DC Motors

EE 2802 Applied Electricity

Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Introduction
Construction
Equivalent Circuit
Operation
Losses
Starting a DC Motor
Types of DC Motors
Speed Control

1. Introduction
Why DC motors are so common, when DC
power systems are rare?

DC power systems are used in cars, trucks &

aircrafts > use DC motors

Wide variation in speed is possible

(today induction motors with solid
state drive packages are mostly
used)

2. Construction

DC Motor Stator

Stator
Permanent magnets
Can eliminate the power loss
Improve the efficiency
Disadvantage - constant flux

Field windings around the poles

Can control flux
(by regulating the current in the winding)

DC Motor Rotor

Rotor
Rotating part is called the armature

Made of highly permeable electrically

insulated thin laminations;
that are stacked together
Electrical insulation reduces eddy current
losses

Slots to house the armature windings

Rotor
Commutator
- made of copper segments
- insulated from one another
- converts alternating emf into a unidirectional voltage
Electrical connection between external circuit
and the armature coils
- established using the stationary
brushes

Armature winding
2 types
Lap winding
Wave winding
Its the way the armature winding is connected
to the commutator

Armature winding
Lap winding

No. of brushes and the parallel paths between

brushes = No. of poles
Used in low voltage, high current applications

Armature winding
Wave winding

No. of brushes and the parallel paths between

brushes = 2
Used in high voltage, low current applications

3. Equivalent Circuit

Armature circuit by Ea and Ra

Field coils by Rfw and Nf
Rfx external variable resistor to control the
amount of filed circuit current

4. Operation
A uniform magnetic field is created by the poles
Armature conductors are connected to a DC
power source > carry current
Current carrying conductors are now placed in a
magnetic field

Will experiences a force / torque

Armature starts rotating > an emf is induced

Operation of a DC Generator
Driven by a source of mechanical power
(prime mover)
Prime mover
A steam turbine
A diesel engine
An electric motor

Induced emf

For a generator ->

Generated emf

For a motor

Back emf

->

Developed Torque

Magnetization Characteristic

If the armature is rotated at the rated speed;

Commutation
Current in each conductor under a same pole must
be in the same direction
As the conductor moves from one pole to the next,
there must be a reversal of the current
This process of reversal is known as Commutation

Brush Positions
GNA (Geometrical Neutral Axis)
- axis of symmetry between 2 adjacent poles
MNA (Magnetic Neutral Axis)
- axis drawn perpendicular to the mean
direction of the flux passing through the centre of
the armature

 For sparkles commutation, the brushes must lie

along MNA

With no current in the armature conductors, the

MNA coincides with GNA.

Armature Reaction
Flux by the field winding

- main flux

Flux by the armature winding

- armature flux

Armature flux distorts and weakens the main flux

This action is called armature reaction

(Only one pole is shown for clarity)

Effects:
Flux weakening
MNA shift (brushes are not aligned with MNA)

Solutions for Armature Reaction

1) Brush shifting
2) Commutating poles (Interpoles)
3) Compensating winding
Brush shifting

Automatic brush shifting mechanisms (in large

machines)

Commutating poles (Interpoles)

Small poles placed between the main poles

Interpole winding - in series with armature
winding
Interpoles produce flux that opposes the
armature flux

Compensating winding

Slots cut in the pole faces

Compensating winding on those slots
Compensating winding produce flux that
opposes the armature flux

5. Losses
1. Copper losses
2. Rotational losses
1. Friction & windage losses
2. Magnetic loss (Core losses)

3. Stray load losses

Copper Losses
Armature winding loss
Field (shunt / series) winding loss
Interpole winding loss (if any)
Compensating winding loss (if any)

Rotational Losses
Friction and Windage Loss
Bearing friction loss
- friction between bearings and shaft
Brush friction loss
- friction between brushes and commutator
Windage loss
- drag on the armature caused by air gap

Magnetic Loss
Hysteresis loss
Eddy current loss

Stray Load Losses

Due to the distorted flux due to armature
reaction
About 1% of the output power in large
machines
Can be neglected in small machines

Power Flow Diagram

For a Generator

For a Motor

6. Starting a DC Motor

At starting Ea = 0
As Ra is very small, Ia will be extremely high
This high current will permanently damage the
armature winding

