The Stator Coil

Pitch and Distribution Factors

The Coil Pitch

In some generators, the coil sides does not exactly
correspond to adjacent North (N) and South (S) poles of
the rotor. If they do, they are called full-pitch coils.
If the sides of the coils span an arc whose angle is less
than the angle spanned by adjacent N & S poles, these
coils are called fractional-pitch coil.
The physical or mechanical angle spanned by adjacent N &
S poles known as the pole pitch (p) is dependent on the
number of poles (P) of the rotor but are always 180
electrical degrees apart.
Hence, for P = 2, the
360o
(mechanical degrees)
p
mechanical pitch and
P
electrical pitch of adjacent
o
(electrical degrees)

180
p
poles are numerically the
same.

The Coil Pitch

coil
pitch

coil
pitch

p
N

A full-pitch coil a-a A fractional-pitch coil aa

coil a-a containing several
turns

The Coil Pitch

In reality, the air-gap flux density distribution is not
sinusoidal. Its contaminated by harmonics.

BM

stator
a
air gap

rotor
Air-gap flux density:
B()= BM cos (t )

rotor is moving
in this direction

Perfect sinusoidal air-gap flux density

(coils are full-pitched)

The Coil Pitch

In reality, the air-gap flux density distribution is not
sinusoidal. Its contaminated by harmonics.

BM

stator
a
air gap

rotor
Air-gap flux density:
B()= BM cos (t )

rotor is moving
in this direction

Non-sinusoidal air-gap flux density

(coils are full-pitched)

The Coil Pitch

In reality, the air-gap flux density distribution is not
sinusoidal. Its contaminated by harmonics.
If the air-gap flux contains harmonics, so as the induced
voltage and current in the stator windings which is an
undesirable condition.
Introducing
fractional-pitch coils
in stator windings can
suppress some of
these harmonics and
improved the shape of
the induced voltage
and current in the
stator winding.

EA

The phase voltage induced on

a generator due to nonsinusoidal flux distribution

The Coil Pitch

Conversion of mechanical degrees to electrical
degrees and vice versa:
If we let De the pitch in
electrical degrees and Dm, the
corresponding pitch in
mechanical degrees, then

P
De Dm
2

p
N

Note that if P = 2,
De = Dm.
The pole pitch of a 4-pole
machine is 90o mechanical
and always 180o electrical

The Coil Pitch

The Coil Pitch (c):
The coil pitch c is defined as the span of the coil sides in
electrical or mechanical degrees.
Sometimes the span is given as a fraction of the pole
pitch.
If the pitch of the coil in mechanical degrees is given by
m, then its pitch in electrical degrees is,
P
c m (electrical degrees)
2
Fractional-pitch coils are also known as chorded windings.

Checkpoint 1
A 3-phase, 8-pole alternator has full-pitch coils. What is
the coil pitch
a) in electrical degrees
b) in mechanical degrees?
If the coil pitch is 7/8 of the pole pitch, what are the
pitches in electrical and mechanical degrees?
Solution:
a)

b)

360 o
m
45 o
8
P
8
c m 45 o 180 o
2
2

c 45 o(mechanical degrees)

(electrical degrees)

Checkpoint 1
Solution:
c)

360 o 7
m
39.375 o
8
8
P
8
c m 39.375 o 157.5 o
2
2

c 39.375 o

(mechanical degrees)

(electrical degrees)

Effect of Coil Pitch on Induced Voltage

l

c
-

edc

90-c

d
+

v
B

+
eind

+
b

eba

eba in segment ba:

BM

c-d

c
v

a-b

eba = (v x B) l
= (vB sin 90o) l cos 0o
90-c
o
eba = v BM l cos (t 90 -c)
A 2-pole generator with
Note: this induced voltage
chorded coil a-b-c-d (the coil
must be directed into this page. pitch c in electrical degrees

Effect of Coil Pitch on Induced Voltage

l

c
-

edc

90-c

d
+

v
B

+
eind

+
b

eba

edc in segment dc :

BM

c-d

c
v

a-b

edc = (v x B) l
= (vB sin 90o) l cos 0o
90-c
o
edc = v BM l cos (t 90 +c)
A 2-pole generator with
Note: this induced voltage must chorded coil a-b-c-d (the coil
be directed out of this page
pitch c in electrical degrees

Effect of Coil Pitch on Induced Voltage

l

c
-

edc

90-c

d
+

v
B

+
eind

+
b

eba

segments bc and ad will

have no induced voltage
since they dont cut any
flux.

BM

c-d

c
v

a-b

90-c

A 2-pole generator with

chorded coil a-b-c-d (the coil
pitch c in electrical degrees

Effect of Coil Pitch on Induced Voltage

Total induced voltage on coil:
eind eba edc
vBM l cos(t 90o 12 c ) vBM l cos(t 90 o 12 c )

c
2vBM l sin
cos t
2
Since 2vBMl = , :
eind

c
sin
cos t
2

Note: c is the coil pitch in electrical degrees which is also

the pitch in mechanical degrees for a 2-pole machine.

