Electrical

Machines
B.Sc. Electrical
Engineering

Lecture #
DC Motor Characteristics

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Learning Objectives

• Characteristics of:

(i) DC Shunt Motors

(ii) DC Series Motors

(iii) DC Compound Motors

• Electric Dynamic Braking

• Electric Reverse Braking

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF SHUNT DC
MOTORS
(1) Torque – Load (Ta/ Ia) Characteristics
• Performance of motor is judged from its x-
tics
•• Graph b/w arm. torque and arm. Current
Also known as electrical x-tics of motor

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 Ta α Ф I a
Ф for shunt dc motor is constant
I a is variable current on armature
Ta α I a
(2) Load – Speed (N / I a)
Characteristics
• Curve b/w speed and armature
current

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 N α E b/ Ф
N α (V – I a R a) / Ф
As flux is constant for shunt motor
N α (V – I a R a)
As I a ↑ , then
I a Ra ↑ , then
(V-I a Ra) ↓ , then N ↓
Nα/Ia

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(3) Torque – Speed (N / Ta) Characteristics
• Curve between speed and armature torque
From N – Ia X-tics,
Nα 1/ Ia
TaαФIa
Flux - constant
T aα I a
N α 1 / Ta

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF SERIES DC
MOTORS
(1) Torque – Load (Ta / I a) Characteristics
Ta α Ф Ia
Flux is proportional to Ia in series motor,
Ta α 2 I a

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(2) Load - Speed (N / I a) Characteristics
N α Eb/ Ф
N α [V – I a (Ra + R se)] / Ф
I a ↑ , then [V – I a (Ra + R se) ↓ , hence N α 1 / I a
Ф
Flux is proportional to armature current,
N α 1 / I2 a

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(3) Speed-Torque (N/Ta) Characteristics
N α Eb/ Ф
N α [V – I a (Ra + R se)] / Ф
If I a ↑ , then [V – I a (Ra + R se) ↓ , hence N α 1 / I a
Ф
As T a α Ф I a
N α 1 / Ta

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOUND
MOTORS
(1) Load – Torque (Ta/I a) X-tics. of Cumulative
Compound Motor
• Series field aids the shunt field

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Ta α Ф Ia
If Ia ↑ , then
series field flux ↑
but shunt filed flux remains constant, hence
overall flux increases.
Ta α Ia
The torque of cumulative compound motor is
greater than that of shunt motor due to series
field.

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(2) Load – Speed (N/Ia) Characteristics of
Cumulative Compound Motor
N α Eb/ Ф
As Ia ↑ , then Ф
↑ N α 1 / Ia

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(3) N / Ta Characteristics
Ta α Ф Ia
N α Eb / Ф
If Ia ↑ , then
series field flux ↑
but shunt filed flux remains constant, hence overall
flux increases.
N α / Ta
The torque of a cumulative compound motor is
more than that of shunt motor but less than that of
series motor. Due to presence of series field, the
starting torque of this motor is increased.
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Differential compound motors
• series field opposes the shunt field.
• Rarely used due to their poor torque x-tics at
heavy loads.
What will happen if the shunt motor running at
no-load has its shunt winding opened
accidently?
N α V – I a Ra
Φ
The flux will become zero and motor will get
dangerous speed.

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Why is the speed of a shunt motor practically constant
from no-load to full-load?
N α V – I a Ra
Φ
V, Ra and Φ are practically constant.
At no-load, the armature current is small and IaRa drop is
negligible as compared to applied voltage V. No armature
reaction takes place.
At full-load, IaRa drop is ordinary about 5 % of V due to
very small armature resistance. As the external load does
not affect the field (flux), therefore speed almost remains
constant. The full-speed of the motor is slightly less than
the no load speed (about 95 % of the no-load value) due
to due to armature reaction.

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Electric Dynamic Braking
Electric braking is used to stop the motor and its
load quickly and smoothly.

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• In Dynamic Braking, armature of motor is
disconnected from supply and is connected
across variable resistor and field is still
connected to supply.
• Armature, while slowing down, rotates in
strong magnetic field and operates as a
generator. It sends a large current to
resistance and finally motor comes to rest.

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Electric Plugging / Reverse Braking

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• In Reverse Braking , Armature connections are
reversed to rotate the motor in reverse direction
giving the braking effect.

• Back emf (Eb) and applied voltage will act in the

same direction.
• In order to limit the current, a variable resistance
R is connected in series with the armature during
the changing of armature connections.
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