MODULE NO.

10
► PARALLELING OF DC GENERATORS
► The Armature Reaction

OBJECTIVES:
► To show practical applications of connecting
dc generators in parallel
► To solve sample problems dealing with paralleling
of dc generators
► To explain the concept of Armature Reaction
PARALLELING OF DC GENERATORS

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PARALLELING OF DC GENERATORS

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GENERATOR PERFORMANCE

DC GENERATORS
DC GENERATOR
CONNECTED
VS IN PARALLEL

250kW 250kW 250kW 250kW

1 Megawatt + + + +
_ _ _ _

Power Box

“Which of the two is best to operate from the perspective of

Power plant owner?”
Advantages of Paralleling DC Generators

1. Continuous Operation

2. Higher System Reliability

3. Easy Maintenance and Repair

Requirements for Paralleling DC Generators

1. Same terminal voltages (external characteristics)

2. Same polarity
External Characteristics
The curve showing the relationship between output voltage
and output current is known as the external characteristic.

DC Generator Curves
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External Characteristics

If a generator, which is separately excited, is driven at

constant speed and has a fixed field current, the output
voltage will decrease with increased load current as shown.
This decrease is due to the armature resistance and
armature reaction effects.
If the field flux remained constant, the generated voltage
would tend to remain constant and the output voltage would
be equal to the generated voltage minus the IR drop of the
armature circuit.
However, the demagnetizing component of armature
reactions tends to decrease the flux, thus adding an
additional factor, which decreases the output voltage.
Sample Problems
1. Two identical shunt generators running in parallel supply a total load
current of 2500A. Each machine has a field resistance of 50Ω and an
armature resistance of 0.01Ω. The induced emfs are 230V and 235V
respectively. Calculate the bus bar voltage.
2. Two shunt generators are running in parallel deliver a total load
current of 3600A. Each machine has a field resistance of 60Ω and an
armature resistance of 0.01Ω. The emfs generated are 455 and 460V
respectively. Calculate the KW output of each machine.

3. Two shunt generators are operating in parallel are giving a total

output power of 320kW.
Generator Armature Resistance Induced Emf
A 0.02Ω 450V
B 0.025 Ω 460V
Find the bus bar voltage. Neglect the shunt field current.
ARMATURE REACTION
From previous study, you know that all current-carrying conductors produce magnetic
fields. The magnetic field produced by current in the armature of a dc generator affects
the flux pattern and distorts the main field. This distortion causes a shift in the neutral
plane, which affects commutation. This change in the neutral plane and the reaction of
the magnetic field is called ARMATURE REACTION.

You know that for proper commutation, the coil short-circuited by the brushes must be
in the neutral plane. Consider the operation of a simple two-pole dc generator, shown
in figure 1.

View A of the figure shows the field poles and the main magnetic field. The armature is
shown in a simplified view in views B and C with the cross section of its coil
represented as little circles. The symbols within the circles represent arrows. The dot
represents the point of the arrow coming toward you, and the cross represents the tail,
or feathered end, going away from you.

When the armature rotates clockwise, the sides of the coil to the left will have current
flowing toward you, as indicated by the dot. The side of the coil to the right will have
current flowing away from you, as indicated by the cross. The field generated around
each side of the coil is shown in view B of figure 1. This field increases in strength for
each wire in the armature coil, and sets up a magnetic field almost perpendicular to
the main field.
ARMATURE REACTION

Figure 1 - Armature reaction.

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ARMATURE REACTION
In a DC machine, two kinds of magnetic fluxes are present;
'armature flux' and 'main field flux'. The effect of armature flux
on the main field flux is called as armature reaction.
MNA And GNA
EMF is induced in the armature conductors when they cut the
magnetic field lines. But, there is an axis (or, you may say, a
plane) along which armature conductors move parallel to the
flux lines and, hence, they do not cut the flux lines at the
moment. MNA (Magnetic Neutral Axis) may be defined as the
axis along which no emf is generated in the armature
conductors as they move parallel to the flux lines. Brushes are
always placed along MNA because reversal of current in the
armature conductors takes place along this axis.
GNA (Geometrical Neutral Axis) may be defined as the axis
which is perpendicular to the stator field axis.
ARMATURE REACTION
ARMATURE REACTION
Consider, no current is flowing in the armature conductors and
only the field winding is energized (as shown in the first figure
of the above image). In this case, magnetic flux lines due to
the field poles are uniform and symmetrical to the polar axis.
The 'Magnetic Neutral Axis' (M.N.A.) coincides with the
'Geometric Neutral Axis' (G.N.A.).

The second figure in the above image shows armature flux

lines due to the armature current.
Now, in case the machine is running, both the fluxes (flux due
to the armature conductors and flux due to the field winding)
will be present at a time. The armature flux superimposes with
the main field flux and, hence, disturbs the main field flux (as
shown in third figure the of above image). This effect is called
as armature reaction in DC machines.
ARMATURE REACTION
The Adverse Effects Of Armature Reaction:

1. Armature reaction weakens the main flux. In case of a dc

generator, weakening of the main flux reduces the generated
voltage.
2. Armature reaction distorts the main flux, hence the position
of M.N.A. gets shifted (M.N.A. is perpendicular to the flux lines
of main field flux). Brushes should be placed on M.N.A.,
otherwise, it will lead to sparking at the surface of brushes. So,
due to armature reaction, it is hard to determine the exact
position of M.N.A.

