9.

DC Generator
Basic Laws:-

• Faraday’s first law of Electromagnetic Induction:- Faraday’s first law of Electromagnetic

Induction states that whenever there is change in magnetic flux linked with conductor E.M.F. is induced
in the conductor. This E.M.F. is known as induced EMF and if the conductor circuit is closed, the
current will also circulate through the circuit and this current is called induced current.
• Faraday’s Second law: - Faraday’s Second law states that the Magnitude of E.M.F. induced is
directly proportional to rate of change of flux linkage with coil. The strength of magnetic field depends
on number of turns of coil and current passing through the coil.
Flux Ø ∝ N.I. where, N= no. of turns of the coil
I= current through coil

𝒅Ø
E∝
𝒅𝒕
Where E = induced E.M.F.
Ø = flux in Wb

• Fleming’s right hand rule: - Whenever a current carrying conductor comes under a magnetic
field, there will be force acting on the conductor. The direction of this force can be found using
Fleming’s Right Hand Rule.
Fleming’s Right Hand Rule states that When the right hand is held with the thumb, index finger and
middle finger mutually perpendicular to each other (at right angles), as shown in the diagram. The index
finger indicates direction of the flux and middle finger indicates direction of induced EMF/ current &
thumb indicates direction of the motion of the conductor.

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• Introduction to DC Generators:
The function of generator is to convert mechanical energy into electrical. It works on Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction. The generator which produces DC power is called as DC Generator.
Basic Requirement of DC Generators:-
The DC generator must have the following requirement:
• Flux producing arrangement
• Conductor
• Motion
1. Flux producing arrangement: - It includes electromagnets having iron core wound with copper coil.
These electromagnets are called as field poles and the winding is called as field windings.
2. Conductor: - The conductors are suitably arranged in the cylindrical parts called as armature. The
Conductor is made of copper & are called as armature conductor.
3. Motion: - The Mechanical power is required for rotating armature conductor and this power is
obtained from hydro station turbine, thermal power station etc.
• Construction of DC Generator:-

DC Generator

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DC generator has the following parts:

1. Yoke
2. Pole of generator
3. Field winding
4. Armature of DC generator
5. Brushes of generator and Commutator
6. Bearing
1. Yoke of DC Generator:-

Yoke

Yoke or the outer frame of DC generator serves two purposes,

• It holds the magnetic pole cores of the generator and acts as cover of the generator.
• It carries the magnetic field flux

In DC generator, yoke are made of any magnetic material like Cast iron or rolled steel which has
very low reluctance.

2. Pole of generator:-

Poles are joined to the yoke with the help of bolts or welding. They carry field winding and pole
shoes are fastened to them. Pole shoes serve two purposes

• They support field coils and

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 • Spread out the flux in air gap uniformly

3. Field winding:-

Field Winding

• They are usually made of copper. Field coils are former wound and placed on each pole and are
connected in series. They are wound in such a way that, when energized, they form alternate North
and South poles.
4. Armature core:-
• Armature core is the rotor of a dc machine. It is cylindrical in shape with slots to carry armature
winding. The armature is built up of thin laminated circular steel disks for reducing eddy current

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losses. It may be provided with air ducts for the axial air flow for cooling purposes. Armature is
keyed to the shaft.

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 5.Armature Winding:

• It is usually a former wound copper coil which rests in armature slots. The armature conductors are
insulated from each other and also from the armature core.
• Armature winding can be wound by one of the two methods; lap winding or wave winding. Double
layer lap or wave windings are generally used. A double layer winding means that each armature slot
will carry two different coils.
6. Commutator & Brush:-
• Armature winding is made through a commutator-brush arrangement. The function of a Commutator
in a dc generator is to collect the current generated in armature conductors. Whereas, in case of a dc
motor, commutator helps in providing current to the armature conductors.
• A commutator consists of a set of copper segments which are insulated from each other. Brushes are
usually made from carbon or graphite. They rest on commutator segments and slide on the segments
when the commutator rotates keeping the physical contact to collect or supply the current.

Commutator

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 Commutator & brush arrangement
• Working of DC Generator:-

• DC Generator works on the principle of faradays law of electromagnetic induction.

• All Armature Conductors are placed in the armature Slot & Armature is fitted on the Shaft. The shaft
is coupled mechanically to prime mover (Turbines, Engines).
• When Supply is given to the Field winding field poles acts as an electromagnet as produces magnetic
field.
• When armature is rotated with the help of prime mover in magnetic field then according to Faraday’s
law of electromagnetic induction, EMF is induced in the armature winding.
• The nature of EMF produced in armature conductor is AC.

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 • One End of armature conductors is connected to commutator. The commutator is fitted on the same
shaft on which armature is fitted.
• The Commutator converts the alternating EMF into DC EMF.
• The brushes are kept in stationary brush holder and kept touching with the commutator under the
tension of spring.
• The brushes are used to collect the DC EMF from Commutator to external circuit.
Armature Windings:
The armature winding is the most important part of the rotating machine. It is the place where energy
conversion takes place.The armature winding is mainly classified into types, i.e., the lap winding and the
wave winding.

