Ethiopian Institute of Technology- Mekelle

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical Machine
ECEg4221
Chapter-5
Synchronous Machine

Darge Meressa ( Electrical Power Eng.)Electrical Power Engineering Stream

2016/17
5.1 Introduction
• A synchronous machine is an ac rotating machine whose speed under
steady state condition is proportional to the frequency of the current in its
armature.

• The magnetic field created by the armature currents rotates at the same
speed as that created by the field current on the rotor, which is rotating at
the synchronous speed, and a steady torque results.

• Synchronous machines are commonly used as generators especially for large

power systems, such as turbine generators and hydroelectric generators in
the grid power supply.

• Since the reactive power generated by a synchronous machine (Synch.

Motors) can be adjusted by controlling the magnitude of the rotor field
current, unloaded synchronous machines are also often installed in power
systems solely for power factor correction or for control of reactive kVA
flow. Such machines, known as synchronous condensers, may be more
economical in the large sizes than static capacitors.
• With power electronic variable voltage variable frequency
(VVVF) power supplies, synchronous motors, especially those
with permanent magnet rotors, are widely used for variable
speed drives.

• If the stator excitation of a permanent magnet motor is

controlled by its rotor position such that the stator field is
always 90o (electrical) ahead of the rotor, the motor
performance can be very close to the conventional brushed dc
motors, which is very much favored for variable speed drives.

• In this chapter, we concentrate on conventional synchronous

machines.
5.2 Synchronous Machine Structures
5.2.1 Stator and Rotor
Modern synchronous machines are of revolving field
type, i.e. the rotor carries the poles and the field coils;
whereas the stator houses the AC winding. This
arrangement has the following advantages.

1. Modern power system works on high voltages, which

necessitates high voltage generation.
• This requires increased slot space for heavy insulation
of the AC winding. The increased slot space can be
easily obtained in stator by deepening the teeth. But
such extra space cannot be, had if the AC windings are
put on the rotor, as it would result in weakening of the
teeth at the roots.
Fig 5.1, a)
b)
2. With the revolving field system, only two brushes are required on the shaft for
supplying dc power to field system. If the AC winding are placed on the rotor,
the number of brushes would be four.

3. As the field voltage is generally small i.e. 125 or 250 volts dc, the slip rings
supplying power to the field coils need not be heavily insulated. With Ac
windings on the rotor, the slip rings will have to be insulated to full generation
voltage. (6KV, 11 KV,….. 28KV).

4. Ac windings develop large forces when the alternator gets short-circuited due
to faults in the power system. Thus, the overhang winding part has to be
strongly braced to resist such forces which is easily done if the winding is
placed in the stationary part ( stator.)

• Alternators are divided in to two categories. ( rotor structure)

- Salient pole
- Non salient pole (cylindrical)
• The dc power supply required for excitation usually is supplied through a dc
generator known as exciter, which is often mounted on the same shaft as the
synchronous machine. Various excitation systems using ac exciter and solid
state rectifiers are used with large turbine generators.
• Generally, round rotor structure is used for high speed synchronous
machines, such as steam turbine generators, while salient pole structure is
used for low speed applications, such as hydroelectric generators.

(a) (b)
salient rotor structures round or cylindrical rotor
round or cylindrical rotor Salient rotor structures
• Unlike induction machines, the rotating air gap field and
the rotor rotate at the same speed, called the
synchronous speed.
• Synchronous machines are used primarily as generators
of electrical power, called synchronous generators or
alternators.
• They are usually large machines generating electrical
power at hydro, nuclear, or thermal power stations.
• Application as a motor: pumps in generating stations,
electric clocks, timers, and so forth where constant
speed is desired.

10
Synchronous Generator
Principle of Operation 3) The rotating magnetic field
1) From an external source, the produced by the field current
field winding is supplied with a induces voltages in the outer
DC current -> excitation. stator (armature) winding. The
frequency of these voltages is in
2) Rotor (field) winding is synchronism with the rotor
mechanically turned (rotated) speed.
at synchronous speed.

