1

Direct Current (DC) Machines

Fundamentals
Generator action: An emf (voltage) is
induced in a conductor if it moves
through a magnetic field.
Motor action: A force is induced in a
conductor that has a current going
through it and placed in a magnetic field
Any DC machine can act either as a
generator or as a motor.

DC Machine
The direct current (dc) machine can be used as
a motor or as a generator.
DC Machine is most often used for a motor.
The major advantages of dc machines are the
easy speed and torque regulation.
However, their application is limited to mills,
mines and trains. As examples, trolleys and
underground subway cars may use dc motors.
In the past, automobiles were equipped with dc
dynamos to charge their batteries.

Application of DC Motor
Even today the starter is a series dc motor
However, the recent development of power
electronics has reduced the use of dc motors
and generators.
The electronically controlled ac drives are
gradually replacing the dc motor drives in
factories.
Nevertheless, a large number of dc motors are
still used by industry and several thousands are
sold annually.

DC Machine Construction

Figure 8.1 General arrangement of a dc machine

DC Machines

The stator of the dc motor has

poles, which are excited by dc
current to produce magnetic
fields.
In the neutral zone, in the middle
between the poles, commutating
poles are placed to reduce
sparking of the commutator. The
commutating poles are supplied
by dc current.
Compensating windings are
mounted on the main poles.
These short-circuited windings
damp rotor oscillations.

DC Machines

The poles are mounted on an

iron core that provides a closed
magnetic circuit.
The motor housing supports the
iron core, the brushes and the
bearings.
The rotor has a ring-shaped
laminated iron core with slots.
Coils with several turns are
placed in the slots. The distance
between the two legs of the coil is
about 180 electric degrees.

DC Machines

The coils are connected in series

through the commutator
segments.
The ends of each coil are
connected to a commutator
segment.
The commutator consists of
insulated copper segments
mounted on an insulated tube.
Two brushes are pressed to the
commutator to permit current
flow.
The brushes are placed in the
neutral zone, where the
magnetic field is close to zero, to
reduce arcing.

DC Machines
The rotor has a ring-shaped
laminated iron core with
slots.
The commutator consists of
insulated copper segments
mounted on an insulated
tube.
Two brushes are pressed to
the commutator to permit
current flow.
The brushes are placed in
the neutral zone, where the
magnetic field is close to zero,
to reduce arcing.

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DC Machines
The commutator switches
the current from one rotor
coil to the adjacent coil,
The switching requires the
interruption of the coil
current.
The sudden interruption of
an inductive current
generates high voltages .
The high voltage produces
flashover and arcing
between the commutator
segment and the brush.

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DC Machine Construction
Rotation

Ir_dc/2

Brush

Ir_dc/2

Ir_dc

Shaft

Pole
winding

|
1
8

7
6

4
5

Insulation
Rotor
Winding

Ir_dc

Copper
segment

Figure 8.2 Commutator with the rotor coils connections.

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DC Machine Construction

Figure 8.3 Details of the commutator of a dc motor.

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DC Machine Construction

Figure 8.4 DC motor stator with poles visible.

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DC Machine Construction

Figure 8.5 Rotor of a dc motor.

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DC Machine Construction

Figure 8.6 Cutaway view of a dc motor.

DC Motor Fundamentals

16

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DC Motor Operation
In a dc motor, the stator
poles are supplied by dc
excitation current, which
produces a dc magnetic
field.
The rotor is supplied by dc
current through the
brushes, commutator and
coils.
The interaction of the
magnetic field and rotor
current generates a force
that drives the motor

Rotation

Ir_dc/2

Brush

Ir_dc/2

Ir_dc

Shaft

Pole
winding

|
1
8

7
6

4
5

Insulation
Rotor
Winding

Ir_dc

Copper
segment

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8.2.1 DC Motor Operation

The magnetic field lines
enter into the rotor from the
north pole (N) and exit
toward the south pole (S).
The poles generate a
magnetic field that is
perpendicular to the current
carrying conductors.
The interaction between the
field and the current
produces a Lorentz force,
The force is perpendicular to
both the magnetic field and
conductor

30

Vdc

Ir_dc

(a) Rotor current flow from segment 1 to 2 (slot a to b)

B
a

30

Vdc

Ir_dc

(b) Rotor current flow from segment 2 to 1 (slot b to a)

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8.2.1 DC Motor Operation

The generated force turns the rotor

until the coil reaches the neutral
point between the poles.
At this point, the magnetic field
becomes practically zero together
with the force.
However, inertia drives the motor
beyond the neutral zone where the
direction of the magnetic field
reverses.
To avoid the reversal of the force
direction, the commutator changes
the current direction, which
maintains the counterclockwise
rotation. .

30

Vdc

Ir_dc

(a) Rotor current flow from segment 1 to 2 (slot a to b)

B
a

30

Vdc

Ir_dc
(b) Rotor current flow from segment 2 to 1 (slot b to a)

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8.2.1 DC Motor Operation

Before reaching the neutral zone,

the current enters in segment 1 and
exits from segment 2,
Therefore, current enters the coil
end at slot a and exits from slot b
during this stage.
After passing the neutral zone, the
current enters segment 2 and exits
from segment 1,
This reverses the current direction
through the rotor coil, when the coil
passes the neutral zone.
The result of this current reversal is
the maintenance of the rotation.

