AC Machines
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
Prepared By: Mr. Jignesh Joshi
Assist. Prof. SRICT
1. Introduction
• Synchronous motors are widely used in the industry for high-precision
applications.
• This motor runs at a constant speed and it does not depend on the torque acting
on it.
• It has a constant-speed torque characteristic.
• The efficiency of a synchronous motor is around 90%–93%.
• It is a doubly fed motor: three-phase power is given to the stator while the rotor
is fed from a DC source for excitation of the field winding.
2. Construction
• There is no constructional difference between a synchronous motor and a
synchronous generator.
• Stator: Has a laminated core with slots to hold the three-phase windings.
• Rotor: Holds the field winding. It can be of salient-pole type or cylindrical type.
• Synchronous motors are likely to hunt, and so damper windings are also provided
in the rotor poles.
Synchronous Motors Study Material | SRICT
3. Principle of Operation
• When a three-phase supply is given to the stator, it produces a rotating magnetic
flux of constant magnitude, rotating at synchronous speed.
• The DC supply on the rotor also produces a flux of constant magnitude.
• A three-phase synchronous motor is not self-starting.
• If the rotor is rotated by some external means at the start, there will be a
continuous force of attraction between the stator and the rotor. This is called
magnetic locking.
• Once this stage is reached, the rotor pole is dragged by the revolving stator field
and thus the rotor will continue to rotate.
Synchronous Motors Study Material | SRICT
4. Starting Methods
The different methods that are generally followed to start the synchronous motor are:
Method Description
The rotor is brought to its synchronous speed with the help of an
Pony Motor
external small induction motor (pony motor).
Damper Windings are provided on the pole face slots and short-circuited
Winding to start the motor as a three-phase induction motor.
The motor is brought to speed using a coupled DC motor. Once
DC Motor
speed is attained, DC excitation is switched on.
Induction Started as a squirrel-cage or slip-ring induction motor (often
Start using external resistance).
5. Key Concepts
Power Angle (δ)
The motor rotates at synchronous speed. However, an increase in shaft load causes the rotor
magnet to change its angular position with respect to the rotating flux of the stator by an
electrical angle δ. This angle is called the power angle, load angle, or torque angle.
V-Curves and Inverted V-Curves
• V-Curve: The plot between armature current (Ia) and field current (If).
• Inverted V-Curve: The plot between power factor and field current (If).
6. Hunting
At no-load, the magnetic axis of the stator and rotor coincides (δ = 0). When loaded, the rotor
axis lags by δ. If the load changes suddenly, the rotor periodic swings to either side before
stopping at equilibrium. This is Hunting.
• Causes: Sudden load/field change, harmonic torque, supply faults.
Synchronous Motors Study Material | SRICT
• Effects: Loss of synchronism, mechanical stress, temperature rise, current surges.
• Reduction: Using damper windings or flywheels.
7. Applications
• Power factor improvement (running at no-load with leading power factor).
• Constant speed applications: rolling mills, chippers, mixers, pumps, compressors.
• High power at low speed requirements.
Synchronous Motors Study Material | SRICT