Synchronous Machine:

Construction
By : Dr. Atul R. Phadke
Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering
College of Engineering Pune
ARRANGEMENTS OF ARMATURE AND FIELD SYSTEM:
There are two possible arrangements of armature and field system-
1) Stationary field and rotating armature system

+
R1
Three-phase
R2 output
Y1 B1
Y2 DC Supply B2 R2
B2
R1 Y2
B1
_
Y1

Stationary Rotating
Field (Stator) Armature (Rotor)

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ARRANGEMENTS OF ARMATURE AND FIELD SYSTEM:

2) Rotating field and stationary armature system

R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)

3
ADVANTAGES OF ROTATING FIELD AND STATIONARY ARMATURE SYSTEM:

R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)
1) Ease of construction:
• For large three-phase machines, the armature winding is
more complex than the field winding.
• Armature winding can be done more easily and securely on
the stator than on rotor.
 ADVANTAGES OF ROTATING FIELD AND STATIONARY ARMATURE SYSTEM:
R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)
2) Number of sliprings required:
• When armature winding is made rotating, at least three slip-rings are required.
• For large synchronous machines rated in MVA and voltage rating in kV,
transferring power through slip-rings and brushes may cause problems.
• It is also difficult to insulate the slip-rings from rotating shaft for high voltage.
• The distance between two slip-rings must be sufficient to avoid flashover.
• With rotating field arrangement only two slip-rings of much smaller size are
required as power required for excitation is much less and is supplied at a low
voltage.
ADVANTAGES OF ROTATING FIELD AND STATIONARY ARMATURE SYSTEM:

R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)
3) Better insulation to armature:
• Armature coils of large size, commercial synchronous machine carry
heavy currents at high voltage.
• If the armature winding is placed on the stator it is easier to insulate the
winding from core.
• It is comparatively easy to insulate the field winding as it is connected to
the low voltage DC supply.
ADVANTAGES OF ROTATING FIELD AND STATIONARY ARMATURE SYSTEM:

R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)
4) Reduced rotor weight and rotor inertia:
• The field windings are made up of thin wires and are required to be
insulated for a lower voltage.
• The weight of the field system placed on the rotor is comparatively very
low as compared to the armature winding placed on the rotor.
• Therefore, the inertia of the rotor is reduced. Comparatively less tine is
required to come up to the rated speed.
ADVANTAGES OF ROTATING FIELD AND STATIONARY ARMATURE SYSTEM:

R2
+
B1 DC R1
Y1 Supply
_
B2 R2 Three-phase
Y2
output
B1
Y2 Y1
Rotating
B2 Field
R1 (Rotor) Stationary
Armature (Stator)
5) Improved ventilation arrangement:
• Radial air ducts and ventilation holes can be easily provided on a
stationary armature.
• Therefore, arrangement for forced air cooling or hydrogen cooling can be
easily made if the armature is stationary.
COMPARISON BETWEEN ROTATING AND STATIONARY FIELD SYSTEMS:

Sr. No. Rotating Field Stationary Armature Stationary Field Rotating Armature
1 Two slip-rings are required Three slip-rings are required
2 Slip-ring current rating is 5% of the total Slip-ring current rating is 95% of the total
current. current.
3 Weak sparking at brushes Strong sparking at brushes
4 Low brush friction High brush friction
5 Brush drop is not substantial. Brush drop is substantial.
6 It is used for large synchronous machines It is used for small synchronous machines
(above 25 kVA). (below 25 kVA).

In almost all commercial synchronous machines, rotating field

stationary armature system is used.

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CONSTRUCTION OF SYNCHRONOUS MACHINE:

Synchronous machine consists of: PM

• Stator or armature Stator

(Armature)
• Rotor or field system
• Exciter as an additional machine. Rotor (Field)

Exciter (DC supply) _

+

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STATOR OR ARMATURE:
It is a stationary part built up of special steel laminations to reduce the eddy current loss.
Laminations are insulated from each other by using a special type of varnish or paper.
Stator laminations are held together by means of special clamping plates and insulated bolts.
Slots are provided on the inner periphery to accommodate the armature winding.
Ventilating ducts are provided between the stacks of laminations to improve the cooling.
Stator of small turbo generator (high speed) is built up in one complete piece, but in case of large
alternators, the stator is built up of two or more sections.

Slots Different types of slots

Conductors Stator core

Armature

Semi Closed
Open
closed type
type
type
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 STATOR OR ARMATURE:
A three-phase star or delta connected winding is placed in stator slots.
The conductors are insulated with micanite and tape.
The winding is usually double layer, lap wound, distributed winding.
Pitch of the coil is selected such that the harmonics are reduced in the emf wave shape.

Different types of slots

Slots

Conductors Stator core

Armature

Semi Closed
Open
closed type
type
type
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ROTOR OR FIELD SYSTEM:
Rotor carries a number of alternate N and S poles.
These magnetic poles are excited by providing DC supply from a small generator (Exciter) which is
mounted on the same shaft.
DC supply is provided to the field system through slip-rings and brushes as the field magnets are
rotating.
Rotor construction is of two types – salient pole type and non-salient or smooth cylindrical type.

R2 Stator R2
B1 B1
Y1 Y1
N
S S N S
Rotor
N Y2 Y2
B2 B2
R1 R1
Salient (projecting) pole type rotor Non-salient or smooth cylindrical type rotor
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NON-SALIENT OR SMOOTH CYLINDRICAL TYPE ROTOR:
Smooth cylindrical rotor is made of forged steel having a number of slots
along its inner periphery.
Field winding is placed in these slots.
The ends of the field winding are connected to DC supply through slip-rings
and brushes.
Characteristics of smooth cylindrical rotor:
N S
• These rotors are used for high speeds (3000 rpm) when the prime
mover is steam turbine.
• Its construction is mechanically robust.
• The flux distribution around the periphery is nearly a sine wave, so
better emf waveform is obtained.
• This type of rotor is of small diameter and long length.

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SALIENT POLE TYPE ROTOR:
This type of rotor consists of projected poles.
The pole is built of thin steel plates which are clamped by heavy
end plates.
The field coils are placed on the pole pieces and connected in
N
series.
S S
The ends of the field winding are connected to a DC source through
slip-rings and brushes. N
Field
The pole faces are usually provided with slots for damper winding. winding
This is a short circuited winding similar to the squirrel cage rotor of Damper
an induction motor. winding

This winding is useful to start the machine when it is used as

synchronous motor because synchronous motor is not self starting.
These windings also reduce hunting and increase stability.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF SALIENT POLE TYPE ROTOR:

• These rotors are used at low and medium speeds

(up to 600 rpm) when the prime mover is a water
turbine or a reciprocating engine.
N
• Their construction cannot be made strong enough to
S S
withstand the mechanical stresses at high speed.
N
• Excessive windage loss and noise occurs at high Field
winding
speed.
Damper
• These rotors are usually vertically mounted. winding

• This type of rotor is of large diameter and short

length.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALIENT POLE AND SMOOTH CYLINDRICAL ROTOR:

Sr. Salient pole type rotor Smooth cylindrical type rotor

No.
1 The poles are projected out from the rotor The poles are not projected out from the rotor
surface. surface.
2 Rotor surface is not smooth. Rotor surface is smooth.
3 Air gap is non-uniform. Air gap is uniform.
4 Used in hydro, diesel power (low speed). Used in thermal, nuclear power stations (high
speed)
5 It has large diameter and short axial length. It has small diameter and long axial length.
6 Air friction is large. Air friction is small.
7 Efficiency is lower. Efficiency is higher.
8 Armature reaction is complex. Armature reaction is simple.

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Thank You