Experiment 4

The DC Compound Generator

Muhammad Al-Ariff Bin Selamat (112215), Muhammad Azfar Amin Bin Ahmad Mokhtar
(113690), Siti Atiqah Binti Abdul Halim (112228), Pauline Chuo See Sze (112225)

School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering - Universiti Sains Malaysia

Abstract- This experiment is carried out to -To learn how to connect both the compound and
understand many application of generator in the differential-compound generators.
different type.The dc compound generator have field
windings that connected in series and parallel to the -To obtain the armature voltage vs armature current
armature. This two windings plays an important roles load curves for both generators.
in determine the characteristics of the compound
generator itself. It has two types, differential
compound and cumulative compound generator and
can be connected in long-shunt connection or short- B. Procedure of Experiment.
shunt connection. Differential dc compound
generator has constant voltage as the load increased. 1- The circuit was connected using Power Supply,
AC Voltmeter and Synchronous Motor/Generator
Index Terms - DC motor, Compound Generator.
as shown in Figure 9-1. The rheostat control knob
was set to its proper position for normal excitation.
I.INTRODUCTION The circuit was connected by using DC
Motor/Generator, DC Voltmeter/Ammeter and
The compound generator has a field winding in Variable Resistance as shown in figure 9-2.
parallel with the generator armature (the same as
a shunt-wound generator) and a field winding in
series with the generator armature (the same as a
series-wound generator).The two windings of the
compounded generator are made such that their
magnetic fields will either aid or oppose one
another. If the two fields are wound so that their
flux fields oppose one another, the generator is said
to be differentially-compounded. If the two fields
of a compound generator are wound so that their
magnetic fields aid one another, the generator is Figure 9-1
said to be cumulatively-compounded. In this
experiment, the properties of compound dc
generators under no-load and full-load conditions,
the connection of the compound and differential-
compound generator were studied.

A. Objective of Experiment

-To study the properties of compound dc generators

under no-load and full-load conditions. Figure 9-2
2-The Synchronous Motor/Generator was coupled
to DC Motor/ Generator with Timing Belt. The DC
Motor/Generator field rheostat control knob was
turned to full clockwise position. The resistance
switches was placed for no-load (all switches open)
3- The Power Supply was turned on. Switch S was
closed. If EA does not build up, the Power Supply
will be turned off and any two of the stator
connection leads on the Synchronous Motor were
interchanged. The open circuit armature voltage
was measured. The field rheostat was varied. The
change in armature voltage EA was observed.
4-The field rheostat for a no-load current was
adjusted for a no-load current output voltage EA of
240 V dc. The load resistance was adjusted to
obtain each of the values listed in Table 9-1.
5-EA and IA for each of the values listed in the table
were measured and recorded. The Power Supply
was turned off.
6-The connections were changed to series field
only, so that the armature current flows through it
in the opposite direction. The drawing was
completed as shown in figure 9-3.
Figure 9-3
7-The Power Supply was turned on. The field
rheostat was adjusted for an EA of 240 V dc. The
load resistance were adjusted to obtain each of the
values listed in the Table 9-2. EA and IA for each of
the values listed in the table were measured and
recorded. The Power Supply was turned off.
C. List of Instruments and Components
DC Motor/Generator 8211
Synchronous Motor/Generator 8241
Variable Resistance 8311
DC Voltmeter/Ammeter 8412
AC Ammeter 8425
Power Supply 8821
Connection Leads 8941
Timing Belt 8942
II. THEORY
Self-excited generators have the disadvantages that
change in their load current from no-load to full-
load cause changes in their output voltage. Their
poor voltage regulation is due to three factors:
a) The magnetic field strength, which in turn
reduces the armature voltage etc.
b) The armature voltage drop (IR drop) from
no-load to full-load.
c) The running speed of the driving motor
may change with load. (This particularly
true of internal combustion engines and
induction motors).
The two field windings (shunt and series) on the
compound generator are connected so that their
magnetic fields aid each other. Thus, when the load
current increases, this causes a drop in terminal
voltage which, in turn, cause the current through
the shunt-field winding decreases, reducing the
strength to the magnetic field. But, if the same
increases in load currents are made to flow through
the series-field winding, it will increase the strength
of the magnetic field.
Equation used in this experiment:
Voltage regulation= [(Vnl – Vfl) / Vfl)] X 100%
Vnl = No-load voltage (V)
Vfl = Full-load voltage (V)
 III. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS -Noted that for differential compound generator,
the voltage is constant as the load is increased. This
-If the voltage builds up: is because of the current that flows in the series
winding which cause extra magnetic flux, which
=Yes
cause the voltage to be kept constant.
-The open circuit armature voltage, E A;

