Electrical Machines Lab

Electrical Engineering

IIT Palakkad

OCC of a DC Generator

Name : Shoeb Mohammed Ziauddin

Roll Number : 121901038

Department : EE

Experiment number : 6

OCC of a DC Generator
AIM:

1) To obtain and plot the open circuit characteristics (OCC) of a DC Generator for rated speed
(Nr) and to find the following,
a) OCC at 0.2 Nr, 0.4Nr, 0.6Nr, 0.8Nr
b) The locus of no load terminal voltages
c) The critical resistances at 0.2 Nr, 0.4Nr, 0.6Nr, 0.8Nr and for Nr
d) The steady state short circuit current
e) Predetermine and plot the external characteristics (neglecting armature reaction) and
find the maximum load current and corresponding terminal voltage for 0.6Nr, 0.8Nr
and for Nr
2) The critical speed for the measured field resistance.

NAMEPLATE RATING OF MACHINE(S) :

DC Generator : 1.1KW 1500/2000 rpm 220V 6.5A Exc. 220V 0.67/0.34A

BASIC THEORY:
Open Circuit Characteristics:
Also known as no load characteristics, OCC is obtained when the emf generated at no load, is
plotted against the field current at a given speed. When field current is zero, there is a small voltage
generated at the output, that is called the residual voltage, which is generated due to magnetism inside
the machine.

Critical Field Resistance:

The Critical Field Resistance of a DC generator is defined as the maximum field current
resistance with which the shunt generator will just excite. Therefore, a shunt generator will build up
voltage only if the field circuit resistance is less than the critical field resistance.

Critical Speed:
The speed of the generator at critical resistance is called critical speed.

External Characteristics is obtained when terminal voltage is plotted against the load current.

ANALYTICAL EQUATIONS:

E - Vi = IaRa
Il = Ia - If
Il = (E - Vl)/Ra - If (for external characteristics)
E1/E2 = N1/N2
E2/If1 = Rfc => Nc = Nr(If1*Rfc)/E1
SAMPLE GRAPHS:
INSTRUMENTS USED:
Instruments Specification Quantity
Multimeter 1

Rheostat 220V, 6.8A 3

Tachometer 1

DC shunt generator 1.1kW 1500/2000rpm, 220V, 6.5A 1

Exc. 220V, 0.67/0.34A

CONNECTION DIAGRAM:

(Note: Students need to identify the ratings of the instruments used and mark it on the diagram before
coming for the lab viva)

OCC of DC Generator:

PROCEDURE:
OCC of DC Generator:

1. Make the connections as per the circuit diagram.

2. DC motor field winding rheostat should be at minimum position and armature rheostat should
be at maximum position
3. Keep the DC generator field winding rheostat at maximum position
4. Switch on the DC supply to the motor.
5. Bring the armature winding rheostat to the minimum position
6. Adjust the field rheostat of the DC motor so that rated field current flows through the
field winding and the machine runs at rated speed.
7. By varying the field rheostat of the DC generator in steps, note down the generated emf and the
field current.
8. Bring back the DC generator field winding rheostat to maximum position, DC motor field
winding rheostat to minimum position and DC motor armature rheostat to maximum position. 9.
Switch off the power supply.

OBSERVATIONS :
Ra(in ohms) = 5.3, Rf(in ohms) = 33.84 (=220/6.5)
OCC of DC Generator: Speed, N (in rpm) = 1500
V IA
(V) (A)

17 0

171 0.38

174 0.40

178 0.42

180 0.44

184 0.46
 186 0.48

188 0.5

191 0.52

193 0.54

197 0.58

200 0.61

202 0.63

204 0.65

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS (if any) :

Nc = Nr*(If/E1)*Rfc = 1500*(0.46/184)*33.84 = 126.9 rpm

RESULTS:
Critical Resistance at Nr = 200 ohms
0.8Nr = 160 ohms
0.6Nr = 120 ohms
0.4Nr = 80 ohms
Critical Speed = 126.9 rpm
Max load current at Nr = 20.1 A
Terminal Voltage corresponding to max current = 63 V

INFERENCES:

The OCC of the DC generator was plotted from the experiment at rated speed and consequently,
from the equations, OCC at various speeds was also calculated. It is also inferred that the field
resistance is lower than critical resistance for speeds above critical speed and hence OCC was plotted,
and there exists no OCC below the critical speed.