MODULE – IV

DC Generators

By:
Dr. Tarkeshwar Mahto
EEE Dept., BIT Mesra, Ranchi
Contents
⚫ Operating Characteristics-
⚫ -Magnetization,
⚫ -Internal and external characteristics,
⚫ Critical resistance and critical speed,
⚫ Process of building up of voltage,
⚫ Causes of failure of voltage build-up and remedies,
⚫ Parallel operation of d.c. generators,
⚫ Applications.
Introduction
Introduction
 Introduction
⚫
 Types of dc Generator
⚫ The mmf necessary to establish flux in the magnetic circuit of a dc
generator can be obtained by means of
a) Permanent magnets
b) Field coils excited from some external source and
c) Field coils excited by the generator itself.
⚫ Generators are generally classified according to these methods of field
excitation. On this basis, dc generators are divided into the following
three classes:
a) Permanent magnet dc generators
b) Separately excited dc generators
c) Self-excited dc generators
Separately Excited dc Generators
Self-Excited D.C. Generators
⚫ A dc generator whose field magnet winding is supplied
current from the output of the generator itself is called a
self-excited generator. There are three types of
self-excited generators depending upon the manner in
which the field winding is connected to the armature,
namely:
a) Series generator
b) Shunt generator
c) Compound generator
DC Series generator
DC Shunt Generator
DC Compound Generator
⚫ In a compound-wound generator, there are two sets of
field windings on each pole – one is in series and the
other in parallel with the armature. A compound-wound
generator may be:
a) Short Shunt in which only shunt field winding is in
parallel with the armature winding.
b) Long Shunt in which shunt field winding is in parallel
with both series field and armature winding.
DC Compound Generator
DC Compound Generator
Process of Building up of Voltage
⚫ Generators are generally classified according to these
methods of field excitation. On this basis, dc generators
are divided into the following three classes:
a) Permanent magnet dc generators
b) Separately excited dc generators
c) Self-excited dc generators
Self-excited dc Generators
⚫ A dc generator whose field magnet winding is supplied
current from the output of the generator itself is called a
self-excited generator. There are three types of
self-excited generators depending upon the manner in
which the field winding is connected to the armature,
namely;
a) Series generator
b) Shunt generator
c) Compound generator
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator

The magnetization curve varies with the speed and

its ordinate for any field current is proportional to
the speed of the generator.
All the points on the magnetization curve are
lowered, and the point of intersection of the
magnetization curve and the field resistance line
moves downwards.
At a particular speed, called the critical speed, the
field resistance line becomes tangential to the
magnetization curve. Below the critical speed the
voltage will not build up.
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator
The following condition must be satisfied for voltage buildup in a
self-excited generator.
1) There must be sufficient residual flux in the field poles.
2) The field terminal should be connected such a way that the field current
increases flux in the direction of residual flux.
3) The field circuit resistance should be less than the critical field circuit
resistance.
4) The speed of the armature should not be less than the critical speed.
⚫ If there is a no residual flux in the field poles, Disconnected the field from
the armature circuit and apply a dc voltage to the field winding. This
process is called Flashing the field. It will induce some residual flux in
the field poles.
Voltage Buildup in Self-excited Generator or dc
Shunt Generator
⚫ A generator may fail to build up for any of the following
reasons:
a) Field-circuit resistance too high; including open circuit.
b) Speed too low.
c) Residual magnetism lost.
d) Direction of rotation incorrect.
e) Generator terminals connected to external circuit of too low
resistance.
f) Shunt-field terminals reversed.
Operating Characteristics of dc Generator
⚫
Operating Characteristics of dc Generator
⚫
 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics

The generator is run by a prime mover at rated speed. The field current can be varied form a low value to
full value by a potentiometer arrangement. The load can be switched ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ and when ‘ON’ can
be varied. If only no load test is to be conducted, a small motor (usually an induction motor) is used as a
prime motor.
 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
⚫
Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
⚫
Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
⚫

Excitation,
1200 2400 3600 4800 6000
AT/pole
Generated
76 135 180 215 240
emf, V;
 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
⚫
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

