Module IV

Design of
Synchronous
Machine
 Specification – starting point of a design

The main specifications are

1.Frequency
2.kVA rating
3.Speed
4.No of phases
5.Regulation
6.Efficiency
7.Cooling and temperature rise
8.Types of prime mover
Choice of Specific loadings: choice of higher value of specific
magnetic and electric loading leads to reduced cost and size of the
machine.
Specific magnetic loading: Following are the factors which
influences the performance of the machine.
(i)Iron loss: A high value of flux density in the air gap leads to
higher value of flux in the iron parts of the machine which results
in increased iron losses and reduced efficiency.
(ii)Voltage: When the machine is designed for higher voltage
space occupied by the insulation becomes more thus making the
teeth smaller and hence lower value of gap density should be
used.
(iii)Transient short circuit current: A high value of gap density
results in decrease in leakage reactance and hence increased value
of armature current under short circuit conditions.
(iv)Stability: The maximum power output of a machine under steady
state condition is inversely proportional to synchronous reactance. If
higher value of flux density is used it leads to smaller number of
turns per phase in armature winding. This results in reduced value of
leakage reactance and hence increased value of power and hence
increased steady state stability.
(v) Parallel operation: The satisfactory parallel operation of
synchronous generators depends on the synchronizing power.
Higher the synchronizing power higher will be the ability of the
machine to operate in synchronism. The synchronizing power is
inversely proportional to the synchronous reactance and hence the
machines designed with higher value air gap flux density will have
better ability to operate in parallel with other machines.

Following are the usual Bav assumed Cylindrical rotor machine : 0.55 to
0.65 wb/m2 Salient pole machine : 0.50 to 0.65 wb/m2
Specific Electric Loading: Following are the some of the factors
which influence the choice of specific electric loadings.
(i) Copper loss: Higher the value of ‘ac’, larger will be the
number of armature conductors which results in higher copper
loss. This will result in higher temperature rise and reduction
in efficiency.
(ii)Voltage: A higher value of ‘ac’ can be used for low voltage
machines since the space required for the insulation will be
smaller.
(iii)Synchronous reactance: High value of ‘ac’ leads to higher
value of leakage reactance and armature reaction and hence
higher value of synchronous reactance. Such machines will
have poor voltage regulation, lower value of current under
short circuit condition and low value of steady state stability
limit and small value of synchronizing power.
iv) Stray load losses: With increased value of ‘ac’ stray load
losses will increase.
The usual values of ‘ac’:
Turbo machines : 50000 to 100000 amp-cond/m
Salient pole machines : 20000 to 50000 amp-
cond/m
 Output Equation
Let

Vph = phase voltage ; Iph = phase current

Zph = no of conductors/phase; Ns Tph = no of turns/phase

= Synchronous speed in rpm; p ns = synchronous speed in rps

= no of poles ; ac = Specific electric loading

Ф= air gap flux/pole; Kw = Bav = Average flux density

winding factor ; L = Gross core D = Diameter of the stator;

length

Co = Output coefficient;

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PФ = Bav πDL, and 3Iph Zph/ π D = ac

Q = 3* 2.22*Pns/2* ФZph Kw Iph * 10-3 kVA

Output to motor = 1.11 * Bav π D L * π D ac * ns Kw 10-3 kVA

Q = (1.11 π2 Bav ac Kw 10-3) D2 L ns kVA Q = (11 Bav ac

Kw 10-3) D2 L ns kVA

Therefore Output Q = Co D2 L ns kVA

where Co = (11 Bav ac Kw 10-3) = Output coefficient

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 Main Dimensions of synchronous
machine
1. Diameter of stator core
2. Length of core
3. Peripheral speed
selection of diameter depends on 2 factors;
1. Types of poles
2. Permissible peripheral speed
Salient Pole Machine: In case of salient pole machines either
round or rectangular pole construction is employed. In these
types of machines the diameter of the machine will be quite
larger than the axial length.

Round Poles: The ratio of pole arc to pole pitch may be assumed
varying between 0.6 to 0.7 and pole arc may be taken as
approximately equal to axial length of the stator core. Hence
Axial length of the core/ pole pitch = L/τp = 0.6 to 0.7

Rectangular poles: The ratio of axial length to pole pitch may be

assumed varying between 1to 3 and a suitable value may be
assumed based on the design specifications.
Axial length of the core/ pole pitch = L/ τp = 1 to 3
Deciding factor for diameter is the peripheral speed.

Limiting values of peripheral speeds are as follows:

Bolted pole construction = 50 m/s Dove tail pole construction =
80 m/s Normal design = 30 m/s

Turbo alternators: These alternators will have larger speed of

the order of 3000 rpm.

Hence the diameter of the machine will be smaller than the

axial length.

Peripheral speed for these alternators must be below 175 m/s.

