Principle of Operation

•Synchronous generators or alternators are synchronous

machine to convert mechanical power to AC electrical power.

•The operation of a synchronous generator or alternator is based

on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, and in an ac
synchronous generator the generation of emf's is by relative
motion of conductors and magnetic flux.

•These machines can be used as either motors or generators but

their predominant use is in generation.
The synchronous generator or
alternator has a stationary armature
and a rotating magnetic field.
The generated voltage can be
connected directly to the load
without having to pass across the
slip rings and brushes.
The voltage applied to generate the
rotating field is a small DC voltage
(called a “field excitation” voltage).
There are two ways for this:
Construction
 Construction
• In constructing a synchronous machine a point to note is that the armature
winding is placed on stator which is stationary (not moving) and the field
winding is placed on rotor which rotates.
• There are two categories of Synchronous machines based on the shape of rotor:
(a) salient or projecting poles (b) Non-salient pole or cylindrical rotors
The rotor is constructed of thin laminations to reduce the eddy current losses

Non –salient or Cylindrical Rotor

 Construction

A 4-Pole Salient Rotor A 6-Pole Salient Rotor

 Speed of rotation of Synch. generator

Speed of rotation of synh. Gen. is given by the relation,

nm = (120×f ) / P
where nm is the speed of the rotor in revolutions per minute (rpm),
P is the number of poles
f is the electrical line frequency produced by the alternator.
•To generate a 60Hz power, a two-pole alternator has to rotate at
3600rpm.
•To generate a 60Hz power, a four-pole alternator has to rotate at
1800rpm.
Internal generated voltage of a Synchronous generator
Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Generator
Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Generator
Per-phase Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Generator
3-phase Synch. Gen. (Alternator)
 3-Phase Alternator
•The three phases are independent of each other.

•One point from each winding can be connected to form a neutral

and thus make a wye or star connection.
• For Y or Star connection:

The 3-phase stator can also be connected so that the phases

form a “delta” connection

For a delta connection:

3-phase Connections of Armature ( Stator)

Star Delta
3-Phase Alternator
 Three Phase Alternator
•In an alternator the output voltage varies with the load.

•There are two voltage drops.{ IR & IXL }

•The IXL drop is due to the inductive reactance of the armature
windings.
•Both the IR drop and the IXL drop decrease the output voltage as the
load increases.

•The change in voltage from no-load to full-load is called the “voltage

regulation” of an alternator.
•A constant voltage output from an alternator is maintained by
varying the field strength as required by changes in load.
Tests for determination of Equivalent Circuit parameter
1. DC Tests

A dc voltage is applied across the armature terminals of the generator and

the current is measured. The armature resistance is,
 2. OPEN CIRCUIT TEST ( IT GIVES OCC )

To obtain the open circuit characteristics the machine is driven at

rated speed without the load. Readings of the line-to-line voltage are
taken for various values of field current.
 OPEN CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

If not for the magnetic saturation of the iron, the open circuit characteristics
would be linear as represented by the air gap line
 OPEN CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

On open circuit IL = IA = 0

Vϕ = E A - ILZs
where Zs = RA + jXs
and Xs = XL + Xar
On open circuit Vϕ = EA
Armature current produces a flux which is proportional to IA and it
reduces the total flux. This is called the armature reaction and its
effect represented by Xar

On open circuit Xar = 0.

 3. SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ( IT GIVES SCC )

The three terminals of the armature are short circuited

The machine is driven at approximately synchronous rated speed and
measurements of armature short circuit currents are made for various
values of field currents usually up to and above rated armature
current.
SHORT CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

In conventional synchronous machines the short circuit

characteristics is practically linear because the iron is
unsaturated up to rated armature current
SHORT CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS
On short-circuit the machine runs at
it synchronous speed (n = ns)
and IL = IFL

For short circuit, Vt = 0,

Therefore, EA / IA = Zs
Xs ≈ Vϕ, OC / IA,sc
 LOAD CONDITIONS

A
ZZ a.c. Load
Field Regulator

FL Zs
Ea V a.c. Bank
DC F
Source Zs Ea Zs
Z Ea
Armature Delta/Star
L Circuit
A Connected
Field Current

The machine is introduced to normal working conditions

Phasor Diagram for Synch. Generator
Power Flow Diagram for Synch. Generator
Power expression for a Synchronous Machine

 = Load angles

In practical synchronous machines, except for small ones,

Xs >> Ra so we could assume that Zs = jXs in the analysis.
Therefore we get E A = Vϕ+ j IAXs
 Power expression for a Synchronous Machine

Considering the diagram, h = IAXscosӨ = EAsin

Therefore, IAXscosӨ = EAsin
Power expression for a Synchronous Machine

For maximum power, sin = 1

In which case,

The induced torque,