Course Code: Electrical Machines 1

Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

Lesson title: DC Generator Power Flow and Efficiency Materials:

Pen
Lesson Objectives: Calculator
At the end of this module, you should be able to: Short bond paper
1. Identify different power stages of DC generator.
2. Calculate the efficiency of generator. References:
A Textbook Of Electrical
3. Technology in SI Units (Volume
II) by B.L. Theraja and A.K.
Theraja

1001 Solved Problems in

Electrical Engineering by Romeo
A. Rojas, Jr.

Productivity Tip:
Create flashcards for key terms, formula and concepts you learned today. Quiz yourself using these
flashcards every few days!

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
1) Introduction (2 mins)

Let’s go back to Module 3: Power Flow and Electrical losses. In this module, we will be studying and
calculating the efficiency of a motor. In module 3 we study that the efficiency formula is:
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝜂= × 100
𝑃𝑖𝑛
This module will talk about DC generator power flow and efficiency. We will study different types of power
loss which is similar to DC motor but reverse direction on its power flow.

2) Activity 1: What I Know Chart, part 1 (3 mins)

What I Know Questions: What I Learned (Activity 4)

1 What is the condition for
maximum efficiency of generator?

2 What is the formula for over-all

efficiency of a generator?

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

B.MAIN LESSON
1) Activity 2: Content Notes (13 mins)

Total Loss in a DC Generator

The various losses occurring in generator can be sub-divided as follows:

(a) Copper Losses

(i) Armature Copper Loss (𝑃𝑎 = 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎 )
Where 𝑅𝑎 = resistance of armature and interpoles and series field winding etc. This loss is about
30 to 40% of full-load losses.

(ii) Field Copper Loss.

2
In case of shunt generators, it is practically constant, shunt field loss (𝑃𝑠ℎ = 𝐼𝑠ℎ 𝑅𝑠ℎ ). in the case
of series generator, it is series field loss (𝑃𝑠𝑒 = 𝐼𝑠𝑒 𝑅𝑠𝑒 ). This loss is about 20 to 30% of FL losses.

(iii) The loss due to brush contact resistance. It is usually included in the armature copper loss.

(b) Magnetic Losses (also known as iron or core losses)

1.6 𝑓
(i) Hysteresis loss 𝑊ℎ ∝ 𝐵𝑚
(ii) Eddy current loss 𝑊𝑒 ∝ 𝐵𝑚 𝑓 2
2

These losses are practically constant for shunt and compound-wound generators because in their case,
field current is approximately constant.

(c) Mechanical losses

This consist of (i) friction loss at bearings and commutator and (ii) air-friction loss of rotating armature.
These are about 10 to 20% of FL losses.

The total losses in a dc generator are summarized below:

Armature
Cu Loss

Copper Shunt Cu
losses loss

Series Cu
loss

Hysteresis
Total losses
Iron losses
Eddy
Current

Friction
Mechanical
Losses
Windage

Stray Losses

Usually, magnetic and mechanical losses are collectively known as Stray Losses. These are also
known as rotational losses for obvious reasons.

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

Constant or Standing Losses

As said above, the field Cu loss is constant for shunt and compound generators. Hence, stray losses are
shunt Cu loss are constant in their case. These losses are together known as standing or constant losses 𝑃𝑐 .
Hence, for shunt and compound generators,

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 + 𝑃𝑐 = 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎 + 𝑊𝑐 = (𝐼𝐿 + 𝐼𝑠ℎ )2 𝑅𝑎 + 𝑊𝑐

Armature Cu loss is known as variable loss because it varies with the load current.

Power Stages

A B C

Mech. Electrical
Power Power Electric
Input = Developed in Power
Output of armature Output =VI
Driving
Iron 𝑷𝒅 = 𝑬𝒈 𝑰𝒂 Cu WATTS
and Watts
Engine Losses
Friction
Losses

Following are the three generator efficiencies:

(1) Mechanical Efficiency

𝐵 total watts generated in armature 𝐸𝑔 𝐼𝑎
𝜂𝑚 = = =
𝐴 mechanical power supplied output of driving engine
2) Electrical Efficiency
𝐶 watts available in load circuit 𝑉𝐼
𝜂𝑒 = = =
𝐵 total watts generated in armature 𝐸𝑔 𝐼𝑎
3) Overall or Commercial efficiency
𝐶 watts available in the load
𝜂𝑐 = =
𝐴 mechanical power supplied

It is obvious that the overall effficency 𝜂𝑐 = 𝜂𝑚 × 𝜂𝑒 . For good generators its value may be as high as 95%.
 NOTE: Unless specified otherwise, commercial efficiency is always to be understood.

Condition for Maximum Efficiency

The variable loss must be equal to Constant losses.

𝑊𝑐
𝐼 2 𝑅𝑎 = 𝑊𝑐 or 𝐼 = √
𝑅𝑎

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

Problem 1. A shunt generator has a FL current of 196 A at 220V. The stray losses are 720 W and the shunt field
coil resistance is 55 ohms. If it has a FL efficiency of 88%, find the armature resistance. Also, find the load current
corresponding to maximum efficiency.

Solution.

