DC GENERATORS

A TYPICAL DC GENERATOR
GENERATOR
 Electrical Machine that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Principle of Operation
 The moving copper conductors cut the lines of force.
 The presence of magnetic lines of force
 Motion of conductors cutting the flux
 Voltage is generated
Faraday’s Law
The magnitude of the generated voltage is directly proportional to the rate at which a conductor cuts
the magnetic line of force.

1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡
100,000,000 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠/𝑠𝑒𝑐

∅
𝐸= V
𝑡 𝑥 108

Where:
E=electromotive force (EMF), volts
Փ=total flux cut, maxwells
t=time in which the cutting takes place, seconds
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. A four pole d-c generator has an armature winding containing a total of 648 conductors connected in two parallel paths. If the flux per pole
is 0.321 x 10^6 maxwells and the speed of rotation of the armature is 1,800 rpm, calculate the average generated voltage.
Given:
P=4 pole
Z=648 conductors
Փ=0.321 x 10^6 maxwells/poles
N=1,800 rpm (revolution per minute)

Solution:
648
Number of conductors in series per path= = 324
2
Flux cut per revolution= 4 poles x (0.321 x 10^6 maxwells)= 1.284 x 10 ^6 maxwells
1800 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 1 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒 30 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑
Revolutions per second of armature= 𝑥 = 𝑜𝑟
𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒 60 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 30 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
1.284 𝑥 10^6
Eav (per conductor)= 1 = 0.3852 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
30
𝑥 (108 )

Eg (total generated voltage)= 0.3852 volts x 324 conductors= 124.805 volts

Solution:
𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 𝑥 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 5,000
Total armature current = = = = = 40.062 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 124.805
40.062
Current per conductor/armature circuit= = 𝟐𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏 𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔
2
General Equation for Direct Current
Generator
1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡
Flux is cut at a rate of
100,000,000 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠/𝑠𝑒𝑐

∅ 𝑁 1 𝑍𝑥𝑃𝑥∅𝑥𝑁
𝐸= xPxZx x = volts
108 60 𝑎 60 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 108

Where:
E=electromotive force generated (EMF), volts
Փ=total flux cut, maxwells
a=number of armature paths connected in parallel (determine by type of armature winding)
Z= total number of armature conductors
P=number of poles , an even number
N=speed of armature, revolutions per minute
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
3. An 85-kw six-pole generator has an armature containing 66 slots, in each of which are 12 conductors. The armature winding is
connected so that there are six parallel paths. If each pole produces 2.18 x 10^6 maxwells and the armature speed is 870 rpm,
determine the generated voltage.
Given:
12 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠
Z= 66 slot x =792 conductors
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡
Pin= 85 kw=85,000 watts
P=6 poles
Փ=2.18 x 10^6 maxwells
N= 870 rpm
a= 6 parallel paths

Solution:
𝑍𝑥𝑃𝑥∅𝑥𝑁 2.18 𝑥 106 𝑥 6 𝑥 792 𝑥 870
Total armature current = = = =250.3512 volts
60 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 108 6 𝑥 60 𝑥 108
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
4. How many armature conductors are there in a generator, given the following information: Փ=2.73 x 10^6
maxwells; P=4 poles; N=1,200 rpm; a=2; E=240 V?

Solution:
𝑍𝑥𝑃𝑥∅𝑥𝑁
From the equation, E= volts
60 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 108
𝐸 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 60 𝑥 108 240 𝑥 2 𝑥 60 𝑥 108
Rearranging, Z= = = 219.78 or 220 conductors
∅𝑥𝑃𝑥𝑁 2.73 𝑥 106 𝑥 6 𝑥 1200
DIRECT CURRENT GENERATOR CHARACTERISTIC
Types of Direct Current Generator
1. Shunt Generator
 The field winding is connected in parallel with the armature winding so that the terminal voltage
of the generator will be applied across to it.

at node a:
a By KCL,
Ia=Ish+Il

E=V+IaRa=V+(Ish+Il)(Ra)

Where:
Ia=armature current, ampere
Ish=shunt field current, ampere=V/Rsh
Il=load current, ampere=Pout/V
E=Armature or generated emf, volts
V=terminal voltage, volts
Ra=armature resistance, ohms
2. Series Generator
 The field winding is connected in series with the armature winding so that the terminal voltage
of the generator will be applied across to it.

