Electrical Machines

B.Sc. Energy Systems Engineering

DC Motor Fundamentals

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Learning Objectives
• Working Principle of DC Motor.
• Types & Applications of DC Motors.
• Back EMF (Counter EMF).
• Voltage & Power Equations.
• Condition for Maximum Power.
• Armature & Shaft Torque.
• Brake Horse Power.
• Speed Regulation.
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DC MOTOR
• Converts DC electrical energy into mechanical
energy.
• “When a current carrying conductor is placed in
a magnetic field, magnetic field exerts
mechanical force on the conductor and as a
result the conductor starts rotating in a direction
depending upon the direction of current and the
field”.
F = BIL Newton
B = flux density NA-1m-1 I =
current flowing through conductor, L =
length of conductor
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Equivalent Circuit of DC Shunt Motor

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Shunt Field Windings
• Connected in parallel with the armature winding.
• Large no. of turns, smaller x-sectional area,
high resistance.
• Produce MMF or strong flux (field).
• Placed in slots, and carry very small current.
• Field current is constant at all loads.
• Due to the armature reaction under the loaded conditions
of the motor, the flux decreases slightly with load.
Applications
• Constant speed from no-load to full-load.
• Lath machines, Drill machines, Boring mills, Shapers,
Spinning machines, Weaving machines, Conveyers, Lifts,
etc.
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Equivalent Circuit of DC Series Motor

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Series Field Windings
• Connected in series with the armature.
• Field & armature carry the same current.
• Greater cross-sectional area.
• (As the high current has to pass through filed, so the cross
section of the field must be greater than that of the field
winding of shunt motor).
• Small number of turns of thick wire.
• Low resistance.
Applications
• Variable speed motor.
• Dangerous speed at no-load.
• Electric traction, Cranes, Elevators, Air-compressors,
Vacuum cleaners,
Hair dryers, Sewing machines, etc.
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Equivalent Circuit of Compound DC Motor

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Back or Counter EMF
• When the armature of the DC motor rotates, its
conductors cut the magnetic flux and EMF is
induced in the conductors. This induced EMF acts
in the opposite direction of the applied voltage V
and is called back EMF, or counter EMF denoted
Where, P is no of poles,
by E b. φ is flux per pole,
Z is no. of conductors,
A is no. of parallel paths,
• Back EMF = E b = P Φ N Z / 60 . A and N is the speed of the
DC motor.

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Power Equation of a DC Motor
V = E b + I a Ra
Multiply both sides by I a,
V I a = E b I a + I a2 Ra
VI a = armature input
= electrical power supplied to armature
EbIa = armature output
= mechanical power developed by armature
I a2 Ra = armature loss
= electrical power wasted in
armature 13
Condition for Maximum Power

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Armature Torque
• Torque is the twisting force on a body about an
axis.
• Each conductor exerts torque on the armature
to rotate it.
• The sum of the torques due to all armature
conductors is called gross torque or armature
torque (Ta).

= 9.55 Pm / N N - m
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Torque in a DC motor is directly proportional to
flux per pole and armature current.

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Shaft Torque (TSH)
• Torque available at the motor shaft to do useful
work.
• Less than armature torque due to subtraction of
friction and windage losses.

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Brake Horse Power (B.H.P.)
• Mechanical power developed by shaft torque at
motor shaft.

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Speed of a D.C. Motor

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Speed Relations

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Speed Regulation

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 Field Windings
The field winding of DC motor are made with field coils (copper
wire) wound over the slots of the pole shoes in such a manner
that when field current flows through it, then adjacent poles have
opposite polarity are produced.
The field winding basically form an electromagnet, that produces
field flux within which the rotor armature of the DC motor
rotates, and results in the effective flux cutting.
 Armature Winding
The armature winding of DC motor is attached to the rotor, or the
rotating part of the machine, and as a result is subjected to altering
magnetic field in the path of its rotation which directly results in
magnetic losses.

For this reason the rotor is made of armature core, that’s made with
several low-hysteresis silicon steel lamination, to reduce the
magnetic losses like hysteresis and eddy current loss respectively
 Commutator of Dc Motor

The commutator of DC motor is a cylindrical structure made up of

copper segments stacked together, but insulated from each other by
mica.
Its main function as far as the DC motor is concerned is to commute or
relay the supply current from the mains to the armature winding housed
over a rotating structure through the brushes of DC motor.
 Brushes of Dc Motor

The brushes of DC motor are made with carbon or

graphite structures, making sliding contact over the
rotating commutator. The brushes are used to relay the
current from external circuit to the rotating commutator
form where it flows into the armature winding. So, the
commutator and brush unit of the DC motor is
concerned with transmitting the power from the static
electrical circuit to the mechanically rotating region or
the rotor