FUNDAMENTAL APPLICATION

OF A THREE-PHASE
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

Synchronous motor is one in which the name implies, operate at an absolutely

average constant speed regardless of the load; it departs from this average speed
only instantaneously, during the load changes. The regulation of this type of motor
is therefore zero. If the counter torque exceeds the maximum torque that can be
developed by the motor at the average constant speed, the motor will come to rest
because its average torque then drops to zero.

Two factors to determine the speed of Synchronous Motor

1. The frequency of the supply voltage or source.
2. The number of poles in the machine.

Synchronous motor receives its excitation from the two sources:

1. The AC source through its stator winding
2. A DC source through its rotor field

Synchronous motor is variable over very wide limits by changes in the DC

excitation, then the motor power factor become unity, the DC excitation is said to be
normal; over excitation produces lagging power-factor operation.
 THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

Synchronous motor are not used because of their constant-speed characteristic, they are
preferred because they posses the following advantages:

1. They can be made to operate at leading power factor and thereby improve the
power factor of an industrial plant from one lagging to close to unity.

2. They are less costly in certain horse power and speed ranges (50 –
500 Hp rating at operating speed less than 500 rpm and for horse power
rating greater than 500 but operating at speeds that are more than 450
rpm).

3. They can be constructed with wider air gaps than induction motor
which make them better mechanically.

4. They usually operate at higher efficiency, especially in low speed unity

power factor ranges.

The Synchronous Condenser when this motor operated without an external mechanical load, it
still takes power for its own rotational losses (example friction, windage and iron losses)
THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
 SAMPLE PROBLEM IN THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS
MOTOR

1. An Industrial Plant has a load of 1,500 KVA at an average power factor of 0.6 lagging. Neglecting all
losses; calculate (a) the kilovolt- ampere input to a synchronous condenser for an over all power factor of
unity; (b) the total kilowatt load?

2. A 750 KVA Synchronous Condenser is available and is used to correct the lagging power factor of the plant
in example no. 1. Neglecting all losses ; calculate (a) the total kilovolt ampere of the plant; (b) the over all
power factor.

3. It is desired to purchase a Synchronous Condenser to correct the 2,400KVA, 0.67 lagging power factor load
in an industrial plant to 0.95 lagging. Neglecting the losses, calculate (a) the kilovolt ampere input rating of
the required synchronous condenser; (b) the kilovolt ampere of the plant.

4. An Industrial Plant has an average load of 900 kilowatt at a power factor of 0.6 lagging. A Synchronous
Motor is to be installed to drive a DC generator and raise the over all power factor to 0.92. If the
preliminary estimate indicate that the input to the synchronous motor will be about 250 Kw, calculate: (a)
its kilo-volt ampere input rating; (b) the power factor at which it will operate.
 Solution of 3-phase Synchronous Motor problem
1. An Industrial Plant has a load of 1,500 KVA at an average power factor of 0.6
lagging. Neglecting all losses; calculate (a) the kilovolt- ampere input to a
synchronous condenser for an over all power factor of unity; (b) the total kilowatt
load?

Solution:

For over all power factor of unity, the

SC will have to counteract the 3-phase 1,500-kVA
vertical component of 1,500-kVA AC 0.6 pf, lagging
Source Plant Load

SC 1,200 Total kW 1, 200-kVAr

kVA 1,200 SC

When Pf1 = Cos 53.13 = 0.6 lag, Cos ⁻ⁱ 0.6 = 53.13⁰

53.13⁰
:.
a) SC Rating = kva x sine 53⁰ = 1,500 x 0.8 = 1200-kva

1,500 b) Total Kw Load = 1, 500 x 0.6 = 900-kw

kVA
Load
 Solution of 3-phase Synchronous Motor problem
2. A 750 KVA Synchronous Condenser is available and is used to correct the lagging power
factor of the plant in example no. 1. Neglecting all losses ; calculate (a) the total kilovolt
ampere of the plant; (b) the over all power factor.

