CHAPTER 1

DC GENERATOR

1.1 FARADAY’S LAW

• The induced EMF is proportional to the rate of the magnetic flux vector.

1.2 RIGHT HAND RULE

Figure 1.1: Right Hand rule

• In mathematics and physics, the right-hand rule is a common mnemonic for understanding
notation conventions for vectors in 3 dimensions. It was invented for use in electromagnetism
by British physicist John Ambrose Fleming in the late 19th century.

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1.3 LEFT HAND RULE

Figure 1.2: Left Hand rule

• The thumb is the force, F.

• The first finger is the magnetic flux density, B.

• The second finger is the electric current, I.

Distinction between the right-hand and left-hand rule

• Fleming's left-hand rule is used for electric motors, while Fleming's right-hand rule is used for
electric generators.

• Separate hands need to be used for motors and generators because of the differences between
cause and effect.

1.4 COMPONENT OF DC GEBERATOR

• Armature

• Commutator

• Field Pole

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• Carbon brush

• Yoke

1.4.1 Armature

Figure 1.3: Armature

• The armature is the rotating part of a DC generator. It consists of a commutator, an iron

• The armature is keyed to a shaft and revolves between the field poles. The iron core is
composed of slotted, iron laminations that are stacked to form a solid cylindrical core.

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1.4.2 Commutator

Figure 1.4: Commutator

• Commutator is a mechanical rectifier, converts the alternating voltage into direct voltage.

• It is made of copper segments insulated from each other by mica and mounted on the shaft
of the machine.

• The armature windings are connected to the commutator segments.

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1.4.3 Field Pole

Figure 1.5 Field Pole

• The field produces the magnetic flux. It is basically a stationary electromagnet composed of
a set of salient poles bolted to the inside of circular frame.

• Field coils, mounted on the poles, carry the DC exciting current. The frame is usually made
of solid cast steel, whereas the pole pieces are composed of stacked laminations.

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1.4.4 Brushes

Figure 1.6: Brushes

• The carbon (graphite) brushes in a generator are used to connect external circuits in the
generator to the rotor through the commutator.

• The brushes are made of carbon because it has good electrical conductivity and its softness
does not score the commutator.

• To improve the conductivity, a small amount of copper is sometimes mixed with the carbon.

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 1.4.5 Yoke

Figure 1.7: Yoke

• This is the outer most cover, which acts as a protective cover for all the various windings and
all the electrical circuit present in the generator.

• Two main functions of yoke are:

1.5 ARMATURE WINDING LAYOUT FOR DC GENERATOR

• There are two types of armature winding for dc generator:

a. Lap Winding
b. Wave Winding

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 Figure 1.8: Lap and wave winding

1.5.1 Lap Windings

Figure 1.9: Lap winding

• For lap winding, the commutator pitch YC = 1 and coil span YS = pole pitch.

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 • Thus the ends of any coil are brought out to adjacent commutator segments and the result
of this method of connection is that all the coils of the armature are in sequence with the
last coil connected to the first coil.

1.5.2 Wave Windings

Figure 1.10: Wave winding

• For wave winding, the commutator pitch YC - 2 pole pitches and coil span = pole pitch.

• The result is that the coils under consecutive pole pairs will be joined together in series
thereby adding together their Emf.

1.5.3 Differences between Lap & Wave windings

• The main differences is that lap winding is used for high current and low voltage machines
while wave winding is used for low current and high voltage machines.

• Also in lap winding the number of corresponding paths is always matching to the number of
brushes and poles.

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 • However, in wave winding the number of matching parallel paths is always two and there
may be double or more brush positions.

1.6 TYPES OF DC GENERATOR

• A generator is the one, which converts the available mechanical energy in to electrical energy.
There are several types of generators depending on the type of precise field excitation are
classified in to:

1) Separately-excited generators
2) Self-excited generator

1.6.1 Separately-excited generators

• Generators in which the excitation required for the coil is provided by a external source are
termed as separately excited generators.

• This type of generators employs a separate voltage source for the field excitation of the coil
in general a D.C battery is employed for giving the excitation.

Figure 1.11: Separately excited generator

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 • Generators in which the excitation required by the coil is provided internally are termed as
self excited generators.

• Self-excited generators are again sub divided in to:

1) Shunt generator
2) Series generators
3) Compound generators

1.6.2 Shunt DC Generator

• In these generators the field winding is shunted across the armature, which means that the
field winding is connected in parallel with the armature.

• Only a part of total current flows through the field winding.

Figure 1.12: Shunt DC generator

1.6.3 Series DC Generator

• Series generators are those type of generators in which the field winding is connected in
series with the normal connections.

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 • In these generators the total current flowing through the circuit flows through the field
winding.

Figure 1.13: Series DC generator

1.6.4 Compound DC Generator

• This is a special type of generator which have the field winding connected in both parallel
and in line with the normal circuit that is two small windings are used in place of using a
large winding in a single connection.

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 Figure 1.14: Compound DC generator

1.7 FORMULA FOR TERMINAL VOLTAGE

Shunt DC Generator

Vt = Emf – IaRa Vt = terminal voltage

Emf = generated voltage

Series DC Generator Ia = armature current

Vt = Emf – Ia(Ra + Rs) Ra = armature resistance

Rs = series resistance

Long Compound DC Generator IL = load current

Vt = Emf – Ia(Ra + Rs)

Short Compound DC Generator

Vt = Emf – IaRa – ILRS

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 Internal Generated voltage Emf of DC Generator

𝑁𝑍∅ 𝑃
𝐸= ×
60 𝑎

E = generated voltage

N = speed (rpm)

Z = no of conductors

∅ = flux of a pole

P = no of pole

a = no of current path

Number of current path (a)

For lap winding: a = mP

For wave winding: a = 2m

1.8 TYPES OF LOSSES IN DC GENERATOR

• The losses in a dc machine (generator or motor) may be divided into three classes

(i) copper losses

(ii) iron or core losses and

(iii) mechanical losses.

• All these losses appear as heat and thus raise the temperature of the machine. They also lower
the efficiency of the machine.

1.8.1 Copper Losses

• These losses occur due to currents in the various windings of the machine.

Armature copper loss = 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎

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 Shunt field copper loss = 𝐼𝑓2 𝑅𝑓

Series copper loss = 𝐼𝐿2 𝑅𝐿

1.8.2 Iron Losses

• These losses occur in the armature of a dc generator and are due to the rotation of
armature in the magnetic field of the poles. They are of two types

(i) hysteresis loss

(ii) eddy current loss

Hysterisis Losses

• Hysteresis loss occurs in thearmature of the dc generatorsinceany given part of the

Eddy Current Losses

• In addition to the voltages induced in the armature conductors, there are also voltages
induced in the armature core.

• These voltages produce circulating currents in the armature core.

1.8.3 Mechanical Losses

• These losses are due to friction and windage.

(i) friction loss (i.e - bearing friction, brush friction)

(ii) windage loss (i.e - air friction of rotating armature)

• These losses depend upon the speed of the machine. But for a given speed, they are
practically constant.

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 Figure 1.15: Losses in DC machine

1.9 EFFICIENCY OF DC GENERATOR

• Pout = Pin – Plosses

Where: Pout = Output power

Pin = input power

 = efficiency

POWER STAGES

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