AC MACHINES

• Three phase Alternator

• Synchronous motor
• Three Phase Induction Motor

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 AC Machines

Synchronous
Asynchronous
Machines
Machines
(Induction Machine)

Synchronous Synchronous
Generator Motor
Induction Induction
Generator Motor
A
primary Constant Speed
source of Motors also used Most widely
Due to lack of a
electrical as power factor used
separate field
energy compensators electrical
excitation,
motors
these machines
are rarely used
as generators.
Types of Synchronous Machine

According to the arrangement of the field and armature windings,

synchronous machines may be classified as

(a) Stationary Armature - Rotating Field (Above 5 kVA)

(b) Stationary Field – Rotating Armature (Below 5 kVA)

Advantages: Stationary Armature - Rotating Field

i) Easier to collect large currents from a stationary member.

ii) Rotating field makes overall construction simple.

iii) Problem of sparking at the slip ring can be avoided.

iv) Noiseless running is possible.

v) Better mechanical balancing of rotor

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
CONSTRUCTION: Stationary Armature - Rotating Field

An alternator has 3 phase winding on the stator and DC field winding on the rotor.

STATOR

• Stationary part of the machine.

• It is built up of sheet-steel lamination core

with slots to hold the armature Conductor

Armature winding is connected in STAR

ROTOR

There are two types of rotor

i) Salient Pole type {Projected Poles}

ii) Non - Salient Pole type {Non – Projected Poles} Smooth Cylindrical Type
Salient Pole type {Projected Poles}
Poles are mounted on the larger circular
frame.

Made up of thick steel laminations.

Field winding are connected in series.

Ends of the field winding are connected to
the DC Supply through Slip Rings

Large Diameter and short Axial Length.

Poles are laminated to reduce eddy

current losses

Employed for low and medium speed

120 RMP to 500 RPM (diesel & hydraulic
turbines)

This cannot be used for larger speed

NON SALIENT POLE TYPE
• Smooth cylindrical rotor or TURBO ALTERNATOR
• field winding used in high speed alternators driven by steam turbines .
• Smaller diameter and larger axial length compared to salient pole type
machines, of the same rating.
• Less Windage loss.
• Speed 1200 RPM to 3000 RPM.. Better Balancing..

Noiseless Operation

Flux distribution nearly sine

wave

Poles 2 4 6
Frequency 50 Hz
Speed 3000 1500 1000
Ns = 120 F / P
NON SALIENT POLE TYPE
Working Principle of Alternator
The machine which produces 3 phase power from mechanical power is called
an alternator or synchronous generator.

Working Principle of Alternator

An alternator operates on the same fundamental principle of electromagnetic

induction as a DC generator.

The working of an alternator is based on the principle that when the flux linking a
conductor changes, an emf is induced in the conductor.
DC Generator Vs Alternator
Like a DC generator, an alternator also has an armature winding and a field
winding.

But there is one important difference between the two.

In a DC generator
• the armature winding is placed on the rotor
• provides way for converting alternating voltage generated in the winding to a
direct voltage through the use of commutator.
• The field poles are placed on the stationary part of the machine.

Since no commutator is required in an alternator

• it is usually more convenient and advantageous to place the field winding on

the rotating part (i.e., rotor) and
• armature winding on the stationary part (i.e., stator).
Alternator Operation
To understand the working principle of the alternator, consider two opposite magnetic
poles north and south, and the flux is traveling between these two magnetic poles.

In the figure (a) rectangular coil is placed between the north and south magnetic poles.
The position of the coil is such that the coil is parallel to the flux, so no flux is cutting and
therefore no current is induced. So that the waveform generated in that position is Zero
degrees.
Alternator Operation

This is the process of producing the current and EMF of a single-phase. Now
for producing 3 phases, the coils are placed at the displacement of 1200 each.

So the process of producing the current is the same as the single-phase but
only the difference is the displacement between three phases is 1200.

This is the working principle of an alternator.