For a loaded dc generator, MNA will be shifted in the direction

of the rotation. On the other hand, for a loaded dc motor, MNA
will be shifted in the direction opposite to that of the rotation.
ARMATURE REACTION
How To Reduce Armature Reaction?
Usually, no special efforts are taken for small machines (up to few kilowatts)
to reduce the armature reaction. But for large DC machines, compensating
winding and interpoles are used to get rid of the ill effects of armature
reaction.
Now we know that the armature reaction is due to the presence of armature
flux. Armature flux is produced due to the current flowing in armature
conductors. Now, if we place another winding in close proximity of the
armature winding and if it carries the same current but in the opposite
direction as that of the armature current, then this will nullify the armature
field. Such an additional winding is called as compensating winding and it is
placed on the pole faces. Compensating winding is connected in series with
the armature winding in such a way that it carries the current in opposite
direction.
Interpoles are the small auxiliary poles placed between the main field poles.
Winding on the interpoles is connected in series with the armature. Each
interpole is wound in such a way that its magnetic polarity is same as that
of the main pole ahead of it. Interpoles nullify the quadrature axis armature
flux.
ARMATURE REACTION

It is the field effect of magnetic field set up by the

armature current on the distribution of flux under
main poles of a generator.

The distorting effect that the armature field has on

the flux between the pole pieces. The effect has
shifted the neutral plane forward in the direction of
rotation.

Magnetic Neutral Axis (MNA)

The axis along which no emf is produced in the
Armature conductors. The axis of commutation.
EFFECTS OF ARMATURE REACTION

The two effects of armature reaction in the armature

magnetic field are:

۞ It Demagnetizes or weakens the flux which

leads to the reduction of the generated voltage

۞ It Cross-magnetizes or distorts the main flux

causing the sparking at the brushes
Countering Armature Reaction
Now you have two fields - the main field, view A, and the field around the armature
coil, view B. View C of figure 2 shows how the armature field distorts the main field
and how the neutral plane is shifted in the direction of rotation. If the brushes remain in
the old neutral plane, they will be short-circuiting coils that have voltage induced in
them. Consequently, there will be arcing between the brushes and commutator.
To prevent arcing, the brushes must be shifted to the new neutral plane.

Figure 2 - Compensating windings and interpoles.

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COMPENSATING WINDINGS AND INTERPOLES
Shifting the brushes to the advanced position (the new neutral plane) does not
completely solve the problems of armature reaction. The effect of armature reaction
varies with the load current. Therefore, each time the load current varies, the neutral
plane shifts. This means the brush position must be changed each time the load
current varies.
In small generators, the effects of armature reaction are reduced by actually
mechanically shifting the position of the brushes. The practice of shifting the brush
position for each current variation is not practiced except in small generators. In larger
generators, other means are taken to eliminate armature reaction.

COMPENSATING WINDINGS or INTERPOLES are used for this purpose (fig. 2). The
compensating windings consist of a series of coils embedded in slots in the pole faces.
These coils are connected in series with the armature. The series-connected
compensating windings produce a magnetic field, which varies directly with armature
current. Because the compensating windings are wound to produce a field that
opposes the magnetic field of the armature, they tend to cancel the effects of the
armature magnetic field. The neutral plane will remain stationary and in its original
position for all values of armature current. Because of this, once the brushes have
been set correctly, they do not have to be moved again.

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ARMATURE REACTION
I. DEMAGNETIZING AT PER POLE

ATd m
 ZI a 0
Pole 360
where:
Z = # of conductors
Ia = current in each armature conductor
= IA / a
θm = forward lead in angular degrees
= θ2 / (P/2)
FOR SHUNT:
# EXTRA TURNS ATd

POLE IF
FOR SERIES: IA = IS

# EXTRA TURNS ATd


POLE IA
II. CROSS-MAGNETIZING AT PER POLE

ATc  1 m 
 ZI a   0
Pole  2 P 360 
where:
pole arc ZI a
# comp windings  x
pole pitch 2 P

= 0.7 (# of turns) (Ia / P)

= 0.7 (AT/Pole)
Sample Problems
1. A 4 pole generator has a wave-wound armature with 722 conductors,
and it delivers 100A on FL. If the brush lead is 8o, calculate the
armature demagnetizing and cross-magnetizing AT per pole.
2. An 8-pole generator has an output of 200A at 500V, the lap-
connected armature has 1280 conductors, 160 commutator
segments. If the brush are advanced 4 segments from the no-load
neutral axis, estimate the armature demagnetizing and cross-
magnetizing AT per pole.

3. A 4-pole wave-wound generator armature has 880 conductors and

delivers 120A. The brushes have been displaced through 3 angular
degrees from the geometrical axis.
Calculate:
a) demagnetizing AT/P
b) cross-magnetizing AT/P
c) additional field current for neutralizing the demagnetization
if the field winding has 1100 turns/pole
Assignment: