ELECTRICAL MACHINES

Lecture 6

SYNCHRONOUS MACHINES

Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

Outline:
6a. Overview to Synchronous Machines.
6b. Synchronous Generator.
6c. Synchronous Motor.
6d. Equivalent Circuit of Synchronous Machine.
6e. Determination of Synchronous Impedance.
6f. Power and Torque Equations of Alternator.
6g. Parallel Operation of Alternators.
6h. Synchronous Condenser.
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
ELECTRICAL MACHINES

Lecture 6d

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF
SYNCHRONOUS MACHINE

Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- A number of factors have to be considered when constituting
the equivalent circuit of the synchronous machine (non-salient
type):
• Armature reaction produces a reactance effect in the armature
winding called armature reaction reactance, XAR.
• The self inductance of the armature coils, XA.
• The resistance of the armature coils, Ra.
- The effects of a salient pole shape on the operation of a
synchronous machine will be ignored here.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Complete equivalent circuit representation of a three phase
synchronous generator:
Ia1 Xs Ra

Ea1 Vt1 (phase)

If
Ia2 Xs Ra
Rf
Vf (DC)
Ea2 Vt2 (phase)
Lf

Ia3 Xs Ra
Xs: synchronous reactance
Ra: armature resistance
Ea3 Vt3 (phase)
Rf: field resistance
Lf: field inductance
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
- Final equivalent circuit model on per phase basis:
synchronous reactance:
armature reaction reactance
+
Ia leakage reactance

synchronous generator
E a  I a (R a  jX s ) V t

Ia

synchronous motor

V t  I a (R a  jX s )  E a

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- It is important to recognize that these equivalent circuits are
single phase, line-to-neutral equivalent circuits for a three
phase machine operating under balanced, three phase
conditions.
- In case of DC generators, it was shown that the terminal
voltage of a DC generator is smaller than the generated voltage
owing to (a) the voltage drop across its armature winding and
(b) the decrease in the armature flux caused by the armature
reaction.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- However, the terminal voltage of an AC generator depends on
the load and may be larger or smaller than the generated
voltage.
- The terminal voltage is higher than the generated voltage when
the power factor is leading.
- For unity and lagging power factors, the terminal voltage is
smaller than the generated voltage.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Phasor diagram of synchronous generator:
• Resistive load:

E a  I a R a  jI a X s V t

Ea
jIaXs

δ
Ia Vt IaRa

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Phasor diagram of synchronous generator:
• Inductive load:

E a  I a R a  jI a X s V t

Ea

δ jIaXs
Vt
Ia IaRa

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Phasor diagram of synchronous generator:
• Capacitive load:

E a  I a R a  jI a X s V t

Ea
jIaXs
Ia
δ IaRa
Vt

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Observations:

E a  I a R a  jI a X s V t

- The induced voltage written in polar form is: E a 

- δ is called power angle.
- In all cases, power angle is positive for generator.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Example 1: A 9 kVA, 208 V, three phase, Y connected,
synchronous generator has a winding resistance of 0.1 Ω/phase
and a synchronous reactance of 5.6 Ω/phase. Determine the
induced emf when the power factor of the load is 80 %
lagging.
- Solution:

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

 Vt
Ia

E a  I a (R a  jX s ) V t  E a  233.7428.19 V

208
0.1 5.6  120.09
3
S  3 V ph  I ph
S 9000
 I ph  
3 V ph 3  120.09
 24.98   36.87

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Efficiency and losses of synchronous machine:

Pout
  100
Pin

Pout  Plosses

No load rotational losses

Copper losses Core losses Mechanical losses
• armature losses: • eddy current losses • friction: bearing friction and
3  I a2 R a • hysteresis losses friction between brushes and
slip rings.
• windage: friction between
rotating parts and air inside
the machine.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- These losses are present in both synchronous generator and
motor. The only difference is the direction of power flow.
- For synchronous generator:

Pdev

mechanical input electrical output

Pin  T in  Pout  3 V t I a  pf

mechanical losses core losses copper losses

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

 - For synchronous motor:

