Speed of a DC Motor 𝜙𝑍𝑁𝑃

𝐸 =
60𝐴
𝐸 =V−𝐼 𝑅

𝜙𝑍𝑁𝑃
=V−𝐼 𝑅
60𝐴

𝑉−𝐼 𝑅 60𝐴 𝑉−𝐼 𝑅

𝑁= ⋅ 𝑁=K 𝐵𝑢𝑡, 𝐸 = V−𝐼 𝑅
𝜙 𝑃𝑍 𝜙

𝐸 𝐸 Therefore, in a dc motor speed is directly proportional

𝑁=K 𝑁∝
𝜙 𝜙 to back emf and inversely proportional to flux per pole.

Speed Relations If initially a dc motor has speed, flux per pole and back emf as 𝑁 , 𝜙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦.
And the corresponding final values are 𝑁 , 𝜙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦.
𝐸 𝑁 𝐸 𝜙
and 𝑁 ∝ = ×
𝜙 𝑁 𝐸 𝜙

i) For shunt motors : flux is practically constant i.e 𝜙 = 𝜙 i) For series motors : 𝜙 ∝ 𝐼
𝑁 𝐸 𝑁 𝐸 𝐼
= = ×
𝑁 𝐸 𝑁 𝐸 𝐼
 Speed Regulation
The speed regulation of a motor is the change in speed from full load to no-load and is
expressed as a percentage of the speed at No load i.e.

𝑁𝑜 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 − 𝐹𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑

% speed Regulation = × 100
No 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑

𝑁 −𝑁
= × 100
𝑁

Example A 6 pole Lap wound dc shunt motor has 500 conductors. The armature and shunt field resistances are 0.05 ohm
and 25 ohm respectively. Find the speed of the motor if it takes 120 A from dc source of 100 V. Flux per pole is 20 mWb.
Sol.
100
𝐼 = = 4𝐴 𝐼 =𝐼 −𝐼 = 120 − 4 = 116𝐴 𝐸 = V − 𝐼 𝑅 = 100 − 116 𝑋0.05 = 94.2 𝑉
25

𝜙𝑍𝑁𝑃 ⋅ × ×
𝐸 = = 565rpm
60𝐴 × × ×
Types of DC Motors
On the basis of the connections of armature and their field winding, DC motors can be classified as;

1. Separately excited DC motors: In these motors the field winding is excited for external (auxiliary) source.
This exciting source is separate form the dc supply which feeds the armature winding

2. Self excited DC motors: : In these motors the field winding and armature winding are supplied form the
same supply. Further, self excited motors may some different types of connections as;
i) DC Shunt motors: In these motors field winding is connected in parallel (shunt) with armature winding.
ii) DC Series motors: In these motors field winding is connected in series with armature winding.

ii) DC Compound Wound motors: In these motors field winding is splitted in two parts and one part
is connected in series while other part is connected in series with field winding, hence may have two
types as:

a) Short Shunt Compound wound DC motors

a) Long Shunt Compound wound DC motors

1. Separately excited DC motors:

𝑉 = 𝐸 + 𝐼 𝑅 + 2𝑉

𝑉𝐼 = 𝐸 𝐼 + 𝐼 𝑅 + 2𝑉 𝐼

2. Self excited DC motors:

a) Self excited DC shunt motor:

𝑉
𝐼 = 𝐼 =𝐼 −𝐼
𝑅

𝑉 = 𝐸 + 𝐼 𝑅 + 2𝑉

𝑉𝐼 = 𝐸 𝐼 + 𝐼 𝑅 + 2𝑉 𝐼
 a) Self excited DC series motor: 𝑅

𝐼 =𝐼 =𝐼

𝑉 = 𝐸 + 𝐼 𝑅 +𝐼 𝑅 +2𝑉

3. Compound Wound DC motors:

𝑉
𝐼 = 𝐼 =𝐼 −𝐼
𝑅
𝑉 =𝐸 +𝐼 𝑅 +𝑅 +2𝑉
(a) Cumulative compound motors: In these motors, the flux produced
by both the windings is in the same direction, i.e.,
𝜙 =𝜙 +𝛷
(b) Differential compound motors: In these motors, the flux produced
by the series field winding is opposite to the flux produced by the shunt
field winding, i.e.,
𝜙 =𝜙 −𝛷
Example 7
The armature resistance of a DC shunt motor is 0.5 ohm, it draws 20 A from 220 V mains and is running at a speed of
80 radian per second. Determine (i) Induced emf (ii) Electromagnetic torque (iii) Speed in rpm.

Example 8
The armature and series field winding resistance of a 220 V, four-pole DC series motor is 0.75 ohm. It has 782 wave wound
armature conductors. If it draws 40 A from the supply mains and has a flux of 25 mWb, determine its speed and gross
torque developed.
 Assignment 3M-2

Problem 9
The armature and shunt field resistance of a four-pole, lap wound DC shunt motor is 0.05 ohm and 25 ohm respectively. If
its armature contains 500 conductors, find the speed of the motor when it take 120 A from a DC mains of 100 V supply.
Flux per pole is 2 × 10 𝑠
Wb

Problem 10
A 6-pole, 440 V DC motor has 936 wave wound armature conductors. The useful flux per pole is 25 m Wb. The torque
developed is 45·5 kg-m. Calculate the following, if armature resistance is 0·5 ohm; (i) Armature current (ii) Speed