= 300 V dc

-Vary the field rheostat. Does the armature voltage

Test Your Knowledge
EA change?
1. Plot the recorded EA vs IA values form Table 9-2
>Yes. This is because the rheostat controls the
on the graph of Figure 9-4. Draw a smooth curve
amount of current that flow to the shunt field and
through your plotted points.
cause the magnetic field flux to be varied as the
rheostat varied. >
-Table 9-1 EA (V) Ea vs Ia
RL, Ω IA, A EA, V Power, W 300
∞ 0.00 240 0.0
250
2403 0.10 240 24.0
1197 0.20 230 46.0 200
959 0.25 230 57.5
601 0.40 220 88.0 150
478 0.45 210 94.5 100
400 0.55 210 115.5
343 0.60 200 120.0 50
300 0.70 190 133.0 IA (A)
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

-Table 9-2

RL, Ω IA, A EA, V Power, W

∞ 0.00 240 0.0 2. Plot the recorded EA vs IA values form Table 9-1
2403 0.10 210 21.0 on the graph of Figure 9-5. Draw a smooth curve
1197 0.15 160 24.0 through your plotted points.
959 0.15 140 21.0
601 0.15 80 12.0 >
478 0.10 70 7.0
400 0.10 40 0.4 EA (V) Ea vs Ia
343 0.10 40 0.4 300
300 0.10 30 0.3
250
200
150
IV.ANALYSIS 100
50
Discussion
0 IA (A)
-There is voltage build up because of the shunt 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
field that exists in the generator. The shunt
generator should have some residual magnetism in
the generator poles and the shunt filed is correctly
3. State which procedure step (7 or 10) is
connected to the armature.
concerned with:
a) The differential-compound generator:
> Procedure step 10
b) The compound generator:
>Procedure step 7
4. Over what voltage range is the armature current
nearly constant (±15 %) in the differential-
compound generator?
>30 V dc to 210 V dc.
5. Calculate the regulation from no-load to full-load
(0.5 A dc).
> VR= [(Vnl – Vfl) / Vfl)] X 100%
= (240-190)/190 X 100%
=20.83%
6. Compare the regulation of a compound generator
with the regulation of the self-excited generator and
the separately-excited generator.
> The regulation of a compound generator is better
compare to the regulation of the self-excited and
the separately-excited generator. This is because of
the field winding of dc compound generator is
more than those two.
7. Explain briefly why the voltage does not drop
with increasing load for the compound generator
(from no-load to full-load).
> The generator will practically maintain it's
terminal voltage from no-load to full load, due to
extra load (current) producing an increase in
magnetic field in series winding, as the load
increased. Basically the voltage remains fairly
constant due to the effect of the series winding
producing extra magnetic flux due to the extra
current flowing through it. This maintains an equal
voltage across all series windings thus maintaining
equal power output from each generator.
V.CONCLUSION
We can say that the objectives are verified. We
have studied the properties of compound dc
generators under no-load and full-load conditions.
From this experiment also, we learn how to connect
both the compound and the differential-compound
generators. For compound generator when load
current increases, the armature voltage decreases
just as in the shunt-wound generator. This causes
the voltage applied to the shunt-field winding to
decrease, which results in a decrease in the
magnetic field. This same increase in load current,
since it flows through the series winding, causes an
increase in the magnetic field produced by that
winding. The increase in the magnetic field
strength of the series winding will compensate for
the decrease in shunt field strength. Therefore,
the overall strength of the combined magnetic
fields remains almost unchanged, so the output
voltage will remain constant.
REFERERNCES
1. http://www.micromotcontrols.com/h
tmls/Motor%20characteristics.html
2. http://www.toolingu.com/definition-
550230-46723-compound-generator.html
3. Laboratory manual, LAB 4, EEK 360.
4. ELECTRICAL MACHINES, DRIVES,
AND POWER SYSTEMS (SIXTH
EDITION), Theodore Wildi.
5. http://rushi-
langaliya.blogspot.com/2011/01/classificat
ion-of-generators.html
6. https://malaysia.answers.yahoo.com/questi
on/index?qid=20111010081211AAfXLXb