By: Luijie T.

Gargar
What is Synchronous Motor?
• An electric motor having a speed exactly proportional to
the current frequency.
• It needs two exciters for both stator and rotor windings.
• Power factor can be VARIED depending on the rotor
exciter.
• Its speed can be computed as follows:
120 f
Ns = -------------
P
Nameplate
Construction
1. Rotor
Excited by a DC source.

May be a dc generator or any other dc source.

Acts like an electromagnet.

Construction
2. Stator
Excited by an AC source.

Usually a 3 – phase generator.

Produces a Rotating Magnetic Field (RMF).

Operation

The rotor acting as a bar magnet will turn to line up

with the rotating magnet field. The rotor gets
locked to the RMF and rotates unlike induction
motor at synchronous speed under all load condition.
Operation
Starting Torque
• The starting torque of a synchronous motor is practically
zero due to inertia of the rotor.

• To counter this effect, a squirrel cage arrangement is

applied at the rotor.
Starting Torque
Starting Torque
Squirrel Cage Assembly
Starting the synchronous
motor
• Get motor to maximum
speed (usually with no
load)

• Energize the rotor with a

DC voltage
Rotating Field Flux and
Counter-EMF
 Rotating Field Flux and
Counter-EMF
• Rotating field flux f due to magnetic field in the rotor.
A “speed” voltage, “counter-emf”, or “excitation”
voltage Ef is generated and acts in opposition to the
applied voltage.

• Ef = nsfkf
 Equivalent Circuit of a
Synchronous Motor Armature (One
Phase)
V  I R  I jX  I X  E
T a a a l a ar f

X X X
s l ar

V  E  I (R  jX )
T f a a s

V E I Z
T f a s
 Exciting the synchronous
motors
1. Normal excitation
Overall power factor depends on the initial power
factor.
 Exciting the synchronous
motors
2. Under excitation
Overall power factor is lagging (p.f. = lagging)
 Exciting the synchronous
motors
3. Over excitation
Overall power factor is leading (p.f. = leading)
Exciting the synchronous
motors
Power flow of Synchronous
Motor
• Where:
Pin – Total Power Input
Ps – Stator Power Input
Pr – Rotor Power Input
Pm – Mechanical Power Developed
Po – Shaft Power
Pcus – Stator Copper Loss
Pstray – Stray Power Loss
Pm = Ps – Pcus
Po = Pm – Pstray
Ps(1-Ø) = VpIpcos(Ɵ)
Ps(3-Ø) = 3VpIpcos(Ɵ)
Pcus(1-Ø) = Ip2Ra
Pcus(3-Ø) = 3Ip2Ra
Pstray = Pcore +Pf+W
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
1. Over excitation of the rotor
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
2. Overheating of stator winding
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
3. Loss of Excitation
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
4. Loss of Synchronism
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
5. Under Power
 Dangers of Synchronous
Motor
6. Reverse Power
LOADING A SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

All electric motors, whether d-c or a-c act as generators at the

same time that they are motoring.

This is true because a counter emf is always generated when a

motor is in operation.

• DC machine
• AC machine
Ec depends upon the flux ф and the speed S.
It follows that any change in either value will affect the input
current Ia.

The higher net voltage then causes the armature current to rise
sufficiently so that the increased power requirements are met.

The lower net voltage then causes the armature current to drop
sufficiently so that the reduced power requirements are met.
PHASOR DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING HOW
THE ARMATURE CURRENT IN A D-C SHUNT
MOTOR WITH CHANGING LOAD.

- Ec1 +V (V-Ec1) Ia1

0 0
(a) Original load No.1

- Ec2 +V (V-Ec2) Ia2

0 0
(b) Load No.2, greater than load No.1

- Ec3 +V (V-Ec3) Ia3

0 0
(c) Load No.3, smaller than load No.1
Before the reactions in a synchronous motor are analyzed, it is
necessary to point out several important differences between its
behavior and that of the shunt motor. These are:

1. The average speed of a synchronous motor is absolutely constant,

regardless of the load, while that of the shunt motor changes as the load
changes.

2. The counter emf of a synchronous motor can have numerical values that
are equal to, less than, or even greater than the impressed voltage V,
while Ec must always be less than V in a shunt motor.

3. The vector position of Ec is never directly opposite to that of the

impressed voltage V in a synchronous motor, while Ec and V are always
diametrically opposed to each other in a shunt motor.

4. The armature current in a synchronous motor lags behind the net voltage
by nearly 90 electrical degrees, while the armature current in a shunt
motor is always in phase with the net voltage.
 [V+(-Ec1)]
- Ec1

90 0 Approx.
A1 0
V
0 PF angle
Ia1

(a) Original load No.1

 [V+(-Ec2)]
- Ec2

A2 0 90 0 Approx.
V
0 PF angle

Ia2

(b) Load No.2, greater than load No.1

- Ec3 [V+(-Ec3)]

90 0 Approx.
A30 V
0 Ia3

(c) Load No.3, smaller than load No.1

POWER FACTOR ADJUSTMENT

One of the most important advantages of the synchronous motor

is its ability to operate at a lagging or leading power factor that
can be readily adjusted simply by changing the d-c excitation
supplied to the rotating poles.
As the d-c excitation is increased, the motor tends to take
alternating current that is more leading, while the alternating
currents tends to become more lagging as the excitation is
reduced.
 - Ec1 [V+(-Ec1)]

0 90 0 Approx.
A1
V
0 Ia1
(a) Unity power factor
[V+(-Ec2)]
- Ec2

A20 90 0 Approx. V
0
Lagging PF
(b) Lagging power factor

Ia2
- Ec3 [V+(-Ec3)]
Ia3
90 0 Approx.
A3 0 Leading PF V
0 (c) Leading power factor
THE SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER
Synchronous Motor Operation
Synchronous motors are like induction motors in that
they both have stator windings that produce a rotating magnetic
field. Unlike an induction motor, the synchronous motor is
excited by an external DC source and, therefore, requires slip
rings and brushes to provide current to the rotor.

