LESSON 5: MECHANICS FOR

MOTORS AND GENERATORS

1 ET 332a
Dc Motors, Generators and Energy Conversion
Devices
 Learning Objectives
After this presentation you will be able to:

 Explain how torque and speed is

represented.
 Convert power, torque and speed units

from SI to English Units

 Perform simple mechanical calculations.
 Identify common mechanical loads for

electrical machines.

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 SPEED DEFINITIONS AND UNIT
CONVERSIONS
Angular speed (radians/second)

rad/sec used in calculations

d

dt

w = angular speed (radians/sec)

q = arc length (radians)
Standard for motors and generators
Revolutions per minute (RPM)

Conversions  60   2 
n       n
 2   60 
3
rad/sec to RPM RPM to rad/sec
 FORCE AND TORQUE
Torque –”twisting Vector representation
Force
force
Units SI (N-m)
English (ft-lb) q Perpendicular
r
Torque

Lever arm

Definitions

Torque =(applied force)∙(perpendicular distance)

T F (r sin())
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 FORCE AND TORQUE EXAMPLE
Example: torque wrench

Center of
Rotation

F = 20 N
d = 20 cm

q = 90o
T = 20 N (0.2 m sin(90o)) = 4.0 N-m

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 FORCE AND TORQUE EXAMPLE
Example: Non-perpendicular distance

q = 60o

Perpendicular distance
reduced

r sin(q)
d = 20 cm F = 20 N
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T = F(r sin(q)) = 20 N (0.2 m sin(60o)) = 3.46 N-m
 CIRCULAR MOTION AND TORQUE
Torque changes with position in circular motion
F
90 deg

rotation

d 0 deg d=r and T = max at 0

180 deg 180 deg q = 90o
r

F
d =0 T = 0 at 90 and
270 deg q = 0o F
270 deg F
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 WORK AND POWER
Energy dissipates and work occurs when a force
acts on a mass
Lifting a weight requires work
and dissipates energy

Work = (Force)(Distance) Linear Systems

W (Joules) = F (Newtons) X D (Meters)

D Power is how fast work is done

Rate of energy consumption

Mass (M) Power = Work/Time

P (Watts) = W (Joules)/ t (seconds) 8

F
Force = (Mass)(Acceleration of gravity) = Weight
WORK AND POWER IN ROTATING
SYSTEMS
Work in rotating system

W = T∙q

T = torque (N-m)
q = angular distance (m)
Power in rotating system

P = T∙w

P = power (Watts, W)
T = torque (N-m)
w = angular speed 9

(rad/sec)
 ENGLISH-SI UNIT CONVERSIONS
SI Units
English Units
Power = Watts or Kilowatts (W,
Power = Horsepower (HP)
kW)
Torque = (lb-ft)
Torque = Newton-Meters (N-m)

Mechanical Power Conversion- Watts to Hp

Conversion factor: 1 hp = 746 watts

P (W)
P (hp)  Watts to hp
746 W/hp
P (W) P (hp) 746 W/hp hp to Watts

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 ENGLISH-SI UNIT CONVERSIONS
Power (HP) to Torque (lb-ft) in English Units
5252 P
T
n
Where: T = torque in lb-ft
P = power in horsepower (hp)
n = speed in rpm

Torque with mixed SI and English units

7.04 P
T
n

Where:T = torque in lb-ft

P = power in Watts 11
n = speed in rpm
 ENGLISH-SI UNIT CONVERSIONS

Torque in SI Units. Remember the definition of power…

P
P T  T

T = torque (N-m)
P = Watts (W)
w = angular speed (radians/s)

Solve torque equations for speed

English P SI P
Units n Units 
5252 T T
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 UNIT CONVERSION EXAMPLES
Example 1: A motor develops 25 Hp at the shaft
at a speed of 1750 rpm. Find the torque (N-m)
developed and the power output in Watts

Make power unit conversion. HP=25 hp

P 746 W/hp HP 746 W/hp 25 hp 18,650 W

Find torque by converting n in rpm to w in radians /second

 2π 
ω   1750 rpm 183.17 rad/s
 60 
P 18,650 W
T  101.8 N - m
ω 183.17 rad/s 13
 UNIT CONVERSION EXAMPLES
Example 2: A generator delivers 50 kW of
power at 170 rad/s. What horsepower and torque
(ft-lb) should the drive engine have.

