TEAM TENT DISCUSSION GROUP

ELE3114: ELECTRICAL MACHINES AND DRIVES I

DC MACHINES CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
Question 1
Explain the constructional details, working principle and applications of dc machines and
review the armature winding connections (lap windings vs wave windings, full pitch vs short
pitch coils, concentrated vs distributed windings).
Construction:
 Stator, is the stationary part/exterior part of the machine
 Rotor is the movable apart/interior part of the machine.
 Field windings are placed on stator and armature windings on the rotor.
 Stator and rotor are made of ferromagnetic materials
 Slots are cut on the inner of the stator and the outer side of the rotor.
Principle of operation:
Generator:
The rotor is driven by a prime mover such as a steam turbine in a magnetic field.
A voltage will be induced in the conductors that are rotating with the rotor.
If the load is connected to these conductors, a current will flow delivering electrical power to the
load.
Motor:
Electrical system makes current flow through conductors that are placed in the magnetic field.
A force is produced in each conductor, if conductors are placed on the structure free to rotate
an electromagnetic torque will be produced tending to make the rotating structure rotate at the
same speed.
If conductors rotate in the magnetic field, a voltage will be induced in each of the conductors.
Lap winding vs wave winding:
For lap winding, the finish of one coil is connected to the start of the adjoining coli.
The number of parallel paths (a) is always equal to the number of poles (p) and also the number
of brushes.
Wave winding, the number of parallel paths (a) is always two and there may be two or more
brush positions
Full pitch coils vs short pitch coils:
For full pitch coils, the coil span equals to 1800 and the angular displacement between the two
coil sides is one pole pitch.
For short pitch coils, the coil span is less that 1800 and the distance between the two coil sides
is less than one pole pitch.
Concentrated/concentric vs distributed windings:
Concentric windings,
 Used in transformers.
 Number of poles is equal to number of slots
 Coils are coaxial
 One slot per pole
Distributed windings,
 Used in induction machines
 Number of poles is not equal to number of slots.
 Coils are not coaxial
 More slots per pole.
Question 2
What is the significance of commutator and brushes in a dc machine?
The brushes are employed to collect current from the commutator and supply it to the external
load circuit
Commutator
It is an important part of a DC machine and serves the following purposes:
 It connects the rotating armature conductors to the stationary external circuit through
brushes.
 It converts the alternating current induced in the armature conductors into unidirectional
current in the external load circuit in generator action
Question 3
Compare lap and wave winding. Where each type is used and why?
Lap winding vs wave winding:
For lap winding, the finish of one coil is connected to the start of the adjoining coli.
The number of parallel paths (a) is always equal to the number of poles (p) and also the number
of brushes.
Applied in low voltage and high current machines
Wave winding, the number of parallel paths (a) is always two and there may be two or more
brush positions
Applied in high voltage and low current machines
Question 4
When do you use concentric winding?
This type of winding scheme is preferred for large diameter, low speed synchronous machines.
Question 5
Define the following in relation to the armature winding of a DC Machine: Pole pitch, front
pitch, back pitch, resultant pitch, average pitch and commutator pitch.
Pole pitch; is the distance between two adjacent poles.
Front pitch; is the number of armature conductors spanned by a coil on the front.
Back pitch; is the distance measured in terms of armature conductors which a coil
advances on the back of the armature, 𝑌𝑏
Resultant pitch; is the distance between the beginning of one coil to the beginning of the
next coil to which it is connected normally denoted by 𝑌
𝑌𝑓
Average pitch, is the summation of back pitch and half of thr front pitch ie 𝑌𝑏 + 2
Commutator pitch, 𝒀𝒄 is the distance between the segments to which two ends of the coil
are connected. It is measured in commutator bars or segments
Question 6
State the types of dc motors. What is the basis of the classification?
Separately excited dc motors
Shunt dc motors
Series dc motors
Compound dc motors
The classification is based on how the windings are excited and connected.
Question 7
State the types of dc generators. What is the basis of the classification?
Separately excited dc generators.
Shunt dc generators.
Series dc generators.
Compound dc generators.
The classification is based on how the windings are excited and connected.
Question 8
What is the significance of back emf in a dc motor?
It limits the current flowing in the armature thus protecting the insulation.
Question 9
In large DC machines electro-magnets are preferred over permanent magnets, why?
Electromagnets can be used to vary the flux to any value with the aid of field winding contro
resistance, unlike permanent magnets that provide constant flux
Question 10
Using only well labelled schematic equivalent circuit diagrams illustrate the difference between
a long shunt compound DC generator and a short shunt compound DC generator.