Short Circuit Ratio
Voltage regulation:- A high value of SCR means that the
synchronous reactance has a low value resulting in to good
voltage regulation.
Stability:- A machine with high value of SCR. i.e. lower
value of Xs, will lead to higher synchronizing power and
thus giving a higher stability limit. Pmax is related to 1/ Xs
Parallel operation:- A machine with low value of SCR
means a large value of Xs giving a small value of
synchronizing power. Such a machine have problem
during parallel operation.
Short circuit current:- A small value of SCR means a large
value of Xs which will limit the short circuit current during
fault conditions.
For salient pole machines SCR value varies from 0.9 to 1.3
For turbo alternators SCR value varies from 0.7 to 1.1
 Length of the air gap:
•Length of the air gap is a very important parameter as it greatly
affects the performance of the machine.
•Air gap in synchronous machine affects the value of SCR and
hence it influences many other parameters.
•Hence, choice of air gap length is very critical in case of
synchronous machines.
Advantages:
(i)Stability: Higher value of stability limit
(ii)Regulation: Smaller value of inherent regulation
(iii)Synchronizing power: Higher value of synchronizing power
(iv)Cooling: Better cooling
(v)Noise: Reduction in noise
(vi)Magnetic pull: Smaller value of unbalanced magnetic pull
Disadvantages:
(i)Field mmf: Larger value of field mmf is required
(ii)Size: Larger diameter and hence larger size
(iii)Magnetic leakage: Increased magnetic leakage
(iv)Weight of copper: Higher weight of
copper in the field winding
(v)Cost: Increase over all cost.

The approximate value of air gap length can

be expressed in terms of pole pitch.
For salient pole alternators: lg = (0.012 to 0.016) x pole pitch
For turbo alternators: lg = (0.02 to 0.026) x pole pitch
Synchronous machines are generally designed
with larger air gap length compared to that of
Induction motors.
Estimation of length of air gap:
Length of the air gap is usually estimated based on the ampere turns
required for the air gap.
Armature ampere turns per pole required
ATa = 2.7 Iph TphKw /p
Where Tph = Turns per phase, Iph = Phase current, Kw = winding
factor, p = poles
No load field ampere turns per pole
ATfo = SCR x Armature ampere turns per pole ATfo = SCR x ATa
Ampere turns required for the air gap will
be approximately equal to 80% of the no load field ampere
turns per pole.
Mmf for air gap is also equal to 800000Bg Kg lg
0.8 ATfo = 800000 Bg Kg lg lg = 0.8 ATfo/800000 Bg Kg
0.8 ATa *SCR*Kf /800000 Bavg Kg
Selection of number of slots:
Following factors are considered for selection of number of
slots.
Balanced winding:- The number of slots are so selected that a
balanced 3-phase winding is obtained. Unbalance winding will
leads to generation of space harmonics and over heating.
Tooth flux density:- selection of large number of slots will lead
to narrower teeth resulting in to increased tooth flux density
beyond permissible limits.
Leakage reactance:- With less number of slots, the conductors
are nearer leading to increased leakage flux and thereby
increased leakage reactance.
Tooth ripples:- With large number of slots tooth ripples and
therefore pulsation loss decreases.
Temperature rise and cost:- Selection of too small a number of
slots will lead to crowding of conductors, disturbance in air
circulation and hence developing high internal temperature.
Also, smaller number of slots result in saving in labour
because of less number of coils to wind, insulate, place in to
slots and connect.
Considering all the above points number of slots per pole phase
for salient pole machines may be taken as 3 to 4 and for turbo
alternators it may be selected as 7 to 9 slots per pole per
phase.
Slot pitch must be with in the following limitations
(i) Low voltage machines 2.5 cm
(ii)Medium voltage machines up to 6kV 4.0 cm
(iv) High voltage machines up to 15 kV 6.0 cm
Conductor section:
Current per phase = (kVA x 1000)/ 3* Eph
The conductor current Iz = Iph, when all the turns per phase are
connected in series.
But Iz = Iph/A , if there are ‘A’ number of parallel paths per
phase.
Sectional area of the stator conductor as = Is /δs where δs is the
current density in stator windings and Is is stator current per
phase. A suitable value of current density has to be assumed
considering the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of higher value of current density:
(i)reduction in cross section
(ii)reduction in weight
(iii)reduction in cost
Disadvantages of higher value of current density
(i)increase in resistance
(ii)increase in cu loss
(iii)increase in temperature rise
(iv)reduction in efficiency
Hence higher value is assumed for low voltage machines and
small machines. Usual value of current density for stator
windings is 3 to 5 amps/mm2.
Stator slot dimensions: Because parallel sided slots are used the
teeth are tapered having minimum width at the gap surface. The
flux density in teeth at the air gap surface at no load does not
exceed about 1.7 to 1.8 wb/m2 .

Where ψ = ratio of pole arc to pole pitch

The depth of the slot ds is now determined by the space
requirement for copper and insulation. The depth of slot is
normally about 3 times the width.
The length of mean turn:
Lmt = 2L + 2.5 τp + 0.06 kV + 0.2 m
 Staor cor depth

•Refer notes for this topic.

•Also practice problems from notebook.