BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

Course No. : EEE 260

Experiment No. : 5

CHARACTERISTIC OF A D.C. SHUNT GENERATOR

OBJECTIVE:
1) To draw the O.C.C. curve (E0 vs If) of a d.c. shunt generator for two different speeds.
2) To determine the critical speed and critical resistance from the O.C.C.

APPARATUS:
1. One d.c. voltmeter(0-300V)
2. Two d.c. ammeters(0-5A, 0-50A)
3. Tachometer
4. One SPST switch
5. Rheostat(0-360, 1.1 A)
6. One ac surge motor generator couple

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP:

S1
AC IM DC
Supply Gen A

Field E0

Rheostat

PROCEDURE:

1. Connect the D.C. generator according to the diagram

2. The A.C. surge motor, coupled to the D.C. generator, should be supplied with three
phase 400 volts (L-L) through its push button starter. The speed of A.C. motor and
hence that of generator can be controlled by adjusting the brush position of the motor.
Adjust the brush position so that the generator speed remains at 1400 r.p.m.

1
3. Keeping the field switch S1 open note the terminal voltage.

4. Close the switch keeping field rheostat maximum resistance value. Note the terminal
voltage. If it is less than the voltage recorded in step3 reverse the field connection or
the direction of rotation of the motor

5. Vary the field current by adjusting the field rheostat. Note and record the terminal
voltage (E0) and the field current (If). Take readings till the field rheostat is fully cut
out of the circuit.

6. Adjust the motor speed to a new value of 1100 r.p.m. and repeat steps 1 to 5

7. Stop the motor and reverse the direction of rotation by changing any two terminals of
the three phase supply to the motor. Note the terminal voltage.

8. Stop the motor and re-establish the former direction of rotation. This time interchange
the field terminals of the d.c.generator. Note the terminal voltage.
9. To draw the external characteristics of the generator at rated condition, operate the ac
motor at rated speed.

REPORTS:

Graphs:

1) Plot O.C.C. for two different speeds on the same graph paper.
2) Find the critical speed and critical resistance of shunt field for each speed of
operation.
3) Calculate field resistance from O.C.C. curve

Questions:
1) What could be the reasons when the shunt generator doesn’t build up voltage?
2) Why don’t you get sufficient reading of voltage in step 7 and step 8?
3) What are the conditions for voltage build up in a self-excited shunt generator?

Reference:
A Text -Book of Electrical Technology-----Theraja