Synchronous Machine

I. Alternator
The synchronous machine is a reversible converter. It can operate either as a generator or as a
engine. When it operates as a generator, the synchronous machine is called an alternator.

I.1. Simplified organization of the alternator

The alternator consists of two main parts:
- The inductor, consisting of electromagnets supplied with direct current, or sometimes simply
made of permanent magnets (carried by the rotor).
- The rotor, consisting of single-phase or three-phase windings (supported by the stator)
PRINCIPLE:
Normalized symbol A synchronous generator transforms energy
mechanics(T,  in electrical energy (V, I of frequency

Induit A magnet rotates at frequency n, the coils are

crossed by a variable flow (t) hence the creation of a
GS GS
d The frequency of this emf
3~ 3~ induced emf e(t) = - N
Inductor dt
is such that: f = pn; let  p with speed of
rotation of the rotor (magnet) and  the pulsation of the emf
induced sinusoidal, in rad/s.
I.1.1. Inductor (carried by the rotor)
Its role is to create a rotating magnetic field at N S
the help of a magnetizing rotor set in rotation.
The inductor has 2.p poles (p: pole pairs).
There are 2 types of inductors: N N
Smooth pole rotor
Very robust, it allows for obtaining frequencies of
high rotation (> 3000 rpm). S S
It is used in thermal power plants and
nuclear power plants. Smooth pole rotor Salient pole rotor
p=1 p=2
Salient pole rotor
Turning more slowly, and thus providing less power, it is used in hydroelectric power plants.
and the generators.

I.1.2. Induced (carried by the stator)

Composed of three groups of conductors housed in notches
forming three circuits (one for each phase) offset from each other
others at a suitable angle (120°) and thereby providing some
three-phase currents.
I.2. Characteristics of the alternator

I.2.1. Frequency of induced e.m.f.

The windings of the armature are subjected to a rotating magnetic field at the frequency n called frequency
of the synchronism.
There thus appear at the terminals of the windings of the armature induced e.m.f.s of frequency f such that:
p: number of pole pairs.
f = p.n with n: rotor rotation frequency (rotating field) (rev/s).
f: frequency of induced e.m.f. (Hz).

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I.2.2. Effective value of the induced electromotive force by a winding
Each winding generates an induced emf e = - NSdΦ/dt, whose effective value is expressed as:
K: Kappa coefficient that depends only on the characteristics
E = K.p.n.N.Φmax= K.f.N.Φmax technological advancements of the alternator.
N: number of active conductors per winding
Φmaxmaximum useful flux under a pole in Weber (Wb).
f : Frequency of induced f.e.m. (Hz).
p: Number of pole pairs.
n: Rotor rotation frequency (rev/s).
I.2.3. Coupling of three-phase alternators
The induced f.e.m. defined earlier is generated by each of the windings. The previous formula
give the effective value of a single voltage if the windings are connected in star, and the value
of a composed voltage if they are coupled in triangle.

Example: Open circuit, if E = 230 V

Star coupling Triangle coupling

U U U
V

U = E. 3 = 400 V U = E = 230 V

I.2.4. Excitation of alternators

When the alternator is equipped with permanent magnets, it does not need to be excited.
When the inductor consists of electromagnets, they must be passed through by direct currents.
provided by :
an external source connected to the rotor by a system of rings and brushes.
the armature itself: part of the three-phase currents supplied by the armature are rectified using
a bridge of diodes in order to directly power the inductor: the alternator is then referred to as
self-excited

I.3. Operation under Load

I.3.1. Modeling a phase of the alternator
To study the three-phase alternator, we model one phase. R XS
I
from the alternator by an emf E in series with a resistance R
and a synchronous reactance XS
V
E
V = E - RI - j XSI

E
I.3.2. Vector diagramof BEHN–ESCHENBOURG:
Ohmic drop at the level of each induced winding jXSI
V
XSInductive drop due to the reactance Xs of the alternator
.
φ
RI
I

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Note: If R is negligible, the representation simplifies.
I.3.3. Determination of the synchronous reactance Xs:
One can easily determine the elements of the equivalent electrical model using two tests:
empty test E = f(Ie)
short circuit test ICC= f(Ie)
We then have the two characteristics ICC= f (Ie) and E = f (Ie). E(Ie)
For a given excitation current Ie0(linear zone),
ICC(Ie)
we therefore knowCC0and0from it, we deduce XS .
E 0
When in short circuit, applying Ohm's law on the
equivalent model, we obtain: 0 = E0–RICC0-j XSICC0
2 ICC0
2
be in module:E0=√R +XS ICC0= Z. ICC0 .

Reactance is generally much greater than the resistance of a

enrollment, from which: Ie0
Z = E0ICC0≈XS

I.4. Power balance. Efficiency.

