Construction of synchronous machines
In a synchronous generator, a DC current is
applied to the rotor winding producing a rotor
magnetic field. The rotor is then turned by
external means producing a rotating magnetic
field, which induces a 3-phase voltage within
the stator winding.
• Field windings are the windings
producing the main magnetic field
(rotor windings
• armature windings are the windings
where the main voltage is induced
(stator windings)
Construction of synchronous machines
The rotor of a synchronous machine is a large electromagnet. The
magnetic poles can be either salient (sticking out of rotor surface) or non-
salient construction.
Non-salient-pole rotor: usually two- and four-pole rotors. Salient-pole rotor: four
and more poles.
Rotors are made laminated to reduce eddy current losses.
Construction of synchronous machines
Two common approaches are used to supply a DC current to the field
circuits on the rotating rotor:
1. Supply the DC power from an
external DC source to the rotor by
means of slip rings and brushes;
2. Supply the DC power from a
special DC power source mounted
directly on the shaft of the
machine.
Slip rings are metal rings completely encircling the shaft of a machine but
insulated from it. Graphite-like carbon brushes connected to DC terminals
ride on each slip ring supplying DC voltage to field windings.
Construction of synchronous machines
• On large generators and motors, brushless exciters are used.
• A brushless exciter is a small AC generator whose field
circuits are mounted on the stator and armature circuits are
mounted on the rotor shaft.
• The exciter generator’s 3-phase output is rectified to DC by
a 3-phase rectifier (mounted on the shaft) and fed into the
main DC field circuit.
• It is possible to adjust the field current on the main machine
by controlling the small DC field current of the exciter
generator (located on the stator).
Construction of synchronous machines
A brushless exciter: a
low 3-phase current is
rectified and used to
supply the field circuit
of the exciter (located
on the stator).
The output of the
exciter’s armature
circuit (on the rotor) is
rectified and used as
the field current of the
main machine.
Construction of synchronous machines
To make the excitation of
a generator completely
independent of any
external power source, a
small pilot exciter is often
added to the circuit.
The pilot exciter is an AC
generator with a
permanent magnet
mounted on the rotor
shaft and a 3-phase
winding on the stator
producing the power for
the field circuit of the
exciter.
Construction of synchronous machines
A rotor of large
synchronous
machine with a
brushless exciter
mounted on the
same shaft.
Construction of synchronous machines
Exciter
Salient poles.
Rotation speed of synchronous generator
By the definition, synchronous generators produce electricity
whose frequency is synchronized with the mechanical rotational
speed.
p
fe nm
120
Where fe is the electrical frequency, Hz;
nm is the rotor speed of the machine, rpm;
p is the number of poles.
• Steam turbines are most efficient when rotating at high speed;
therefore, to generate 60 Hz, they are usually rotating at 3600
rpm (2-pole).
• Water turbines are most efficient when rotating at low speeds
(200-300 rpm); therefore, they usually turn generators with many
poles.
The induced voltage in a 3-phase set of coils
In three coils, each of NC turns, placed around the rotor magnetic field,
the induced in each coil will have the same magnitude and phases
differing by 1200:
eaa ' (t ) NCm cos mt
ebb ' (t ) NCm cos mt 120
ecc ' (t ) NCm cos mt 240
Peak voltage:
Emax NCm Emax 2 NC f
2
RMS voltage: EA NC f 2 NC f
2
Internal generated voltage of a synchronous
generator
The magnitude of internal generated voltage induced in a given stator is
EA 2 NC f K
where K is a constant representing the construction of the machine, is flux in it
and is its rotation speed.
Since flux in the
machine depends
on the field current
through it, the
internal generated
voltage is a
function of the
rotor field current.
Magnetization curve (open-circuit characteristic) of a
synchronous machine