11
Synchronous Motor
Principle of Operation 3) A torque is produced due to the
1) From an external source, the resultant magnetic field at the
field winding is supplied with a air gap
DC current -> excitation.
2) The stator winding is supplied
with AC current and a rotating
magnetic field is produced at
the stator or armature winding

12
• WE recall that, for a general case, if a machine has P poles, the relationship between the
electrical and mechanical units of an angle can be readily deduced as

P
 elec   mech
2
Taking derivatives on the both side of the above equation, we obtain

P
 elec   mech
2
When ωelec and ωmech are converted into cycles per second or Hz and revolutions per
minute respectively, we have
Pn Pn
f   , and Where, P - number of poles
2 60 120
f - frequency of the system
120 f n – rotor speedrevolution /min
n
P
It can be seen that the frequency of the induced emf is proportional to the rotor speed.
5.2.2 Rotating Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Field of a Distributed Phase Winding

• The magnetic field distribution of a distributed phase winding can be

obtained by adding the fields generated by all the coils of the winding.

• If the permeability of the iron is assumed to be infinite, by Ampere's law, the

mmf across each air gap would be Nia/2, where N is the number of turns of
the coil and ia the current in the coil.

• The mmf distribution along the air gap is a square wave. Because of the
uniform air gap, the spatial distribution of magnetic field strength is the same
as that of mmf.
• It can be shown analytically that the fundamental component is the major component when the
square wave mmf is expanded into a Fourier Series, and it can be written as:-

4 Nia Where, θ is the angular displacement

Fa1  cos  from the magnetic axis of the coil.
 2
When the field distributions of a number of distributed coils are combined, the resultant
field distribution is close to a sine wave, as shown in the diagram. The fundamental
component of the resultant mmf can be obtained by adding the fundamental
components of these individual coils, and it can be expressed as

4 K d Nia
Fa1  cos 
 2
Fig 5.3
Fig 5.4
• In some windings, short pitched coils (the distance between two sides of coil is
smaller than that between two adjacent magnetic poles) are used to eliminate a
certain harmonic, and the fundamental component of the resultant mmf is then
expressed as

4 K w Nia Where, Kw = Kd.Kp – is the winding factor.

Fa1  cos 
 2
Let ia be Imcosωt, and we have

4 K w N ph
Fa1  I m cos t cos   Fm cos t cos 
 P

4 K w N ph
Fm  I m The mmf of a distributed phase winding is a function of
 P
both space and time. When plotted at different time
instants as shown below, we can see that it is a pulsating
sine wave. We call this type of mmf as a pulsating mmf.
cos(   )  cos(   )
Because, cos  cos  
2

the above expression of the mmf fundamental component can be further written as

Fm F
Fa1  cos(  t )  m cos(  t )
2 2
F  F_
Fig 5.5
Total mmf Fa1 decomposed in to two travelling waves F+ and F-
• It can be shown that the first term in the above equation stands for a rotating mmf in the
+θ direction and the second a rotating mmf in the - θ direction.
• That is a pulsating mmf can be resolved into two rotating mmf's with the same
magnitudes and opposite rotating directions, as shown above.
Excitation 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).
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

The advantages of providing the field winding on the rotor and

armature winding on the stator are:

More economical
More efficient
Better insulation
Efficient cooling
More out put
-low power field winding
-Lighter rotor, low centrifugal forces
-Higher rotor speed
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

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

Brush
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

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.
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.
Since no mechanical contact occurs between the rotor and the
stator, exciters of this type require much less maintenance.
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

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.
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

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.
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

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.
Excitation of Synchronous Machines Cont…

A large
synchronous
machine with
the exciter
and salient
poles.
5.2.3 Determination of direct axis and quadrature axis reactance of
synchronous machine.
Per-phase equivalent circuit of synchronous machine model.

Fig. 5.6

Eph = Vph – Ia(jXs+Ra)

Vph = Eph + jXsIa+IaRa
5.3

• There are three parameters need to be determined: winding resistance Ra,

synchronous reactance Xs, and induced emf in the phase winding Ea.

•The phase winding resistance Ra can be determined by measuring DC resistance

of the winding using volt-ampere method, while the synchronous reactance and
the induced emf can be determined by the open circuit and short circuit tests.

5.3.1 Open Circuit Test

- Drive the synchronous machine at the synchronous speed using a prime mover
when the stator windings are open circuited.

- Vary the rotor winding current, and measure stator winding terminal voltage.

- The relationship between the stator winding terminal voltage and the rotor
field current obtained by the open circuit test is known as the open circuit
characteristic of the synchronous machine.
Fig. 5.7
Open circuit test

5.3.2 Short Circuit Test

- Reduce the field current to a minimum, using the field rheostat, and then open
the field supply circuit breaker.