Lap winding:

• Lap winding is the winding in which successive coils overlap each other. It is named “Lap” winding
because it doubles or laps back with its succeeding coils.
• In lap winding, the conductors are joined in such a way that their parallel paths and poles are equal in
number.
• The end of each armature coil is connected to the adjacent segment on the commutator. The number of
brushes in the lap winding is equal to the number of parallel paths, and these brushes are equally divided
into negative and positive polarity.
• In this winding the finishing end of one coil is connected to one commutator segment and the starting
end of the next coil situated under the same pole and connected with same commutator segment

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 • The lap winding has many paths and hence it is mainly used in low voltage, high current machine
applications. The only disadvantage of the lap winding is that it requires many conductors which
increase the cost of the winding.
• They are three types:
1. Simplex Lap Winding 2. Duplex Lap Winding 3.Triplex Lap Winding

Wave winding:

• In wave winding, only two parallel paths are provided between the positive and negative brushes.
• The finishing end of the one armature coil is connected to the starting end of the other armature coil
commutator segment at some distance apart.

• In this winding, the conductors are connected to two parallel paths irrespective of the number of poles of
the machine. The number of brushes is equal to the number of parallel paths. The wave winding is
mainly used in high voltage, low current machines.

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• EMF Equation of DC Generator:-

Let,
P = Number of poles of the machine
ϕ = Flux per pole in Weber.
Z = Total number of armature conductors.
N = Speed of armature in revolution per minute (r.p.m).
𝐍
= Revolution per Second
60
A = Number of parallel paths in the armature winding.
As per faradays law of electromagnetic induction magnitude of induced EMF is given by
𝒅Ø
E ∝ 𝒅𝒕

During one revolution of armature total flux cut will be ØP Wb & time required for one
revolution is,
𝟔𝟎
Second
𝐍
Therefore EMF generated by one conductor,

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 ØP
E= 60
𝐍
ØPN
E = Volt
60

𝑍
Conductor per parallel path =
𝐴

ØPN Z
EMF in one path =
60
× A

Ø 𝑃𝑁𝑍
=
60 𝐴

Ø 𝑃𝑁𝑍
EMF =
60𝐴

For Lap Winding A = P

For Wave Winding A= 2

Example 1. A DC generator has four poles and total five hundred conductors. The flux per pole is 0.02
Wb find the generator EMF if rotated at 900 RPM for lap & Wave windings.
Solution:-
Given data:-
P=4
Ø = 0.02
Z = 500
N = 900
To Find:-
E lap & E wave

Solution:- i) For Lap Connection (A=P)

ØPNZ
E lap =
60 A

0.02 × 500 × 900 × 4

E lap =
60 ×4

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 E lap = 150 Volt

ii) For wave Connection (A=2)

ØPNZ
E wave =
60 A

0.02 × 500 × 900 × 4

E wave =
60 × 2

E wave = 300 Volt

Example 2. The armature of a 4 pole lap wound shunt generator has 128 slots and 4 conductors per slot.
The flux per pole is 48 mWb. Find at what speed the armature is to be rotated so as to generate 256 Volt
on open circuit.

Solution:-
Given Data:-
P=4
Z = 128 × 4 = 512
Ø = 48 × 10-3 Wb
E = 256 Volt

To Find:- N

Solution:-
ØPNZ
E=
60 A

48 × 10−3 ×4 × N × 512
256 =
60 ×4

265 ×15
N=
48 × 10−3

N = 625 rpm

Example 3. A DC generator has following details poles = 4, flux per pole = 7 × 10-3 Wb, Slot = 51,
Conductor per slot = 20, speed = 1500 rpm. Find generated EMF for lap connection.

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 Given data:-
P=4
Ø = 7 × 10-3
Slot = 51
Conductor per slot = 20
N = 1500 rpm
To Find:- E lap
Solution:-
Z = 51 × 20

ØPNZ
E=
60 A

7 × 10−3 × 1020 × 1500 ×4

E=
60 ×4

E = 178.51 Volt

• Types of DC Generator:-

Field Coil

Armature Coil-

• The DC generator converts the mechanical power into electrical power. The magnetic flux in a DC
machine is produced by the field coils carrying current. The circulating current in the field windings
produces a magnetic flux, and the phenomenon is known as Excitation or in the case of a machine with
field coils, a current must flow in the coils to generate the field; otherwise no power is transferred to or
from the rotor. The process of generating a magnetic field by means of an electric current is
called excitation.

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• DC Generator is classified according to the methods of their field excitation.

(A)Separately Excited DC Generator:

• A DC generator whose field winding or coil is energized by a separate or external DC source is called a
separately excited DC Generator.
• The flux produced by the poles depends upon the field current with the unsaturated region of magnetic
material of the poles. i.e. flux is directly proportional to the field current. But in the saturated region, the
flux remains constant.

Ia = IL = I

Then Voltage across the load is

Va = Ia Ra

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 Separately Excited DC generator
Where,
Ra = Armature resistance
Rf = Field resistance
If = Field Current
Ia = Armature current
IL = Load current
V = Terminal voltage

Eg = Generated EMF

Applications
• It is used for Electroplating.
• It is used for power & lighting purpose.
• It is used as an exciter.

