3-Phase AC Synchronous

Machines

EE 8402
Lecture I
Synchronous machines
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
The rotor of a synchronous machine is a large electromagnet. The magnetic poles
can be either salient (sticking out of rotor surface) or non-salient construction.

Non-salient-pole rotor: usually two- and four-pole rotors. Salient-pole rotor: four
and more poles.

Because the rotor is subjected to changing magnetic fields, it is constructed of thin

laminations to reduce to reduce eddy current losses.
Construction of synchronous
machines
A synchronous rotor with 8 salient poles

Salient pole without

Salient pole with field
field windings –
windings
observe laminations
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

Slip rings

Brush
Construction of synchronous
machines
Slip rings and brushes have certain disadvantages:
1. Increased friction and wear (therefore, need regular maintenance),
2. The 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 with field circuits mounted

on the stator and armature circuits 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 main machine's field current by controlling the exciter
generator's small DC field current (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 an
emergency source of
the field DC current.
Construction of synchronous
machines
A large
synchronous
machine with
the exciter
and salient
poles.
What happens if we give an AC supply to the field winding of
the Synchronous Motor?
If we give AC supply to the field winding of the synchronous
motor then the magnetic locking between the stator field and rotor
field will not be created.
We know that the opposite pole can attract each other. So, the
locking will be created if the stator and rotor pole is opposite to
each other. So, if we give AC supply, the pole created in the rotor
winding will be alternating and it will not create any magnetic
locking with the stator field.
So, if we give AC supply, the rotor will stop rotating after
removing the prime mover.
This was the reason Why DC is used not AC for excitation of
Synchronous Motor.
Why DC is used instead of AC for excitation of
Synchronous Alternator?
In rotating machines(both generator and motor), Dynamically
Induced EMF works not Statically induced emf. When the flux
is constant and the conductor changes its position then the
induced emf is called Dynamically induced emf. When the
conductor is constant and the flux is changing then the induced
emf is called statically induced emf.
In the alternator, as the rotor conductor changes its position as
the rotor rotating so constant flux is to be produced in the rotor
winding and it is possible only when the DC supply is given to
the rotor winding.
So, the AC create alternating flux and DC creates Constant
flux. As we need constant flux that is why DC is used instead
of AC for excitation of Synchronous Alternator.
Rotation speed of synchronous
generator
By the definition, synchronous generators produce electricity whose
frequency is synchronized with the mechanical rotational speed.

nm P
fe 
120
Where fe is the electrical frequency, Hz;
nm is mechanical speed of magnetic field (rotor speed for synchronous
machine), rpm;
P is the number of poles.

Steam turbines are most efficient when rotating at high speed; therefore,
to generate 60 Hz, they are usually rotating at 3600 rpm and turn 2-pole
generators.
Water turbines are most efficient when rotating at low speeds (200-300
rpm); therefore, they usually turn generators with many poles.
Internal generated voltage of a
synchronous generator
The magnitude of internal generated voltage induced in a given stator is

E A  2 N C f  K
where K is a constant representing the construction of the machine,  is flux in it
and  is its rotation speed.

Since flux in the

machine depends
on the field current
through it, the
internal generated
voltage is a
function of the
rotor field current.
Magnetization curve (open-circuit characteristic) of a
synchronous machine
Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
The internally generated voltage in a single phase of a
synchronous machine EA is not usually the voltage appearing
at its terminals. It equals to the output voltage V only when
there is no armature current in the machine. The reasons
that the armature voltage EA is not equal to the output
voltage V are:
1. Distortion of the air-gap magnetic field caused by the
current flowing in the stator (armature reaction);
2. Self-inductance of the armature coils;
3. Resistance of the armature coils;
4. Effect of salient-pole rotor shapes.
Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
Assuming that the generator is connected to a lagging load, the load current IA will
create a stator magnetic field BS, which will produce the armature reaction voltage
Estat. Therefore, the phase voltage will be

V  E A  Estat
The net magnetic flux will be

Bnet  BR  BS
Rotor field Stator field

Note that the directions of the net magnetic flux and the phase voltage are the
same.
Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
Assuming that the armature reactance is X, the armature reaction voltage is

Estat   jXI A
The phase voltage is then V  E A  jXI A
Armature reactance can be modeled by the following
circuit…
However, in addition to armature reactance effect,
the stator coil has a self-inductance LA (XA is the
corresponding reactance) and the stator has
resistance RA. The phase voltage is thus

V  E A  jXI A  jX A I A  RI A
Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
Often, armature reactance and self-inductance are combined into the synchronous
reactance of the machine:

XS  X  X A
Therefore, the phase voltage is

V  E A  jX S I A  RI A

The equivalent circuit of a 3-phase

synchronous generator is shown.

The adjustable resistor Radj controls the

field current and, therefore, the rotor
magnetic field.
Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
A synchronous generator can be Y- or -connected:

The terminal voltage will be

VT  3V  forY VT  V  for

Equivalent circuit of a synchronous
generator
Note: the discussion above assumed a balanced load on the generator!

Since – for balanced loads – the three phases of a synchronous generator are
identical except for phase angles, per-phase equivalent circuits are often used.
Phasor diagram of a synchronous
generator
Since the voltages in a synchronous generator are AC voltages, they are usually
expressed as phasors. A vector plot of voltages and currents within one phase is
called a phasor diagram.
A phasor diagram of a synchronous generator
with a unity power factor (resistive load)

Lagging power factor (inductive load): a larger

than for leading PF internal generated voltage
EA is needed to form the same phase voltage.

Leading power factor (capacitive load).

For a given field current and magnitude of

load current, the terminal voltage is lower for
lagging loads and higher for leading loads.
END OF LECTURE 1

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