DC GENERATORS

Introduction
The outstanding advantages of dc machines arise from
the wide variety of operating characteristics which can be
obtained by selection of the method of excitation of the
field windings.
There are four basic kinds of dc generators, namely
separately excited, shunt, series and compound
generators

DC Separately Excited Generators

The required field
current is a very small
fraction of the rated
armature current of the
order of 1 to 3 percent
in the average
generator.
A small amount of
power in the field
circuit may control a
relatively large amount
of power in the
armature circuit, i.e.,
the generator is a
power amplifier.
Separately excited
generators are often
used in feedback
control systems when
control of the armature
voltage over a wide
range is required.

DC Shunt Generators

The field is a function of the terminal voltage, V t. Hence, voltage decrease at the
armature terminals cause a corresponding decrease in the field flux and hence in the
induced emf, Eg in return a decrease in V t again. This continues until an equilibrium is
found.
The reverse of the above process is followed in building up V t.

DC Shunt Generators (Cont.)

For a field resistance rf, the operating point is the intersection point of the rf
line and magnetization curve.

DC Shunt Generators (Cont.)

Its output voltage sharply decreases with the armature reaction as it is
ecpected. The effect of the armature reaction is more severe for this
kind of generator.

Vt = eg - (I L + I f ) ra

DC Series Generators

The field current of a series generator is the same as the load (or
armature) current, so that the air gap flux and hence the voltage
vary widely with load.
As a consequence, series generators are not very often used.

DC Series Generators (Cont.)

Example: An 8-pole, lap wound, dc machine has 60 armature conductors is

series between the brushes. The armature resistance, r a=0.04ohm and the
field resistance rs=0.02ohm. When connected as a series generator and run
at 1000rpm, it delivers a certain amount of current to a load at a terminal
voltage, Vt=126V. If it is run at 700rpm, the terminal voltage decreases to
86V for the same load current. Calculate:
a) the direct-axis flux/pole
b) the power delivered to the load under consideration at a shaft speed of
1200rpm.
240
Za
60 conductors and a=p=8 for this machine. So K a =
Soln:
a

Vt = eg - I a (ra + rs )

126 = e g1 - I a (0.04 + 0.02)

86 = e g2 - I a (0.04 + 0.02)

eg1 = K a d w1

eg2 = K a d w 2

eg1 - eg2 = 40 V

eg1 - eg2 = 40 = K a d (w1 - w 2 )

DC Series Generators (Cont.)

40

1
d

0.0167 Web
240
2 60
(1000 700)

60

240 1 1000
800
eg1 =
2 =
= 133.3V
60 60
6
133.3 -126 7.33
Ia =
=
= 122.2 A
0.06
0.06
240 1 1200
960
e g3 =
2 =
= 160 V
60 60
6

Vt = 160 -122.2 x 0.6 = 160 - 7.33 = 152.7 V

Pout = 152.7 x122.2 = 18.5 kW

DC Compound Generators
In most of the
usual
applications of
the dc
generators the
desired point is
to have the
same voltage
at both no-load
and full-load.
A suitable
combination of
shunt and
series
generators
gives the
compound
generator.

DC Compound Generators (Cont.)

The required number of turns in the series field winding is relatively

small since the contribution of this winding is just to compensate the
small terminal voltage drop with the loading. So this kind of
compound generator is called the cumulatively compound
generator.

DC Compound Generators (Cont.)

The series field winding can be purposely connected such that its
flux does not add to that of the shunt field, then the resultant
airgap flux is the difference of the series field flux from the main
shunt field flux.

DC Compound Generators (Cont.)

Example: A cumulative compound dc generator delivers 15 A to a 10
ohms load. (ra+rs) and rf are equal to 1 and 250 ohms, respectively. The
magnetization curves for shunt and series fields are shown in Fig. in
piecewise linearized form for 1500 rpm. Find the shaft speed in rpm and
the electrical torque acting on the shaft.