Classification of AC Machines

 Two major classes of machines;

i) Synchronous Machines:
• Synchronous Generators (commonly referred as
alternators): A primary source of electrical energy.
• Synchronous Motors: Used as motors as well as
power factor compensators (synchronous condensers).
ii) Asynchronous (Induction) Machines:
• Induction Motors: Most widely used electrical motors
in both domestic and industrial applications.
• Induction Generators: Due to lack of a separate field
excitation, these machines are rarely used as generators.
SYNCHRONOUS MACHINES

•Synchronous Generators
•Synchronous Motors
Construction of Synchronous machines
 S y n c h r o n o u s machines are used primarily as generators
of electrical power, called synchronous generators or
alternators.
 T h e y are usually large machines generating electrical
power at hydro, nuclear, or thermal power stations.

Convert
Mechanical power

Electrical power for

the Grid

http://www.mpoweruk.com/electrical_energy.ht
 Synchronous Generator

A synchronous generator is an electrical machine producing alternating emf (Electromotive force or voltage)
of constant frequency. In Malaysia the standard cycle frequency is 50 Hz
Work of Hydroelectric power: https://www.youtube.com/feature=player_embedded
Synchronous Generator
Construction of Synchronous machines
 S y n c h r o n o u s machines are AC machines that have a
field circuit supplied by an external DC source.
 i n a synchronous generator,
 a DC current is applied to the rotor winding producing
a rotor magnetic field.
 T h e rotor is then turned by external means producing
a rotating magnetic field, which induces a 3-phase
voltage within the stator winding.
Watch:
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 Synchronous Generator
 A synchronous alternator has two sets of windings of
wires.
 R o t o r Winding (Field Winding) creates the magnetic field
that the alternator needs to make electricity.
 S t a t o r Winding (Armature Winding) collects the
electricity that is generated,

Rotor poles are excited by a DC current

 SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
Speed of rotation of synchronous generator

The frequency of the generated voltage is related to the rotor speed

by:

f e  P nm
120
where

P is the number of magnetic poles

fe is the electrical frequency in
Hz. nm is the speed of the rotor in
rpm.

Typical machines have two-poles, four-

poles, and six-poles

Synchronous generators are synchronous,

 Exercise
• A hydraulic turbine turning at 200 r/min is
connected to a synchronous generator. If
the induced voltage has a frequency of 60
Hz, how many poles does the rotor
have?

f e  P nm
120
 Exercise
• A hydraulic turbine turning at 200 r/min is
connected to a synchronous generator. If
the induced voltage has a frequency of 60
Hz, how many poles does the rotor
have?
f e  P nm
120
 Exercise
• Develop a table showing the speed of
magnetic field rotation in ac machines of 2,
4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 poles operating at
frequencies of 50, 60, and 400 Hz.

f e  P nm
120
 Exercise
• Develop a table showing the speed of magnetic field
rotation in ac machines of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 poles
operating at frequencies of 50, 60, and 400 Hz.
Exercise
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
• Electric power generated at 50 or 60 Hz, so rotor must
turn at fixed speed depending on number of poles on
machine

• To generate 60 Hz in 2 pole machine, rotor must turn

at 3600 r/min,

• To generate 50 Hz in 4 pole machine, rotor must turn

at 1500 r/min
 Synchronous Machine
Rotor
 There are two types of rotors used in synchronous
machines:
i) cylindrical (or round) rotors
ii) salient pole rotors
 Machines with cylindrical rotors are typically found
in higher speed higher power applications such as
turbogenerators. Using 2 or 4 poles, these machines
rotate at 3600 or 1800 rpm (with 60hz systems).
 Salient pole machines are typically found in large (many
MW), low mechanical speed applications, including
hydrogenerators, or smaller higher speed machines (up to
1-2 MW).
 Salient pole rotors are less expensive than round rotors.
 Construction of synchronous
machines
The rotor of a synchronous machine is a large electromagnet. The magnetic poles
can be either salient (sticking out of rotor surface) or non-salient construction.

Non-salient-pole rotor: usually two- and four-pole rotors. Salient-pole rotor: four
and more poles.

Rotors are made laminated to reduce eddy current losses.

Synchronous Machine – Cylindrical rotor

Turbin D1
e m

L  10 m
Steam d-axis
Stator
winding
 High speed N
Uniform air-gap
 3600 r/min  -pole
Stator
 1800 r/min  -pole
q-axis Rotor
 Direct-conductor cooling winding
(using
hydrogen or water as coolant) Rotor

 Rating up to 2000
S
MVA

Turbogenerator
Synchronous Machine – Cylindrical rotor

Stator

Cylindrical rotor
Synchronous Machine – Salient Pole
1. Most hydraulic turbines have to turn at low
speeds (between 50 and 300 r/min)

2. A large number of poles are required on the rotor

d-axis

N Non-uniform
air-gap
D  10 m

q-axis S S

Turbine
N
Hydro (water)

Hydrogenerator
Synchronous Machine – Salient Pole

Stator
 Synchronous Machine

Stator
 The stator of a synchronous machine carries the armature or
load
winding which is a three-phase winding.
 The armature winding is formed by interconnecting various
conductors in slots spread over the periphery of the machine’s stator.
Often, more than one independent three phase winding is on the
stator. An arrangement of a three-phase stator winding is shown in
Figure below. Notice that the windings of the three-phases are
displaced from each other in space.
 Synchronous Machine

Construction
Stator
Construction of synchronous
machines

Slip rings

Brush
 Power and torque in synchronous generators

In generators, not all the mechanical power going into a

synchronous generator becomes electric power out of the machine

The applied mechanical power partially converted to

electricity
 Synchronous Generator

Losses
1. Resistive losses (I2R)
•Resistive losses (I2R) in the stator circuit
•Resistive losses (I2R) in the rotor circuit
2. Core losses
•Iron losses due to fundamental frequency ac flux in the core.
These are mostly in the stator core.
3. Mechanical losses
•These include friction in the bearings and a term called wind age. (wind
(like the weather) -age) Wind age is due to air turbulence and shear as
the rotor and stator move past each other
4. Stray load losses
- due to non-uniform current distribution
 Synchronous Generator
• LOSSES AND EFFICIENCY
Efficiency (Eff) is the ratio of the useful
power output to the total power input:
Pout
Eff 
Pin
The theoretical efficiency of converting various energy sources by a variety of
methods into useful electrical energy.
 Synchronous Machines
• A 2-hp motor running at rated output acts
as the prime mover for an alternator that
has a load demand of 1.1kW. What is the
efficiency of the alternator in percent?
Neglect field excitation.

1 hp  746 watts

Pout
Eff 
P in
 Synchronous Machines
• A 2-hp motor running at rated output acts as the
prime mover for an alternator that has a load
demand of 1.1kW. What is the efficiency of the
alternator in percent? Neglect field excitation.

Pout
1 hp  746 Eff  P in
 Synchronous machines
 A synchronous motor is the same physical machine as
a generator, except that the direction of real power flow
is reversed.

 Synchronous motors are built in large units compare

to induction motors (Induction motors are cheaper for
smaller ratings) and used for constant speed industrial
drives
 Application as a motor: pumps in generating stations,
electric clocks, timers, and so forth where constant speed
is desired.
 Synchronous machines
 In a synchronous motor,

 a 3-phase set of stator currents produces a rotating

magnetic field causing the rotor magnetic field to
align with it.

 The rotor magnetic field is produced by a DC current

applied to the rotor winding.
Synchronous Motor
Power Flow