CHAPTER 2

SYNCHRONOUS
MACHINES

INTRODUCTION

Synchronous Machines are called Synchronous because

their speed is directly related to the supply frequency.

Rotates at a constant speed in the steady state.

The rotating air gap and the rotor rotate at the same
speed.

Synchronous Generators: A primary source of electrical energy

(Convert mechanical power into AC electrical power)

Synchronous Motors: Used to convert AC electrical power into

mechanical power. As well as power factor compensators.

Used primarily as a generators of electrical power

Synchronous Generator or Alternators

INTRODUCTION

AC machine that have a field circuit supplied by an

external DC source

2 types:

1)

Generator

2)

Motor

Most important component in the power system,

since synchronous generators:
Are the source of 99% of the MW in most power systems
Provide frequency regulation and load following
Are the main source of voltage control
Is an important source of oscillation damping.

Cont.

The synchronous speed, Ns

where f = frequency (Hz)

p = no of poles

CONSTRUCTION

Construction:

Cont..water turbine

CONSTRUCTION
STATOR

Static or non-rotating or non-moving

Also known as the armature.

The stator is a ring shaped laminated iron-core with slots.

Three phase windings are placed in the slots (armature

winding)- the main voltage is induced.

2 types of armature windings commonly used:

(i)

Single layer winding

(ii)

Double layer winding.

Most three phase windings are double layer that is two coil
sides are placed in each slots.

ROTOR TYPES:
There are two types of rotor
structures:
1. Round or cylindrical rotor
(non-salient pole)
2. Salient pole rotor
The rotor winding carries DC
current so as to produce
constant flux per pole.
Usually recieves power from a
115 or 230 V DC generator.

CONSTRUCTION

Round or Cylindrical Rotor (Non-Salient Pole)

Normally used for rotor with 2 or 4 poles

Used for steam turbine- driven alternators which run at

very high speeds

Utilisation: High speed synchronous machine

Application: Steam and gas turbine as prime mover

CONSTRUCTION

Salient Pole Rotor

Pole faces project out from the rotor

Normally used for rotor with 4 or more poles
Used in low and medium speed (engine driven) alternators
Has a large number of projecting (salient) poles
Utilisation: Low speed synchronous machine
Application: Hydroturbine as prime mover

Example:

PRINCIPLE OF
OPERATION

The synchronous generator converts mechanical

energy from the turbine into electrical energy.

The turbine converts some kind of energy (steam, water,

wind) into mechanical energy

PRINCIPLE OF
OPERATION

Ns

It is designed to be operating at synchronous speed,

The frequency-speed relation is

Ns p
f
120

where

supply frequency
No. of poles
Ns

The field winding is supplied with a DC current

Field winding is mechanically turned (rotated) at synchronous speed

Nm Ns

where

N m = Mechanical speed

The RMF (rotating magnetic field) produced by the field current induces
voltage in the armature winding

EMF EQUATION
INDUCED EMF EQUATION

where

emf phase 4.44 K p K d fN

cos
2

Kp

Kd

Distribution Factor

Supply frequency

Flux

No. of turns per phase

Pitch Factor

THE SPEED OF SYNCHRONOUS

MACHINES

Synchronous The electrical frequency produced is

locked in or synchronized with the mechanical rate of
rotation of the rotor.

The rate of rotation of the magnetic fields in the

machine (synchronous speed) is related to the stator
electrical frequency given by

nm ns

fe

ns P
120

where

The internal generator voltage

nm

ns

No. of poles
Rotor @ mechanical
speed (rpm)
Synchronous speed
(rpm)

E A k

SYNCHRONOUS
GENERATOR

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
Armature winding circuit
(Stator)

Field winding circuit

(Rotor)

Per Phase Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Generator

E A @ Eg

= Internal generated voltage

IA

= Armature current

RA

= Armature resistance

Xs

= Synchronous reactance

If

= Field current

Rf

= Field resistance

VT @ V

= Terminal voltage

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Generator

V E A jX s I A R A I A
Therefore

E A VT 0 I A RA jX s

PHASOR DIAGRAM OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
Unity power factor (Resistive Load)

E A VT 0 I A 0 R A jX S

Lagging power factor (Inductive Load)

E A VT 0 I A R A jX S

Leading power factor (Capacitive Load)

E A VT 0 I A R A jX S

Example:

A 9-kVA, 208 V, three-phase, Yconnected synchronous generator has a

armature resistance of 0.1/phase and a
synchronous reactance 0f 5.6/phase.
Determine its generated voltage when
the power factor of the load is:
a). 80% lagging
b). unity
c). 80% leading

Exercise:

A 60-kVA, 3-phase, 50Hz, Y-connected,

synchronous generator. The power factor of the
load is 0.9 lagging. The synchronous impedance
is 0.15 + j1.3/phase. Determine the voltage
regulation of the generator.

