Synchronous Generator
Synchronous generator or alternator is a synchronous
machine used to convert mechanical power to Ac
electrical power.
► Use electromagnet ( DC current is supplied to produce magnetic
field)
► Poles are mounted on rotor
► Two types of pole:
Salient pole
Non Salient pole or cylindrical pole
Stator
Stator
Rotor
Non salient pole rotor
Salient Pole rotor
Excitation concept
Slip ring and carbon brush
Excitation System : Exciters- Brushless exciters
Slip rings and brushes create a few problems when they are used to supply dc power to
the field windings of a synchronous machine. They increase the amount of
maintenance required on the machine, since the brushes must be checked for wear
regularly. In addition, brush voltage drop can be the cause of significant power losses
on machines with larger field currents. Despite these problems, slip rings and brushes
are used on all smaller synchronous machines, because no other method of supplying
the dc field current is cost-effective.
brushless exciters:
On larger generators and motors, brushless exciters are used to supply the dc field
current to the machine. A brushless exciter is a small ac generator with its field circuit
mounted on the stator and its armature circuit mounted on the rotor shaft. The three-
phase output of the exciter generator is rectified to direct current by a three-phase
rectifier circuit also mounted on the shaft of the generator, and is then fed into the
main dc field circuit. By controlling the small dc field current of the exciter generator
(located on the stator), it is possible to adjust the field current on the main machine
without slip rings and brushes. This arrangement is shown schematically in Figure 5-3
and Fig 5.5. Since no mechanical contacts ever occur between the rotor and the stator, a
brushless exciter requires much less maintenance than slip rings and brushes.
Brush less excitation System
Figure 5-3 : A brush less exciter circuit. A small three-phase current is rectified and used to supply the field
circuit of the exciter. which is located on the stator. The output of the armature circuit of the exciter (on the
rotor) is then rectified and used to supply the field current of the main machine.
Brush less excitation System
To make the excitation of a generator completely independent of any
external power sources, a small pilot exciter is often included in the
system. A pilot exciter is a small ac generator with permanent magnets
mounted on the rotor shaft and a three-phase winding on the stator. It
produces the power for the field circuit of the exciter, which in turn
controls the field circuit of the main machine. If a pilot exciter is
included on the generator shaft, then no external electric power is
required to run the generator (see Figure 5-5).
Many synchronous generators that include brushless exciters also have
slip rings and brushes, so that an auxiliary source of dc field current is
available in emergencies.
Brush less excitation System
Figure 5-5: A brushless excitation scheme that includes a pilot exciter. The permanent magnets of the
pilot exciter produce the field current of the exciter which in turn produces the field current of the main
machine.
Synchronous Speed
Armature Reaction
Equivalent circuit
Phases are not
connected
Equivalent circuit
Star or Delta connection
Equivalent circuit
Simplified
