AC Machines: Synchronous Machine

Alternators On Load

Prof. Sidhartha Panda

Department of Electrical Engineering
VSSUT, Burla
 Alternators On Load
 On no-load: Eph =2.22KwϕZphf =2.22KcKdϕZphf Volts

 Whenever the load on the alternator is varied, the terminal

voltage will also vary.
 This variation in terminal voltage is mainly due to three reasons:
 Voltage drop due to armature resistance (IRa)
 Voltage drop due to armature leakage reactance (IXL)
 Voltage drop due to armature reaction.
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 Alternators On Load
Voltage drop due to armature resistance (IRa)
 The armature winding resistance per phase will cause a
IRa voltage drop per phase.
 The voltage drop due to armature resistance is in phase with the
armature current I
Voltage drop due to armature leakage reactance (IXL)
 When current flows through armature conductors, the flux will
start to flow through the armature core.
 Some flux will take different paths and do not cross the air gap
which is called leakage flux.
 Leakage flux depends on the current flowing through the
conductor.
 This leakage flux will set up an emf because of self-inductance.
 This emf leads the armature current I by 900.
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 Alternators On Load: Leakage Flux

 The armature winding is said to possess a leakage reactance XL.

 The voltage drop due to this reactance is IXL.
 The generated emf has to overcome the voltage drop due to
leakage reactance to give its output.
 E = V + I ( Ra + jXL )

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 Alternators On Load: Phasor Diagram
 The voltage phasor is taken as the reference phasor.
 The armature current lags behind the voltage by an angle Φ.
 Hence the current phasor is drawn at an angle Φ from the voltage
phasor.
 The phasor for armature resistance drop is drawn parallel to the
current phasor from the extremity of Voltage phasor V.
 Leakage reactance drop is drawn perpendicular to the current
phasor from the extremity of IRa phasor.
 Join 0 and the extremity of IXL phasor to get E.

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 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field
 When a 3-phase winding is energized from a 3-phase supply, a
rotating magnetic field is produced.
 This field is such that its poles do no remain in a fixed position
on the stator but go on shifting their positions around the stator.
 For this reason, it is called a rotating field.
 Consider a three phase windings displaced in space by
120°,supplied by a three phase a.c supply.
 The three phase currents are also displaced from each other by
120°.
 The flux produced by each phase current is also sinusoidal in
nature and all three fluxes are separated from each other by 120°.
 If the phase sequence of the windings is 1-2-3, then the
mathematical equation for the instantaneous values of the fluxes
Φ1, Φ2 andΦ3

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 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field

As windings are identical and supply is balanced the amplitude of each flux is
same i.e. Φm. The waveforms of three fluxes are shown in figure.
The mathematical equation for the instantaneous fluxes Φ1, Φ2 and Φ3
Φ1 = Φm Sin (wt ) = Φm sin θ
Φ2 = Φm Sin (wt – 120°) = Φm sin (θ-120°)
Φ3 = Φm Sin (wt – 240°) = Φm sin (θ-240°)
 The resultant flux ΦT at any instant is given by phasor combination of Φ1,
Φ2 and Φ3 at that instant.
 Let us find out ΦT at four different instants 1, 2, 3 and 4
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 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field
Case (i) θ = 0° Φ3
 Φ1 = Φm Sin 0° = 0
 Φ2 = Φm sin (-120°) = – 0.866 Φm
Φ1
 Φ3 = Φm Sin ( – 240°) = +0.866 Φm
 And ΦT = Φ1 + Φ2 + Φ3
BD is perpendicular drawn from B on ‘ΦT‘
Φ2
.

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 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field
Case (ii) θ = 60°
 Φ1 = Φm Sin 60° = +0.866 Φm
 Φ2 = Φm sin (-60°) = – 0.866 Φm
 Φ3 = Φm Sin ( – 180°) = 0
 And ΦT = Φ1 + Φ2 + Φ3
The magnitude of the resultant is same as
before but it is rotated in space by 60° in Case (iv) θ = 180°
clockwise direction, from its previous
position