Pdev

electrical input mechanical output

Pin  3 V t I a  pf Pout  T out 

copper losses mechanical losses core losses

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Example 2: A 10 kVA, 3 phase, 220 V, 60 Hz, 6 pole, Y
connected round rotor synchronous generator has an armature
resistance of 0.25 Ω per phase, synchronous reactance of 5 Ω
per phase, and field resistance of 8 Ω. The machine’s core
losses are 250 W and mechanical losses are 200 W. The
machine is delivering full load at unity power factor. The field
current is adjusted at 8 A. The excitation voltage varies linearly
with the field current.
(a) Determine the excitation (internal) voltage.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Solution:

E a  I a (R a  jX s ) V t  E a  187.2444.49 V

220
0.25 5  127.02
3
S  3 V ph  I ph
S 10000
 I ph    26.24 0
3 V ph 3  127.02

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

(b) Determine the efficiency of the machine.

S  pf  10000 W
Pout
  100
Pin    91.19 %

200  250  3  I a2 R a
Pout  Plosses 200  250  3  (26.24) 2  0.25  966.4 W

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

(b) Now, assume that the plant operator is requested to operate
the machine at 0.85 leading power factor while serving the same
full load. What is the operator required to do exactly to meet this
load?

E a  I a (R a  jX s ) V t  E a  131.3361.1 V
220
0.25 5  127.02
3
S  3 V ph  I ph  I ph S 10000
   26.24 31.79
3 V ph 3  127.02
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
- Therefore, the operator needs to reduce Ea from 187.24 V to
131.3 V.
- He can do this by reducing the field current If.
- Since, as given, Ea varies linearly with the If:

E a I f

8 187.24
 I f 2  5.61 A
If2 131.3

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

- Example 3: A 400 V, 6 pole, three phase, 60 Hz, Y connected
synchronous motor has a resistance 0.5 Ω/phase and a
synchronous reactance 4 Ω/phase. The motor takes a current of
15 A and a unity power factor.
(a) Find the excitation voltage and its angle.
- Solution:

V t  I a (R a  jX s )  E a

E a V t  I a (R a  jX s )

 E a  231.35  15.03 V

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

If the load torque is increased until the line current has reached
60 A at a power factor of 0.954 leading and the field current
remains unchanged,
(b) Find the input power
Pin  3 V t  I a  pf

400 60 0.954
3

 Pin  39.657 kW

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

(c) Find the reactive power at the input level and its direction.

Q in  3 V t  I a  sin( ) Ia

Vt
400 60  0.2999
  V  I
3
 0  17.45
 17.45
 Q in  12.467 kV ar

Q is negative because the power factor is leading so Q is

coming out of the motor.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

(d) Calculate the developed power and the developed torque.

Pdev  Pin  copper losses

 Pdev  34.257 kW
39.657 kW 3  602  0.5  5.4 kW

120f
 T dev 
Pdev Ns   1200 rpm    125.66 rad / s
 p
 T dev  272.62 N .m
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
(e) Find the motor efficiency if the rotational losses are 4 kW.

Pdev  rotational losses  30.257 kW

Pout
  100    76.3 %
Pin

39.657 kW
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
- Example 4: A 3 phase, 60 Hz, 6 pole, Y connected synchronous
generator has a synchronous reactance of 4 Ω and a terminal
voltage of 2300 V. The field current is adjusted so that the
excitation voltage is 2300 V at a power (torque) angle of 15o.
Neglect the armature resistance and rotational losses,
(a) Determine the stator current.
E a  I a (R a  jX s ) V t

0 4 2300
2300 3
15
3
 I a  86.77.5 A
Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi
(b) Determine the power factor.

We have:
I a  86.77.5 A

 pf  cos(7.5 )  0.991

As the current angle is positive so power factor is leading.

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi

(c) Find the output power

Pout  3 V t  I a  pf

2300 86.7 0.991

3

 Pout  342.28 kW

Lecture 6e: Determination of Synchronous Impedance

Prepared by: Dr. Ahmad Al-Subhi