- Short the stator terminals of the machine together through three ammeters;
Close the field circuit breaker; and raise the field current to the value noted in
the open circuit test at which the open circuit terminal voltage equals the rated
voltage, while maintain the synchronous speed.

- Record the three stator currents. (This test should be carried out quickly since
the stator currents may be greater than the rated value).
Fig. 5.8
Under the assumptions that the synchronous reactance Xs and the induced emf Ea have
the same values in both the open and short circuit tests, and that Xs >> Ra, we have
• For some machines, the short circuit current is too high if the machine is driven at the
synchronous speed. In this case, short circuit test can be performed at a reduced speed
say half synchronous speed nsyn/2 or frated/2. Since Ea f, the induced emf in the short
circuit test is halved. Thus

Therefore,
Example 7.1: A 200 kVA, 480 V, 50 Hz, Y-connected synchronous generator with a
rated field current of 5 A was tested and the following data were obtained:

1. VT,OC = 540 V at the rated IF.

2. IL,SC = 300 A at the rated IF.
3. When a DC voltage of 10 V was applied to two of the terminals, a current of 25 A
was measured.

Find the generator’s model at the rated conditions (i.e., the armature resistance and
the approximate synchronous reactance).
Since the generator is Y-connected, a DC
voltage was applied between its two
phases. Therefore:
V
2 RA  DC
I DC
VDC 10
RA   0.2
2 I DC 2 25
The internal generated voltage at the rated field current is

VT 540
E A V ,OC   311.8V
3 3
The synchronous reactance at the rated field current is precisely

E A2 311.8 2
X S  Z S2  RA2   RA2   0.2 2
1.02
I A2 , SC 300 2

We observe that if XS was estimated via the approximate formula, the result would
be:
EA 311.8
XS   1.04
I A, SC 300
Which is close to the previous result.
The error ignoring RA is much smaller
than the error due to core saturation. The equivalent circuit
5.4 Synchronous Machine Operated as a Generator

• 5.4.1 Electromagnetic Power and Torque

• When a synchronous machine is operated as a generator, a prime mover is

required to drive the generator.

• In steady state, the mechanical torque of the prime mover should balance
with the electromagnetic torque produced by the generator and the
mechanical loss torque due to friction and windage, or

• Multiplying the synchronous speed to both sides of the torque equation, we have the
power balance equation as
Where,
Ppm=Tpmwsyn is the mechanical power supplied by the
prime mover,
Pem=Twsyn the electromagnetic power of the generator,
and
Ploss=Tlosswsyn the mechanical power loss of the system.

The electromagnetic power is the power being converted into the electrical power in the
three phase stator windings. That is

Where, ψEaIa is the angle between phasors Ea and Ia.

Fig 5.9
For larger synchronous generators, the winding resistance is generally much smaller than
the synchronous reactance, and thus the per phase circuit equation can be approximately
written as

Fig 5.10
• From the phasor diagram, we can readily obtain

When the phase winding resistance is ignored, the output electrical power equals the
electromagnetic power, or

Fig 5.11

where δ is the angle between the phasors of the voltage and the emf, known as the load
angle.
5.5 Synchronous Machine Operated as a Motor
5.5.1 Electromagnetic Power and Torque
When a synchronous machine is operated as a motor to drive a mechanical load, in steady
state, the mechanical torque of the motor should balance the load torque and the
mechanical loss torque due to friction and windage, that is

Multiplying the synchronous speed to both sides of the torque equation, we have the power
balance equation as

Similar to the case of a generator, the electromagnetic power is the amount of power
being converted from the electrical into the mechanical power. That is
Fig 5.12

When the stator winding resistance is ignored, the per phase circuit equation can be
approximately written as

Fig 5.13
• From the phasor diagram, we can readily obtain

Fig 5.14

Where, δ is the load angle.

The electromagnetic torque of a synchronous machine is proportional to the sine function of

the load angle, as plotted in the diagram above, where the curve in the third quadrant is for
the situation when the machine is operated as a generator, where the electromagnetic
torque is negative because the armature current direction is reversed.
5.6The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone

The behavior of a synchronous generator varies greatly under load

depending on the power factor of the load and on whether the
generator is working alone or in parallel with other synchronous
generators.