(B)Self Excited DC generator:

• Self-excited DC generators are generators whose field magnets are energized by the current
supplied by themselves.
• In these types of machines, field coils are internally connected with the armature. Due to residual
magnetism (magnetization left behind after removing the external magnetic field from the circuit.),
some flux is always present in the poles.
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• When the armature is rotated, some EMF is induced. Hence some induced current is produced. This
small current flows through the field coil as well as the load and thereby strengthening the pole flux.
• As the pole flux strengthened, it will produce more armature EMF, which cause the further increase
of current through the field. This increased field current further raises armature EMF, and this
cumulative phenomenon continues until the excitation reaches the rated value.

According to the position of the field coils, self-excited DC generators may be classified as:

• Series generator
• Shunt generator
• Compound generator

i) Series generator:-

Series generator

Rsc = Series winding resistance V = Terminal voltage

Isc = Current flowing through the series field Eg = Generated EMF
Ra = Armature resistance RF = Field resistance
If = Field Current Ia = Armature current
IL = Load current

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 • In these types of generators, the field windings are connected in series with armature conductors.
• Whole current flows through the field coils as well as the load. As series field winding carries full
load current it is designed with relatively few turns of thick wire. The electrical resistance of series
field winding is therefore very low (nearly 0.5Ω )
• When the generator is loaded, its terminal voltage increases. So it is not a constant voltage machine.
It has a rising voltage characteristics.In series wound generators, the output voltage is directly
proportional with load current.

Ia = IL = Isc = I

Then Voltage across the load is

Va = Eg - Ia2 Ra
Applications
• It is used as a booster for making up the voltage of the feeder line
• It is used for lightning arc lamp.

i. Shunt generator:-

Shunt generator

Rsh = Shunt winding resistance IL = Load current

Ish = Current flowing through the shunt field V = Terminal voltage
Ra = Armature resistance Eg = Generated EMF
Ia = Armature current

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• In a shunt generator, the field winding is connected in parallel with the armature winding so that the
terminal voltage of the generator is applied across it.
• The shunt field winding has many turns of fine wire having high resistance. Therefore, only a part of
armature current flows through shunt field winding and the rest flows through the load.
• This generator has almost constant voltage at all loads, and hence used where constant voltage is
required. In shunt wound generators, the output voltage is inversely proportional with load current.
𝑉
Shunt field current, Ish =
𝑅𝑠ℎ

Armature current, Ia = IL + Ish

Terminal voltage, V = Eg – IaRa

Applications
• It is used for electric lighting and power supply purpose.
• Is is used for battery charging purpose.

iii)Compound Generators:-

• In series wound generators, the output voltage is directly proportional with load current.
• In shunt wound generators, the output voltage is inversely proportional with load current.
• A combination of these two types of generators can overcome the disadvantages of both. This
combination of windings is called compound wound DC generator.
• Compound wound generators have both series field winding and shunt field winding. One winding is
placed in series with the armature, and the other is placed in parallel with the armature.
• This type of DC generators may be of two types- short shunt compound-wound generator and long
shunt compound-wound generator.

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 Compound Generator

• Short Shunt Compound generator:

Short Shunt Compound generator

• Short Shunt Compound Wound DC Generators are generators where only the shunt field winding is
in parallel with the armature winding.
𝑉+𝐼𝑠𝑐 𝑅𝑠𝑐
• Shunt field current is equal to Ish =
𝑅𝑠ℎ

• Voltage across the load is equal to, V = Eg – IaRa – IscRsc.

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• Long Shunt Compound generator:

long Shunt Compound generator

• Long Shunt Compound Wound DC Generator are generators where the shunt field winding is in
parallel with both series field and armature winding, as shown in the figure.
V
• Shunt field current is equal to Ish =
Rsh

• Voltage across the load is equal to V = Eg – Ia Ra – Isc Rsc

Applications:
• Compound generators are used as a compensators of line drops in traction.
• It is used for power & lightning purpose

Examples for Practices

1. A 6 pole generators has 400 armature conductors & useful flux is 0.06Wb. It runs at the speed of 100
rpm. Find the e.m.f of the generator if it is a) Lap Connected b) Wave Connected.
( E wave = 120V , E lap = 40 Volt)
2. The armature of 6 pole wave wound shunt generator has 200 slot & 4 conductors per slot. The flux per
slot is 50 mwb. Find at what speed the armature is to be rotated so as to generate 230Volt on open
circuit.(N= 115 rpm)
3. A DC generator has following details calculate e.m.f. for lap connections Poles (p) = 4, Flux per pole
(Ф) = 8 ×10-2 Wb, slot = 35, Conductor per slot = 15, speed (N) = 1000 rpm.(E= 700 Volt)
4. The Speed of 6 pole lap wound shunt generator is 1500 rpm. The flux per pole is 48 mWb find the total
conductor of the generator if the generator has voltage 250V. ( Z = 208)

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