1.

What is the difference between Salient and Non-Salient Pole Rotors used in Synchronous Generators
Rotors used in Synchronous alternators can be classified into 1)Salient and 2)Non-Salient Pole Rotors. Salient pole rotors are used in application with speeds from 100 to 1500rpm. They are alternative known as "projected pole" type of rotors. The poles mounted on the rotor are made of laminations made of steel. The poles are connected to the rotor shaft by means of dovetail joints. Each pole has a pole shoe around which the winding is wound. The salient pole rotor is generally used in applications where the prime mover is a hydel turbine or a combustion engine which have low or medium speeds. Salient pole rotors usually contain damper windings to prevent rotor oscillations during operation. Non-salient pole rotors are generally used in application which operate at higher speeds, 1500rpm and above. The prime movers in these applications are generally gas or steam turbines. These are sometimes known as "drum rotors". The rotor is a cylinder made of solid forged steel. The slots on which the windings are fixed are milled on the rotor. The number of poles is usually 2 or 4 in number. Since these rotors are cylindrical, the windage loss is reduced. The noise produced is also less. These rotors have higher axial length. These rotors do not need damper windings.

2. What does it mean by 3 phase, 4-pole electric motor?

It's a 3 phase AC motor where the windings are such that the generated magnetic field rotates at 1/4 the frequency of the 3 phase AC power supply. Imagine it as a circle of twelve lights where each set of three lights would only have one lit at a time and this would cycle through the three lights in sequence, the net effect being four lights that appear to be going around the circle, now imagine that there was a rotor in the center of the circle with four points evenly distributed that gravitated towards the respective nearest light, as the four lights rotate around the circle, the rotor gets rotated too. 3. Electrical: Sinusoid vs Mechanical Degrees: Physical Rotation When a device rotates through a complete circle, we say that it has 'rotated through 360 degree'. In a very simple, two-pole, generator, when the armature (loop of wire) rotates through a 360 degree,

it generates a complete 360 degree sine wave across its terminals. But with a four-pole machine, the armature needs only to rotate 180 degree to generate the same 360 degree sine wave. To differentiate between the physical rotation of the armature, and the resulting sine wave, we call the former 'mechanical degrees' and the latter we call 'electrical degrees'. Mechanical degrees: the degree of physical or mechanical rotation a single conductor in an alternator. Electrical degrees: the degree or the cycle of emf induced in a single conductor in an alternator

So the relation between Electrical and Mechanical degrees can be written as Elect. Degrees = (N0. of Poles / 2) * Mech. Degrees

Source: Elecrical Machinary by P.S.Bimbhra