Although most of the synchronous generators in the world operate as

parts of large power systems, we start our discussion assuming that
the synchronous generator works alone.

Unless otherwise stated, the speed of the generator is assumed

constant.
The Synchronous generator operating alone Cont…

 Increase in the load is an

Effects of load
increase in thechanges
real and/or
reactive power drawn from
the generator.

 Since the field resistor is unaffected, the field current is constant and,
therefore, the flux  is constant too. Since the speed is assumed as constant, the
magnitude of the internal generated voltage is constant also.
 Assuming the same power factor of the load, change in load will change the
magnitude of the armature current IA. However, the angle will be the same (for
a constant PF). Thus, the armature reaction voltage jXSIA will be larger for the
increased load. Since the magnitude of the internal generated voltage is
constant E A V  jX S I A
Armature reaction voltage vector will “move parallel” to its initial position.
The Synchronous generator operating alone cont….

Increase load effect on generators with

Leading PF

Lagging PF

Unity PF
The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone cont….

Generally, when a load on a synchronous generator is added, the following

changes can be observed:
1. For lagging (inductive) loads, the phase (and terminal) voltage decreases
significantly.
2. For unity power factor (purely resistive) loads, the phase (and terminal)
voltage decreases slightly.
3. For leading (capacitive) loads, the phase (and terminal) voltage rises.

Effects of adding loads can be described by the voltage regulation:

Vnl  V fl
VR  100%
V fl
Where Vnl is the no-load voltage of the generator and Vfl is its full-load voltage.
The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone cont…

A synchronous generator operating at a lagging power factor has a fairly large

positive voltage regulation. A synchronous generator operating at a unity power
factor has a small positive voltage regulation. A synchronous generator operating
at a leading power factor often has a negative voltage regulation.

Normally, a constant terminal voltage supplied by a generator is desired. Since

the armature reactance cannot be controlled, an obvious approach to adjust the
terminal voltage is by controlling the internal generated voltage EA = K. This
may be done by changing flux in the machine while varying the value of the field
resistance RF, which is summarized:
1. Decreasing the field resistance increases the field current in the generator.
2. An increase in the field current increases the flux in the machine.
3. An increased flux leads to the increase in the internal generated voltage.
4. An increase in the internal generated voltage increases the terminal voltage
of the generator.
Therefore, the terminal voltage of the generator can be changed by adjusting the field
resistance.
The Synchronous generator operating alone: Example

Example : A 480 V, 60 Hz, Y-connected six-pole synchronous generator has a per-

phase synchronous reactance of 1.0 . Its full-load armature current is 60 A at 0.8
PF lagging. Its friction and windage losses are 1.5 kW and core losses are 1.0 kW at
60 Hz at full load. Assume that the armature resistance (and, therefore, the I2R
losses) can be ignored. The field current has been adjusted such that the no-load
terminal voltage is 480 V.

a. What is the speed of rotation of this generator?

b. What is the terminal voltage of the generator if
1. It is loaded with the rated current at 0.8 PF lagging;
2. It is loaded with the rated current at 1.0 PF;
3. It is loaded with the rated current at 0.8 PF leading.
c. What is the efficiency of this generator (ignoring the unknown electrical losses)
when it is operating at the rated current and 0.8 PF lagging?
d. How much shaft torque must be applied by the prime mover at the full load?
how large is the induced counter torque?
e. What is the voltage regulation of this generator at 0.8 PF lagging? at 1.0 PF? at
0.8 PF leading?
The Synchronous generator operating alone: Example

Since the generator is Y-connected, its phase voltage is

V VT 3 277V
At no load, the armature current IA = 0 and the internal generated voltage is EA =
277 V and it is constant since the field current was initially adjusted that way.

a. The speed of rotation of a synchronous generator is

120 120
nm  fe  60 1200rpm
P 6
which is 1200
m  2 125.7rad s
60

b.1. For the generator at the rated current and 0.8 PF

lagging, the phaser diagram is shown. The phase
voltage is at 00, the magnitude of EA is 277 V,
The Synchronous generator operating alone: Example cont…

jX S I A  j 160  36.87 6053.13

and that

Two unknown quantities are the magnitude of V and the angle  of

EA. From the phasor diagram:

E V  X S I A sin     X S I A cos  

2 2 2
A
Then:

