Subject: introduction to

electrical engineering VTU –

besck104
Semester I
Course Coordinator: Prof. Renuka R.Thakai
MODULE -3
DC MACHINES

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

S.G.Balekundri Institute of Technology, Belagavi
1

1 2
 DC Generator
 All the generators work on the Principle of dynamically induced emf.
 It states that whenever number of magnetic lines of force i.e flux linking with
conductor or a coil changes, an electromotive force is set up tn that conductor or
coil.
 The change in flux associated with conductor can exist only when there exist a
relative motion between a conductor and the flux.
 The relative motion can be achieved by rotating conductor with respect to flux or
by rotating flux with respect to a conductor.
 So a voltage gets generated in the conductor, as long as there exist a relative motion
between conductor and the flux.
 Such an induced emf which is due to the physical movement of coil or conductor
with respect to the flux or movement of flux with respect to coil or conductor is
called dynamically induced emf.
Working Principle of DC Generator
 Position 1 − The induced EMF is zero because, the movement of coil sides is
parallel to the magnetic flux.
 Position 2 − The coil sides are moving at an angle to the magnetic flux, and hence
a small EMF is generated in the loop.
 Position 3 − The coil sides are moving at right angle to the magnetic flux, therefore
the induced EMF is maximum.
 Position 4 − The coil sides are cutting the magnetic flux at an angle, thus a reduced
EMF is induced in the coil sides.
 Position 5 − No flux linkage with the coil side and the coil sides are moving
parallel to the magnetic flux. Therefore, no EMF is induced in the coil.
 Position 6 − The coil sides move under a pole of opposite polarity and hence the
polarity of induced EMF is reversed. The maximum EMF will induce in this
direction at position 7 and zero when it is at position 1. This cycle repeats with
rotation of the coil.
 It is clear that the generated EMF in the loop is alternating one. It is because
any coil side (say AB) has EMF in one direction when under the influence of N-pole
and in the other direction when under the influence of S-pole. Hence, when a load is
connected across the terminals of the generator, an alternating current will flow
through it. Now, by using a commutator, this alternating emf generated in the loop
can be converted into direct voltage.
Construction of DC Generator
1.Yoke: The outer frame of a dc machine is called as yoke. It is made up of cast iron
or steel. It not only provides mechanical strength to the whole assembly but also
carries the magnetic flux produced by the field winding. The yoke serves following
two purposes
 It supports the field pole core and acts as a protecting cover to the machine.
 It provides a path for the magnetic flux produced by the field winding.
For large machines rolled steel, silicon steel ,cast steel is used which provides good
strength.
2. Magnetic field or Poles: The magnetic field system of a DC generator is the stationary
part of the machine. It produces the main magnetic flux in the generator. It consists of an
even number of pole cores bolted to the yoke and field winding wound around the pole core.
The field system of DC generator has salient poles i.e. the poles project inwards and each
pole core has a pole shoe having a curved surface. The pole shoe serves two purposes
 It provides support to the field coils.
 It reduces the reluctance of magnetic circuit by increasing the cross-sectional area of it.
The pole cores are made of thin laminations of sheet steel which are insulated from
each other. The field coils are connected in series with one another such that when the
current flows through the coils, alternate north and south poles are produced in the direction
of rotation.
3. Field Winding: The field winding is wound on the pole core with definite direction. It
helps in producing the magnetic field .
 Exciting the poles as electromagnet . It is called field winding or exciting winding.
 They are usually made of copper. Field coils are former wound and placed on each
pole and are connected in series.
 When current is passed through these coils, they electro-magnetize the poles which
produce the necessary flux which is cut by the armature conductors when in motion.
4.Armature Core: The armature core of DC generator is mounted on the shaft and
rotates between the field poles. It has slots on its outer surface and the armature
conductors are put in these slots. The armature core is a made up of soft iron laminations
which are insulated from each other and tightly clamped together. In small machines, the
laminations are keyed directly to the shaft, whereas in large machines, they are mounted
on a spider. The laminated armature core is used to reduce the eddy current loss.
5.Armature Winding: The insulated conductors are put into the slots of the armature core.
The conductors are suitably connected. This connected arrangement of conductors is known as
armature winding. There are two types of armature windings are used – wave winding and lap
winding.
6.Commutator: A commutator is a mechanical rectifier which converts the alternating emf
generated in the armature winding into the direct voltage across the load terminals. The
commutator is made of wedge-shaped copper segments insulated from each other and from the
shaft by mica sheets. Each segment of commutator is connected to the ends of the armature
coils.
7. Brushes : The brushes are mounted on the commutator and are used to collect the current
from the armature winding. The brushes are made of carbon and is supported by a metal box
called brush holder. Brushes are stationary and resting on the surface of the commutator. The
pressure exerted by the brushes on the commutator is adjusted and maintained at constant
value by means of springs. The current flows from the armature winding to the external
circuit through the commutator and carbon brushes.
Types of DC Generator
Seperately Excited DC Generator
In this type of generator, the field excitation is provided from
a separate external source of DC voltage. The voltage source may
be a battery or another dc generator.
 Depending on how electrically the armature winding is
connected to the field winding the self excited dc generators
are classified into three types.
1.Shunt generator
2.Series Generator
3.Compound generator
 Shunt 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 I sh, flows through it because
this winding has many turns of fine wire having very high resistance R sh of the
order of 100 ohms.
The terminal voltage V across the load is same across
field winding as both are in parallel to each other.
The shunt field current is given as:

