Synchronous

Motor
D E TAB L AN
N E GRE
RU LL

Synchronous Motor
Principle
Advantage and Disadvantages
Application and Features

Principle of Synchronous
Motor

Introduction
As the name suggests Synchronous motors are
capable of running at constant speed irrespective
of the load acting on them. Unlike induction motors
where speed of the motor depends upon the torque
acting on them, synchronous motors have got
constant speed-torque characteristics. Synchronous
motors have got higher efficiency (electrical to
mechanical power conversion ratio) than its
counterparts. Its efficiency ranges from 90 92%.

The Working Principle: RMF Constant

Magnetic field interaction
The constant speed characteristic is achieved by
interaction between a constant and rotating magnetic
field. Rotor of synchronous motor produces a constant
magnetic field and Stator produces a Rotating magnetic
field.

Interaction between a revolving and constant magnetic

field helps in achieving constant speed characteristic

Stator: Revolving Magnetic Field

The field coil of stator is excited by a 3 phase AC supply.
This will produce a revolving magnetic field (RMF), which
rotates at synchronous speed.

Rotor: Constant Magnetic field

Rotor is excited by a D.C power supply, magnetic field
produced around the rotor coil by DC excitation. It is
clear that the rotor acts like a permanent magnet due to
such magnetic field. Alternatively rotor can also be
made of permanent magnet.
Assume you are giving an initial rotation to the rotor,
with same direction of RMF. You can see that opposite
poles of RMF and Rotor will attract each other and they
will get locked magnetically. This means that rotor will
rotate at the same speed of RMF, or rotor will rotate at
synchronous speed.

 In first figure opposite poles of RMF and Rotor pole get

attracted, rotor already rotating: In second figure poles
are magnetically locked

Synchronous Speed
Speed

at which RMF rotates or Synchronous speed can

easily be derived as follows.

It is clear from the relationship that speed of synchronous

motor, Ns(rpm) is directly proportional to frequency of the
electricity, f(Hz).P represents number of poles per phase.
This means that if one has got control over frequency of
the electricity, speed of synchronous motor can be very
accurately controlled. This is the reason why they are
suitable for high precision applications.

Why Synchronous motors are not self

starting ?
But if the rotor has got no initial rotation, situation is
quite different. North Pole of the Rotor will obviously get
attracted by South Pole of RMF, and will start to move in
the same direction. But since the rotor has got some
inertia, this starting speed will be very low. By this time
South pole of RMF will be replaced by a North pole. So it
will give repulsive force. This will make the rotor move
backward. As a net effect the rotor wont be able to
start.

In first figure opposite poles of RMF and rotor get

attracted, when the rotor has no initial rotation: In 2nd
figure this becomes a repulsive force

Making Synchronous Motor Self Start Use of

Damper winding
To make synchronous motor self start, a squirrel cage
arrangement is cleverly fitted through pole tips. They
are also called as damper windings.

Damper winding (squirrel cage) is fitted through poles of

the rotor

 At the starting rotor field coils are not energized. So with

revolving magnetic field, electricity is induced in squirrel
cage bars and rotor starts rotating just like an induction
motor starts.

Damper winding helps synchronous motor start just like

an induction motor starts

 When the rotor has achieved its maximum speed,

rotor field coils are energized. So as discussed
earlier poles of rotor gets locked with poles of RMF
and will start rotating at synchronous speed.
When rotor rotates at synchronous speed, relative
motion between squirrel cage and RMF is zero.
This means zero current and force on squirrel
cage bars, thus it will not affect synchronized
operation of the motor.

Advantage and Disadvantages

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 laggingpower factorloads 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. It also useful when the
motor is required to drive another alternator to supply at a different
frequency as in frequency changes.

 Synchronous motors can be constructed with wider

air gaps than induction motors which makes these
motors mechanically more stable
In synchronous motors electro-magnetic power
varies linearly with the voltage
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
requiredresultinginincrease in maintenance.
Synchronous motors cannot be useful for
applications requiring frequent starting or high
starting torques required

Application
Synchronous motors are used in generating stations and in
substations connected to the bus bars 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
forpower factorcorrection 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.
Synchronous motors are rarely used in industries for drive
applications. They are generally used aspower factor
correctiondevice. In industries they are employed to
improve the power factor of the system.

 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 textile and paper industries synchronous motors are
employed to attain wide range of speeds with variable
frequency drive system