V  E A2   X S I A cos    X S I A sin  236.8V

2

Since the generator is Y-connected,

VT  3V 410V
The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone: Example cont…

b.2. For the generator at the rated current

and the 1.0 PF, the phasor diagram is
shown.
Then:
V  E A2   X S I A cos    X S I A sin  270.4V
2

and VT  3V 468.4V

b.3. For the generator at the rated current and
the 0.8 PF leading, the phasor diagram is
shown.
Then: V  E A2   X S I A cos  2  X S I A sin  308.8V

and
VT  3V 535V
The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone: Example cont…

c. The output power of the generator at 60 A and 0.8 PF lagging is

Pout 3V I A cos  3 236.8 60 0.8 34.1kW

The mechanical input power is given by

Pin Pout  Pelecloss  Pcoreloss  Pmechloss 34.1  0  1.0  1.5 36.6kW

The efficiency is
Pout 34.1
 100%  100% 93.2%
Pin 36.6
d. The input torque of the generator is

Pin 36.6
 app   291.2N - m
m 125.7
The Synchronous Generator Operating Alone: Example cont….

The induced counter torque of the generator is

Pconv 34.1
 app   271.3N - m
m 125.7
e. The voltage regulation of the generator is
480  410
Lagging PF: VR  100% 17.1%
410
480  468
Unity PF: VR  100% 2.6%
468
480  535
Leading PF: VR  100%  10.3%
535
5.7 Terminal Characteristics of Synchronous Generators

All generators are driven by a prime mover, such as a steam, gas,

water, wind turbines, diesel engines, etc. Regardless the power
source, most of prime movers tend to slow down with increasing the
load. This decrease in speed is usually nonlinear but governor
mechanisms of some type may be included to linearize this
dependence.
The speed drop (SD) of a prime mover is defined as:
nnl  n fl
SD  100%
n fl

Most prime movers have a speed drop from 2% to 4%. Most

governors have a mechanism to adjust the turbine’s no-load speed
(set-point adjustment).
Terminal Characteristics of Synchronous Generators Cont….

A typical speed
vs. power plot
A typical
frequency vs.
power plot

Since the shaft speed is linked to the electrical frequency as

nm P
fe 
120
The power output from the generator is related to its frequency:

P s p  f nl  f sys 
Slope of curve, MW/Hz Operating frequency of the system
Terminal characteristics of synchronous generators Cont..

A similar relationship can be derived for the reactive power Q and

terminal voltage VT. When adding a lagging load to a synchronous
generator, its terminal voltage decreases. When adding a leading load
to a synchronous generator, its terminal voltage increases.

The plot of terminal voltage vs.

reactive power is not necessarily
linear.
Both the frequency-power and
terminal voltage vs. reactive power
characteristics are important for
parallel operations of generators.
When a generator is operating alone supplying the load:
1. The real and reactive powers are the amounts demanded by the load.
2. The governor of the prime mover controls the operating frequency of the
system.
3. The field current controls the terminal voltage of the power system.
Terminal characteristics of synchronous generators: Example

Example 7.3: A generator with no-load frequency

of 61.0 Hz and a slope sp of 1 MW/Hz is
connected to Load 1 consuming 1 MW of real
power at 0.8 PF lagging. Load 2 (that is to be
connected to the generator) consumes a real
power of 0.8 MW at 0.707 PF lagging.

a. Find the operating frequency of the system before the switch is closed.
b. Find the operating frequency of the system after the switch is closed.
c. What action could an operator take to restore the system frequency to 60 Hz after both
loads are connected to the generator?

The power produced by the generator is

P s p  f nl  f sys 
Therefore: P
f sys  f nl 
sp
Terminal characteristics of synchronous generators: Example Cont…

a. The frequency of the system with one load is

P 1
f sys  f nl  61  60Hz
sp 1
b. The frequency of the system with two loads is
P 1.8
f sys  f nl  61  59.2Hz
sp 1

c. To restore the system to the proper operating frequency, the operator should
increase the governor no-load set point by 0.8 Hz, to 61.8 Hz. This will restore
the system frequency of 60 Hz.
5.8 Steady-State Operation of Motor: Torque-Speed Curve
Usually, synchronous motors are connected to large power systems (infinite
bus); therefore, their terminal voltage and system frequency are constant
regardless the motor load. Since the motor speed is locked to the electrical
frequency, the speed should be constant regardless the load.

