Lecture

Synchros
Part-1

INTRODUCTION
Definition: The Synchro is a type of transducer that transforms the angular
position of the shaft into an electric signal. It can be used for shaft positioning, in
aircraft instruments, in navigation systems, for data transmission, in radar
antennae, and in measurement and control applications. The error occurs in the
system because of the misalignment of the shaft.

A Synchro looks something like this

When two Synchros are connected together electrically they form the
simplest kind of Synchro system. The purpose of such a system is to connect two
shafts electrically together so that, when one is turned, the other turns in the same
way.

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 The unit whose shaft is turned is called the Synchro "Generator." The
generator output voltage change when its shaft is turned.

The unit whose shaft turns in response to these changing voltages is called
the Synchro "Motor."

If anything holds back the Motor's shaft in a Synchro system, it doesn't

follow accurately, and the Generator's shaft is harder to turn.
Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023
 The advantage of a Synchro system over any kind of mechanical
arrangement is that the two shafts can be a long distance apart. The only
connection needed between them is a few electrical wires, and only a small amount
of electrical power is required to operate the system. This makes it possible to do
many things that would be impossible or impractical with a purely mechanical
system.

For example, a Synchro system can be used to transmit the training order
from a Gun Director to a Gun. A Synchro Generator is installed on the Director
and geared to it; so that its shaft turns whenever the Director is turned. A Synchro
Motor is installed near the Gun, and a dial installed on its shaft always indicates
the Director's position.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023

 When the Director is detected a target, the dial on the Motor turns and the
gun is detected its position agrees with that shown on the dial. This aims the gun in
the direction of the target.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SYNCHRO MOTOR OR

GENERATOR
Before going into the detailed operation of a Synchro Motor and its use with
a Synchro Generator to form a Synchro system, the construction of these two units
will be described. Except for a few details, the construction of a Motor is the same
as that of a Generator.

1-The Stator: is the fixed part of a typical Motor or Generator, its carry a
balanced three-phase winding, very much like an ordinary AC machine.

2-The Rotor: is part of a Motor or Generator that rotates, it carries one or three
windings (depending on the Synchro type) on a soft iron core. This core is mounted
on a shaft. The shaft is mounted on ball bearings to keep friction low. A connection
to the rotor winding through a pair of slip rings mounted on one end of the shaft.
The rotor of a typical Synchro Generator looks like this:

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023

 The rotor of a Synchro Motor is made very much the same but differs in one
important respect. A Synchro Motor has a tendency under certain conditions to
"take off" and oscillate hard, or spin continuously at a high speed. This is
particularly likely to happen when its shaft is suddenly turned. To prevent this, a
heavy metal flywheel called an "inertia damper" is mounted on one end of the
shaft, like this:

SYNCHROS SYSTEM TYPES

There are two types of synchro systems, control type and torque type.

In a torque system, a synchro will provide a low-power mechanical output

with low accuracy.

In a control system, a synchro will provide a high-power mechanical output

with high accuracy.

Often one system will perform both torque and control units. Some torque
units can be used as control units, but control units cannot replace torque units.

Synchro functional categories:

1-Torque transmitter (TX)

Input: rotor positioned mechanically or manually by the information to be

transmitted.

Output: electrical output from the stator identifying the rotor position supplied to
a torque receiver, torque differential transmitter, or torque differential receiver.

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 2-Control transmitter (CX)

Input: same as TX.

Output: electrical output same as TX but supplied to a control transformer or

control differential transmitter.

3-Torque differential transmitter (TDX)

Input: TX output applied to the stator; rotor positioned according to the amount of
data from TX that must be modified.

Output: electrical output from rotor (representing an angle equal to the algebraic
sum or difference of rotor position angle and angular data from TX) supplied to
torque receivers, another TDX, or a torque differential receiver.

4-Control differential transmitter (CDX)

Input: same as TDX but data supplied by CX.

Output: same as TDX but supplied to only a control transformer or another CDX.

5-Torque receiver (TR)

Input: Electrical angle position data from TX or TDX supplied to the stator.

Output: Rotor assumes position determined by electrical input supplied.

6-Torque Differential Receiver (TDR)

Input: electrical data supplied from two TX's, two TDX's or from one TX and one
TDX (one connected to the rotor and one connected to the stator).

Output: rotor assumes a position equal to the algebraic sum or difference of two
angular inputs.

7-Control transformer (CT)

Input: electrical data from CX or CDX applied to the stator. Rotor positioned
mechanically or manually.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023

Output: electrical output from rotor (proportional to sine of the difference between
rotor angular position and electrical input angle.