The field winding has large

number of turns of thin wire so
it has high resistance denoted
as Rsh.
Armature current is given as:

Induced emf requires to supply voltage drop and brush contact drop.

𝐸 =𝑉 + 𝐼𝑎𝑅𝑎 + 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠h
 Series Generator
A series-wound generator the field coils are connected in series with the
armature winding. The series field winding carries the armature current.
The series field winding consists of a few turns of wire of thick wire of
larger cross-sectional area and having low resistance usually of the order of
less than 1 ohm because the armature current has a very large value.
Let Rse is the series field winding resistance.

As all armature , field and load are in series ,

they carry the same current.
In addition to drop Ia Ra ,induced emf has to supply voltage supply across series field
winding.

𝐸=𝑉 +𝐼𝑎𝑅𝑎+𝐼𝑎𝑅𝑠𝑒+ 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠h

𝐸=𝑉 + 𝐼𝑎( 𝑅𝑎+ 𝑅𝑠𝑒)+ 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠h
 Compound Generator
Sometimes it is necessary to have two field windings in the same
generator. One connected in series with armature and other connected in
parallel with it. Such a generator is termed as Compound Generator.

It is connected in two ways. One is a long shunt compound

generator, and another is a short shunt compound generator.
If the shunt field is connected in parallel with the armature alone
then the machine is called the short compound generator. In long shunt
compound generator, the shunt field is connected in series with the
armature.
Long shunt Compound Generator:
In this type shunt field winding is connected across the series combination of
armature and series field winding.

𝐸=𝑉 +𝐼𝑎(𝑅𝑎+𝑅𝑠𝑒)+ 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠h

Short shunt Compound Generator:
In this type shunt field winding is connected only across the armature
excluding series field winding.

Series field current is given as:

𝐸=𝑉 +𝐼𝑎𝑅𝑎+𝐼𝐿𝑅𝑠𝑒+ 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠h

 DC MOTOR
 A motor is a device which converts an electrical energy into mechanical
energy.
 The construction of DC Motor and Generator is same .
 The energy conversion process is exactly opposite to that involved in a
dc generator
 In a dc generator the input mechanical energy is supplied by a prime
mover while in dc motor input electrical energy is supplied by a dc
supply.
 Principle of Operation