POWER FLOW DIAGRAM OF

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR

The input mechanical power is the shaft

Power converted from mechanical to electrical

Pin app m
Pconv ind m

POWER FLOW DIAGRAM OF

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
Power Converted

is also known as:

conv

Pm
power
Pind
power

Pdev

power

Mechanical

Induced

Developed

Pconv ind * m 3 E A I A cos

Where

ind

Torque induced (Nm)

Mechanical speed

Angle between

(rad/s)

2N
60

(rad/s)

where

IA

EA

and

= Speed in rpm

POWER IN SYNCHRONOUS
GENERATOR
The input mechanical power is the shaft

Pin app m

Power converted from mechanical to electrical

Pconv ind m

Where

is the angle between

Real electric output power

EA

and

IA

Pconv 3 E A I A cos

Pout 3VT I L cos

Pout 3V I A cos

Reactive output power

Qout 3VT I L sin

Qout 3V I A sin

Exercise:

A 40-kVA, 240 V, 50Hz, 4-pole, 3-phase, Yconnected alternator has a synchronous

reactance of 0.08/phase. The armature-winding
resistance is negligibly small, and the revolving
field is established by permanent magnets. The
rotational loss is 5% of the power developed.
When the generator delivers the rated load at
leading power factor of 0.866, determine:
a). the power angle
b). the efficiency
c). the voltage regulation
d). the torque supplied by the prime mover.

THE MAXIMUM POWER AND

TORQUE

The maximum power that generator can supply.

In real synchronous machines of any size, is more than 10

times smaller than. Therefore,Ra can be ignored (since Xs
>>Ra).

The phasor diagram for lagging power factor with ignored

of Ra is shown in figure below.

THE MAXIMUM POWER AND

TORQUE
IA

Substitute

IA

E A sin
Xs

Qout 3V I A sin

into
Therefore :

3V E A sin
Xs

Torque angle

POWER AND TORQUE IN

SYNCHRONOUS MACHINES
Maximum power that generator can supply occurs when:

90

sin 1
Maximum power

Torque induced

Pmax

ind

3V E A
Xs

3V E A sin

m X s

Example:

A 2400kVA, 16kV, 50Hz, three-phase generator is Yconnected. The generator has a synchronous
reactance of 100/phase and armature resistance is
negligible. If the generator is operating at 0.75
leading power factor, determine:
i) the armature current
ii) the excitation voltage, Ea
iii) torque angle
iv) maximum power supplied by generator
v) with the excitation voltage held and the driving
torque is reduced until generator is delivering 10MW.
Determine the armature current and the power factor
of the generator.

DETERMINATION OF THE
SYNCHRONOUS REACTANCE , Xs

The synchronous reactance is an important parameter in the

equivalent circuit of the synchronous machine. This reactance
can be determined by performing two tests, an open-circuit test
and a short-circuit test.

OPEN CIRCUIT TEST

Circuit for Open Circuit Test

Open Circuit Characteristic

DETERMINATION OF THE
SYNCHRONOUS REACTANCE,
REACTANCE Xs

Open Circuit Test on Generator

The generator is turned at the rated speed

The terminals are disconnected from all loads

Field current is set to zero

Increase the field current gradually in step

Measure the terminal voltage at each step of field current

With the terminalsI open,

0
A

Thus plot a graph

E
A

VT

or

EA

so

I Fversus

Vis equal to
. The graph is

known as open circuit characteristics (OCC).

DETERMINATION OF THE
SYNCHRONOUS REACTANCE , Xs

Short Circuit Test

Circuit for Short Circuit Test

Short Circuit Characteristic

Adjust the field current to zero

Short-circuit the terminal of the generator through a set of ammeters.