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(iii) θ = 120° 9
 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field
 The resultant of the three alternating fluxes, separated from each
other by 120°, has a constant amplitude of 1.5 Φm, where Φm is the
maximum amplitude of an individual flux due to any phase.
 The resultant always keeps on rotating with a certain speed in space
 Hence we can include that the three phase stationary winding when
connected to a three phase a.c. apply produces a rotating magnetic
field.
 The speed of the resultant is 180° in space, for 180° electrical of the
fluxes for a 2 pole.
 If the winding is wound for P poles, then resultant will complete
2/p revolutions for 360° electrical of the fluxes.
 So resultant flux bears a fixed relation between the speed of
rotation (Ns), supply frequency (f) and the number of poles (P) for
which winding is wound.
 So for a rotating magnetic field: Ns = 120.f/P r.p.m.
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 Production of Rotating Magnetic Field
 The resultant of the three alternating fluxes, separated from each
other by 120°, has a constant amplitude of 1.5 Φm, where Φm is the
maximum amplitude of an individual flux due to any phase.
 The resultant always keeps on rotating with a certain speed in space
 Hence we can include that the three phase stationary winding when
connected to a three phase a.c. apply produces a rotating magnetic
field.
 The speed of the resultant is 180° in space, for 180° electrical of the
fluxes for a 2 pole.
 If the winding is wound for P poles, then resultant will complete
2/p revolutions for 360° electrical of the fluxes.
 So resultant flux bears a fixed relation between the speed of
rotation (Ns), supply frequency (f) and the number of poles (P) for
which winding is wound.
 So for a rotating magnetic field: Ns = 120.f/P r.p.m.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
 Armature reaction in alternator is defined as the effect of armature
flux on the main flux produced by the field poles.
 Armature reaction depend on the type of load applied to the
alternator (UPF, ZPF lag/lead, Lag/lead)
Unity Power Factor (UPF): Purely Resistive Load
 When a resistive load with a unity power factor is connected to the
alternator, the load current will start to flow through the armature
winding.
 As it is a pure resistive load, the armature current will be in phase
with the induced voltage.
 The armature current will produce its own flux in the conductor,
which will also be in phase with the induced voltage.
 Since the induced emf lags behind the main field flux by 900, the
armature flux produced will also be delayed by 900 with respect to
the main flux.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Unity Power Factor (UPF):

 As the armature flux act on the main field flux perpendicularly, the
distribution of main field flux under a pole face does not remain
uniformly distributed.
 Flux density at the trailing tip of the pole is increased while flux at
the leading tip of the pole decreases.
 The armature flux will cross and distorts the main field flux at one
point, thereby weakening the main flux.
 This is said to be a cross magnetizing effect.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Zero Power Factor Lag (ZPF Lag):

 When a pure inductive load with zero lagging power factor is

connected to the alternator, the armature current will be delayed by
900 and so the armature flux produced will also be shifted by
900 with respect to the poles.
 The armature flux will be in direct opposition to the main flux.
 This effect of armature reaction on this load (ZPF Lag) is said to be
a demagnetizing effect.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Zero Power Factor Lead (ZPF Lead):

 When a pure capacitive load with zero leading power factor is

connected, the load current will be advanced by 900 and so the
armature flux produced will also be advanced by 900 with respect
to emf induced.
 So the armature flux will be in phase with the main field flux,
resulting in strengthening of the field flux.
 Thus the main flux gets increased in this loading condition.
 This effect of armature reaction on this load (ZPF Lead) is said to
be a magnetizing effect.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
 When an alternator supplies a load at the unity power factor, the
effect of armature reaction is partly cross magnetizing and partly
distorting.
 The effect of armature reaction is demagnetizing when an alternator
supplies a load at a lagging power factor.
 When an alternator supplies a load at the leading power factor, the
effect of armature reaction is magnetizing.
 When an alternator supplies a load at the intermediate power factor,
the effect of armature reaction is partly distorting and partly
demagnetizing.
 The effects of armature reaction may cause the generated emf to
vary.
 The voltage drop due to armature reaction may be assumed as there
is a presence of fictitious reactance Xa called armature reactance
reaction.
 The voltage drop due to the armature reaction is represented as IXa.
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
 The leakage reactance XL and armature reaction reactance Xa
together called synchronous reactance XS. (XS = XL + Xa)
 Thus the voltage drop in an alternator under loaded conditions is
the total sum of voltage drop due to armature resistance, armature
leakage reactance, and armature reaction reactance.
 V = I Ra + j I XL + j I Xa = I ( Ra + j XL + j Xa ) = I ( Ra + j ( XL + Xa ) )
 V = I ( Ra + j XS ) = I ZS
 Where ZS is known as the synchronous impedance of an
alternator.
 Phasor Diagrams:
E0 is the no-load voltage. It is the maximum voltage induced in the
armature without giving any load.
E is the load voltage. It is the induced voltage after overcoming the
armature reaction. E is vectorially less than the no-load voltage.
I is the armature current per phase
V9-Jan-24
is the terminal voltage. . 1
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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Unity Power Factor (UPF):

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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Lagging Power Factor:

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 Armature Reaction in Alternators
Leading Power Factor:

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