Convert power in watts to hp. Remember 50 kW = 50,000 W

P 50,000 W
HP   67 hp 7.04 50,000 W
746 W/hp 746 W/hp T
1624.2 rpm
216.7 lb - ft

5252 67 hp
T 216.7 lb - ft
To find torque in lb-ft, convert the speed into rpm 1624.7 rpm

 60   60 
n    170 rad/s   1624.2 rpm
 2   2 

Now you can find torque 7.04 P 5252 P

with these two T or T 14

equations
n n
 MECHANICS FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
Power is conserved in a lossless mechanical system.
(Need consistent units)
In a rotational motion system

P T 
In a linear motion system

P F v

Where: F = force in Newtons (N)

v = velocity in meters/second (m/s)
T = torque in N-m
w = angular velocity (rad/s)
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Since power is conserved T  F v

MECHANICS FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
Example 3: A small electric locomotive develops
620 N-m of torque at 900 rpm as it moves at a
speed of 15 mph. Determine the power, in
horsepower, and Watts this requires. Also compute
the force opposing the locomotive.
Compute rotational power
 2π 
P T  620 N - m    900 rpm
 60 
P 58,434 W

Convert to horsepower
 1 hp   1 hp  16
HP P   58,434 W   78.3 hp
 746 W   746 W 
 MECHANICS FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
Example 3 continued
Since power is conservedP T  F v
Convert velocity to m/s

 1609 m   1 hr 
v (15 mi/hr)     6.704 m/s
 1 mi   3600 s 

From previous calculations P 58,434 W

P F v

P 58,434 W 58,434 N - m/s

F   8716 .3 N
v 6.704 m/s 6.704 m/s
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MECHANICS FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
Example 4: An electric hoist lifts an 850 lb (force)
at a speed of 3.5 ft/sec. The hoist drum has a
diameter of 30 inches. Calculate the torque (lb-ft)
and the speed of the motor performing this lift.
What horsepower must the motor develop to make
this lift?
Compute translational power
P F v  850 lb   3.5 ft/s  2975 lb - ft/s
d=30 inches
Convert this to horsepower using
1 hp = 550 lb-ft/s
v=3.5 ft/s
 1 hp 
P (2975 lb - ft/s)   5.409 hp
 550 lb - ft/s 
850 lb
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MECHANICS FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
Example 4 continued
Remember the torque definition T F d

Where d is distance to center of rotation (half the diameter)

30 in
d 15 in
2
 15in 
 
T  850 lb   1062.5 lb - ft
 12 in/ft 
5252 P
Find the speed from T  Solve this for n, speed in rpm
n
5252  5.409 hp 
T 1 5252 P n
  n 1062.5 lb - ft 19
5252 P n T
26.74 rpm n
 MECHANICAL LOADS FOR MOTORS
Constant Speed - motor must maintain constant
speed over wide range of torque loading.
Examples: machine tools (lathes, Mills etc) rolling mills (steel
production)

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 MECHANICAL LOADS FOR MOTORS
Constant Torque - motor works against constant
force. Weight of load does not change.

Examples: Hoisting, conveyors

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MECHANICAL LOADS FOR MOTORS
Constant Power - Mechanical characteristic of
the load change (size, weight). Torque and speed
change
Example: Winding operations (cable, wire)

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 END LESSON 5: MECHANICS
FOR MOTORS AND
GENERATORS
23 ET 332a
Dc Motors, Generators and Energy Conversion
Devices