The Principle of operation of a dc motor can be stated as “ When a

current carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field , it experiences
a mechanical force”.
 In a practical DC motor field winding produces a required magnetic
field. When armature conductors play a role of current carrying
conductors and hence armature conductors experiences a force.
 The direction of this force is given by Fleming’s Left Hand Rule
and its magnitude is given by
F=B I l newtons
 As conductors are placed in the slots which are in the periphery of
armature core, the individual force experienced by the conductor
acts as twisting or turning force on the armature which is called
torque.
 The torque is the product of force and the radius at which this force
acts .
 Overall armature experiences a torque and starts rotating.
The Flemings’ left-hand rule states that
“Stretch out the forefinger, middle finger
and thumb of your left hand in such a
way that they are mutually perpendicular
to each other. If the forefinger represents
the direction of the field(B) and the
middle finger represents that of the
current(I), then the thumb gives the
direction of the force(F)”.
 Let us consider the following figure. The figure shows a part of a multipolar DC
motor. It has two field poles: the North(N) pole and the South(S) pole. The rotor is
drawn as a semi-circle, which carries the armature conductor(shown as small
circles).
 When the dc motor is connected to the DC supply, the direct current flows
through the brushes and commutator to the armature winding. Once the current
passes through the commutator, it becomes alternating.
The armature conductors under the North pole carry the current in
an inward direction(shown as a plus). Similarly, the conductors
under the south pole carry current in an outward direction(shown
as minus).
Hence the group of conductors under the successive filed poles
carry current in opposite direction.
Now each conductor under the respective poles experiences a force
in a direction given by Fleming’s left-hand rule.
The arrow shown above each conductor denotes the direction of
the force experienced by it. These forces collectively produce a
rotating torque, which will rotate the dc motor.
 Back EMF and Its Significance
 As soon as the armature conductors start rotating, it cuts the magnetic field. So a dynamically
induced emf is induced in the armature conductors according to
Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction. The emf thus produced is said to be back emf or
counter emf.
 The direction of this induced emf is such that it opposes the armature current, which is given by
Lenz’s law.
 The value of this induced back emf is equal to the emf induced in a dc generator, which is given by

where Φ is the magnetic flux produced,

N is the speed of the rotor in revolutions per minute,
Z is the total number of conductors,
P is the total number of poles and
A is the number of parallel paths.
 The applied voltage must force the current through the armature conductors against
the back emf Eb.
 Thus the mechanical energy produced is the result of armature current overcoming
the dynamically induced emf.
 The equivalent circuit of a DC motor is shown in the figure below. The armature
circuit consists of armature resistance Ra, back emf Eb and brush contact drop Vbr. It
is connected across a DC supply of V volts.
From the circuit, it can be observed that the applied voltage should be large enough
to overcome the drops in armature resistance, brush contact and the back emf at all
times. It is given by,

Where V is the applied voltage,

Eb is the developed back emf,
Ia is the armature current,
Ra is the armature resistance,
Vbr is the brush contact drop.
As the brush contact drop is very small, it can be neglected. Hence, the above
equation can be re-written as,
 The induced back emf(Eb) depends on the armature speed(N).
 The armature current(Ia) depends on the back emf(Eb) for a constant
applied voltage and armature resistance.
 When the armature speed is high, the back emf will be large and
therefore the armature current is small. If the speed is low, then the
back emf is less, which results in high value of armature current.
Hence, high torque is produced.
 Thus the presence of back emf makes the DC motor to act like a
governor or a self-regulating machine.
Types of DC Motor
1.DC Shunt Motor
2. DC Series Motor
3. DC Compound Motor

DC Shunt Motor:
The Shunt field winding is connected across the armature.
V is the applied voltage due to which current IL flows through the line,
a current Ish through the shunt field winding and
Ia through the armature.
The field current is given by

The armature current is given by

Eb=V-Ia Ra -Vbrush
DC Series Motor
In the series motor, the field winding is connected in series with the armature
winding.
V is the applied voltage due to which a current IL flows
through the line, the series field winding and armature
conductors.

IL=Ise=Ia

Eb
 DC Compound Motor

In a long shunt-wound generator, the shunt field winding is parallel

with both armature and series field winding.

The armature and shunt field windings are connected in parallel with each other and
this parallel connection combination is then connected in series with the series field
winding.