𝜂 = 88% over-all efficiency

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑉𝐿 𝐼𝐿 = 220(196) = 43120 𝑊

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 43120
𝜂= ; 𝑃𝑖𝑛 = = = 49000𝑊
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝜂 0.88

𝑃𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 = 𝑃𝑖𝑛 − 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 49000 − 43120 = 5880 𝑊

𝑃𝑎
𝑃𝑎 = 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎 → 𝑅𝑎 =
𝐼𝑎2
220
𝐼𝑎 = 𝐼𝐿 + 𝐼𝑠ℎ = 196 + = 200𝐴
55
𝑃𝑎 = 𝑃𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 − 𝑃𝐿𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 ; 𝑃𝐿𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 = 𝑃𝑠ℎ + 𝑃𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦

𝑃𝑎 = 5880 − (220(4) + 720) = 4280𝑊

𝑃𝑎 4280
𝑅𝑎 = =
𝐼𝑎2 2002

𝑹𝒂 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝛀

For maximum efficiency,

𝐼 2 𝑅𝑎 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠

220(4) + 720
𝐼=√
0.107

𝑰 = 𝟏𝟐𝟐. 𝟐𝟖 𝑨

Problem 2. A 4-pole DC generator is delivering 20A to a load of 10 ohms. If the armature resistance is 0.5 ohm
and the shunt field resistance is 50 ohms. Calculate the induced emf and the efficiency of the machine. Allow a
drop of 1V per brush.

Solution. Terminal voltage, 𝑉𝑇 = 𝐼𝐿 𝑅𝐿 = 20(10) = 200𝑉

200
𝐼𝑠ℎ = = 4𝐴 ; 𝐼𝑎 = 𝐼𝐿 + 𝐼𝑠ℎ = 20 + 4 = 24𝐴
50

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

𝐸𝑔 = 𝑉𝐿 + 𝑉𝑎 + 𝑉𝑏

1𝑉
𝐸𝑔 = 200 + 24(0.5) + (2𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠ℎ) ( )
𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑠ℎ
𝑬𝒈 = 𝟐𝟏𝟒𝑽

The efficiency,

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 200(20)
𝜂= 𝑥 100 = 𝑥100
𝑃𝑖𝑛 214(24)

𝜼 = 𝟕𝟕. 𝟗%

Problem 3. A 220V shunt generator has an armature resistance of 0.02 ohm and a shunt resistance of 44 ohms.
At rated load, the driving engine develops 62.25 hp. If the iron and friction losses amount to 1600W, how much
is the current delivered to the load at rated condition?

Solution.
746𝑊
𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 62.25ℎ𝑝 ( ) = 46438.5𝑊
ℎ𝑝
𝑉𝐿 220
𝐼𝑠ℎ = = = 5𝐴
𝑅𝑠ℎ 44

𝐼𝑎 = 𝐼𝐿 + 𝐼𝑠ℎ = 𝐼𝐿 + 5

𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 + 𝑃𝑎 + 𝑃𝑠ℎ + 𝑃𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦

46438.5 = 200𝐼𝐿 + (𝐼𝐿 + 5)2 (0.02) + 220(5) + 1600

𝐼𝐿2 + 11010𝐼𝐿 − 2186900 = 0

Using Quadratic formula:

𝑰𝑳 = 𝟏𝟗𝟓 𝑨

4) Activity 3: Skill-building Activities (with answer key) (18 mins + 2 mins checking)

Problem Solving. Solve the following problems completely. Write your solution in a separate short bond paper.
BOX your final answer.

Problem 1. A long shunt compound wound generator gives 240V at FL output of 100A. The resistances of
various windings of the machine are: armature(including brush contact) is 0.1 ohm, series field 0.02 ohm, inter
pole 0.025 ohm, shunt field 100 ohms. The iron loss at FL is 1000W; windage and friction losses total 500W.
Calculate the FL efficiency of the machine.

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

Problem 2. The hysteresis and eddy current losses in a dc machine running at 1000 rpm are 250W and 100W
respectively. If the flux remains constant, at what speed will be total iron losses be halved?

Problem 3. A dc shunt generator has a full load output of 10kW at a terminal voltage of 240V. The armature and
the shunt field winding resistance are 0.6 and 160 ohms respectively. The sum of the mechanical and core-
losses is 500W. Calculate the power required in kW at the driving shaft at full load, and the corresponding
efficiency.

5) Activity 4: What I Know Chart, part 2 (2 mins)

6) Activity 5: Check for Understanding (5 mins)

Problem Solving. Solve the following problems completely. Write your solution in a separate short bond paper.
BOX your final answer.

Problem 1. A 110V shunt generator has a full load current of 100A, shunt field resistance of 55 ohms
and constant losses of 500W. If FL efficiency is 88%, find the armature resistance. Assuming voltage to be
constant at 110V, calculate the efficiency at half FL and for 50% overload, find the current.

Problem 2. A 30 kW series generator has an efficiency of 88% when operating at rated load. If the stray
power is 15% of the full load losses, calculate the maximum efficiency of the generator. Assume the stray power
loss is constant and the other losses vary as the square of the load.

C. LESSON WRAP-UP
1) Activity 6: Thinking about Learning (5 mins)

Three things I learned:

1.

2.

3.

Two things I like to learn more:

1.

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 Course Code: Electrical Machines 1
Teachers’ Guide Module #9

Name:______________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:________________________________________ Date:________________

2.

One question you still have:

1.

FAQs

Q: Is condition for maximum efficiency in motor and generator the same?

A: YES, it is the variable power loss = constant losses.

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