Armature reaction.

• In a DC machine, two kinds of magnetic

fluxes are present;
• 'armature flux' and
• 'main field flux'.
• The effect of armature flux on the main
field flux is called as
• armature reaction.
Armature reaction.
 Armature reaction.

• Consider there is no current in armature conductors, and only field winding

is supplied
• In this case, the magnetic flux lines due to field poles are uniform and
symmetrical to polar axis. And the 'Magnetic Neutral Axis' (M.N.A.)
coincides with the 'Geometric Neutral Axis' (G.N.A.).
• Magnetic neutral axis may be defined as the axis along which no emf is
produced, as the armature conductors moves parallel to the field flux lines.
• In case the machine is running, both the fluxes (flux due to armature
conductors and flux due to field winding) are present.
• The armature flux superimposes with the main field flux, and hence
disturbing the flux lines of main field flux
• This effect is called as
• armature reaction in DC machines.
 The adverse effects of armature reaction:

• Armature reaction weakens (demagnetizes) the main

flux. In case of generator, weakening of the main flux
reduces the generated voltage.
• Armature reaction distorts the main flux (cross
magnetization effect) , hence the position of M.N.A.
gets shifted (M.N.A. is perpendicular to the flux lines
of main field flux). Brushes should be placed on
M.N.A., otherwise it will lead to sparking at the
surface of brushes. So, due to armature reaction, its
hard to determine the exact position of M.N.A.
 In a DC machine, the carbon brushes are always placed at the
magnetic neutral axis.
 In no load condition, the magnetic neutral axis coincides with the
geometrical neutral axis.
 When the machine is loaded, the armature flux is directed along the
inter polar axis (the axis in between the magnetic poles)and is
triangular in wave shape.
 This results an armature current flux directed along the brush axis
and causes cross magnetization of the main field.
 This cross magnetization effect results in the concentration of flux at
the trailing pole tip in generator action and at the leading pole tip in
motor action.
 Methods to neutralize armature reaction
1. Brush Shift
• Brush shift has serious limitations,
• Brushes have to be shifted to a new position every time the load
changes or the direction of rotation changes or the mode of operation
changes.
• Brush shift is limited only to very small machines. This method is
generally not preferred.
 2. Inter poles
• The limitation of brush shift has led to the use of inter poles in almost all the medium and
large sized DC machines.
• Inter poles are long but narrow poles placed in the inter polar axis. They have the polarity
of succeeding pole(coming next in sequence of rotation) in generator action and
proceeding (which has passed behind in rotation sequence) pole in motor action. The
inter pole is designed to neutralize the armature reaction mmf in the inter polar axis.
• This is because the direction of armature reaction m.m.f is in the inter polar axis. It also
provides commutation voltage for the coil undergoing commutation such that the
commutation voltage completely neutralizes the reactance voltage (L di/dt). Thus, no
sparking takes place.
• Inter polar windings are always kept in series with armature, So inter polar winding carries
the armature current ; therefore works satisfactorily irrespective of load, the direction of
rotation or the mode of operation.
• Inter poles are made narrower to ensure that they influence only the coil undergoing
commutation and its effect does not spread to the other coils. The base of the inter poles
is made wider to avoid saturation and to improve response.
 3. Compensating winding

• The effect of armature reaction can be

neutralized by use of compensating
winding.
• It is always placed in series with armature
winding.
• The armature ampere conductors under
pole shoe must be equal to compensating
winding ampere conductors which will
compensate armature m.m.f. perfectly
 Compensating winding

• The compensating windings are used to

neutralize the armature flux in the pole arc
region which will otherwise cause sever
distortion of main field flux.
• These windings are of concentric type and
are placed in axial slots in the pole faces as
sown in the Fig.
 Compensating winding

• The current in this windings flow in opposite

direction to that in armature conductors below the
pole shoes. This will counterbalance the cross
magnetizing effect of armature reaction which may
cause flashover between the segments.
• To have perfect neutralization of armature m.m.f.
under the pole shoe, the ampere conductors of
compensating winding must be equal to total
armature ampere conductors under the pole shoe.
Compensating winding