I.4.1. Puissance reçue. Puissance restituée

The alternator receives a mechanical power PMwhich is provided to him by the drive engine
PM= CMΩ
It returns part of this power in the form of electrical power P that is received by the load:
P = √3 U I cosφ

I.4.2. Power loss assessment

a) Losses not dependent on the load (called 'constant' losses)
The mechanical losses pmdepend on the rotation frequency; the lossesfin the iron depend on the
frequency and flow in the machine. For a synchronous machine used at constant frequency and voltage,
They vary little between no-load operation and full-load operation.
They are therefore considered as constants.

b) Losses due to Joule effect

In the inductor: the power lost by Joule effect is equal to: pI= UeIe .
With Uandthe voltage continues across the inductor;
Iandthe intensity of the excitation current.
In the rotor: the powerjslost by Joule effect is equal to :pjs= 3 R I2
2
With R the resistance measured between two phase terminals of the machine

I.4.3. Expression of yield

If the alternator is self-excited, that is to say, if it receives power only from the engine that drives it,
the yield is then equal to:
√3U I cosφ
η=
CMΩ

If the alternator is not self-excited, the mechanical power received must be added to the power.I
which was provided to the excitation circuit.

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In general, we can also express the yield as a function of the different losses of
power :
√3U I cosφ
η=
√3U I cosφ + pm+ pf + pI+ pjs

II. Synchronous motor. Reversibility of the alternator:

II.1. Experience
Let’s connect a three-phase alternator to the network, then disconnect the power supply to the motor.

II.2. Finding
The group continues to tour, the alternator is converted into a motor.

II.3. Deduction
Since the engine runs at synchronous speed n = f/p, it is called a synchronous motor.

II.4. Operation Ω

II.4.1. Motor couple S

B
The rotation of the system is ensured by the couple: θ F
Let it be in module:
F S N µ
Cin=Cmaxsine theta
N
The evolution of C as a function of θ is as follows:
C engine
Zone Unstable zone
stable The engine falters If θ = 0 C=0 engine is off
Cmax If 0 < θ < π/2 It is crescent
C resistant engine running (stable static operation).
Siπ/2 <θ<πC is decreasing
engine disengages.
θ
0 pi/2 π
II.4.2. Equivalent schema. Equation. Diagram.

Equations: E = V - R.I - j Xs.IsoitV = E + R.I + j Xs.I R XS I

BEHN - ESCHENBOURG diagram:
V
φ θ V
E E
jXSI
I RI
I am behind on V
II.5.1 Advantages
The synchronous machine is easier to manufacture and more robust than the direct current motor.
Its efficiency is close to 99%.

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 One can adjust their power factor cos φ by modifying the excitation current Ie.

II.5.2 Disadvantages
An auxiliary starting engine is often necessary.
It requires excitation, that is to say a second source of energy.
If the resisting couple exceeds a certain limit, the motor stalls and stops.

III. Self-controlled synchronous motor:

Self-piloted synchronous motors are also called Brushless motors or auto-synchronous motors.
They are used for robot axis control: they can be controlled in speed or controlled in
position.

III.1. Schematic principle

The position sensor (synchro-resolver) adjusts the triggering and locking timing of the switches.
way to have the wanted. The fixed rotation speed sets the feeding frequency of the machine and
impose synchronism.

Sensor of
Synchronous motor position who
Phases of mark the axis
engine the rotor Axis of
Switch engine
MS
Network Rectifier electronics 3~
three-phase PWM Inverter

Order
Variator Brushless Motor

III.2. Constitution :
A three-phase rectifier bridge.
A three-phase inverter (current switch).
A position sensor attached to the rotor.
In order to ensure the synchronization of the control pulses of the inverter and the
motor power supply tension, a position sensor fixed on the shaft and provides
rigorously synchronized impulses of the machine's rotation. The frequency of the
currents supplying the motor are controlled according to the rotation speed.

IV- Different modes of starting the synchronous motor:

1- Start by auxiliary engine:
An asynchronous or direct current motor drives the synchronous motor at a speed close to it.
by synchronizing, we excite the rotor, if the coupling conditions are met we couple the
motor to the network and it attaches itself.
2- Asynchronous startup:
The stator is powered at reduced voltage from the network (via autotransformer), the rotor is
Short-circuited, the induced currents in the rotor conductors lead to the rotor speed.
at a value close to synchronization, at that moment we supply the inductor (rotor) with a
direct current source, the motor is then connected to the network.

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 V- Coupling of a generator to the grid
1- Diagram:

2- Operating procedure:
To connect a synchronous machine to the network, the following conditions must be checked after
to train it at a speed close to synchronous speed:
Have the same phase order (phase indicator).
Have the same frequency (frequency meter).
Have the same tension (voltmeter).
Having the same phase (synchroscope).