8-Torque receiver-transmitter (TRX)

Designed as a torque receiver, but may be used as either a transmitter or receiver.

Input: depending on the application, same as TX.

Output: depending on the application, same as TX or TR.

THE OPERATION OF SYNCHRO MOTORS AND GENERATORS

Before taking up the operation of a complete Synchro system, in which two
Synchros are connected together, the operation of a unit by itself will be described.

The operation of synchro generator:

When applying AC voltage on the rotor winding →follows by rotor
excitation current →produces the rotor AC flux in gap →we displace the rotor by
angle (α) from the electrical zero of stator →by the transformer action, induces AC
voltage on each stator winding corresponding to the value of angle (α).

The operation of synchro motor:

When applying AC voltage on the rotor winding →follows by rotor
excitation current →produces the rotor AC flux in gap →also applying AC voltage
on the stator windings (it's the output of synchro generator) → produces the stator
AC flux in gap →by the interaction between the two fluxes in gap →so the rotor is
displaced by angle (α) from the electrical zero of stator it’s corresponding to the
angle (α) of synchro generator (or corresponding to induced AC voltage of
synchro generator).

Describing Shaft Position: The position that the rotor takes when it is lined up
with the stator coil connecting to S2 is called the "electrical zero" position. Other
positions are measured in degrees, assuming that you are looking at the shaft end
of the unit and that the shaft turns counter-clockwise for an increasing number of
degrees. The easiest way to think of it is to assume that a "standard dial" is
mounted on the shaft like this:

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023

A Synchro Diagram: In order to make it easier to analyze the operation of a
Synchro Motor or Generator, it will be represented by a diagram like this:

The rotor coil (R1-R2) is in the center, and the arrow on the R1 end
indicates the electrical position of the rotor (the rotor is shown in the 0° position.)

The previous diagram shows phase polarity to show the relations between
the various voltages in a Synchro unit. For example, the voltages across coil 2 and
the rotor are related like this for two different rotor positions:

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The Voltages Required for Positioning a Synchro Motor: The following
discussion of the voltages required to turn a Motor's shaft to various positions
applies equally well to a Generator, except that, without a damper.

Positions 1: In order to make a standard Synchro Motor turn to electrical zero,

115 volts AC (effective value) must be applied to the rotor leads, with no voltage
between S1 and S3 (short circuit), and 78 volts applied between S2 and S1-S3 in
such a way that the voltage at S2, (measured with respect to S1-S3) is in phase
with the voltage measured at R1 with respect to R2, like this:

When a Synchro Motor is connected like this, the shaft turns to a certain
position ("electrical zero"), and cannot be moved from there as long as the supply
is connected. The reason for this is that the R1 end of the rotor is attracted strongly
to the lower end of coil 2. The R2 end of the rotor is attracted equally to the upper
ends of coil 1 and coil 3, so the rotor turns to 0°.

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 If the terminals of the 78-volt supply are reversed, the phase of the voltages
across the stator coils is reversed, and the rotor coil reversed its position, pointing
to 180° like this:

If other pairs of stator leads/terminals are shorted together, and 78 volts

applied as shown, the rotor can be made to turn to four other positions like this:

Positions 2: If one of the stator terminals is an open circuit and a voltage is

applied between the two other terminals of the stator (So that the same attraction
for R1 and R2 is shared between the two stator terminals), like this:

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Positions 3: If fixed voltage is applied between two terminals of the stator S2 and
S1 and in phase with the rotor voltage from R1 to R2. Then another voltage, also
in phase with R1-R2, is applied between S2 and S3 and gradually increased from
zero voltage until it is equal to the voltage from S2 to S1, like this:

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 With no voltage between S2 and S3, the rotor will point to 60°. As the
voltage is increased, the R2 end of the rotor will be attracted more and more by the
current flowing in coil 3, and it will turn towards the 0° position (in clockwise
direction), reaching it when the voltage from S2 to S3 equals that from S2 to S1.

Report: A RESOLVER is similar to a synchro, but has a stator with four

leads, the windings being 90 degrees apart physically instead of 120 degrees. Its
rotor might be synchro-like, or have two sets of windings 90 degrees apart.
Although a pair of resolvers could theoretically operate like a pair of synchros,
resolvers are used for computation.

Reference:
Electromechanical devices for energy conversion and control systems,
VINCENT DEL TORO

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 4-2023