SYNCH

HRONOUS
S MACHIINEP-δ CU
URVE
Aim: To stu
udy the poweer angle charracteristics of
o a given syynchronous m
machine withh the main bbus bars.

Theory:

The electrical power outtput, Pe of a synchronous machine (iin the simpleest form) is ggiven as
E f Vt sin 
Pe 
Xs
Where, Vt0 = the term minal voltage of the mach hine,
Ef = E.M.F. induced in the
t armature winding, Xs = Synchronnous reactannce
 = the anguular position of the rotor with respecct to a synchrronously rottating referennce frame
The plot of the variationn of Pe with  for the gennerating andd motoring m mode of the synchronouss machine
is shown in Fig. 1. Stablle operation is possible only
o in the raange (-π/2 π/2).

Fig 4. Pe – δ Characteriistics of a Syynchronous Machine.

Since the baasic function

n of the syncchronous maachine is to cconvert mechanical pow wer to electrical power
and vice veersa, some prime mover has to be mechanically
m y coupled wwith the rotorr so that excchange of
mechanical torque and power can takes place.. A dc machhine supplieed from a dc grid is used in this
experiment as the prim me mover. At A first, the dc machinne is started in the mottor mode drriving the
synchronouss machine ro otor. As fielld excitation
n is establishhed in the syynchronous machine, E.M.F. gets
generated in
n the armatu ure winding due to the relative
r motiion. The nexxt step is to connect thee armature
terminals to
o the ac grid so that powwer can be ex xchanged inn either direcction. The prrocess of establishing
this connecttion is termeed as synchrronization annd can be peerformed onnly if the folllowing condditions are
fulfilled:
 1. The grid voltage(Vg) and synchronous machine terminal voltage (Vt)are equal in magnitude and
phase.
2. The grid voltage and synchronous machine terminal voltage should have the same phase
sequence.
3. The frequency of the grid voltage and synchronous machine terminal voltage must be very close
(but not exactly equal).
As a result of condition 3, the difference between the phase angles of the grid voltage and
synchronous machine terminal voltage will keep varying from 0 to 360 with a beat frequency (i.e.
the difference of the grid and synchronous machine frequency). The machine can be connected to the
grid exactly at the instant when the phase difference is zero.
Once the synchronization is complete, the input electrical power to the dc machine (from the dc
grid) can be varied which in turn causes a variation in the mechanical power transferred from the dc
machine to the synchronous machine and finally variation in the power exchanged by the synchronous
machine with the ac grid. The value of delta can be computed for each value of power exchange.

Connection Diagram:
A circuit diagram is shown in Fig. 2 to provide some idea about the connection. However, the following
differences will be there for this virtual experiment in SIMULINK platform.
a. The field winding of the synchronous machine is not explicitly available. Instead, there is a handle to
vary the excitation directly.
b. Unlike the circuit diagram, separate load should not be connected to the dc machine armature
terminals. For loading, the dc machine will exchange power in either direction with the dc grid.
c. The bright lamp method is not used for synchronization; hence bulbs are not used in the synchronous
machine armature winding. The alternative method of synchronization to be used is described in the
‘Procedure’ section.
d. The synchronous machine output power is to be measured using 3-phase active power and reactive
power calculation block.
Circuit Diagram:

Fig 2. Circuit Diagram.

Procedure:
1. Make co onnections as a per the ciircuit diagraam except thhe differencces for the vvirtual expeeriment as
specified in the section above.
a Initiaally keep all the switchess open.
2. Ensure th hat the variaable resistor is in maxim mum positioon in the arm mature windding and in minimum
position in the field wiinding of th he dc machiine. Start thhe dc machinne by suppllying the dcc machine
windings wiith rated dc voltage.
v
3. Adjust thhe speed of the dc machine by varrying the varriable resisttors in the aarmature winnding (for
speeds below rated) and d field wind ding (for speeed above raated). Set thee speed closse to the synnchronous
speed (little above).
4. Increase the excitatio on of the sy ynchronous machine
m andd ensure thaat the magniitude of the armature
terminal volltage is samee as the grid voltage mag gnitude.
5. For checcking the ph hase sequencce, the spacee phasor is of the two voltages (grid and macchine) are
utilized. Forr this, first the
t stationarry three-phase a-b-c volltages are trransformed tto the stationnary two-
phase α-β frrame (Clarkee transformaation). Now the X-Y ploot of the Vα vvs Vβ showss the movem ment of the
space phaso or. This plot for three successive instants are shhown in Fig. 3 for betterr understandding of the
movement (direction
( off rotation). Saame directioon of rotationn indicates same phase ssequence.