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 EXERCISES ON THE ALTERNATOR

Exercise 1:
A three-phase alternator with a star-connected stator, the nominal characteristics are:
5MVA
The record of the characteristics at no load and short circuit is given by the following table:

J (A) 0 0.5 1 1.5 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

E (V) 0 200 400 600 1200 1500 1660 1720 1760 1780 1790 1800
Icc(A) 0 400 800 1200

J: Excitation current intensity.

The electromotive force (e.m.f) between phase and neutral.
Icc: Short-circuit current intensity in the armature.
The resistance of a phase measured at hot: R = 0.08Ω.
1) In the short-circuit test, why did we stop at Icc = 1200A?
2) Plot the no-load characteristic: Scale 100V 10mm.
1A 15mm.
3) The rotor spins at the nominal speed of 1500 RPM, how many poles does it have?
4) Calculate the impedance Z of a stator winding. Deduce the value of Xs assumed to be constant.
5) The alternator supplies 1000A in an inductive circuit with a power factor of 0.8. Un = 2400V: Phase.
a) Determine the voltage E between phase and neutral. Given: Scale 1cm 120V.
b) Deduce the corresponding value of j.
c) calculate the losses due to Joule effect in the stator (Armature).
Exercise 2:
The nameplate of a three-phase alternator specifies: S = 2 MVA, 2885V/5000V, 50Hz, 1500 rpm.
The stator windings are connected in star, each winding of the rotor has a resistance R = 0.20
There are 500 active conductors. The winding coefficient of Kapp is K = 2.25. The resistance of
the inductor is r = 10 and the total iron and mechanical losses amount to 65 kW.
- A no-load test at 1500 rpm gives a characteristic equation E = 100.Ie where E is the effective value.
from the induced fem in a winding and where the intensity of the excitation current is: 0 < Ie < 50A.
- This autonomous alternator powers a balanced three-phase, inductive installation with a factor
power 0.80, under a nominal effective voltage Un = 5000V between phases. The effective current of the
The line current is then In = 200 A and the excitation current Ie = 32 A.
1. Determine the number of poles of the machine.
2. Calculate the rated currents that must appear on the nameplate.
3. In no-load operation, for a phase-to-phase voltage of 5000 V, determine the effective value E.
from the induced no-load electromotive force in a winding, the excitation current and the value of the maximum flux encompassed
by a spiral.
4. Duty essay:
a/Provide the equivalent diagram of a winding and the corresponding equation. Draw the diagram.
vectorial and deduce the synchronous reactance XSfrom each winding (R<<<<XS).
b/Calculate the useful power, the different losses, the total absorbed power, the efficiency and the
necessary couple moment. (Express the powers in KW)

Exercise 3:
A four-pole (4 poles) three-phase alternator is coupled in star. Its induced resistance is neglected.
The machine is supposed to be unsaturated so that the voltage between phase and neutral can be written as E = K.Ie. 
with K constant, excitation current and Pulsation. At nominal operation U=380V and I=10A.
1/Characteristics of the alternator. For n = 1500 rpm and an excitation current Ie = 1A, the EMF E = 200V.
Speed = 1500 rpm, Line = 1.5 A, Short-circuit induced current Icc = 10 A. Calculate the constant K and the
synchronous reactance
2/Operation under load: the rotor feeds on 3 identical resistances coupled in star. The speed
constant and equal to 1500 rpm. We want the alternator to deliver its rated current for its

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nominal voltage. Calculate the excitation current Ie, the resistance R, and the power P provided by
the alternator.

Exercise 4:
A three-phase alternator rotates at a speed of n = 750 rpm. Its stator has 120 slots.
Regularly spaced, each of them contains 4 active conductors. All notches are used.
The three windings are connected in star, their resistance is negligible; the frequency of the voltages produced
At 50 Hz. The coefficient of Kapp is equal to: K = 2.14. The magnetic circuit of the machine is such that, in the
useful zone, the amplitude the flow embraced in vain by a coil varies linearly with respect to
of the excitation current. The curve representing the function (Ie) is a line segment passing through
the origin and the coordinate point: Ie = 15.4 A; 0.085 Wb.
The alternator delivers in a purely inductive load, under an effective voltage of 962 V.
line. We give: excitation current intensity Ie = 15.4 A, effective current intensity in the armature
I = 150 A.
1/Determine the number of poles of the alternator.
What is the effective open-circuit voltage between the terminals of the alternator for an excitation current?
current intensity = 15.4 A?
3/Calculate the synchronous reactance XSof the alternator
The alternator delivers a current of intensity I = 80 A into a load of inductive nature whose factor
the power is 0.8. The intensity of the excitation current remains equal to 15.4 A. Calculate the voltage between
Terminals of the alternator. What is the power supplied to the load?
5/Take up the previous question, with the same numerical values, if the load is of nature
capacitive, while maintaining the same assumption of non-saturation.