Alternator Operation

The induced e.m.f. is alternating since N and S poles of rotor alternately pass the armature
conductors. The direction of induced e.m.f. can be found by Fleming right-hand rule and
frequency is given by;

f = PN / 120

where N = speed of the rotor in r.p.m.

P = number of rotor poles
AC GENERATION
• The rotor of an alternator is mechanically coupled to the shaft

• Shaft is made to rotate at synchronous speed Ns

• Results in magnetic flux cutting of the stationary armature conductors housed on the stator.

• As a direct consequence of this flux cutting an induced emf and current starts to flow through
the armature conductors

• The induced current first flow in one direction for the first half cycle and then in the other
direction for the second half cycle

• Each winding will have a definite time lag of 120o due to the space displaced arrangement of
120o between them

• This particular phenomenon results in three-phase power flow out of the alternator
Applications, Advantages & Disadvantages
Applications

• Automobiles
• Electrical power generator plants
• Marine applications
• Diesel electrical multiple units
• Radiofrequency transmission

Advantages

2.Cheap
3.Low weight
4.Low maintenance
5.Construction is simple
6.Robust
7.More compact

Disadvantages

1.Alternators need transformers

2.Alternators will overheat if the current is high
EMF Equation of an Alternator
Synchronous Motor

The motor which runs at

synchronous speed is known
as the synchronous motor.

The primary difference between AC and DC motor, the

speed of a DC motor is controlled by its voltage,
whereas the speed of an AC motor is a function of
the supply frequency.
Synchronous Motor
❖ A synchronous motor has a unique feature that is it runs at a constant speed equal to the
synchronous speed at all load provided that the load on the motor does not exceed the
limiting value.
❖ If the load on the motor exceeds the limiting value, then the motor will come to rest and the
average torque developed by the motor becomes zero.
❖ Synchronous motor is not inherently self-starting.
❖ A synchronous motor is a doubly-excited machine.
❖ Its stator winding or armature winding is connected to the AC supply while the rotor
winding or field winding is excited by a DC source.
Construction : Stator
The stationary part of the machine, is built up of sheet steel laminations having slots on its inner
periphery.

A three-phase winding is placed in these slots which is called armature winding and receives power
from a 3-phase supply.
Construction : Rotor
The rotor of the synchronous motor has set of salient poles

Rotor carries a field winding which is supplied with direct current through two slip-rings by a
separate DC source to form alternate N and S poles.

The DC source is generally a small DC shunt generator mounted on the shaft of the motor.

Note – The stator of a synchronous motor is wound for the same number of poles as the
rotor poles.

Types: Salient Pole & Non-Salient Pole

Working Principle
Consider a 3-phase, 2-pole synchronous motor having two rotor poles NR and
SR as shown in Figure-2.

The stator is also being wound for two poles NS and SS.

A three-phase AC supply is connected to the stator winding and a DC voltage is

applied to the rotor field winding.

The stator winding produces a rotating magnetic field which revolves around the
stator at synchronous speed.

The DC voltage applied to the rotor sets up a two-pole field which is stationary so
long as the rotor is not running.
Working Principle
Hence, under this condition, there exists a pair of revolving stator poles
(NS-SS)and a pair of stationary rotor poles (NR-SR).

Now, suppose at any instant, the stator poles are at positions as shown in Figure-2.

From Figure-2, it is clear that poles NS and NR repel each other and so do the poles
SS and SR.

Hence, the rotor experiences a torque in the anticlockwise direction

Working Principle
After a period of half-cycle of the AC supply, the polarities of the stator poles are
reversed but the polarities of the rotor poles remain the same as shown in Figure-3.

Under this condition, the poles SS and NR attract each other and so do the poles
NS and SR.

Due to this, the rotor tends to move in the clockwise direction.

Working Principle
Since the stator poles change their polarities rapidly, they tend to pull the rotor first
in one direction and then after a period of half cycle in the other direction.

But the rotor has high inertia, consequently, the rotor does not move and we say
that the starting torque is zero.