 An external resistance is added in series with the

armature circuit
It is gradually decreased
Finally, cut out from the armature circuit

7. Types of DC Motors
1. Separately Excited DC Motor
Field winding is supplied by a separate
power source

2. Series DC Motor
Field winding in series with armature
winding

3. Shunt DC Motor
Field winding in parallel with armature
winding

4. Compound DC Motor
2 field windings (series & shunt)

Separately Excited DC Motor

External power source for field winding

Mainly used in testing purposes (laboratories)

Series DC Motor

Series filed winding carries rated Ia

Ia changes with load -> main flux changes

Flux is a function of Ia

 High torque at low speeds

Low torque at high speeds
Suitable for hoists, cranes and electric trains

Developed torque can be controlled by

controlling the applied voltage

Example 1
A series motor operates in the linear region in
which the flux is proportional to the armature
current. When the armature current is 12A, the
motor speed is 600 rpm. The line voltage is 120 V,
the armature resistance is 0.7 and the series
field winding resistance is 0.5.
What is the torque developed by the motor?
For the motor to operate at a speed of 2400 rpm,
determine the;
(a) armature current and
(b) driving torque

Shunt DC Motor
For a constant Vs
-> main flux is constant

 When the load (Ia) increases-> Ea decreases

When armature reaction is negligible
Flux is constant speed decreases (curve a)
When armature reaction is considered
Flux decreases speed increases (curves b, c & d)
Curve d is not desirable
add stabilizing winding in series with armature
winding

Compound DC Motor
Long shunt compound DC motor:
Shunt filed winding is connected across the
power source
Flux created by the shunt filed winding is
constant
Short shunt compound DC motor:
Shunt field winding connected across the
armature terminals
Flux created is decreases with an increase in
the load
(due to voltage drop across series filed
winding)

Long shunt compound DC motor

Short shunt compound DC motor

Cumulative compound motor:

Flux produced by the series field winding
aids the flux produced by the shunt field
winding
Differential compound motor:
Flux produced by the series field winding
opposes the flux produced by the shunt
filed winding

As we increase the load on a long-shunt

compound motor;

1) Series winding current increases

-> total flux increases/decreases

(+) for cumulative and () for differential

2) Torque increases/decreases at a faster rate than

a shunt motor

3) Increases the voltage drop across Ra and Rs

- > decrease/increase the speed rapidly than
in a shunt motor

8. Speed Control

1. Armature resistance control method

2. Field control method
3. Armature voltage control method
(Ward Leonard system)

Armature Resistance Control Method

Add external resistance in the armature circuit
Starting resistor can also be used

Increase external resistance -> decrease speed

Suitable to operate at a speed < rated speed
(while delivering the same torque)
Power loss in the external resistor
Efficiency decreases

Example 2
A 220V DC shunt motor drives a pump whose
torque varies as the square of the speed. When the
motor runs at 900 rpm, it takes 47A from the
supply. The shunt filed current is 2A, and the
armature resistance is 0.5.
What resistance must be inserted in the armature
circuit in order to reduce its speed to 600 rpm?
Calculate the power loss at the external resistance.

Filed Control Method

Control field current -> control flux
Insert an external resistor
in series with the shunt field winding
in parallel with the series field winding

Field current is very small -> power loss at the

external resistor is small

Flux decrease -> speed increase

Suitable to operate at a speed > rated speed

Armature Voltage Control Method

(Ward Leonard System)

Inserting an external resistor in series with the

armature circuit
= Applying a voltage < rated value across the
armature terminals
Apply a reduced voltage across the armature
terminals
Voltage across the shunt field winding is held
constant

 Requires 2 generators and an AC motor

3 phase AC motor acts as a prime mover that
drives both generators

One generator (exciter) -> field winding

Other generator -> provides a variable voltage
across armature terminals

Advantages:
Eliminate the power loss exists in armature
resistance control method
Wide and very sensitive speed control

Disadvantages:
Requires 2 power sources
Expensive

References

Electrical Machinery & Transformers

Guru & Hizirogly

Electrical Machines Theory & Practice

M N Bandyopadhyay

Electrical Machinery Fundamentals

Stephan J Chapman