DC MACHINES

Notes prepared by K K Mathew.

DC machine is a rotating machine works under the principle of electro-mechanical energy
conversion. There are two types of DC machines;
1. DC generator,
2. DC motor.
A DC generator converts mechanical power (ωT) into DC electrical power (EI), whereas, a
DC motor converts DC electrical power into mechanical power.

Q1) Principle of operation of DC Generator (2marks)

Working Principle of DC Generator: Faraday’s Laws of Electro magnetic Induction.

Whenever a conductor is placed in the magnetic field and either of them is moving or cuts the
flux, an emf is induced in the conductor. If the two ends of the conductor are connected to an
outside circuit, the induced emf causes current to flow in the circuit.
The direction of induced current is given by Fleming’s right hand rule.
Therefore, the essential components of a generator are:
(a) A magnetic field
(b) Conductor or a group of conductors

Working Principle of DC Motor

When a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field then it will experiences a force
i.e. Mechanical force. The direction of the conductor is can be found from Fleming’s left
hand rule.
The direction of motion can be found using Fleming9s Left Hand Rule

Q2. Construction of A DC Machine: (6 marks)

There are mainly two parts in a DC machine

1. Field
2. Conductor

1
Prof. K K Mathew
Conductor is termed as Armature and Field is termed as magnetic field. Armature of the
rotating part and the field is the stationary part.

Field contains the following parts: 1. Yoke 2. Pole core and pole shoes 3. Field coil 4.
Brushes and bearings
1. Yoke: Is the outermost protective cover of the machine.
Function
 It provides mechanical Support for poles
 It also provides protection to whole machine from dust, moisture etc.
 It also carries magnetic flux produced by the poles
 Yoke is also called as frame
 It is made up of Cast Iron or cast steel or rolled steel as it is a magnetic
material.
2. Pole & Pole core

Pole : The pole has two parts:

i. Pole Core: It is an electromagnet. The field winding is winding over pole. It
carries field windings which are responsible for production of magnetic flux. i.e
Pole provides magnetic flux when field winding is excited

2
Prof. K K Mathew
 ii. Pole Shoe : It is extended part of pole. It is the enlarge area of pole. It covers the
maximum armature conductor to cut flux so that we have maximum induced emf.
It is made up of Cast Iron.
3. Field Winding: It is wound around the core and is called as field coil. It is the coil or
wire that carries the current which is responsible for the production of flux. It is made
up of Copper.

Armature contains the following parts:

1. Armature core
2. Armature winding or conductor
3. Commutator
4. Brushes

1. Armature: That part where the emf is induced. It is made up of Cast Iron. It has large
no of slots in its periphery. Armature conductors are placed in these slots
2. Armature Conductor: That part which takes the voltage or current out of armature to
the commutator. They are interconnected to form armature winding which is
connected to the external circuit. It is made up of copper. 2 types of windings Lap and
Wave
3. Commutator: This part rectifies AC emf to DC.
4. Brushes: Physical Connection of the supply is made through this arrangement. It takes
out the voltage or current from the Commutator to the terminals. It is made up of
Carbon.

Q3 Types of DC machines ( 4 - 6 marks)

Based on the excitation, dc generators are divided into the following two classes:
1. Separately excited dc generators
2. Self-excited dc generators

3
Prof. K K Mathew
Separately Excited D.C. Generators

A DC Generator whose field winding or coil is energised by a seperate or external DC source

(e.g., a battery etc.) is called a seperately excited DC Generator. Cost is very high. Will
occupy large space and hence used only in laboratory application.

Self Excited Generator

Self-excited generators are the generators which get excited with the initial current in the
field coils. Here the field Coils are energized from the current produced by the generator
itself. Generation is due to the property of residual magnetism in field poles. Field coils
are connected in flux aiding form.

There are three types of self-excited generators depending upon the manner in which the
field winding is connected to the armature, namely;
1. Series generator
2. Shunt generator
3. Compound generator
Series generator
In a series wound generator, the field winding is connected in series with armature
winding so that whole armature current flows through the field winding as well as the
load.

4
Prof. K K Mathew
 𝑉 = 𝐸𝑔 − 𝐼𝑎(𝑅𝑠𝑒 + 𝑅𝑎) = Eg = Eb

Since the field winding carries the whole of load current, it has a few turns of thick
wire having low resistance.
Series generators are rarely used except for special purposes e.g., as boosters.

Shunt Wound Generator

In a shunt-wound generator, the field winding is connected across the armature winding
forming a parallel or shunt circuit. Therefore, the full terminal voltage is applied across it. A
very small field current Ish, flows through it because this winding has many turns of fine wire
having very high resistance Rsh of the order of 100 ohms.

𝑉 = 𝐸𝑔 − 𝐼𝑎𝑅𝑎; 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑔𝑅𝑠𝑒
5
Prof. K K Mathew
 DC Motors
Like generators, there are three types of d.c. motors characterized by the connections of
field winding in relation to the armature. They are
1. Shunt DC Motor
2. Series DC Motor
3. Compound Wound DC Motor

Shunt DC Motor

In Shunt DC motor the field winding is connected in parallel with the armature. The current
through the shunt field winding is not the same as the armature current. Shunt field current is
relatively small compared with the armature current.

Series DC Motor

In Series DC motor the field winding is connected in series with the armature. Therefore,
series field winding carries the armature current. Since the current passing through a series
field winding is the same as the armature current, series field windings must be
designed with much fewer turns than shunt field windings for the same e.m.f

6
Prof. K K Mathew
Q4. EMF equation (4 marks)

Same for Eg & Eb

Eg- generated EMF Eb-Back EMF

Consider a DC Generator with them following parameters

P = no of poles of the generator
Φ = Flux produced by each pole - Flux/pole in (wb)
Z = No of conductors of armature windings
A = No of parallel paths of Armature windings
A = 2 (wave winding)
A=P (Lap winding)
N = speed of armature in RPM

According to faradays law of Inductions i.e faradays Law of EMF

Average EMF induced per Conductor E = dΦ/dt
For one complete revolution of an armature conductor, the flux cut is dΦ = (PΦ) wb.
Time required to complete one revolution is dt = (60/N) sec
𝑑∅ 𝑃∅ 𝑃∅𝑁
Therefore, 𝐸 = = (60⁄ =
𝑑𝑡 𝑁) 60

7
Prof. K K Mathew
As Z conductors are divided in A parallel path, there are Z/A conductors in series in each
group. Therefore, emf induced in the total armature winding is
𝑃∅ 𝑍
𝐸= × − −−→ 𝐸𝑀𝐹 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝐶 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟
(60⁄𝑁) 𝐴

Q5 Applications of DC Machines (2-4 Marks)

Major applications of DC Motors are

1. Elevator
2. Steel Mills
3. Rolling Mills &
4. Electric trains
5. Excavators.

DC Series Motors: Used where ever high starting torque required. Eg: Conveyor belts,
Cranes, Air Compressor, Electric Trains etc

DC Shunt Motors: Used where ever constant speed is required. Eg: Lathe, Fans

Separately excited Generators – Testing purpose in Laboratory

8
Prof. K K Mathew