Measure the armature current

IA
current is increased

F
Plot a graphA
versus
characteristics (SCC).

or the line current

IL

as the field

. The graph is known as short circuit

DETERMINATION OF THE
SYNCHRONOUS REACTANCE , Xs

Open and Short Circuit Characteristics

DETERMINATION OF THE
SYNCHRONOUS REACTANCE , Xs
Armature current

IA

is given by

Magnitude of armature current

IA

IA

EA
R A jX s

is given by

IA

EA
R A jX s
2

Z s RA X s
2

The internal machine impedance is given by

The synchronous reactance is given by

EA EA
Xs

IA
IA

EA

oc

IA

sc

oc
sc

PROBLEMS
1) A 200kVA, 480V,50 Hz, Y connected
synchronous generator with a rated field
current of 5A was tested, and the following
data was taken:
VT,OC at the rated IF was measured to be 540
IL,SC at the rated IF was found to be 300 A
when a DC voltage of 10V was applied to
two of the terminals, a current of 24A was
measured
Find the values of the armature resistance
and the
approximate synchronous reactance in ohms
that would used
in the generator model at rated conditions.

Example:

The test data obtained at the rated speed on a 3phase , Y-connected, synchronous generator are
given as follows:
Short circuit test:
Field current = 1.2 A
Short cct current = 25 A
Open circuit test:
Field current = 1.2 A
Open cct voltage = 440 V
The per-phase winding resistance is 1.2.
Determine the synchronous reactance of the
generator.

VOLTAGE REGULATION OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR

The variation in the terminal voltage with load is called voltage

regulation. Mathematically, voltage regulation is defined as the
fractional rise in the terminal voltage when a given load is
removed

Voltage regulation

VFL E A VT

VFL
VT

NL

VOLTAGE REGULATION OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
If a synchronous generator operating at:

Unity power factor:

has a small positive value of

VR

Leading power factor

has a fairly large positive

value of VR

Leading power factor

has a negative value of VR

EFFICIENCY OF SYNCHRONOUS
GENERATOR
Efficiency for any electrical machine is defined as:

Pout
Pout

Pin
Pout total .losses

SYNCHRONOUS
MOTOR

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

A synchronous motor is the same physical machine as a

synchronous generator, all of the basic speed, power and
torque equations earlier in this chapter apply to
synchronous motor also.

A synchronous motor is the same in all respects as a

synchronous generator, except that the direction of power
flow is reversed, the direction of current flow is reverse
also

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

E A @ Eg

= Internal generated voltage

IA

= Armature current

RA

= Armature resistance

Xs

= Synchronous reactance

If

= Field current

Rf

= Field resistance

VT @ V

= Terminal voltage

EMF EQUATION

Because of the change in direction of

IA

, the Kirchoffs Voltage

Law equation for the equivalent circuit changes too.

Equation describing

Finally, EMF equation

is:

V E A jX s I A R A I A

E A VT 0 I A R A jX S

PHASOR DIAGRAM OF
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

POWER FLOW DIAGRAM OF

SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

P
conv

Pm
power
Pind
power

Pdev

power

is also known as:

=

Mechanical

Induced

Developed

TORQUE OF SYNCHRONOUS
MOTOR

Torque
induced

ind

where

2N
60

3V E A sin

m X s

Angle between

Load angle

Torque angle

(rad/s)

where

EA

and

VT

= Speed in rpm

VOLTAGE REGULATION OF
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

The variation in the terminal voltage with load is called voltage

regulation. Mathematically, voltage regulation is defined as the
fractional rise in the terminal voltage when a given load is
removed: in other word

Voltage regulation

NL

VFL

VFL

EA
EA

EFFICIENCY OF
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
Efficiency for any electrical machine is defined as:

Pout
Pout

Pin
Pout total .losses

Example: (Synch. Motor)

A 10-hp, 230 V, three-phase. connected, synchronous motor delivers

full load at a power factor of 0.707
leading. The synchronous reactance of
the motor is j5/phase. The rotational
loss is 230 W and the field winding loss
is 70 W. Calculate the generated voltage
and the efficiency of the motor. Neglect
the armature winding resistance.

PROBLEMS

PROBLEMS

PROBLEM
1)

The full load current of a 3.3kV, Yconnected synchronous motor is 60A at 0.8
pf lagging. The armature resistance and
synchronous reactance of the motor are
0.8/phase and 5.5/phase respectively.
With an assumption that the mechanical
stray load loss to be 30kW, determine:
i)excitation emf [ 1.69 kV ]
ii) torque angle [ 7.99 deg]
iii) shaft output and efficiency
iv) voltage regulation