SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS

(ALTERNATORS)
-Synchronous generators or alternators are used to
convert mechanical power derived from steam, gas, or
hydraulic-turbine to ac electric power

-Synchronous generators are the primary source of

electrical energy we consume today

-Synchronous motors are built in large units compare

to induction motors (Induction motors are cheaper for
smaller ratings) and used for constant speed industrial
drives
 Operation Principle
The rotor of the generator is driven by a prime-mover

A dc current is flowing in the rotor winding which

produces a rotating magnetic field within the
machine

The rotating magnetic field induces a three-phase

voltage in the stator winding of the generator
Rotating Magnetic Field
Construction of synchronous machines
Synchronous machines are AC machines that have a field circuit
supplied by an external DC source
 In a synchronous generator, a DC current is applied to the

rotor winding producing a rotor magnetic field. The rotor is

then turned by external means producing a rotating magnetic
field, which induces a 3-phase voltage within the stator
winding.
 In a synchronous motor, a 3-phase set of stator currents

produces a rotating magnetic field causing the rotor magnetic

field to align with it. The rotor magnetic field is produced by
a DC current applied to the rotor winding.
 Field windings are the windings producing the main magnetic
field (rotor windings for synchronous machines); armature
windings are the windings where the main voltage is induced
(stator windings for synchronous machines).
Construction of synchronous machines
Based on the construction of the machines, it may be
classified as
1. Rotating Armature type 2. Rotating Field type
1. Rotating Armature type
 Looks very much like a dc generator except that there are 3
slip-rings in place of commutator
 Required magnetic fields are produced by dc electromagnet
placed on the stationary member called stator
 The current and generated is collected by means of brushes
and slip-rings on revolving member, called the rotor
 Economical for the small low voltage generator
 Suitable for small power plants
Construction of synchronous machines
2.Rotating Field type
Practically all medium and large machines are always revolving
field type with these advantages:
 Easier to insulate stationary armature winding for very high

voltages
 Load circuit can be connected directly with the fixed

terminals of stator without passing through slip-rings and

brushes
 Only two slip-rings are required for the supply of dc to the

rotor for excitation

 The exciting current is supplied at low voltages of 125 or 250

v, there is no difficulty in insulating them.

 Slip rings and brushes have certain disadvantages: increased

friction and wear (therefore, needed maintenance), brush

voltage drop can introduce significant power losses. Still this
approach is used in most small synchronous machines.
Construction of synchronous machines
Synchronous machine consists essentially of two parts
1.Armature (or stator)
2.Field magnet system or Rotor
1.Armature (or Stator)
 Iron ring, formed of laminations of special magnetic iron or
steel alloy (silicon steel) having slots on its periphery to
accommodate armature conductors.
 Stator core is laminated (thickness 0.5mm or less) and
insulated from each other with paper or varnish
 Open slots are more commonly used because the coils can
be form-wound and insulated properly also removal and
replacement of defective coils
 Open type of slots produce ripples in the emf wave because
distribution of air gap flux is into branches
 Semi-closed type slots are better in this respect but do not
permit the use of form-wound coils
Construction of synchronous machines
2. Field magnet system or Rotor
(i) Salient pole type
(ii) Smooth cylindrical or non salient pole type

Non-salient-pole rotor: usually Salient-pole rotor: four and

two- and four-pole rotors. more poles.

Rotors are made laminated to reduce eddy current losses.

Construction of synchronous machines
(i) Salient pole type
 Used almost entirely for slow and moderate speed alternators

 Least expensive and cheaper than cylindrical rotor machines

when speed does not exceed 1000 rpm.

 It can cause an excessive windage loss and produce noise if

driven at high speed

 Usually made up of cast-iron or cast-steel and has a heavy

central hub
 Pole shoes are laminated to avoid eddy current

 The air gap is minimum under the pole centers and it is max.

in between the poles

 The radial air gap length increases from the pole center to

the pole tips so that the flux distribution in the air gap is
sinusoidal
Construction of synchronous machines
 Damper windings are used to damp rotor oscillations during
transient conditions and facilitate under unbalanced load
conditions
 Large numbers of poles (4 to 60)

 Have a large diameter and small length

(ii) Smooth cylindrical or non salient pole type

 Used in very speed alternators

 Subjected to high mechanical stresses due to high speed and

long round rotor

 Normally two-thirds of the rotor is slotted for the field

winding and one-third is left without slots

it has following special features:
 They are of smaller diameter and of very long axial length

 Robust construction and noiseless operation

 Less windage ( air resistance) loss

Construction of synchronous machines
 Better in dynamic balancing
 High operating speed (3000 rpm)
 Give better emf waveform than salient pole field structure
 No need of providing damper windings

Salient pole with field

windings
A synchronous rotor with 8 salient
poles
 Construction of synchronous machines
Two common approaches are used to supply a DC current to the
field circuits on the rotating rotor:
1. Supply the DC power from an external
DC source to the rotor by means of
slip rings and brushes;

2. Supply the DC power from a special

DC power source mounted directly on
the shaft of the machine.