Solution:
3-phase 1,500-kVA
For over all power factor of unity, the AC 0.6 pf, lagging
SC will have to counteract the Source Plant Load
vertical component of 1,500-kVA

750-kVAr
SC
SC-750 Total kW
kVA 1,200
Over When pf1 = 0.6 lagging, Ѳ1 = 53.13⁰
P1 all pf :.SC Rating = Q1 = kva x sine 53⁰ = 1,500 x 0.8 = 1200-kva
and Total Kw Load = 1, 500 x 0.6 = 900-kw
Q3
53.13⁰
Q1 Then Q3 = Q1 – Q2 = 1,200 -750 = 450-Kvar
S1
Q2
:.a) KvaT = S2 = P1² + Q3² = 1,200² + 450²
1,500
kVA = 1,006-kva
Load P1 900
b) pf2 = ----------- = -------------- = 0.895
S2 1,006
 Solution of 3-phase Synchronous Motor problem
3. It is desired to purchase a Synchronous Condenser to correct the 2,400KVA, 0.67 lagging
power factor load in an industrial plant to 0.95 lagging. Neglecting the losses, calculate (a) the
kilovolt ampere input rating of the required synchronous condenser; (b) the kilovolt ampere of
the plant.
Solution:
When: S1 = KVAplant = 2,400-kva
pf1 = 0.67 lagging, Ѳ1 = 48⁰ 3-phase 2,400-kVA
pf2 = 0.95 lagging, Ѳ1 = 18.2⁰ AC 0.67 pf, lagging
Source Plant Load
:. Q1 = S1 x sin 48⁰ = 1784-kva
P1 = S1 x cos 48 = 1,608 -kw
1,250-kVAr
SC-750 Total kW DC
SC
kVA 1,200 SOURCE
48⁰ When Q3 = P1 x tan 18.2⁰ = 1,608 x 0.325 = 528-kvar
P1 Over all
pf

Q3
a) SC Rating (Q2) = Q1–Q3 = 1784 -528 = 1255.3-kvar
S2
48⁰
Q1
S1
a) KvaT = S2 = P1² + Q3² = 1,608² + 450²
Q2

1,500 kVA = 1,692-kva

Load
 Solution of 3-phase Synchronous Motor problem
4. An Industrial Plant has an average load of 900 kilowatt at a power factor of 0.6 lagging. A
Synchronous Motor is to be installed to drive a DC generator and raise the over all power factor to 0.92. If the
preliminary estimate indicate that the input to the synchronous motor will be about 250 Kw, calculate: (a) its
kilo-volt ampere input rating; (b) the power factor at which it will operate.

Solution:
When: P1 = KWplant = 900-kw
P2 = KWSM Load =250 -kw 3-phase 900-kw
pf1 = 0.6 lagging, Ѳ1 = 53.13⁰ AC 0.6 pf, lagging
pf2 = 0.92 lagging, Ѳ2 = 23⁰ Source Plant Load
:. S1 = P1 / cos 48 = 900 / 0.6 = 1,500-kva
Q1 = S1 x sin 48⁰= 1,500 x 0.8 = 1,200-kvar
Total kW 1,250-kVAr
900
DC
SC
23⁰ over
SOURCE
kVAr
all pf
P1 When PT = P1 + P2 = 1150-KW
P2
Q3 = PT x tan 23⁰ = 488-KVAr and
Q3 Q2 = Q1 – Q3 = 1,200 – 488 = 712-KVAr
S2
53.13⁰ Q1
plant pf Therefore
S1 Q2 a) SMrating = P2² + Q2² = 250² + 712² = 754-kva
P2 250
1,500 b) pfSM = ----- = -------- = 0.332 leading
kVA Q2 754
Load
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING
 ASSIGNMENT NO.4
IN THREE-PHASE SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

1. A factory takes a load of 2,400 KVA at 0.6 lagging power factor . A synchronous motor having an
input rating of 1,500 KVA is to be installed to carry an additional load of 1,200 KW (output) and also to
improve the power factor. Assuming a motor efficiency of 92.4 percent, calculate: (a) the over all
kilovolt ampere load; (b) the over all power factor; © the synchronous motor power factor.

2. An industrial plant has a load of 800 KW at a power factor of 0.8 lagging. It is desire to purchase a
synchronous motor of sufficient capacity to deliver a load of 200 KW and also serve to correct the over
all power factor to 0.92 lagging. Assuming that the synchronous motor has an efficiency of 0.91 percent,
determine its kilovolt ampere input rating and the power factor at which it will operate.

3. The average input to a manufacturing plant is 3,000 KVA at a power factor of 0.72 lagging. A
synchronous motor having a rating of 1,300 KVA is installed for the purpose of operating a new line
shaft and improving the plant power factor. Assuming that the synchronous motor load is about 600 Hp
at an efficiency of 89.5 % and that it is operated at rated kilovolt ampere input, calculate: (a) the over all
kilovolt ampere load; (b) the over all power factor.