Synchronous Machines

Dr. Rajashekar P. Mandi, Director

School of Electrical & Electronics Engineering,
REVA University, Bangalore

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

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 Construction

Basic parts of a synchronous generator:

• Rotor - dc excited winding
• Stator - 3-phase winding in which the ac emf is generated

The manner in which the active parts of a synchronous

machine are cooled determines its overall physical size and
structure

Various Types

 Salient-pole synchronous machine

 Cylindrical or round-rotor synchronous machine

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 Salient-Pole Synchronous Generator
1. Most hydraulic turbines have to turn at low speeds
(between 50 and 300 r/min)
2. A large number of poles are required on the rotor
d-axis

N Non-uniform
air-gap
D ≈ 10 m

q-axis S S

Turbine
N
Hydro (water)

Hydrogenerator

Salient-Pole Synchronous Generator

Stator

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 Construction of synchronous
machines
A synchronous rotor with 8 salient poles

Salient pole without

Salient pole with field
field windings –
windings
observe laminations

Cylindrical or No-salient -Rotor Synchronous Generator

Turbine D≈1m

L ≈ 10 m
Steam d-axis
Stator winding

N
Uniform air-gap

Stato
r
q-axis
Rotor winding

Rotor

Turbogenerator

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Cylindrical-Rotor Synchronous Generator

Stator

Cylindrical rotor

Round Rotor Generator

Generator

Exciter

View of a two-pole round rotor generator and exciter

5
 Round Rotor Generator

Cross-section of a large turbo generator. (Courtesy

Westinghouse)

Round Rotor Generator

Metal frame

Laminated iron
core with slots

Insulated copper
bars are placed in
the slots to form
the three-phase
winding

Details of a generator stator

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 Round Rotor Generator

Rotor block of a large generator. (Courtesy Westinghouse)

Round Rotor Generator

Generator rotor with conductors placed in the slots

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 Round Rotor Generator

Steel
retaining
ring

Shaft
Shaft

Wedges
DCcurrent
DC current
terminals
terminals

Large generator rotor completely assembled. (Courtesy

Westinghouse)

Salient pole generator

Stator of a large salient pole hydro generator; inset shows the

insulated conductors and spacers

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 Salient pole generator

Large hydro generator rotor with view of the vertical poles

Salient pole generator

Slip
rings

Pole

DC excitation
winding
Fan

Rotor of a four-pole salient pole generator

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 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.

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 Construction of synchronous
machines

Slip rings

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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

Electrical Frequency

Electrical frequency produced is locked or synchronized to

the mechanical speed of rotation of a synchronous
generator:

P nm
fe =
120

where fe = electrical frequency in Hz

P = number of poles
nm= mechanical speed of the rotor, in r/min

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 Generated Voltage
The generated voltage of a synchronous generator is given by

E = K c φ fe

where φ = flux in the machine (function of If)

fe = electrical frequency
Kc= synchronous machine constant
E

If
Saturation characteristic of a synchronous generator.

Generator V-Curve and Power Factor Control

Case1: When Excitation voltage is Ef1.
When excitation voltage is Ef1, the Gen. is
underexcited and load current Ia1 is leading
the Vt = Vb = Infinite bus voltage.
Therefore we can say that, an underexcited
Generator connected to infinite bus
operates at leading power factor and
absorbs the reactive power from the Grid.

Case2: When Excitation voltage is Ef2.

With increase in field current, excitation
emf rises. For excitation emf Ef2, load
current Ia2 is in phase with the terminal
voltage Vt = Vb = Infinite Bus Voltage.
Thus generator is operating at unity power
factor. Generator is normal excited. This
means that, Generator will neither absorb
nor deliver reactive power from / to Grid.

Case3: When Excitation voltage is Ef3.

For Ef3 more than Ef2, load current Ia3 lags behind the terminal voltage Vt. In this case, the
generator is overexcited and therefore delivers the reactive power to the Grid / Infinite Bus.

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 Generator V-Curve and Power Factor Control
“V-curve of Generator is a plot of variation of armature current with the change in field
current.” This curve for generator connected to infinite bus.

Generators

Thermal Plant Hydel Plant

a — Turbine power limit

b — Stator winding thermal limit
c — Field winding thermal limit
d — Steady-slate stability limit with proper AVR
e — Assumed intervention curve of under excitation limiter

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ETh∠δ =V∠0 +j X I =V + j X Generators – Thermal Plant 210 MW

Voltage of a Synchronous Generator

The voltage EA is the internal voltage generated produced in one

phase of a synchronous generator. However, this voltage EA is not
usually the voltage that appears at the terminals of the generator.
There are many factors that cause the difference between EA and
VФ.

