AC MACHINERY
FUNDAMENTALS
ENGR. RENE RAY A. ANDICOY
AC GENERATORS
AC GENERATORS
A machine that converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy.
Works on the principle of Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction, which states that
electromotive force – EMF or voltage – is generated in a
current-carrying conductor that cuts a uniform magnetic
field.
The generated EMF depends on the number of
armature coil turns, magnetic field strength, and the
speed of the rotating field.
AC GENERATOR PARTS
AND FUNCTION
1. Field. The field consists of coils of conductors that
receive a voltage from the source and produce
magnetic flux. The magnetic flux in the field cuts the
armature to produce a voltage. This voltage is the
output voltage of the AC generator.
2. Armature. The part of an AC generator in which the
voltage is produced is known as an armature. This
component primarily consists of coils of wire that are
large enough to carry the full-load current of the
generator.
3. Prime Mover. The component used to drive the AC
generator is known as a prime mover. The prime mover
could either be a diesel engine, a steam turbine, or a
motor
AC GENERATOR PARTS
AND FUNCTION
4. Rotor. The rotating component of the generator is
known as a rotor. The generator’s prime mover drive the
rotor.
5. Stator. The stator is the stationary part of an AC
generator. The stator core comprises a lamination of
steel alloys or magnetic iron to minimize the eddy
current losses.
6. Slip Rings. Slip rings are electrical connections used to
transfer power to and fro from the rotor of an AC
generator. They are typically designed to conduct the
flow of current from a stationary device to a rotating
one.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
OF AN AC GENERATOR
When the armature rotates between the poles of the
magnet upon an axis perpendicular to the magnetic field,
the flux linkage of the armature changes continuously. As
a result, an electric current flows through the
galvanometer and the slip rings and brushes.
The direction of the induced current can be identified
using Fleming’s Right-Hand Rule.
ADVANTAGES OF AC
GENERATORS OVER DC
GENERATORS
Following are a few advantages of AC generators over DC
generators:
AC generators can be easily stepped up and stepped
down through transformers.
The transmission link size in AC Generators is thinner
because of the step-up feature.
Losses in AC generators are relatively lesser than in DC
machines
The size of an AC generator is smaller than a DC
generator
AC MOTORS
AC MOTORS
An AC motor is a motor that converts alternating current
into mechanical power.
The stator and the rotor are important parts of AC
motors.
The stator is the stationary part of the motor, and the
rotor is the rotating part of the motor.
The AC motor may be single-phase or three-phase.
Tesla invented the first AC induction motor in 1887.
CONSTRUCTION OF AN
AC MOTOR
1. Stator. The stator is the stationary part of the motor that
delivers a rotating magnetic field to interact with the
rotor.
2. Stator Core. The stator core is made of thin metal
sheets known as laminations. Laminations are used to
reduce energy loss.
3. Stator Windings. Stator windings are stacked together,
forming a hollow cylinder. The slots of the stator core
coils of insulated wires are insulated. When the
assembled motor operates, the stator windings are
connected to a power source. Each group of coils,
along with the steel core, becomes an electromagnet
when the current is applied.
CONSTRUCTION OF AN
AC MOTOR
4. Rotor. A rotor is a central component of a motor that is
fixed to the shaft. The most common type of rotor used
in an AC motor is the squirrel cage rotor. A squirrel-cage
rotor is cylindrical and is made by stacking thin steel
laminations.
5. Motor Shaft. The rotor is pressed onto a steel shaft to
form a rotor assembly. The shaft extends outside the
motor casing allowing connection to an external system
to transmit the rotational power.
6. Bearings. Bearings hold the motor shaft in place. The
bearings minimize the shaft’s friction connected to the
casing, which increases the motor’s efficiency.
CLASSIFICATION OF
AN AC MOTOR
CLASSIFICATION OF AC
MOTOR
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
The motor that runs at synchronous speed is known as the
synchronous motor.
The constant speed at which the motor generates the
electromotive force is known as synchronous speed.
An electromagnet in the rotating magnetic field magnetically
locks itself with the rotating magnetic field and rotates
simultaneously with the rotating field.
120f
Ns =
P
where:
Ns – synchronous speed
f – frequency
P - No. of poles
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
WORKING PRINCIPLE
The synchronous motor works with two electrical inputs
provided to it.
The stator is equipped with a 3-phase AC supply, while
the rotor is provided with the DC supply.
The stator winding supplied with 3 phase AC supply
generates 3 phase rotating magnetic flux. The rotor
carrying DC supply produces a constant flux.
At a particular instant, the rotor and the stator poles
might be of the same polarity (N-N or S-S), causing a
repulsive force and the very next second, it will be N-S
causing an attractive force.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
Due to this attractive and repulsive force, the motor
cannot rotate in any direction and remains in a standstill
position.
To overcome this resistance to motion, the rotor is
initially fed mechanical input that rotates it in the same
direction as the magnetic field. After some time,
magnetic locking occurs, and the synchronous motor
rotates in synchronism.
INDUCTION MOTOR
Induction motors are the most commonly used motors.
Induction motors are also known as asynchronous
motors because they always run slower than
synchronous speed.
Based on the type of rotor construction, they are divided
into two types as follows:
Squirrel Cage Motor
Slip Ring Motor
INDUCTION MOTOR
WORKING PRINCIPLE
In an induction motor, the stator winding is fed with an
AC supply. This causes the stator winding to develop an
alternating flux. We call this rotating flux “Rotating
Magnetic Field (RMF).”
According to Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic
Induction, the relative speed between the stator RMF
and the rotor RMF causes an induced emf in the rotor
conductors. Rotor conductors are short-circuited, and a
rotor current is produced due to induced emf.
This induced current produces alternating flux around it.
It should be noted that the stator flux lags behind the
rotor flux.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
Due to the relative velocity between the rotating stator
flux and the rotor, the rotor rotates in the same direction
as that of the stator flux to minimize the relative velocity.
This is the basic working principle of the induction motor.
The difference between the synchronous speed (Ns) and
the actual speed (N) of the rotor is known as the slip.
Ns −N
%S= x 100
Ns
REFERENCES
https://byjus.com/physics/ac-
generator/#:~:text=Asked%20Questions%20%E2%80%
93%20FAQs-
,What%20is%20an%20AC%20Generator%3F,of%20altr
nating%20voltage%20and%20current.
https://byjus.com/physics/ac-motor/
