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Module 3 DC Machines Notes
Module 3 DC Machines Notes
DC MACHINES
Construction of DC Machine:
The above figure shows constructional details of a simple 4-pole DC machine. A DC machine
consists of two basic parts; stator and rotor. Basic constructional parts of a DC machine are
described below.
YOKE: The outer frame of a dc machine is called as yoke. It is made up of cast iron or steel. It
not only provides mechanical strength to the whole assembly but also carries the magnetic flux
produced by the field winding.
The main function of the yoke in the machine is to offer mechanical support intended for poles
and protects the entire machine from moisture, dust, etc. The materials used in the yoke are
designed with cast iron, cast steel otherwise rolled steel.
For small machines, yoke is made up of Cast Iron and for large machines it is made up of
fabricated steel.
POLES AND POLE SHOES: Poles are joined to the yoke with the help of bolts or welding.
They carry field winding and pole shoes are fastened to them. Pole shoes serve two purposes; (i)
they support field coils and (ii) spread out the flux in air gap uniformly.
The pole of the DC machine is an electromagnet and the field winding is winding among pole.
Whenever field winding is energized then the pole gives magnetic flux. The materials used for
this are cast steel, cast iron otherwise pole core. It can be built with the annealed steel laminations
for reducing the power drop because of the eddy currents.
Purpose of the pole shoe is to enlarge the cross section area so that the reluctance of the magnetic
path is reduced. It spreads the magnetic flux in the air gap more uniformly.
Pole shoe in the DC machine is an extensive part as well as to enlarge the region of the pole.
Because of this region, flux can be spread out within the air-gap as well as extra flux can be
passed through the air space toward armature. The materials used to build pole shoe is cast iron
otherwise cast steed, and also used annealed steel lamination to reduce the loss of power because
of eddy currents.
FIELD WINDING: They are usually made of copper. Field coils are former wound and placed
on each pole and are connected in series. They are wound in such a way that, when energized,
they form alternate North and South poles.
Purpose of the field winding is to produce the magnetic flux when an electric current is passed
through it. It is placed on pole and a small DC source is connected to it. Material used for Field
Winding is Enamelled Copper Wire.
Field coils are former wound and placed on each pole and are connected in series. They are
wound in such a way that, when energized, they form alternate North and South poles.
ARMATURE CORE: Armature core is the rotor of a dc machine. It is cylindrical in shape with
slots to carry armature winding. The armature is built up of thin laminated circular steel disks for
reducing eddy current losses. It may be provided with air ducts for the axial air flow for cooling
purposes. Armature is keyed to the shaft.
Armature is the rotating part of the machine and is cylindrical in shape. It is made up of thin
silicon steel laminations, which are circular in shape and are riveted together. Thin laminations
are used to reduce Eddy Current Loss.
On the outer periphery/circumference of the armature, slots are provided to accommodate the
Armature winding.
The armature core is a made up of soft steel laminations which are insulated from each other and
tightly clamped together. In small machines, the laminations are keyed directly to the shaft,
whereas in large machines, they are mounted on a spider. The laminated armature core is used to
reduce the eddy current loss.
ARMATURE WINDING: It is usually a former wound copper coil which rests in armature
slots. The armature conductors are insulated from each other and also from the armature core.
Armature winding can be wound by one of the two methods; lap winding or wave winding.
Double layer lap or wave windings are generally used. A double layer winding means that each
armature slot will carry two different coils.
The armature winding can be formed by interconnecting the armature conductor. Whenever an
armature winding is turned with the help of prime mover then the voltage, as well as magnetic
flux, gets induced within it. This winding is allied to an exterior circuit. The materials used for
this winding are conducting material like copper.
COMMUTATOR
The main function of the commutator in the DC machine is to collect the current from the
armature conductor as well as supplies the current to the load using brushes. And also provides
uni-directional torque for DC-motor.
The commutator can be built with a huge number of segments in the edge form of hard drawn
copper. The Segments in the commutator are protected from the thin mica layer.
A commutator is a mechanical rectifier which converts the direct current input to the motor from
the DC source into alternating current in the armature winding.
The commutator is made of wedge-shaped copper segments insulated from each other and from
the shaft by mica sheets. Each segment of commutator is connected to the ends of the armature
coils.
A commutator is a device that is used for the collection of current from the armature winding
whereas the brush collects the current from the commutator.
BRUSHES
Brushes in the DC machine gather the current from the commutator and supply it to the exterior
load. Brushes wear with time to inspect frequently. The materials used in brushes are graphite
otherwise carbon which is in rectangular form.
The brushes are mounted on the commutator and are used to inject the current from the DC
source into the armature windings. The brushes are made of carbon and is supported by a metal
box called brush holder.
The pressure exerted by the brushes on the commutator is adjusted and maintained at constant
value by means of springs. The current flows from the external DC source to the armature
winding through the carbon brushes and commutator.
Brushes are usually made from carbon or graphite. They rest on commutator segments and slide
on the segments when the commutator rotates keeping the physical contact to collect or supply
the current.
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TYPES OF DC GENERATORS:
DC generators can be classified in two main categories, viz; (i) Separately excited and (ii) Self-
excited.