1. The distortion of the air gap magnetic filed by the current

flowing in the stator called armature reaction.
2. The self inductance of the armature coils.
3. The resistance of the armature coils.
4. The effect of salient pole rotor shapes.

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 Armature Reaction

When the load is connected to the alternator, the armature winding

of the alternator carries a current. Every current carrying conductor
produces its own flux so armature of the alternator also produces its
own flux, when carrying a current. So there are two fluxes present in
the air gap, one due to armature current while second is produced by
the field winding called main flux. The flux produced by the
armature is called armature flux.

Key Point So effect of the armature flux on the main flux affecting
its value and the distribution is called armature reaction. The effect
of the armature flux not only depends on the magnitude of the
current flowing through the armature winding but also depends on
the nature of the power factor of the load connected to the alternator.

UNITY POWER FACTOR LOAD

A phase difference of 90° between the armature flux and the main flux.

Two fluxes oppose each other on the right half of each pole while assist each
other on the left half of each pole.

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 UNITY POWER FACTOR LOAD

Average flux in the air gap remains constant but its distribution gets distorted.

Key Point Hence such distorting effect of armature reaction under unity p.f.

condition of the load is called cross magnetising effect of armature reaction.

Due to such distortion of the flux, there is small drop in the terminal voltage
of the alternator.

ZERO LAGGING POWER FACTOR LOAD

The armature flux and the

main flux are exactly in
opposite direction to each
other.

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ZERO LAGGING POWER FACTOR LOAD

Such an effect of armature

reaction is called demagnetising
effect of the armature reaction.

As this effect causes reduction in
the main flux, the terminal
voltage drops.

This drop in the terminal voltage
is more than the drop
corresponding to the unity p.f.
load.

ZERO LEADING POWER FACTOR LOAD

The armature flux and the

main field flux are in the
same direction i.e. they are
helping each other. This
results into the addition in
main flux.

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 ZERO LEADING POWER FACTOR LOAD

Such an effect of armature reaction
due to which armature flux assists
field flux is called magnetising effect
of the armature reaction.

As this effect adds the flux to the
main flux, greater e.m.f. gets induced
in the armature.

Hence there is increase in the
terminal voltage for leading power
factor loads.

For intermediate power factor loads
i.e. between zero lagging and zero
leading the armature reaction is partly
cross magnetising and partly
demagnetising for lagging power
factor loads or partly magnetising for
leading power factor loads.

The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

Figure (a) shows a two pole rotor spinning inside a three phase
stator. A rotating magnetic field produces the internal generated
voltage EA.
There is no load connected to the stator. The rotor magnetic field
BR produces an internal generated voltage EA whose peak value
coincides with the direction of BR. With no load on the generator,
there is no armature current flow, and EA will be equal to the
phase voltage VФ.

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 The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

Figure (b): The resulting voltage produces a lagging current

flow when connected to a lagging load

The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

Figure (c): The stator current produces its own magnetic filed BS,
which produces its own voltage Estat in the stator windings of
the machine

The current flowing in the stator in the stator windings produces a

magnetic field of its own. This stator magnetic filed is called BS
and its direction is given by the right hand rule. The stator
magnetic filed Bs produces a voltage of its own in the stator, and
this voltage is called Estat.

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 The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

Figure (d): The field BS adds to BR, distorting it into Bnet. The voltage Estat adds
to EA, producing VФ at the output of the phase.

With two voltages present in the stator windings, the total voltage
in a phase is just the sum of the internal generated EA and the
armature reaction voltage Estat:

Vφ = E A + Estat

The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

The net magnetic field Bnet is just the sum of the rotor and the
stator magnetic fields:
Bnet = BR + BS

Since the angles of EA and BR are the same and the angles of
Estat and Bs, are the same, the resulting magnetic field Bnet
will coincide with the net voltage VФ.

We know, the voltage Estat is directly proportional to the

current IA. If X is a constant of proportionality, then the
armature reaction voltage can be expressed as:

Estat = − jXI A

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 The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

The voltage on a phase is

Vφ = E A − jXI A

The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

In addition to the effects of armature reaction, the stator coils
have a self inductance and a resistance. If the stator self
inductance is called LA (and its corresponding reactance is
called XA) while the stator resistance is called RA, then the
total difference between EA and VФ is given by

Vφ = E A − jXI A − jX A I A − RA I A

Combine the armature reaction effects and the self inductance

in the machine
XS = X + XA

So
Vφ = E A − jX S I A − RA I A

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 The Development of a Model for Armature Reaction

If the machine is Wye (Y ) connection

VT = 3Vφ

If the machine is Delta (Δ) connection

VT = Vφ

The Per Phase Equivalent Circuit of a Synchronous Generator

REVA
University

School
THANK YOU
of EEE Q? IF ANY PLEASE
Email: dir.eee@reva.edu.in &
rajashekarmandi@yahoo.com

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