Problem 11
The electromagnetic torque developed in a DC machine is 80 Nm for an armature current of 30 A. What will be the torque
for a current of 15 A? Assume constant flux. What is the induced emf at a speed of 900 rpm and an armature current of
15 A?
Problem 12
A 250 V, shunt motor on no-load runs at 1000 rpm and takes 5A. The total armature and shunt field resistances are 0.2
ohm and 250 ohm respectively. Calculate the speed when loaded and taking current of 50 A if armature reaction weakens
the field by 3%.
Characteristics of DC Motors
The performance of a DC motor can be easily judged from its characteristic curves, known as motor characteristics.
The characteristics of a motor are those curves which show relation between the two quantities.
On the basis of these quantities, the following characteristics can be obtained:

1. Speed and Armature current i.e., N – Characteristics: It is the curve drawn between speed N and armature
current Ia. It is also known as speed characteristics.
2. Torque and Armature current i.e., T– Characteristics: It is the curve drawn between torque developed in the
armature T and armature current Ia. It is also known as electrical characteristic.
3. Speed and Torque i.e., N–T characteristics: It is the curve drawn between speed N and torque developed in the
armature T. It is also known as mechanical characteristics
The following important relations must be kept in mind while discussing the motor characteristics:

𝐸
𝑁∝ 𝐸 ∝ 𝑁𝜙 𝑇∝𝜙𝐼
𝜙
Characteristics of Shunt Motors
In these motors, the shunt field current 𝐼 = remains constant since the supply voltage V
is constant. Hence, the flux in DC shunt motors is practically constant (although at heavy loads,

1. N – 𝒂 characteristics
𝐸
We know that, 𝑁∝
𝜙

Since flux is constant 𝑁 ∝ 𝐸 𝑁 ∝𝑉−𝐼 𝑅

If the armature drop (Ia Ra) is negligible, the speed of the motor will remain constant for
allvalues of load as shown by the dotted line AB

2. T – 𝒂 characteristics

We know that, 𝑇 ∝ 𝜙𝐼 𝑇∝𝐼

3. N – T Characteristics
The N – T characteristic is derived from the first two characteristics. When load torque increases, armature current
increases but speed decreases slightly
Thus with the increase in load or torque, the speed decreases slightly as shown
Characteristics of Series Motors
In these motors, the series field winding carries the armature current. Therefore, the flux produced by the series field
winding is proportional to the armature current before magnetic saturation, but after magnetic saturation flux
becomes constant.
1. N – Characteristics

Thus, before magnetic saturation,

the N – 𝐼 curve follows the hyperbolic path as shown in Fig
In this region, the speed decreases abruptly with the increase in load or
armature current. After magnetic saturation, flux becomes constant,
then

Thus, after magnetic saturation, the N – 𝐼 curve follows a straight line path
and speed decreases slightly When started at no load, speed tends to
it is concluded that the series motor is a variable speed motor dangerously high, may self damage. Never never
..Start a series motor without a load.
2. T – 𝒂 characteristics We know that, 𝑇 ∝ 𝜙𝐼 𝑇∝𝐼

Hence, before magnetic saturation the electromagnetic torque produced in the armature is proportional to the
square of the armature current.
Therefore, this portion of the curve (OA) is a parabola passing through the origin.
However, after magnetic saturation, the flux I becomes constant.
𝑇∝𝐼
Hence, after magnetic saturation, the curve (AB) becomes a straight line.

3. N – T Characteristics
This characteristic is derived from the first two characteristics. At low value of load, 𝐼 is small,
torque is small but the speed is very high.
As load increases, 𝐼 increases, torque increases but
the speed decreases rapidly.
Thus for increasing torque, speed decreases rapidly
Characteristics of Compound Motors
There are two types of compound wound DC motors namely; cumulative compound motors and differential compound
motors. Cumulative compound motors are most common.
The characteristics of these motors lies between the shunt and series motors.
Cummulative Compound
1. N – Characteristics 2. T – Characteristics 3. N – T Characteristics
Differentially Compound wound

1. N – Characteristics 2. T – Characteristics 3. N – T Characteristics

Applications and Selection of DC Motors
1. Separately excited motors: Very accurate speeds can be obtained by these motors. Moreover, these motors are best
suited where speed variation is required from very low value to high value.

These motors are used in steel rolling mills, paper mills, diesel – electric propulsion of ships, etc.
2. Shunt motors: From the characteristics of a shunt motor we have seen that it is almost constant speed motor. It is,
therefore, used; where constant speed form no load to full speed and variable speed using speed control methods
As such the shunt motors are most suitable for industrial drives such as
lathes, drills, grinders, shapers, spinning and weaving machines, line shafts in the group
drive, etc
3. Series motors: The characteristics of a series motor reveal that it is variable speed motor i.e., the speed is low at
higher torques and vice-versa. Moreover, at light loads or at no-load, the motor attains dangerously high speed. It is,
therefore, employed:
(i) Where high torque is required at the time of starting to accelerate heavy loads quickly.
(ii) Where the load is subjected to heavy fluctuations and speed is required to be adjusted automatically.
As such the series motors are most suitable for
electric traction, cranes, elevators, vacuum cleaners, hair driers, sewing machines, fans
and air compressors, etc
Selection of DC Motors
While selecting a DC motor for a particular work, one is to consider the following points:

1. Selection of power rating

Power rating as per load requirement ( Neither much less or much higher)

2. Characteristics of the motor:

For satisfactory operation, selection of power rating of a motor is not only the criteria, rather one should
know the characteristics of a motor (i.e., behavior of a motor under different load conditions)
Therefore, before selection of motor, one should know the following particulars of the work
(i) Torque requirement during starting and running at different loads.
(ii) Requirement of accelerating and braking torque
(iii) Frequency of switching
(iv) Temperature at the work place
(v) Environmental conditions, etc.