Exercise 5:
A three-phase alternator with the stator windings connected in star supplies under normal load,
a current with effective intensity I = 200 A under a phase voltage U = 5 kV when the
the charge is inductive (cos = 0.87).
The resistance of a stator winding is equal to r = 0.20 The rotation frequency of the wheel
The polar is n' = 750 rpm. The current and voltage have a frequency of f = 50 Hz.
The total so-called 'constant' losses and Joule effect in the rotor reaches 55 kW.
A dry run at the rated rotational frequency yielded the following results (Ie is the intensity of the
excitation current; Ela effective value of the voltage between phases:
Ie (A) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
E (V) 0 1 050 2 100 3 150 4 200 5 200 5 950 6 550 7 000 7 300 7 500
A short-circuit test gave, for an exciting current of intensity Ie = 40 A, a current in the
stator windings of current I = 2.5 kA. cc
1/What is the number of poles of the rotor?
2/Calculate the synchronous reactance XSof the alternator when it is not saturated? We will assume XSconstant in
the continuation of the problem.
3/ Deduce the synchronous EMF Nominal water point
4/What is the rated power of the alternator?
5/ Determine the efficiency at the nominal operating point.

Exercise 6:
A three-phase alternator, whose windings are connected in star, supplies a composite voltage.
of effective value 380 V, a balanced three-phase, inductive receiver, with power factor cos = 0.80.
The current in the line has an effective intensity I = 40 A. The synchronous impedance of one phase of the stator has for
Complex expression: Z = 0.20 + 2.0 j (in ohms).
1/What is the synchronous female of a winding?
Calculate the losses due to Joule effect in the stator.
The rotor of the alternator as well as that of the exciter located at the end of the alternator shaft are
trained by a direct current motor M driven by a current of intensity 100 A under a voltage of
260V. The efficiency of M for this load is 88%.
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a) Calculate the output of the alternator for the chosen operating point (380V-40A, cos =0.8).
b) Determine the group's performance.

Exercise 7:
A three-phase alternator, whose stator windings are connected in star, is driven at its
Nominal rotation frequency is 1500 rpm. Its nominal apparent power is: Sn = 3.2 kVA.
The phase voltage has an effective value: Un = 220 V and frequency 50 Hz. The reading of the
Empty characteristic E(Ie) at nominal rotation frequency provided the following results: (Ie: intensity
excitation current; E: effective voltage measured between two terminals
E(V) 0 40 80 120 160 200 240 260
Ie (A) 0 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.52 0.72 0.90
For an excitation current Ie = 0.40 A, a short-circuit test showed that the current in a
The stator winding has an effective current I = 8 A.
ccThe resistance of the stator is negligible.
What is the number of poles of the rotor?
2. Calculate the effective intensitynIdu of the nominal current that the alternator can output.
3. Determine the synchronous reactance XSfrom the alternator when it is not saturated.
4. The alternator delivers a current with an effective intensity I = 8.4 A in an inductive load with a factor of
powercos = 0.5. The excitation current intensity being set to the value Ie = 0.9 A, estimate the
tension between phases by justifying vote estimation.
5. It is assumed that the previous estimate corresponds to reality. The power absorbed by the
charge using the two wattmeter method.
a) Provide the wiring diagram.
b) Calculate the readings of the wattmeters.

Exercise 8:
It is accepted that the synchronous reactance of a three-phase, four-pole alternator is equal to 49. and what is it
constant. The stator windings are connected in star.
At the nominal rotational frequency, in its useful zone, the no-load characteristic E (Ie) is comparable to
a line passing through the origin and the point Ie = 20 A; E = 15 kV (Ie: intensity of the excitation current;
E: effective tension measured between two terminals). The resistance of the rotor is negligible.
What is the rotation frequency of the polar wheel if the frequency of the current supplied by the armature is equal
at 50 Hz?
2. The alternator supplies a resistive three-phase load. The phase voltages are balanced and
Each of them is equal to 10 kV. The synchronous EMF E per phase has an effective value of 6.35 kV.
a/Calculate the effective intensity of the current in line.
What is the useful power of the alternator?
In another test, the alternator provides a power of 1 MW. The voltages between phases are balanced and
each of them is still equal to 10 kV. The current intensity in one phase is phase-shifted
of /4 in delay compared to the voltage across this phase.
What is the synchronous speed of the alternator?
Determine the intensity of the excitation current.
4. Calculate the efficiency of the machine for the operating conditions of question 3, knowing that
the power of the excitation is equal to 1.0 kWet which is the power supplied by the drive motor
20 kW when the alternator is running without load.