in the surface of the armature.
Where:
YP = pole pitch
S = number of armature slots or armature conductors
P = number of poles

 Conductor – it is the length of a wire lying on the

magnetic field and in which an emf is induced.

 Winding Element – it is the side of a coil (1-turn or multi-

turn).
1 turn-coil = 2 conductors
1 winding element = 2 coils
 Winding Terms
 Coil Span or Coil Pitch (Y S) – it is the distance,
measured in terms of armature slots (or armature
conductors), between two sides of a coil.

 If the coil span is equal to the pole pitch, then

winding is called full-pitched.
 If the coil span is less than the pole pitch, the
winding is called fractional-pitched. Fractional
pitch windings are used in purpose to substantially
save copper in the end connections and to
improve commutation.
 Winding Terms
 Slot Span or Slot Pitch – it is the distance between
adjacent slots measured on the surface of the
armature.

 Winding Pitch (Y P) – it is the distance round the

armature between two successive conductors which
are directly connected together.

 For lap winding

 For wave winding

 Winding Terms
 Front Pitch (Y F) – it is the distance spanned by a coil
on the front of an armature (or commutator).

Z
YF  1  For progressive lap winding
P

Z
YF 
P
1  For retrogressive lap winding
 Winding Terms
 Back Pitch (Y B) – it is the distance in which a coil
advances on the back of the armature.

 For progressive lap winding

 For retrogressive lap winding

 Resultant Pitch (Y R) – it is the distance between

the beginning of one coil and the beginning of the
next coil to which it is connected.
 Winding Terms
 Commutator Pitch (Y C) – it is the distance, in terms of the
number of commutator bars or segments, between the segments to
which the two ends of a coil are connected.

 For lap winding

 For wave winding

The commutator pitch equals the “plex” of a lap wound armature.

YC = 1 for simplex
= 2 for duplex
= 3 for triplex, etc.
Winding Terms
 Other Types of Winding
 Single-layer Winding – it is that winding in which one conductor or one
coil side is placed in each armature slot.

 Two-layer Winding – it is that type of winding in which there are two

conductors or two coil sides per slot arranged in two layers.

 Multiplex Windings – these windings consist of two or more simplex

windings placed on the same armature. Multiplex windings have two or
more times as many paths in parallel for the same number of poles as the
simplex windings.

 Dummy or Idle Coils – these are placed on a wave-wound armature to

provide mechanical balance. Dummy coils are never necessary on simplex
lap windings.

 Frog Leg Windings – these consist of a lap and wave windings placed on
the same armature, in the slots, and connected to the same commutator
base.