EE202 Lecture 7

Synchronous Motors
by L. Mutauranwa
 Synchronous Motors

• Introduction

• Principle of Operation

• Synchronous Motor Starting

 Introduction
• A 3 phase AC motor that runs at synchronous speed

Characteristics of Synchronous Motors

• Has a 3 Phase winding stator

• Electric current is supplied to the stator windings

• Rotor has same number of poles as stator

• Rotor has external DC supply source

• DC Exciters can be brush-type or brushless

 Introduction

The motor runs at synchronous speed according to:

𝑛𝑚 𝑃 𝑓𝑒
𝑓𝑒 = 𝑛𝑚 = 120
120 𝑃
 Principle of Operation

N
S
2

NS S
N 1

N
S

1. DC Current in field coils sets up stationary poles

Poles are alternate (North; South; North…)
2. Phase currents in the armature produce rotating
magnetic field
 Principle of Operation
Rotation of Stator Poles
• Assume Rotor South
Pole is aligned with Stator
Stator North Pole S N
• The 2 Poles are τ
attracted
• Poles try to N S
maintain alignment
Rotor
• Therefore the rotor tries to follow the stator
• In clockwise direction
• But rotor cannot move instantaneously due to its
mechanical inertia!
 Principle of Operation
Rotation of Stator Poles
• 1/2f s later stator
pole changes Stator
polarity N S
• The 2 Poles are no τ
longer attracted
• Poles repel N S
Rotor
• This time a torque develops that attempts to
rotate in an anti-clockwise direction
• But again rotor does not move due to its
mechanical inertia!
 Principle of Operation
• Therefore rotor experiences an alternating force
• Force attempts to move rotor clockwise and
anticlockwise
• At twice frequency of supply
• Because this duration is small compared to the
mechanical time constant of the rotor; the rotor
cannot respond and move in any direction!
• The rotor continues to be stationary

So how does the

synchronous motor
actually rotate?
 Principle of Operation
• The rotor needs to be brought to sync speed
• By some external means (e.g another small motor)
• The rotor poles get locked to unlike stator poles
• And rotor continues to run at sync speed
Thus
• The synchronous rotor has no starting torque
• Some special provision has to be made for starting
the machine so that rotor is brought to sync speed!

So how does the

synchronous motor
actually rotate?
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction
• Speed of rotating magnetic field is reduced
• Rotor can then easily lock to stator

2. Using a Prime Mover

• An external prime mover accelerates rotor to near
synchronous speed

3. Using Amortisseur Windings

• The Synchronous motor is started like an induction
motor
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction
• If the stator magnetic field rotates at a low
enough speed… (0Hz – 5Hz)
• The rotor can accelerate and lock in with the
stator’s magnetic field
• Speed of stator magnetic field can then be
increased gradually to its normal 50Hz or 60Hz

But how can you get a

variable frequency
supply?
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction
• In the old days a dedicated generator would be
used
• But this was not practical for every sync motor
• Today Variable Frequency Drives do the job
• VFDs can continuously control the frequency of
supply…
• From a fraction of hertz to above normal rated
frequency
But how can you get a
variable frequency
supply?
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction
• A VFD is a power electronics system used to
control AC motor speed and torque
• By varying input frequency and voltage
• Advances in power electronics have reduced
cost and size of VFDs through
- Semiconductor switching devices
- Advances in control hardware & software
- Advances in control techniques & simulations
• Today VFDs are used in industry for AC motor
systems control
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction

How a Variable Frequency Drive looks

workslike
 Starting Methods
1. Stator Magnetic Field Reduction
• So, if a VFD is used in the motor control circuit
a. Adjust frequency to a very low value for starting
b. Then raise frequency to its desired operating value
 Starting Methods
2. Using a Prime Mover
• An external starting (pony) motor is attached
• It slowly brings the sync motor to its rated speed
• The pony motor is then detached from the shaft
• Or its supply system is disconnected
• The shaft of the synchronous motor slows down
• Speed of BR falls behind BNET momentarily
• Synchronous motor starts operating as one
• Synchronous motor is then gradually loaded

But isn’t this a

cumbersome setup?
 Starting Methods
2. Using a Prime Mover
• Most sync motors are part of motor-gen sets
• The machine in the set my be started by the other
• The starting motor is required to only overcome
the mechanical inertia without any load
• Load is only attached after sync motor is parallel
to its supply
• Therefore, the starting motor can have much
smaller ratings than the sync motor it shall start

But isn’t this a

cumbersome setup?
 Starting Methods
3. Using Amortisseur Windings
• Damper/ Amortisseur windings are used on the
rotor of the sync motor
• Damper windings are placed in the coil slots and
short circuited Shorting Plates

Amortisseur
Windings/ Bars
 Starting Methods
3. Using Amortisseur Windings
• AC current is supplied to the stator
• Creates a rotating magnetic field in the stator
• This field induces an opposing current in the rotor
damper windings
• NB This effect only takes place in the damper
windings when short circuited or closed through
external resistances
• The currents in turn create B fields in the rotor
• The direction of the B field is so as to oppose the
change in current in the rotor windings (Lenz’s
Law)
 Starting Methods
3. Using Amortisseur Windings
• The cause of induced current in the rotor windings
is the rotating stator magnetic field
• So, to oppose the change in rotor winding currents
the rotor starts to rotate in the direction of
rotating stator magnetic field
• When the rotor is now synchronised with the
stator…
• There will be no current in damper windings as
there is no relative motion between stator & rotor
• The DC supply is now connected and synchronous
motor pulls into step
• Continues to operate as a synchronous motor
 Synchronous Motors
• Speed of Rotation
• The speed of a synchronous motor is constant
• From no load to the maximum possible load
• The speed of rotation is

𝑛𝑚 𝑃 120𝑓𝑒
𝑓𝑒 = 𝑛𝑚 = 𝑛𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑐 =
120 𝑃
Synchronous Synchronous
Generator Motor
fe = frequency of supply voltage (Hz)
nsync= synchronous speed of the rotor (rpm)
P = number of poles
 Worked Example
Question
It is necessary to supply 900kW of 60Hz power. The only
power source available operate at 50Hz. It is decided to
generate the power by means of a motor-generator set
consisting of a synchronous motor driving a synchronous
generator. How many poles should each of the two machines
have in order to convert 50 Hz power to 60 Hz power?

𝑛𝑚 𝑃 120𝑓𝑒
𝑓𝑒 = 𝑛𝑚 = 𝑛𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑐 =
120 𝑃
Synchronous Synchronous
Generator Motor