Since armature is connected in

E=V+IaRa=V+IlRa

Where:
Ia=armature current, ampere
Ish=shunt field current, ampere
Il=load current, ampere
E=armature or generated emf,
volts
V=terminal voltage, volts
Ra=armature resistance, ohms
3. Compound Generator
 If the excitation is produced by two field windings, one connected to the full, or nearly full, line
voltage and the other excited by the line or armature current.
a. Long Shunt Compound Generator
 The generator in which shunt field winding is in parallel with both series field and armature
winding.
a
At node a:
By KCL,
Ia=Ise=Ish+Il

E=V+Ia(Ra+Rse)

Where:
Ia=armature current, ampere
Ish=shunt field current, ampere
Il=load current, ampere
E=armature or generated emf, volts
V=terminal voltage, volts
Ra=armature resistance, ohms
Rse= series resistance, ohms
b. Short Shunt Compound Generator
 The shunt field winding is in parallel with the armature and the series field is in series with the
load.
At node a:
a By KCL,
Il=Ise
Ia=Il+Ish
Ish=(V+IlRse)/Rsh

E=V+IaRa+IlRse

Where:
Ia=armature current, ampere
Ish=shunt field current, ampere
Il=load current, ampere
E=armature or generated emf, volts
V=terminal voltage, volts
Ra=armature resistance, ohms
Rsh= shunt field resistance, ohms
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
5. An 85-kw, 120 V shunt generator has an armature resistance of 0.23 ohms and shunt field resistance of 120 ohms. Determine the emf
generated by the armature.
Given:
Pout= 85 kw=85,000 watts
V=120 volts
Ra=023 ohms
Rsh=120 ohms

Solution:
85,000 𝑊
Il= =708.33 A
120 𝑉
120 𝑉
Ish= =1 A
120 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Ia=Il + Ish=708.33+1=709.33 A
E=V+IaRa=120+(709.33)(0.23)=283.1416 volts
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
6. An 65-kw, 130 V shunt generator has an armature resistance of 0.24 ohms and shunt field resistance of 120 ohms.
Determine the emf generated by the armature.
Given:
Pout= 65 kw=65,000 watts
V=130 volts
Ra=0.24 ohms
Rsh=120 ohms

Solution:
65,000 𝑊
Il=Ish=Ia= =500 A
130 𝑉
E=V+IaRa=130+(500)(0.24)=250 volts
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
7. An 8-kw, 130 V long shunt compound generator has an armature resistance of 0.24 ohms, shunt field resistance of 110 ohms and a series field resistance of 0.03 ohms. Determine the
emf generated by the armature if the brush voltage is 2 V.
Given:
Pout= 8 kw=8,000 watts
V=130 volts
Ra=0.24 ohms
Rsh=110 ohms
Rse=0.03 ohms
Vb=2 volts

Solution:
8,000 𝑊
Il= = 61.5385 𝐴
130 𝑉
130 𝑉
Ish= = 1.1818 𝐴
110 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠

Ia=Ise=Il+Ish=61.5385+1.1818=62.7203 A
E=V+IaRa+IseRse+Vb=V+Ia(Ra+Rse)+Vb=130+(62.7203)(0.24+0.03)+2=148.9345 V
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
8. An 10-kw, 120 V short shunt compound generator has an armature resistance of 0.25 ohms, shunt field resistance of 120 ohms and a series field resistance of 0.04 ohms. Determine
the emf generated by the armature if the brush voltage is 1.2 V.
Given:
Pout= 10 kw=10,000 watts
V=120 volts
Ra=0.25 ohms
Rsh=120 ohms
Rse=0.04 ohms
Vb=1.2 volts

Solution:
10,000 𝑊
Il=Ise= = 83.3333 𝐴
120 𝑉
130 𝑉+(83.3333)(0.04)
Ish= = 1. 0278𝐴
120 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠

Ia=Ise=Il+Ish=83.3333+1.0278=84.3611 A
E=V+IaRa+IseRse+Vb=V+Ia(Ra+Rse)+Vb=120+(84.3611)(0.25)+(83.3333)(0.04)+1.2=145.6236 V
 SEATWORK
1. A 60-kw six-pole generator has an armature containing 80 slots, in each of which are 16 conductors. The armature winding is connected
so that there are six parallel paths. If each pole produces 1.284 x 10^6 maxwells and the armature speed is 1,200 rpm, determine the
generated voltage and the current rating of the generator.
2. A four-pole generator has an armature containing 66 slots, in each of which are 14 conductors. The armature winding is connected so
that there are six parallel paths. If each pole produces 1.564 x 10^6 maxwells and the generated voltage is 240 V, determine the rated
speed of the generator.
3. An 120 V short shunt compound generator has an armature resistance including brushes of 0.2 ohms, shunt field resistance of 77 ohms
and a series field resistance of 0.005 ohms. Determine the terminal voltage and the load current if the armature current is 128 A and
the generated voltage is 234.2 V.
4. An 7.5-kw, 120 V long shunt compound generator has an armature resistance of 0.26 ohms, shunt field resistance of 110 ohms, series
field resistance of 0.03 ohms and a diverter resistance of 0.6 ohms. Determine the emf generated by the armature if the brush voltage
is 1.2 V. (Diverter resistance is connected in parallel with series field resistance to reduce the current to the armature)
5. A 9-kw, 130 V short shunt compound generator has an armature resistance of 0.23 ohms, shunt field resistance of 100 ohms, series
field resistance of 0.06 ohms and diverter resistance of 0.08 ohms. Determine the generated emf if the brush drop voltage is 1.8 V.