In other words, a synchronous motor is not self starting.

Working Principle
Here we use some mechanical means which initially rotates the rotor in the same
direction as the magnetic field to speed very close to synchronous speed.

On achieving synchronous speed, magnetic locking occurs, and the synchronous

motor continues to rotate even after the removal of external mechanical means.

Speed of the synchronous motor is controlled by the frequency of the applied

current. The speed of a synchronous motor can be calculated as

Ns = 120 f / p
where, f = frequency of the AC current (Hz)
p = total number of poles per phase
Methods of Starting of Synchronous Motor

Motor starting with an external prime Mover:

Synchronous motors are mechanically coupled with another motor.

It could be either 3 phase induction motor or a DC shunt motor.

Here, we do not apply DC excitation initially.

It rotates at speed very close to its synchronous speed, and then we give
the DC excitation.

After some time when magnetic locking takes place supply to the external
motor is cut off.
External Prime Mover
Advantages & Disadvatages
Advantages
✔ The synchronous motor runs at a constant speed, which means its speed is not depending on
load. For example, it is used in watches.
✔ The operating frequency of the synchronous motor is high.
✔ A synchronous motor is primarily used for driving high loads, which requires high power at low
speed. For example, mills.

Disadvantages
✔ The synchronous motor needs a separate DC source for rotor excitations, while the other
motor doesn't need any separate excitation.
✔ It is expensive.
✔ It requires brushes and slips rings for rotor excitation, so due to these, losses occur.
Application of Synchronous motor

✔Digital and Analog clocks,

✔Reciprocating pump,
✔compressor,
✔rolling mills
AC MACHINES

• Three Phase Induction Motor.

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INDUCTION MOTOR

Induction motors - hundred-year-old motor - invented by the great scientist

Nikola Tesla
About 50 percent of global electric power consumption is due to induction
motors.
INDUCTION MOTOR

❖In an induction motor, the electric currentIn an induction motor, the

electric current in the rotor needed to produce torque is obtained via
electromagnetic inductionIn an induction motor, the electric current in the
rotor needed to produce torque is obtained via electromagnetic induction
from the rotating magnetic field of the stator winding.

❖Induction motors are referred to as ‘asynchronous motors’ because they

operate at a speed less than their synchronous speed.
STATOR
❖ A Stator is made by stacking thin-slotted highly permeable steel
laminations inside a steel or cast iron frame.

❖ Three phase windings mutually displaced by 120° are wound in these

slots. Three phase supply induces rotating magnetic field.
ROTOR

❖ The rotor of an induction motorThe rotor of an induction motor can be

a squirrel cage rotor or wound type rotor (Slip Ring).
Squirrel Cage
❖ Laminated cylindrical core with parallel slots at the outer periphery
❖ Copper or aluminium bars are placed in the slots
❖ All the bars are welded at each end by metal rings called “End rings”
❖ It is not connected to the supply and operates on the transformer principle
❖ This is a simple and robust construction
Wound Rotor or Slip Ring
❖ Laminated cylindrical core
❖ Similar to the squirrel cage, there are some slots on the outer periphery.
❖ The rotor winding is placed inside the slots - star connected - three phase
winding
❖ Open ends are connected to three separate insulated slip rings
❖ External resistances are connected to increase the starting torque
Fundamental Principle of Operation
Fundamental Principle of Operation

❑ The generation of a rotating magnetic

field
❑ This causes the rotor to turn at a
speed that depends on the speed of
rotation of the magnetic field

A uniform rotating magnetic field is

produced in the air gap between the rotor
and stator by applying balanced 3 phase
supply.

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Principle of Operation
❑ The stator supports windings a-a’, b-b’ and c-c’, which are
geometrically spaced 120◦ apart.
❑ Therefore, the currents generated by a 3-phase source are also spaced
by 120◦.

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Principle of Operation

❑ Since the coils are spaced 120◦ apart, the flux distribution resulting from the sum
of the contributions of the three windings is the sum of the fluxes due to the
separate windings.