Question 11
What are the five conditions to be fulfilled for a DC shunt generator to build-up emf?
 Shunt winding should have residue magnetic field.
 The armature should not be rotated in the reverse direction.
 The resistance of the load circuit must be above the critical resistance.
 The speed of the prime mover of generator must be above the critical speed
 The field windings mmf should aid the residual magnetic field.
Question 12
Explain the different methods of braking of dc motors.
Plugging
This is also called a counter-current braking. It is simplest type of braking and involves the
reversing
of the connections to the armature of the motor so that it tends to run in the reverse direction.
. In order to stop the machine, a special device must be installed to cut off the supply as soon
as it comes
to rest. This method can be applied to DC motors, induction motors and synchronous motors.
It is
particularly suitable where the drive has to be rapidly reversed such as in planning machines.
Rheostatic Braking
This is also called a dynamic braking. With this method of braking the motor is disconnected
from the supply and used as a generator driven by the momentum of the equipment to be
braked and supplying current to resistance; DC or synchronous motors can be braked in this
way
Regenerative Braking
This type of braking is mostly employed in electric traction. The kinetic energy of the motor is
converted into electrical energy, which is fed back to the supply lines instead of wasting it in a
rheostat. This method can be applied to DC motors and induction motors
Question 13
In relation to the voltage-current characteristics of a compound DC generator, explain the
following concepts:
(i) Over Compounding
(ii) Flat Compounding
(iii)Under Compounding
(iv) Differential Compounding

With increasing armature current, the terminal voltage may rise (over compounding), decrease
(under compounding), or remain flat (flat compounding) depending on the number of turns of
the series winding.
The terminal voltage also drops quickly for differential compounding where the series winding
mmf is opposed to that of the shunt windings.
Question 14
Explain the term armature reaction in relation to separately excited DC generators. What are
the advance effects of Armature reaction? What are the methods to reduce the effects of
armature reaction?
It is the opposition to flux produced by the field windings as a result of the flux produced by the
current in the armature windings.
The armature reaction strengthens each main pole at one end and weaken it at the other.
Effects:
Sparkling of brushes.
Iron losses.
Reduction:
 Using compensating windings to counter balance the flux produced by armature windings
 Using inter poles to cancel the flux from armature windings
 Shifting brushes
Hence sketch a graph showing the impact of armature reaction on the rated current and voltage
Question 15
Show on a well labelled diagram of a wave winding; the back pitch, front pitch, resultant pitch,
and commutator pitch
Question 16
Show on a well labelled diagram of a lap winding; the back pitch, front pitch, resultant pitch,
and commutator pitch.

Question 17
Explain the importance of equalizer rings on the armature of a DC lap winding.
They are used in lap wound machines to avoid unequal distribution of current at the brushes,
thus reducing sparkling at the brushes.
Question 18
What is the purpose of using short-pitched coils in ac windings?
 They provide more organized emf by elimination a particular harmonic.
 Saves material.
 Reduced slot reactance.
 Reduced the length reactance at the end connection
Question 19
State the advantages and disadvantages of DC machines when compared to induction machines
Advantages;
 Easy to control with a rectifier
Disadvantages
 Regular maintenance due to brush sparkling
 Commutation problems may occur due to sparkling
 Heavier that induction machines
 More expensive than induction machines
Question 20
Under what circumstances do compensating windings need to be provided to reduce the effects
of armature reaction in DC machines?
Normally used heavy load machines or where the load fluctuates rapidly e.g. motors driving
steel-mills are subjected to severe duty cycles with rapid changes
Question 21
In relation to the No Load Test–Open Circuit Test of DC machines, expound on the following:
What is Open Circuit Characteristic and what information does it reveal about a dc machine?
At what speed is it determined? What is the air-gap line?
With 𝐼𝑎 = 0 (no load) at constant speed, the OCC is the presentation of 𝑉𝑡 (= 𝐸𝑎 ) vs 𝐼𝑓 .
This is the most important characteristic as it reveals the nature of the magnetization of the
machine.
It is easy to determine as the machine is on no load. it exhibits all the important characteristic
of the magnetization curve of iron, modified by the presence of air-gap in the magnetic circuit
The extension of the liner portion of the magnetization curve, shown dotted, is known as the
air-gap line as it represents mainly the magnetic behaviour of the machine’s air-gap, the iron
being unsaturated in this region consumes negligible ampere-turns; in any case the effect of
iron is also linear here.

Question 22
What is statically and dynamically induced emf.
 When flux linking the coil changes, an emf is induced in the coil, this is called statically
induced emf.
 When a conductor acts across the magnetic field an emf is induced in the coil, this is
called dynamically induced emf.
Compiled by, David