The steady-state speed of the motor is

constant from no-load to the maximum
torque that motor can supply (pullout
torque). Therefore, the speed regulation
of synchronous motor is 0%.
The induced torque is

3V E A
 ind  sin 
m X S
Steady-state operation of motor: Torque-Speed Curve

The maximum pullout torque occurs when  = 900:

3V E A
 ind  sin 
m X S
Normal full-load torques are much less than that (usually, about 3 times
smaller).

When the torque on the shaft of a synchronous motor exceeds the pullout
torque, the rotor can no longer remain locked to the stator and net
magnetic fields. It starts to slip behind them. As the motor slows down, the
stator magnetic field “laps” it repeatedly, and the direction of the induced
torque in the rotor reverses with each pass. As a result, huge torque surges
of alternating direction cause the motor vibrate severely. The loss of
synchronization after the pullout torque is exceeded is known as slipping
poles.
Steady-State Operation of Motor: Effect of torque changes
Assuming that a synchronous motor
operates initially with a leading PF.
If the load on the motor increases, the rotor
initially slows down increasing the torque
angle . As a result, the induced torque
increases speeding up the rotor up to the
synchronous speed with a larger torque
angle .

Since the terminal voltage and

frequency supplied to the motor are
constant, the magnitude of internal
generated voltage must be constant
as the load changes (EA = K and
field current is constant).
Steady-State Operation of Motor: Effect of Field Current Changes
Assuming that a synchronous motor
operates initially with a lagging PF. If, for
the constant load, the field current on the
motor increases, the magnitude of the
internal generated voltage EA .
Since changes in IA do not affect the
shaft speed and the motor load is
constant, the real power supplied by
the motor is unchanged. Therefore, the
distances proportional to power on the
phasor diagram (EAsin and IAcos)
must be constant.
Notice that as EA increases, the magnitude of the armature current IA first decreases
and then increases again. At low EA, the armature current is lagging and the motor is
an inductive load that consumes reactive power Q. As the field current increases , IA
eventually lines up with V, and the motor is purely resistive. As the field current
further increases, IA becomes leading and the motor is a capacitive load that
Steady-State Operation of Motor: Effect of field Current Changes

A plot of armature current vs. field

current is called a synchronous motor V
curve. V curves for different levels of
real power have their minimum at unity
PF, when only real power is supplied to
the motor. For field currents less than
the one giving the minimum IA, the
armature current is lagging and the
motor consumes reactive power. For
field currents greater than the one
giving the minimum IA, the armature
current is leading and the motor
supplies reactive power to the system.
Therefore, by controlling the field current of a synchronous motor,
the reactive power consumed or supplied to the power system can be
controlled.
Steady-state Operation of Motor: Effect of Field Current Changes

When the projection of the phasor EA

onto V (EAcos) is shorter than V, a
synchronous motor has a lagging
current and consumes Q. Since the field
current is small in this situation, the
motor is said to be under-excited.

When the projection of the phasor

EA onto V (EAcos) is longer than
V, a synchronous motor has a
leading current and supplies Q to
the system. Since the field current
is large in this situation, the motor
is said to be over-excited.
5.7Paralleling Synchronous Machines with Infinite Bus

• In practice, synchronous generators seldom operate in the

isolated mode. A large number of synchronous machines are usually
connected in parallel to supply the loads, forming a large power
system known as a grid. The voltage and the frequency of the grid
remain substantially constant.

• When a synchronous generator is connected to the grid, its rotor

speed and terminal voltage are fixed by the grid and it is said to be
operating on infinite bus bars.

• In general, a change in field excitation will result in a change in

the operating power factor, while a change in mechanical power
input will cause a corresponding change in the electrical power
output.
5.7.1 Synchronizing Procedure

The process of paralleling a synchronous machine onto infinite bus bars

is known as synchronizing.

Before a synchronous generator can be synchronized onto live bus bars,

the following conditions must be satisfied:

• the voltage of the generator must be equal to that of the bus bars;

• the frequency of the generator must be equal to that of the bus bars;

• the phase sequence of the generator must be the same as that of the
bus bars; and

• at the instant of synchronizing, the voltage phasors of the generator

phasor diagram of voltage of parallel incoming generator
and infinite bus
Synchronizing may be achieved with the help of synchronizing lamps, the rotary lamp
method being the most popular. Alternatively, a device known as the synchroscope may
conveniently be used to facilitate synchronizing.