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Principle of Operation
❑ Thus, the flux (in a three-phase
machine) is a rotating vector in space,
with constant amplitude.

❑ Hence, A stationary observer on the

machine’s stator would see a
sinusoidally varying flux distribution.

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❑ Since the resultant flux is generated by the currents,
the speed of rotation of the flux must be related to the
frequency of the sinusoidal phase currents.

❑ The number of magnetic poles resulting from the

stator winding configuration is two. However, it is
possible to configure the windings so that they have
more poles.

In general,
❑ The speed of the rotating magnetic field is determined
by the frequency of the excitation current, f , and
❑ By the number of poles present in the stator, p,
according to the equation

where ns (or ωs)

is usually called
the synchronous
45 speed.
 ROTOR SLIP

Consider a simple rotor, with one short circuited coil, inserted within the stator:
❑Initially, the rotor is stationary.
❑The moment the stator supply is switched on currents start to flow and the
rotating magnetic field is established.
❑The relative motion between the moving field and the stationary rotor conductors
induces emf in the stationary rotor conductors (in accordance with Faraday’s
Law)
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 ROTOR SLIP
❑ Current start flowing in the
conductors as they are short
circuited by the end rings.
❑ These currents create their own
magnetic fields, which interact
with the rotating stator field to
produce forces on the individual
conductors and a net rotor torque
❑ The rotor starts to accelerate lowering the relative speed between the
rotating field and rotor conductors.
❖ This reduces the induced emfs, conductor currents and subsidiary
magnetic fields;
❖ thus decreasing the forces on the conductors and electrical torque on
the rotor.
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The rotor continues to accelerate until the electrical torque exactly equals the
mechanical load torque on the shaft.
❖ At this point the rotor is running at a speed slightly slower than the
rotating field.
❖ This small difference in speed is needed.
❖ In order to create an electrical torque there must be some distortion of
the net field, which will only happen when currents flow in the rotor
conductors.
❖ These currents depend on emfs being induced in the conductors, which
in turn depend on there being a difference between the speed at which
48 the conductors rotate and that of the rotating magnetic field.
 This difference in speed is expressed as a ratio known as the (per unit) slip.
Remembering that the rotational speed of magnetic field is known formally as the
synchronous speed, the slip is defined as

For most machines the value of the slip varies between around 0.01 on no-load,
(when the only torque required is to overcome friction at the bearings) and 0.10 at
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full load.
 What will happen if the rotor reaches the speed of the stator
flux?
❖ No relative speed between stator field and rotor conductor
❖ No induced current
❖ No torque

Is it practically possible?
No, Because friction will slow down the rotor
Hence the rotor speed is always less than the stator rotating
field speed and the difference is called “Slip”

Note: For a stationary rotor the slip is 1; Generally the change in slip from no
load to full load is 0.01 to 0.1 so the speed of the motor is constant.
Here, the slip has been greatly exaggerated to enable visualization of this
50 concept. A real induction motor only slips a few percent.
Synchronous Motor
S.no Differentiating Synchronous Motor Induction motor
Property
1. Definition A synchronous motor refers to an AC It is also known as an asynchronous motor.
motor that runs at synchronous speed. It refers to an AC motor in which the rotor
rotates less than the synchronous speed.
2. Excitation It is a doubly excited machine. It is a single excited machine.

3. Starting It runs at synchronous speed, and the It has varying speeds. The speed of the
speed is not depending on load. induction motor is inversely proportional to
the speed; if the load is increased, the speed
of the induction motor decreases.
4. Operation It can be operated with a leading and It operates only at a lagging power factor.
lagging power factor by just changing
its excitation.
5. Power supply Its armature winging is excited from an Its stator winding is excited by an AC source.
AC supply, and its field winding is
excited from a DC supply.
6. Starting It is not self-starting. It is a self-starting motor.

7. Cost It is more costly compared to an It is cost-efficient in comparison to the

induction motor having the same synchronous motor having the same voltage
voltage and output. and output.