Principle Operation of Synchronous Motor

Introduction:
A synchronous motor is a constant speed AC motor. It takes AC power by the stator from
mains supply for its working in addition it utilizes a small amount of DC power which is fed to
its rotor, we need two kinds of power sources that is one is AC and another is DC as shown
in the fig below.

Some important characteristic of synchronous

motor:
1. It runs at a constant speed (i.e) at synchronous speed determined by the
number poles and the frequency or not at all. The only way to change its
speed is to vary the supply frequency.

2. It is capable of being operating under a wide range of power factors such in

lagging, leading and unity. Hence it can be used for power factor correction
purposes in addition to supplying torque to drive loads.
3. The main drawback of synchronous motor is that it is not self-starting. Hence it
has to be run up to synchronous speed by some external means before it can
be connected to the supply. This drawback is ignored, considering its constant
and variable power factor working condition.

Construction:
A synchronous motor is identical in construction with an AC generator or alternator. The
synchronous motor has a stator and rotor. A three phase winding is placed in the stator which
draws current from an AC source and produces a rotating magnetic field.
Rotor consists of electromagnetic poles. The construction of the rotor can be salient pole type
or non-salient pole type. The rotor pole draws the current from a DC source and gives a DC
electromagnetic field, for locking with the rotating magnetic field.

Principle of Operation:
If a three phase AC supply is given to a three phase stator winding of the motor, a rotating
magnetic field is produced. This can be considered as a north and South Pole rotating in
space at synchronous speed as shown in the fig. The two stator poles are assumed and
marked as Ns and SS. They are assumed to rotate in clockwise direction at synchronous
speed.
Synchronous Speed Ns = 120f/P
Where f = frequency of the supply
P = No of poles in the stator.
DC excitation to the rotor which forms the rotor poles Nr and Sr. At an instant for the rotor
position indicated in figure the stator poles are at points X is Ns and Y is SS.

Now there is a reaction between stator and rotor poles. Like poles NS and Nr of stator and
rotor repel each other. Because the stator field moves in clockwise direction, Nr and Sr of the
rotor tends to rotate in the anticlockwise direction.
Half a cycle later the position of the stator poles are interchanged due to RF. This reverse of
stator polarity is very rapid. Ns is at point Y and SS is at point X. Now Ns attracts Sr and
Ssattracts Nr. The rotor now tends to rotate in clockwise thus the rotor is faced with a torque
which is changing in quick succession in every half cycle. First the rotor begin to move in anticlockwise direction and then in clockwise direction, at every half a cycle. Due to inertia, the
rotor cannot move in any direction and becomes stationary. Therefore the synchronous motor
has no starting torque and cannot start its own.

How Synchronous Motor Used for Power Factor

Correction

The power factor of a synchronous motor is changed with a change in the excitation. When
the excitation of the motor is increased, the power factor changes from lagging to unity and
then to a leading power factor. This property of the motor is utilized to improve the power
factor of the leads, having a low lagging power factor. Normally, when the motor is utilized in
this way to improve the factor, the synchronous motor is run without any mechanical load.
The excitation is adjusted in such a manner that it works at a leading power factor. The
synchronous motor is then referred to a synchronous condenser.
In factories the majority of the motors used are induction motors, the full load power factor of
these motor may be around 0.8 lagging. The power factor of these motors may operate at full
load and many of them operate at light loads. This results in the power factor of the installation
reading as low as 0.6 lagging. A synchronous condenser may be connected in parallel with
the induction motors. This will improve the power factor of the installation.

No Load Test and Blocked Rotor Test

Synchronous Phase Modifier:

For controlling the voltage of a transmission line, at the receiving end, a synchronous motor
is used. In this application, the synchronous motor is made to run on no load and draw a
leading current. The synchronous motor when used for the above purpose is called
synchronous phase modifier. As the power factor of the system is improved by the action of
synchronous condenser, the drop of volts from the sending to receiving end on the line is
decreased and the regulation of the line is improved.

% regulation = {(E-V)/V} x 100

Power Factor Correction with Synchronous Condenser:

The power factor of a load can be improved to unity or desired value from cos1 to cos2 by
installing and operating a synchronous condenser in the system. The losses in the motor can
be neglected and the motor will reactive current leading by 90o. The figure shows the phasor
diagram for the operation of a synchronous motor to improve the power factor.