Effect of Coil Pitch on Induced Voltage

eind k p cos t

where,

k p sin

pc
2

is called the pitch factor.

If coil has NC number of turns,
eind N Ck p cos t

Notes:
1) c is the coil pitch in electrical degrees which is also the
pitch in mechanical degrees for a 2-pole machine.
2) If c = 180o electrical, kp = 1 and eind = cost, which is the
original formula for the induced voltage on a coil for fullpitched coil.
3) is the mechanical angular velocity of the prime mover.

Assignment
Research and explain how harmonics in the generator
generated voltage can be minimized by manipulating the pitch
c of the coil in the stator?

Illustrative Problem 9
The following information is known about the simple fourpole generator shown below. The peak flux density of the
rotor magnetic field is 0.2 T, and the mechanical rate of
rotation of the shaft is 3600 rpm. The stator diameter of
the machine is 0.5 m, its coil length is 0.3 m, and there are
15 turns per coil. The machine is Y-connected.
a) What is the RMS line voltage generated by the
generator if the coil is full-pitched?
b) If the coil is 7/8 of the pole pitch, what is the RMS
line voltage?
c) What is the mechanical pitch of the coil in b)?
d) What is the frequency of the generated voltage?

Illustrative Problem 9
Solution:
a) The RMS value is given by:

c
N C sin
2
EA
2
For full-pitch coil, c = 180o e. Also NC =15, = 2rlBM,
180
15(0.5 0.3 0.2)(3600 2 / 60) sin
2
EA
2
E A 120 V

Illustrative Problem 9
Solution:
b)
180(7 / 8)
15(0.5 0.3 0.2)(3600 2 / 60) sin
2
EA
2
E A 117 .69 V
c)

2
2
180 (7 / 8) 78.75o mech
P
4

The Coil Distribution Factor

The windings associated with each phase of the a
generator are not concentrated in a single pair of slots on
the stator surface.
Each coil (which consists of several turns) are distributed
among several adjacent pair of slots.
The spacing in degrees between adjacent slots on a stator
is called the pitch factor , expressed in either
mechanical or electrical degrees.

The Coil Distribution Factor

Phase belt or
Phase group
a1

a3

a2

a4

c2

b3

c1
c4

b1

b2

b1

c3 S

N c4
c2

b2
b3

b4

b4

a1
a2

a3
a4

c3

A simple double-layer
full-pitch distributed
winding for a two-pole
AC generator

c1

Pitch of coil b1

All coil sides of a given phase are placed in adjacent slots.

These coils sides are know as phase belt or phase group.
Note that phase a has 4 coils and they occupy 2 slots per
phase belt.

The Coil Distribution Factor

Phase belt or
Phase group
a1

a3

a4

c1

c2

a2

c3
c4

b1

b3

b2 S

b2

N b1
c4

b4
b3

b4

a1

a3
a2

c2
a4

c1

c3

A double-layer
fractional-pitch AC
winding for a 2-pole
generator
Pitch of coil b1

The Coil Distribution Factor

Coil Distribution Factor (kd):
When a phase winding is distributed over several adjacent
slots, the actual induced voltage Vd of that winding is less
than the induced voltage Vnd if the windings were
concentrated (non-distributed) on a pair of slots.
The ratio of Vd and Vnd is called the distribution factor
Vd
kd
Vnd
For a winding occupying n slots per phase belt spaced
degrees apart, the distribution factor is given by,
sin( n / 2)
kd
n sin( / 2)

The Coil Distribution Factor

The Induced Voltage Including Distribution Effects:
The induced voltage including distribution effects is given
by,
eind N Ck p k d cos t
eind 2N Cfk p k d cos t

Hence, the RMS voltage per phase is given by,

EA

2N Cfk p k d
2

2N C k p k d f

where kw = kp kd is called the winding factor.

2N C k wf

Illustrative Problem 10

A simple two-pole, 3-phase, Y-connected synchronous machine stator

is used to make a generator. It has a double-layer coil construction,
with four stator coils per phase distributed as shown below.
Each coil has 10 turns. The winding
Phase belt or
Phase group
have an electrical pitch of 150
degrees. The rotor (and magnetic
a1
field) is rotating at 3000 rpm and
a3
b4
a4
the flux per pole in this machine is
a2
c1
c2
N
0.019 Wb.
c3
b3 b2
a) What is the slot pitch of this
c4
stator in mechanical degrees?
b2
b1
b) How many slots do the coils of
c3
this stator span?
c4
b1 b
4
c) What is the magnitude of the
c1
c2
Coil pitch
S
a1
phase voltage of one phase and
a3
factor
b3
a4
the terminal voltage?
a2

Illustrative Problem 10
Solution:
a)
360 o

b)
c)

12

o
electrical and mechanical)
30(both

12 150o
coil span

5
o
2 180
n2
sin( 2 30 o / 2)
kd
0.9659
o
2 sin(30 / 2)
150o
k p sin
0.9659
2
E A 2 (4)(10)(0.9659)(0.9659)(0.019)(50)
E A 157 V

END OF
SESSION