DC Generators

Electrical Machines

An electromagnetic machine is one that links

an electrical energy system to another energy
system by providing a reversible means of
energy flow in its magnetic field. The
magnetic field is therefore the coupling
between the two systems and is the mutual
link. The energy transferred from the one
system to the other is temporarily stored in
the field and then released to the other
system.

Usually the energy system coupled to the

electrical energy system is a mechanical one;
the function of a motor is to transfer electrical
energy into mechanical energy while a
generator converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy. those operating at very low
power levels are often termed transducers,
Electric Machines is a general term for
machines using electromagnetic forces such
as electric motor, electric generators, and
others.
It is classified into two:
1. Static Electric Machines
1.1 Transformers
2. Rotating Electric Machines
2.1 Electric Generators
2.2 Electric Motors
DC Generator converts the mechanical
energy into DC form of electrical energy.
There are two major parts of a DC Generator:
1. Stator - The stationary part of the machine
2. Rotor – The moving part of the machine
Parts and Functions
1. MAGNETIC FRAME OR YOKE
The outer cylindrical frame to which main
poles and inter poles are fixed is called yoke.
It also helps to fix the machine on the
foundation. It serves two purposes:
It provides mechanical protection to the inner
parts of the machine and a low reluctance
path for the magnetic flux.
The yoke is made of cast iron for smaller
machines and for larger machines, it is made
of cast steel or fabricated rolled steel since
these materials have better magnetic
properties as compared to cast iron.

2. POLE / FIELD MAGNET

• It consists of the Pole Core and Pole Shoes

• It produces the magnetic flux when the field

winding is excited

• Due to its large cross-section, it reduces

reluctance of the magnetic path
• It acts as a support for the field coils and it is
usually made of cast steel or cast iron.
3. POLE COILS / FIELD WINDING
• It is also known as exciting winding
• Current is passed through the field winding
in a specific direction to magnetize the pole
and created the necessary magnetic flux
• The field conductor is made up of copper
which is wounded on the pole
4. ARMATURE CORE
• It houses the armature conductors
• All of the slots are parallel to the shaft axis
and it is cylindrical or drum-shaped.
• It provides a path of very low reluctance to
the flux through the armature
• It is generally built up of circular sheet steel
discs or laminations approximately 0.5mm
thick
5. COMMUTATOR
• It facilitates the collection of current from
the armature windings and passes it to the
external load via brush
• It converts alternating emf generated
internally into DC voltage
• It is of cylindrical structure and is built up of
wedge-shaped segment of high conductivity.
Segments are insulated from each other by
thin layers of Mica
6. BRUSHES
• They collect current from the commutator
• They are usually made of carbon or
graphite and are in the shape of a rectangular
block.
• They are house in the brush holder
• Number of brushes per spindle depends
upon the magnitude of the current to be
collected from the commutator
7. BEARINGS
• They are frequently employed because of
their reliability
• Ball and Rollers are generally packed in hard
oil, sleeve bearings are used in order to
reduce bearing wear
8. ARMATURE WINDINGS
• It is mostly employed for the armature of a
dc machine
• It is divided into two types, namely lap
windings and wave windings. The difference
between the two is in the arrangement of
connections at the front of commutator end
of the armature
8.1 LAP WINDINGS
• Suitable for High Current, Low Voltage
Machines like welding plants
• Normally used for generators of capacity
more than 500A
• It forms a loop as it expands around the
armature core.
• Number of parallel paths = number of poles
= number of brushes
Yb = Yf ± 2m
Yb = back pitch (must be an odd number)
Yf = front pitch (must be an odd number)
m = multiplicity factor
= 1 for simplex winding
= 2 for duplex winding, etc
+ = progressive winding (expands left to right)
- = retrogressive winding (expands right to
left)
8.2 WAVE WINDINGS
• Suitable for High Voltage, Low Current
Machines like generators used for lighting
• Preferable for generators of capacity less
than 500A

• It forms a wave as it expands around the

armature core.

• Number of parallel paths = 2

Y = average pitch (must be an integer)

Z = total number of winding elements on the

surface of the armature core

P = number of poles Generated EMF equation of a DC Generator

Back Pitch

• The number of elements that the coil

advances on the back of the armature core

Front Pitch

• The number of elements spanned on the

E = generated emf (volt)
commutator end of the armature
P = number of poles
Commutator Pitch
N = speed of armature core rotation (rpm)
• The distance (measured in commutator bars
or segments) between the segments to which Z = total number of elements or conductors
the two ends of a coil are connected.
Φ = flux per pole (weber)

a = number of armature current paths

k = proportionality constant

Types of DC Generator According to

Excitation

Field Excitation

When a DC voltage is applied to the field

windings of a DC Generator, current flows
through the windings and sets up a steady
magnet field. This is called field excitation.
 current, and the field coils are connected to
the armature internally. There is always some
flux in the poles because of the residual
magnetism. As the armature rotates, some
current is produced, and this small current
flows through the field coils with the load and
strengthening the pole flux.

By increasing the pole flux, the EMF and the

current increase, and the accumulative
process is continuing until the excitation is
necessary.

Self-excited DC generators are classified based

on the field coils and their position as follows:
1. Separately- Excited DC Generator
 Series-Wound Generator
External DC source (e.g., battery) is used in
The armature coils and the series field coils
this system for energizing field magnets. As
are connected in series
the rotation speed increases, it can provide a
higher EMF and voltage in the output.

The application of these generators have

limitations because they need separate
excitation for the field winding. Some of the
application are electro-refining materials,
electro-plating, in laboratory and commercial
testing.

 Shunt-Wound Generator

The armature coils and the shunt field coils

are connected in parallel
Where:Ra= armature winding resistance
(ohm)

Ia= armature current (amperes)

IL = load current (amperes)

Eg= generated emf in the armature (V)

VL= terminal voltage or load voltage

Rse = series field winding resistance (ohm)
PL = power delivered to the load (Watts)
Rsh = shunt field winding resistance (ohm)
2. Self-Excited DC Generators
Vb = brush drop voltage (Volts)
Self-excited DC generators have field magnets
that are energized by their own supplied Ise = series field current (amperes)
Ish = shunt field current (amperes)

 Compound-Wound Generator

In compound wound generator, the series

field coils are connected in series with the
armature coils while the shunt field coils are
connected across the series combination.

Long Shunt Compound Generator Power Flow in DC Generator

The series field coils are connected in series
with the armature coils while the shunt field
coils are connected across the series
combination

Efficiency

• Efficiency is the ratio of output power

(drawn by the load) to the input power
(generated by the generator).

Short-Shunt Compound Generator

The series field coils are connected in series

• Maximum Efficiency occurs only when the
with the load while the shunt field coils are
constant or rotational losses are made equal
connected in parallel with the armature coils
to the variable losses.

Voltage Regulation
Voltage Regulation is the percentage rise in
the terminal voltage of the generator, when
the generator load is removed.