Three-Phase AC machines

Resource 7

Three-Phase Synchronous Machines

Three-Phase AC Machines
Three-Phase Synchronous Machines
Resource 7

Aim

• To understand the construction and operation of a three-phase synchronous machine

Three-Phase AC Machines
Three-Phase Synchronous Machines
Resource 7

Objectives

• To be able to describe the construction of the stator

• To be able to describe the construction of a salient pole rotor
• To be able to describe the construction of a cylindrical rotor
• To be able to describe the operation of a synchronous machine as a generator
• To be able to calculate synchronous speed and terminals voltage
• To be able to describe the operation of a synchronous machine as a motor
 Stator Construction

• Stator is identical to the

induction motor

• Laminated low silicon steel

rings joined together

• Slots insulated with Mylar

• Example of 36 slot stator

with 3 coil conductors per
slot, 12 slots per phase
 Stator Construction

• Stator is identical to the Stator frame

induction motor

• Laminated low silicon steel Stator

rings joined together slots with
insulator
• Slots insulated with Mylar

• Example of 36 slot stator

with 3 coil conductors per
slot, 12 slots per phase

• Slot insulator inserted by

hand
 Stator Construction

• Stator is identical to the Stator frame

induction motor

• Laminated low silicon steel Stator

rings joined together slots with
insulator
• Slots insulated with Mylar
Coil
• Example of 36 slot stator
with 3 coil conductors per
slot, 12 slots per phase

• Slot insulator inserted by

hand

• Coils inserted by hand

 Stator Construction

• Coils can be placed in single or double layers

Stator slot
 Stator Construction

Single layer Coil

1 coil arm
per slot

Stator Slots
 Stator Construction

Double layer Stator Slots

Coil

2 coil arms in
each slot
 Stator Construction

Stators can be very large

 Rotor Construction

Two types of rotor

• Salient Pole

• Cylindrical
 Rotor Construction

Salient Pole
Difference between pole face
curvature and stator creates non-linear
variation in flux across pole face

Non-linear variation in flux across

pole face produces sinusoidal
change in the induced EMF
 Rotor Construction

Cylindrical
Difference in coil spacing creates non-
linear variation in flux around the rotor
surface

Non-linear variation in flux around

rotor surface produces sinusoidal
change in the induced EMF
 Rotor Construction

Cylindrical
Difference in coil spacing creates non-
linear variation in flux around the rotor
surface

Non-linear variation in flux around

rotor surface produces sinusoidal
change in the induced EMF
 Operation as a Synchronous Generator

Two pole cylindrical rotor example

A’
A’
• Field produced on rotor by dc current
through slip rings
BB C
C
• Rotor field is turned at 3000rpm by a
prime mover

• EMFs induced in stator coils with N S

frequency of 50Hz
• Magnetic Flux distributed around rotor C’
B’
produces sinusoidal variation in induced C’ B’
EMF
A
• Phase coils separated by 120 causes
o

delay between phase EMFs A

 Operation as a Synchronous Generator

Two pole cylindrical rotor example

Period = 20ms
• Field produced on rotor by dc current
through slip rings
C A B
• Rotor field is turned at 3000rpm by a
prime mover

• EMFs induced in stator coils with

frequency of 50Hz
• Magnetic Flux distributed around rotor
produces sinusoidal variation in induced
EMF

• Phase coils separated by 120o causes

delay between phase EMFs

• Delay between phases = 20/3 = 6.667ms 6.667ms

 Calculations

Synchronous speed

fS = supply frequency
required
RPM
p = pole pairs

Induced EMF
Volts per
phase

Φ = flux per pole set by

rotor current
z = conductor in series per
phase
 Operation as a Synchronous Generator

Generated EMF relationship

Open circuit
The open circuit EMF generated depends stator saturation
upon EMF

• Rotor speed

• Rotor current

Relationship between open circuit stator

EMF and rotor current is a straight line until linear
the steel begins to saturate when it
becomes non-linear. Rotor current
 Operation as a Synchronous Motor

Two pole cylindrical rotor example

NS
A’
• Stator field rotates at 3000rpm from 50Hz
supply
B NR
• Rotor field must be locked on to stator
field speed
• Motor runs a synchronous speed whatever N S
the mechanical load provided rotor field is
strong enough
C’
B’
NR = NS
• This is impossible within an induction A
motor as there wound be no induced
currents to cause rotation

• This motor runs at synchronous speed

hence the name – SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
 Operation as a Synchronous Motor

Two pole cylindrical rotor example

• Stator field rotates at 3000rpm from 50Hz

supply

• Rotor field must be locked on to stator

field speed
• Motor runs a synchronous speed whatever
the mechanical load provided rotor field is
Rotor Speed
strong enough (NR)

NR = NS
NS
• This is impossible within an induction
motor as there wound be no induced
currents to cause rotation

• This motor runs at synchronous speed Load Torque

hence the name – SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
 Operation as a Synchronous Motor

The V-curve

The rotor current can be

adjusted to vary the power
factor of the stator

Unity power factor is achieved

when stator current is at its
minimum

This machine can be used to

correct power factor of
induction motors when
connected in parallel