Slip rings are metal rings completely encircling the shaft of a machine but
insulated from it. One end of a DC rotor winding is connected to each of the
two slip rings on the machine’s shaft. Graphite-like carbon brushes
connected to DC terminals ride on each slip ring supplying DC voltage to
field windings regardless the position or speed of the rotor.
Construction of synchronous machines

Brush
 Construction of synchronous machines
 Slip rings and brushes have certain disadvantages: increased friction
and wear (therefore, needed maintenance), brush voltage drop can
introduce significant power losses. Still this approach is used in most
small synchronous machines.
 On large generators and motors, brushless exciters are used.
 A brushless exciter is a small AC generator whose field circuits are
mounted on the stator and armature circuits are mounted on the
rotor shaft. The exciter generator’s 3-phase output is rectified to DC
by a 3-phase rectifier (mounted on the shaft) and fed into the main
DC field circuit. It is possible to adjust the field current on the main
machine by controlling the small DC field current of the exciter
generator (located on the stator).
 Since no mechanical contact occurs between the rotor and the stator,
exciters of this type require much less maintenance.
 Construction of synchronous machines

A brushless exciter: a
low 3-phase current is
rectified and used to
supply the field circuit
of the exciter (located
on the stator). The
output of the exciter’s
armature circuit (on the
rotor) is rectified and
used as the field current
of the main machine.
 Construction of synchronous machines

To make the excitation

of a generator
completely
independent of any
external power source,
a small pilot exciter is
often added to the
circuit. The pilot
exciter is an AC
generator with a
permanent magnet
mounted on the rotor
shaft and a 3-phase
winding on the stator
producing the power
for the field circuit of
the exciter.
 Construction of synchronous machines
A rotor of large
synchronous
machine with a
brushless exciter
mounted on the
same shaft.

Many synchronous
generators having
brushless exciters
also include slip
rings and brushes to
provide emergency
source of the field
DC current.
 Construction of synchronous machines

A large
synchronous
machine with
the exciter
and salient
poles.
 Armature Windings
Important terms related to armature windings
1. Conductor: Active length of winding wire or strip in a slot.
2. Turn: A turn consists of two conductors placed inside separate slots on the
armature periphery approximately a pole pitch apart as shown in Fig.
3. Coil: A coil may consist of one or more number of turns connected in series. If it
contains two or more number of turns, it is called a multi-turn coil.
4.

5. Coil-side: A coil consists of two coil sides, upper or lower coil sides placed in
two different slots, approximately a pole pitch apart.
6. Over-hang: End portion of coil connecting the two conductors or coil sides
is called overhang winding.
6. Coil-Span: Distance measured in a number of slots between two
coil sides of a coil placed in slots over the periphery of the
armature.
7. Full Pitch Coil: If the coil span is exactly equal to a pole pitch
(=slots/pole) then it is full pitched coil.
8. Short Pitched coil/Chorded coil: If the coil span is not equal to a
pole pitch (usually less only) then it is called Short pitched coil.

Pitch of Armature Winding

Single Layer Armature Winding
Each slot is occupied by one side of an armature coil or one coil
sides is placed in each armature slot. This arrangement is referred
as single layer winding.
Two Layer Armature Winding
Every armature slot is occupied by two coil sides, one on upper
half and other on lower half of the slot.
 In AC armature windings, the separate coils may be connected in
several different manners, but the two most common methods are
lap and wave
Lap Winding
Full pitched lap winding of 4 poles, 12 slots, 12
conductors (one conductor per slot)
 Wave Winding
4 pole, 12 slots, 12 conductors
Concentric or Spiral Winding
This winding for same machine, i.e. 4 poles 12 slot 12
conductors. In this winding the coils are of different
pitches. The outer coil pitch is 5, the middle coil pitch is
3 and inner coil pitch is one.
Pitch Factor or Coil span factor
Distribution Factor
- It is defined as the ratio of the phasor sum of
the emfs induced in all the coils distributed in
a no. of slots under one pole to the arithmetic
sum of the emfs induced is known as breadth
factor (Kb) or distribution factor (Kd).
Distribution Factor
EMF EQUATION
 Alternator on load
As the load on an alternator is varied, its terminal
voltage is found to vary as in d.c. generators. The
variation in terminal voltage V is due to the
following reasons:
1. Voltage drop due to armature resistance Ra
2. Voltage drop due to armature leakage reactance
XL
3. Voltage drop due to armature reaction
Thank you