Fiig. 3(a) Fig. 3(b)

Fig. 3(c)
Let instantan
neous synch
hronous mach
hine terminaal voltages aare
𝑣 𝑉 sin 𝜔 𝑡 𝜃
𝑣 𝑉 siin 𝜔 𝑡 12 20 𝜃
𝑣 𝑉 siin 𝜔 𝑡 12 20 𝜃

Stationary three-phase a-b-c voltaages are tran nsformed to the stationaary two-phase α-β fram me (Clarke
transformatiion. Expresssion for space phasor is written
w
𝑣∝ 𝑗𝑣 𝑣 𝑉 e
Similarly affter transform
ming the grid
d voltages to
o α-β frame . Expressionn for space phhasor is writtten
𝑣∝ 𝑗𝑣 𝑣 𝑉 e
he voltage,  can also be
6. The phase angle of th b obtained aas 𝜃 𝑡𝑎𝑛 . The diifference of the phase
angle of thee grid voltagee and the synchronous machine
m term
minal voltagee can be plootted. A sampple plot is
provided in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4

As mention ned in the thheory sectionn, the differeence betweeen the phasse angles keeep varying from 0 to
360 with a beat frequency. The beat b frequen
ncy can be ccounted in F Fig. 4 as 0.11 Hz. The sswitch for
connecting the
t synchron nous machin g should be connecteed exactly att the instant when the
ne with the grid
difference between
b the phase
p angless is zero.
7. After syn nchronizatioon the synch hronous macchine excitaation is keptt constant. T The dc machhine field
current Ifpm is slowly deecreased and d as a conseq quence the ppower generaated by the synchronouss machine
will increasee and it will be shown by y the wattmeeter.
8.For each value of Ifppm, the valuees of dc maachine armaature currentt, synchronoous machinee terminal
voltage, synnchronous machine
m outp
put active poower, reactivve power aree to be notedd and the pow
wer angle
(δ) is to be computed.
c This
T can be continued unttil the currennt in one of tthe machinees reaches ratted value.
9. Next, th he dc machiine field cu urrent Ifpm isi slowly inncreased unntil the pow wer generateed by the
synchronouss machine co omes close tot ‘0’ or negative by feww watts.
10. The synchronous maachine now behaves as a motor. By increasing Ifpm further, for each valuue of Ifpm,
the values of
o dc machine armature current,
c syncchronous maachine terminnal voltage, synchronouss machine
output activve power and d reactive po
ower are to beb noted andd the power angle (δ) is to be compuuted. This
can be continued until the current in one of the machines reaches rated value. The results may be
recorded in a table as shown below.
11. Plot the graph between Power P (y-axis) against δ (x-axis).

Table:
Synchronous DC DC
Synchronous
Machine Machine Machine Power (P) Power
S.No Machine
Armature Armature Field (Watts) Angle (δ)
Voltage (V)
current (Ia) current current

Discussion:
When load is applied to a synchronous machine, the machine poles fall back a certain angle 
behind the forward rotating poles of the stator. The value of this angle depends upon the load power
factor and the excitation of the machine.
For cylindrical rotor machines these quantities are related by the expression:
EV
P sin 
XS
Where, P = Power developed
V = Applied voltage
E = Induced voltage due to field excitation
XS =Synchronous reactance
 = Load angle.
For a machine working at particular excitation (and therefore constant K) a sudden increase in
load has to be accompanied by a decrease in the value of . To accomplish this, the rotor momentarily
accelerates, but does not become stable at the approximate value of load angle (say 1), and travels
further on account of its inertia, decreasing the load angle to a value lower than 1. Under this condition,
the developed power becomes less than the load power, and the rotor slows down to increase the load
angle. Again, on account of inertia, the rotor travels and the load angle becomes more than 1. The rotor
then tends to accelerate and the oscillations of the rotor about the mean position of equilibrium continue.
These oscillations are known as hunting.
To suppress the tendency of hunting, synchronous machine field poles are provided with damper
windings which consist of copper bars placed in slot in the pole shoes and short circuited at the two
ends, as in squirrel cage rotor.
From the expression of power developed, it may be noted that for a particular power output, the
value of  depends upon excitation. Further the maximum possible value of  for which a cylindrical-
rotor machine remains inherently stable is 90. It is thus clear that an under-excited machine is less
stable than an over-excited one.
Calculations:
Let synchronous machine induced emf per phase=|E|∠δ
Synchronous grid voltage per phase=|V|∠0
Synchronous impedance per phase=|Z|∠α

Active power and reactive power expressions written as

|V| ∗ |E| |V|
𝑃 3 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛿 𝛼 3 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛼
|Z| |Z|

|V| |V| ∗ |E|

𝑄 3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛿 𝛼
|Z| |Z|
Here P, Q, |V| are obtained from the measurements and |Z|, α are obtained from the system data. Solve
the above two equations for two unknowns (|E|, δ . Calculate δ for each P and plot the p- δ curve.

Questions: -
1. State the conditions for synchronization of two alternators.
2. State the effect of wrong synchronization.
3. Explain the necessity of synchronization of alternators.
4. State the advantages of using number of small generating units instead of single large unit for
supplying power.
5. Why the frequency of incoming alternator is kept slightly higher than bus-bar frequency?
6. For the given test set up how can you make the synchronous machine become a generator
feeding power to the bus?
7. If the two 400V machines are to be synchronized by either dark lamp or bright lamp method
what will be the voltage rating of the bulb?