Synchronous Motor Used for Power factor Correction :

In the above figure, V is the reference phasor IC is the load current of power factor cos1,
lagging. OA is the active component of load current and AC is the reactive component. If the
synchronous motor is run as synchronous condenser and losses are neglected OD
represents the current taken, it leading by 90o. If this is made equal to the reactive load current
component AC, the resultant of the currents drawn by load and the synchronous motor will
be OA only, giving the same power output in KW to load but improving the power factor of
load to unity as OA is in phase with V.
Thus Ic = ILsin1 is the condition to improve the power factor of the load to unity under given
operating condition.

The KVA rating of the synchronous condenser required for the purpose is Ic x V volt amps per
phase or 3VIc/1000 KVA would be the three phase rating.
The rating of the synchronous condenser is 3VIc/1000 KVA. If it is desired to improve the
power factor less than unity the capacity of synchronous condenser required will be less.
In the fig cos is the initial power factor of the load:
OA ILcos1 is the active component of the current
AC ILsin1 is the reactive component of load current (Lagging)
OD reactive (leading) component of the synchronous condenser
If it is made equal to BC, then the resultant load current phasor is OB and the new power
factor of the load is cos2. Then
Ic = ILsin1 ILsin2
The active component of load gets reduced from AC to AB. The synchronous condenser
rating required for the purpose is
= 3VIc/1000 KVA
The power component of load OA remaining the same and the same load is supplied but now
at improved power factor

Methods of Starting a Synchronous Motor

We know that synchronous motor cannot start of its own. Hence some method must be used
to start it. The starting of a synchronous motor from its standstill position can be obtained by
the following methods.

Starting Using a Separate Induction Motor

The synchronous motor is made to reach its synchronous speed by using a separate small
induction motor mechanically coupled to it. The number of poles in the synchronous motor
must be higher than the number poles of the induction motor. This is to help the induction
motor to run at the synchronous speed of the synchronous motor. The synchronous motor
will have to synchronize with the bus bar, in this method. Afterwards the induction motor can
be disconnected. Then the synchronous motor uniform of its own.

Starting by using a DC Motor coupled to Synchronous Motor

A synchronous motor can be started by using a DC motor. Firstly, the synchronous motor is
driven by a DC motor and is brought to synchronous speed. The machine is then
synchronized with the bus bars. When the synchronous machine is connected in parallel with
the bus bars, the machine works as a motor. Then the DC machine coupled to the
synchronous machine can be mechanically disconnected from the system or it can be drawn
as a generator.

Starting using a Damper winding

A damper winding is made on the pole face slots. Copper aluminium bars are inserted in
slots, on pole shoes, on each side of the poles, end rings short circuit, these bars. A squirrel
cage winding is formed by these short circuited bars. A three phase supply is given to the
stator.

The synchronous motor, provided with a damper winding, starts as an induction motor. This
will run at a speed near the synchronous speed. At this stage DC excitation is given to the
field windings. The rotor will be pulled into synchronous speed. This is because the pole of
the rotor, rotating magnetic slip speed only with respect to the stator rotating magnetic field.
For higher output motors, the starting current drawn may be many times the full load current.
So the starting current has to be limited to a safe value. For this purpose reduced voltage
may be applied by an auto transformer. The voltage applied should be about 50 to 80 percent
of the full line voltage. The connections for the auto transformer are shown in the figure. To
reduce the supply voltage, the switch S1 is closed and S2 is kept open. When the motor picks
up speed, S2 is closed and S1 is kept opened, to cut out the transformer.
In this method starting is effected as an induction motor. The starting torque produced is low.
Hence high output motor may not be able to start with full load.

No Load Test and Locked Rotor Test in an

Induction Motor

Starting Using a Separate Induction Motor

The synchronous motor is made to reach its synchronous speed by using a separate small
induction motor mechanically coupled to it. The number of poles in the synchronous motor
must be higher than the number poles of the induction motor. This is to help the induction
motor to run at the synchronous speed of the synchronous motor. The synchronous motor
will have to synchronize with the bus bar, in this method. Afterwards the induction motor can
be disconnected. Then the synchronous motor uniform of its own.

Starting by using a DC Motor coupled to Synchronous Motor

A synchronous motor can be started by using a DC motor. Firstly, the synchronous motor is
driven by a DC motor and is brought to synchronous speed. The machine is then
synchronized with the bus bars. When the synchronous machine is connected in parallel with
the bus bars, the machine works as a motor. Then the DC machine coupled to the
synchronous machine can be mechanically disconnected from the system or it can be drawn
as a generator.
cs v Feb 17, 2015