(i) Separately excited: In this type, field coils are energized from an independent external DC
source.
(ii) Self-excited: In this type, field coils are energized from the current produced by the generator
itself. Initial emf generation is due to residual magnetism in field poles. The generated emf causes
a part of current to flow in the field coils, thus strengthening the field flux and thereby increasing
emf generation.
Self excited dc generators can further be divided into three types -
(a) Series wound - field winding in series with armature winding
(b) Shunt wound - field winding in parallel with armature winding
(c) Compound wound - combination of series and shunt winding
If the contact brush drop is known, then the equation (1) is written as:
The power developed is given by the equation shown below:
If the brush contact drop is included, the equation of the terminal voltage becomes
If the brush contact drop is included, the terminal voltage equation is written as:
The flux developed by the series field winding is directly proportional to the current flowing
through it. But it is only true before magnetic saturation after the saturation flux becomes constant
even if the current flowing through it is increased.
EMF EQUATION OF DC GENERATOR
Question: Derive the EMF equation for DC Generator.
BACK-EMF
Magnitude of back emf is directly proportional to speed of the motor. Consider the load on a dc
motor is suddenly reduced. In this case, required torque will be small as compared to the current
torque.
Speed of the motor will start increasing due to the excess torque. Hence, being proportional to the
speed, magnitude of the back emf will also increase. With increasing back emf armature current
will start decreasing.
Torque being proportional to the armature current, it will also decrease until it becomes sufficient
for the load. Thus, speed of the motor will regulate.
On the other hand, if a dc motor is suddenly loaded, the load will cause decrease in the speed.
Due to decrease in speed, back emf will also decrease which allows more armature current.
Due to increase in armature current the torque will increase to fulfill the load requirement.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DC MOTORS
Three characteristic curves are considered important for DC motors which are, (i) Torque vs.
armature current, (ii) Speed vs. armature current and (iii) Speed vs. torque.
These are explained below for each type of DC motor. These characteristics are determined by
keeping the following two relations in mind.
Ta α ɸ.Ia and N α Eb/ɸ
These above equations can be studied at - emf and torque equation of dc machine. For a DC
motor, magnitude of the back emf is given by the same emf equation of a dc generator i.e. Eb =
PɸNZ / 60A. For a machine, P, Z and A are constant, therefore, N α Eb/ɸ
This characteristic is also known as electrical characteristic. We know that torque is directly
proportional to the product of armature current and field flux, Ta α ɸ.Ia.
In DC series motors, field winding is connected in series with the armature, i.e. Ia = If. Therefore,
before magnetic saturation of the field, flux ɸ is directly proportional to Ia.
Hence, before magnetic saturation Ta α Ia2. Therefore, the Ta-Ia curve is parabola for smaller
values of Ia.
After magnetic saturation of the field poles, flux ɸ is independent of armature current Ia.
Therefore, the torque varies proportionally to Ia only, T α Ia. Therefore, after magnetic saturation,
Ta-Ia curve becomes a straight line.
The shaft torque (Tsh) is less than armature torque (Ta) due to stray losses. Hence, the curve Tsh
vs Ia lies slightly lower.
In DC series motors, (prior to magnetic saturation) torque increases as the square of armature
current, these motors are used where high starting torque is required.
In case of DC shunt motors, we can assume the field flux ɸ to be constant. Though at heavy
loads, ɸ decreases in a small amount due to increased armature reaction.
As we are neglecting the change in the flux ɸ, we can say that torque is proportional to armature
current. Hence, the Ta-Ia characteristic for a dc shunt motor will be a straight line through the
origin.
Since heavy starting load needs heavy starting current, shunt motor should never be started on a
heavy load.
As flux ɸ is assumed to be constant, we can say N α Eb. But, as back emf is also almost constant,
the speed should remain constant. But practically, ɸ as well as Eb decreases with increase in load.
Back emf Eb decreases slightly more than ɸ, therefore, the speed decreases slightly.
Generally, the speed decreases only by 5 to 15% of full load speed. Therefore, a shunt motor can
be assumed as a constant speed motor.
In speed vs. armature current characteristic in the following figure, the straight horizontal line
represents the ideal characteristic and the actual characteristic is shown by the dotted line.
APPLICATIONS OF DC MOTORS
The main applications of the three types of direct current motors are given below.
Series Motors
The series DC motors are used where high starting torque is required and variations in speed are
possible. For example – the series motors are used in the traction system, cranes, air compressors,
Vaccum Cleaner, Sewing machine, etc.
Shunt Motors
The shunt motors are used where constant speed is required and starting conditions are not severe.
The various applications of DC shunt motor are in Lathe Machines, Centrifugal Pumps, Fans,
Blowers, Conveyors, Lifts, Weaving Machine, Spinning machines, etc.
Compound Motors
The compound motors are used where higher starting torque and fairly constant speed is required.
The examples of usage of compound motors are in Presses, Shears, Conveyors, Elevators, Rolling
Mills, Heavy Planners, etc.
The small DC machines whose ratings are in fractional kilowatt are mainly used as control device
such in techno generators for speed sensing and in servo motors for positioning and tracking.