30

Vdc

Ir_dc

(a) Rotor current flow from segment 1 to 2 (slot a to b)

B
a

30

Vdc

Ir_dc
(b) Rotor current flow from segment 2 to 1 (slot b to a)

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Equivalent circuit.
The equivalent circuit of DC Motors (and
Generators) has two components:
Armature circuit: it can be represented by a
voltage source and a resistance connected in
series (the armature resistance). The armature
winding has a resistance, Ra.
The field circuit: It is represented by a winding
that generates the magnetic field and a resistance
connected in series. The field winding has
resistance Rf.

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Classification of DC Motors
Separately Excited and Shunt Motors
- Field and armature windings are either
connected separate or in parallel.
Series Motors
- Field and armature windings are connected in
series.
Compound Motors
- Has both shunt and series field so it combines
features of series and shunt motors.

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Series DC Motors
The armature and field winding are
connected in series.
High starting torque.

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Separately Excited Compound DC Motor

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DC Field Excitation Methods

There are four different methods for

supplying the dc current to the motor
or generator poles:

Separate excitation;
Shunt connection
Series connection
Compound

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Shunt DC Motor Equivalent

circuit
Vbrush

Ra
Iam

Eam

max

Im
Rf

DC Power
supply
Vdc

Pout

Figure 8.14

If

Equivalent circuit of a shunt dc motor

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Series DC Motor Equivalent

circuit
Vbrush

Ra

Rf

Eam

Im

max
Pout

Figure 8.15

Equivalent circuit of a series dc motor

DC Power
supply
Vdc

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Compound DC Motor Equivalent

circuit
Vbrush

Eam

Ra

Rfs
max

Figure 8.16

Im

DC Power
supply
Vdc

Rfp
Pout

Iam

Ifp

Equivalent circuit of a compound dc motor

Separately Excited DC Motor

Equivalent circuit
Rf

Vbrush

Ra

Electrical
power in

max

Vf If

Eam

Iam

31

Vdc

DC Power
supply

Mechanical
power out

Figure 8.13 Equivalent circuit of a separately excited dc motor

Equivalent circuit is similar to the generator only the current directions are different

Counter EMF in DC Motor

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Counter Emf in DC Motor

Ec

ZN
k N

60

Z
k
60

k armature constant
Z no. of conductors
N speed in rpm

Ec = Va - IaRa
Va Voltage applied to armature resistance
Ra Armature resistance
Ia Armature current

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Shunt DC motor equivalent circuit

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Series DC motor equivalent circuit

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Torque Developed by Shunt DC Motor

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Speed of Motor
E c kS
S speed in revs/min.

kS Va I a R a
E c Va I a R a
Speed

V I R
a
a
a
k

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Motor Torque Equation

Motor Torque, a

Z Ia P
a

2 a

Nw

0.159 Z I a P/a

no. of conductors

flux/pole

no. of parallel paths of

armature windings

Derivation of Motor Torque Equation

45

The interaction of fields produced in armature and field

windings, causes a torque to be developed in the armature.
Average torque in a conductor is expressed as,
Tp = BlIa r/a
Ia is the armature current.

Ia r
p
Tp
l
2rl
a
p

Ia
2a
Total developed torque in a machine is given by,

Zp
Tj
I a K a I a 0.159 Z P/a I a
2a
Z is no. of conductors and Ka is armature constant

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Motor Torque Equation

Torque developed in a machine depends on flux
armature current Ia and armature constant

Zp
Ka
2a

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Example 1
The armature of a permanent magnet DC
generator has a resistance of 1 ohm and
generates a voltage of 50 V when the speed
is 500 r/min. If the armature is connected to
a source of 150V, calculate the following:
a) The starting current (Ans:150A)
b) The counter emf when the motor
runs at 1000r/min and at 1460 r/min. (Ans:
100V and 146 V)
c) The armature current at 1000 r/min and at
1460 r/min. (Ans: 50A and 4 A)

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Example 2

The following details are given on a 225 kW (300hp),

250 V, 1200 r/min DC motor.
Armature coils = 243
Turns per coil = 1
Type of winding = lap
Armature slots = 81
Commutator segments = 243
Field poles = 6
Diameter of armature = 559 mm
Axial length of armature = 235 mm
Calculate:
i) The rated armature current (Ans:900 A)
ii) The number of conductors per slot (Ans: 486 conductors)
iii) The flux per pole (Ans: 25.7 mWb)

Example 3

49

A 2000kW, 500 V, variable speed motor is driven

by a 2500 kW generator using a Ward Leonard
control system shown as follows:

The total resistance of the motor and generator armature

circuit is 10 mohm. The motor turns at a nominal speed of
300 r/min when Eo is 500 V. Calculate a) the motor torque
and speed when Eo=400V and Eo= 380 V. (Ans: 31.8 kNm,
228 r/min) b) the motor torque and speed when Eo=350V
and Eo= 380 V. (Ans: 47.8 kNm, 228 r/min)