In the synchronous motor, the rotor locks into step with

the rotating magnetic field and rotates at synchronous speed. If
the synchronous motor is loaded to the point where the rotor is
pulled out of step with the rotating magnetic field, no torque is
developed, and the motor will stop.

A synchronous motor is not a self-starting motor because

torque is only developed when running at synchronous speed;
therefore, the motor needs some type of device to bring the rotor
to synchronous speed.
Application
Synchronous motors are used in generating
stations and in substations connected to the busbars to
improve the power factor.

For this purpose they are run without mechanical

load on them and in over-excited condition.

These machines when over excited delivers the

reactive power to grid and helps to improve the power
factor of the system.
 The reactive power delivered by the synchronous
motors can be adjusted by varying the field excitation of
the motor.

These motors used for power factor correction

applications can also be termed as "synchronous
condensers".

Advantage of synchronous condensers compared to

shunt capacitors is that shunt capacitors generate constant
reactive power whereas on the other hand synchronous
condensers can able to deliver different reactive power
levels by varying the excitation of machine.
 Because of the higher efficiency compared to
induction motors they can be employed for loads which
require constant speeds.
Some of the typical applications of high speed
synchronous motors are such drives as fans, blowers, dc
generators, line shafts, centrifugal pumps, compressors,
reciprocating pumps, rubber and paper mills

Synchronous motors are used to regulate the

voltage at the end of transmission lines
In electrical power distribution,
a busbar is a metallic strip or bar
that conducts electricity within
a switchboard, distribution
board, substation, battery bank, or
other electrical apparatus.
Busbars are used to carry
substantial electric currents over
relatively short distances; their
greater surface area (compared to a
wire of the same weight)
The Synchronous Condenser
[V+(-Ec1)]
- Ec1

90 0 Approx.
V
Ia1
(c) No load, unity power factor
QUESTIONS?
Why is DC excitation used in a synchronous motor
instead of AC excitation?
• The DC excitation provides a steady (constant) magnetic field
in the rotor. As the rotor spins, the steady field becomes a
rotating output.
• If we rotate a wire in a constant magnetic field only then a
electric current is produced. To get a constant magnetic field we
have to apply a DC voltage to a coil. Only DC voltage can give a
fixed magnetic field.
• As DC current produces a constant magnetic field that result in
generation of fixed number of the pair of (north and south) pole.
And rotor is rotated at constant speed to generate output voltage of
desired frequency say 50 or 60Hz. While in case of AC it will
produces variable and rotating magnetic field as well as pole and
therefore output voltage would not have fixed frequency and
magnituted too. Thats why ac is not for excitation.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INDUCTION
MOTOR AND SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

BASIS OF DIFFERENCE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR INDUCTION MOTOR

is not a self-excited is a self-excited
Type of Excitation
machine. machine.
-armature winding
is energized from -stator winding is
Supply System an AC source and energized from an
its field winding AC source.
from a DC source.
BASIS OF DIFFERENCE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR INDUCTION MOTOR
The load increased
Always runs at the speed of the
synchronous speed. induction motor
Speed The speed is decreases. It is
independent of always less than
load. the synchronous
speed.
It is not self
starting. It has to
be run up to
Induction motor
synchronous speed
Starting has self starting
by any means
torque.
before it can be
synchronized to AC
supply.
BASIS OF DIFFERENCE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR INDUCTION MOTOR
An induction motor
A synchronous
operates only at a
motor can be
lagging power
operated with
Operation factor. At high
lagging and leading
loads the power
power by changing
factor becomes
its excitation.
very poor.
It can be used for
power factor
An induction motor
correction in
is used for driving
Usage addition to
mechanical loads
supplying torque to
only.
drive mechanical
loads.
BASIS OF DIFFERENCE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR INDUCTION MOTOR
Its efficiency is
It is more efficient
lesser than that of
than an induction
the synchronous
Efficiency motor of the same
motor of the same
output and voltage
output and the
rating.
voltage rating.
A synchronous
An induction motor
motor is costlier
is cheaper than the
than an induction
Cost synchronous motor
motor of the same
of the same output
output and voltage
and voltage rating.
rating
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES
Advantages
• One of the major advantage of using synchronous motor is
the ability to control the power factor. An over excited
synchronous motor can have leading power factor and can be
operated in parallel to induction motors and other
lagging power factor loads thereby improving the system
power factor.

• In synchronous motor the speed remains constant

irrespective of the loads. This characteristics helps in
industrial drives where constant speed is required irrespective
of the load it is driving.
• Synchronous motors can be constructed with wider air gaps
than induction motors which makes these motors
mechanically more stable

• Synchronous motors usually operate with higher efficiencies (

more than 90%) especially in low speed and unity power
factor applications compared to induction motors

Disadvantages
• Synchronous motors requires dc excitation which must be
supplied from external sources

• The cost per kW output is generally higher than that of

induction motors
• These motors cannot be used for variable speed applications
as there is no possibility of speed adjustment unless the
incoming supply frequency is adjusted (Variable Frequency
Drives)
• Synchronous motors cannot be started on load. Its starting
torque is zero
• These motors have tendency to hunt
• When loading on the synchronous motor increases beyond its
capability, the synchronism between rotor and stator rotating
magnetic field is lost and motor comes to halt
• Collector rings and brushes are required resulting in increase
in maintenance
• Synchronous motors cannot be useful for applications
requiring frequent starting or high starting torques required