10 52 124 184 220 244 264 276

 Experimental Set-up for Determining
Characteristics
⚫ EXAMPLE: The following figures give the open-circuit
characteristics of a dc shunt generator at 300 rpm
0 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
7.5 93 135 165 186 202 215
⚫ The field resistance of the machine is adjusted to 354.5 W and the
speed is 300 rpm.
a) Determine graphically the no-load voltage.
b) Determine the critical field resistance.
c) Determine the critical speed for the given field resistance.
d) What additional resistance must be inserted in the field circuit to
reduce the no-load voltage to 175 V
Characteristics of DC Generators
⚫ With the advent of silicon-controlled rectifiers, the importance
of the dc machine as a generator has considerably reduced as
SCRs can be employed to draw ac power from standard ac
supply and convert it to dc; also the dc voltage can also be
varied with ease.
⚫ The load characteristic of a dc generator at a particular speed
is the relationship between its terminal voltage and load
current (line current) and is also termed as the external
characteristic.
⚫ The internal characteristic is the plot between the generated
emf and load current.
Characteristics of DC Generators
Separately-excited dc Generator
Characteristics of DC Generators
Characteristics of DC Generators
Shunt Generator
With field resistance adjusted to a certain value by
means of the regulating resistance, the desired
no-load voltage can be obtained.
The external characteristic of the generator can
then be obtained by a load test with total field
resistance remaining fixed in the process.
The terminal voltage drops off much more rapidly
with load in a shunt generator than in a
separately-excited generator because of fall in field
current with terminal voltage.
Characteristics of DC Generators
Characteristics of DC Generators
Compound Generator
The causes of voltage drop in the terminal
voltage from no-load to full-load in a
shunt generator can be
partially/fully/over-compensated by use of
an aiding series field (cumulative
compound), which can be connected in a
long- or short-shunt (long- shunt shown in
Fig. 7.49).
The aiding ampere-turns of the series field
automatically increase with the load,
compensating the armature voltage drop.
In level-compound generator full-load
voltage equals no-load voltage.
Steady-state volt-ampere (V-I)
characteristics of a compound generator
are shown in Fig. 7.50.
Characteristics of DC Generators
Differential compounding is not used in practice as the terminal voltage falls off steeply with load.
Long or short-shunt connection of series winding makes only a marginal difference in the V-I
characteristic of a compound generator.
Compounding level can be adjusted by a diverter in parallel to the series field; Fig. 7.31.
Characteristics of DC Generators
Characteristics of DC Generators
Characteristics of DC Generators
Comparison of Volt Ampere (V-I) Characteristics of dc Generators: The VI characteristic (steady
state) of various types of dc generators is shown in Fig. 7.53. These and drawn with rated terminal
voltage at full-load.
 Self-Excitation
Rather than arranging a separate dc source for excitation purposes, practical generators are always excited
from their own armature terminals, this method of excitation being known as self-excitation.
Assume that the field is introduced into the circuit after the armature
has been brought to rated speed. At the instant of switching on the
field, the armature voltage corresponds to a small residual value
which causes a small field current to flow. If the field is connected
such that this current increases the field mmf and therefore the
induced emf, the machine will continuously build-up.
This indeed is a positive feedback connection and the machine builds
up to a final steady value only because of the saturation characteristic
of the machine’s magnetic circuit. Since the generator is assumed to
be on no-load during the build-up process, the following circuit
relationships apply (Fig. 7.40).
Self-Excitation
Self-Excitation
Self-Excitation
Self-Excitation
⚫ To summarize, a dc shunt generator may fail to self-excite for any of the
three reasons mentioned below:
a) Residual magnetism is absent.
b) The field connection to the armature is such that the induced emf due
to the residual magnetism tends to destroy the residual magnetism
(i.e. the feedback is negative).
c) The field circuit resistance is more than the critical value.
⚫ Condition (2) can be remedied simply by reversing the field connection to
the armature or reversing the direction of rotation. In large dc generators
with permanent connections and a fixed direction of rotation, the problem
is overcome by temporarily exciting the field from a battery source. (This
is known as flashing.)
 Parallel Operation of dc Generator
For supplying a large dc load it is desirable to use more than one generator in parallel. This
arrangement provides the security that if one generator gives way, the other(s) can feed part
load.
Desirable Conditions for dc Generators in Parallel
Same voltage rating
Same percentage voltage regulation
Same percentage speed regulation of the prime movers
As the generator voltage is easily adjustable (in a range) so the above conditions are not a
must.
Paralleling a dc Generator to Busbars (Mains)
Determination of Load Sharing
Parallel Operation of Compound Generators
 Remedy
A low-resistance equalizer connection is made directly between the two armatures before the series
fields as shown in Fig. 7.68. Any emf variations of the armatures causes equalizing circulating current
which do not affect the current through the series windings. Thereby the parallel operation is
stabilized.
⚫ EXAMPLE: Two dc shunt generators are rated 230 kW
and 150 kW, 400 V. Their full load voltage drops are 3%
and 6% respectively. They are excited to no load voltages
of 410 V and 420 V respectively. How will they share a
load of 1000 A and the corresponding bus voltage?
⚫ EXAMPLE: Two dc shunt generators are rated 230 kW
and 150 kW, 400 V. If the full load voltage drops for 230
kW generator is 3%. The two generators are excited to
equal no-load voltages. What should be the percentage
voltage drop of 150 kW generator in order that the share
load is in the ratio of their ratings? What is the no load
voltage for a bus voltage of 400 V and load current of
1000 A?