Lesson 8.
DC Motors
8.3 Load of DC Motors
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to
1. Calculate the speed of dc motors under varying loads
2. Calculate the speed regulation of motors
From the previous lessons, the dc motors were all assumed to be operating at full-load or rated load. DC
motors can also be loaded at fractions of its full-load and even be operated without load – also known
as the no-load condition.
No-load Condition
With no load on the shaft (free-running), the motor runs at the no-load speed (𝑁𝑁𝐿 ), which is the fastest
possible speed for that voltage. Under this condition, a current (known as the no-load current) is
required just to turn the motor shaft with nothing connected. It is the current required to overcome the
bearing and brush friction plus the aerodynamic drag caused by the rotor moving in the air and moving
air through the motor for cooling purposes.
Speed Regulation
The speed regulation is defined as the change in speed from no load to full load, expressed as a fraction
or percentage of full load speed.
𝑁𝑁𝐿 − 𝑁𝐹𝐿
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑥 100%
𝑁𝐹𝐿
Note: A motor which has nearly constant speed at all load below full rated load, have good speed
regulation.
Illustrative Problems.
1. A 220-V d.c. shunt motor runs at 500 r.p.m. when the armature current is 50 A. Calculate the speed if
the torque is doubled. Given that Ra = 0.2 Ω
Solution.
In general, the torque developed in dc motors is
𝑃𝑑 𝐸𝑏 𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝑁
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( ), 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐸𝑏 =
𝑁 𝑁 60𝑎
Substituting the back emf equation to the torque equation,
𝑍𝑃∅𝑁
𝐸𝑏 𝐼𝑎 𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝑁𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝐼𝑎
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( 60𝑎 ) = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( )
𝑁 𝑁 60𝑎𝑁 60𝑎
Identify which factors are constant:
The number of conductors, poles, parallel paths are built-in parameters
For shunt motors, the flux is constant since the field winding is receiving fixed voltage,
𝑍, 𝑃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠
𝑍𝑃∅𝐼𝑎 9.55𝑍𝑃∅
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( )=( ) 𝐼𝑎 , 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑘
60𝑎 60𝑎
𝑇𝑎 = 𝑘𝐼𝑎
Therefore, for shunt motors the armature torque is directly proportional to the armature current.
If the torque is doubled, the armature current will be 𝐼𝑎 2 = 2(𝐼𝑎1 ) = 2(50) = 100 𝐴
In this case, we can see that the heavier the load, the more current and hence more power is consumed.
Calculating the back emf at full-load
−𝐼𝑠ℎ 𝑅𝑠ℎ + 𝐼𝑎1 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−220 + (50)(0.20) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏1 = 220 − 50(0.2) = 210 𝑉
Calculating the back emf at twice the load
−𝐼𝑠ℎ 𝑅𝑠ℎ + 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−220 + (100)(0.20) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏2 = 220 − 100(0.2) = 200 𝑉
Applying the constant in the back emf equation,
𝑍𝑃∅𝑁 𝑍𝑃∅
𝐸𝑏 = =( ) 𝑁; 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐸𝑏 = 𝑘𝑁
60𝑎 60𝑎
Considering the relation between the full-load and twice the load
𝐸𝑏1 𝑁1 210 500
= ; = ; 𝑁2 = 476.19 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝐸𝑏2 𝑁2 200 𝑁2
Since the back emf decreased with the increased in torque (heavier load), the speed of the motor
dropped a bit, but not deviating much from the rated speed.
2. A 400-V series motor has a field resistance of 0.2Ω and an armature resistance of 0.1Ω. The motor
takes 30A of current at 1000 rpm. while developing full-load torque. What is the motor speed when this
motor develops 60% of the full-load torque?
Solution. For series motors, the relation of torque and armature current is different than that for shunt.
In general, the torque developed in dc motors is
𝑃𝑑 𝐸𝑏 𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝑁
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( ), 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐸𝑏 =
𝑁 𝑁 60𝑎
Substituting the back emf equation to the torque equation,
𝑍𝑃∅𝑁
𝐸𝑏 𝐼𝑎 𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝑁𝐼𝑎 𝑍𝑃∅𝐼𝑎
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( 60𝑎 ) = 9.55 ( ) = 9.55 ( )
𝑁 𝑁 60𝑎𝑁 60𝑎
Identify which factors are constant:
The number of conductors, poles, parallel paths are built-in parameters
For series motors, the flux is varies directly as the armature current, ∅ = 𝑘𝐼𝑎 , since the armature current
causes the flux to be induced from the coil.
𝑍, 𝑃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠
𝑍𝑃∅𝐼𝑎 9.55𝑍𝑃
𝑇𝑎 = 9.55 ( )=( ) ∅𝐼𝑎 , 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑘
60𝑎 60𝑎
𝑇𝑎 = 𝑘∅𝐼𝑎 , 𝑏𝑢𝑡 ∅ = 𝑘𝐼𝑎 ,
𝑇𝑎 = 𝑘(𝑘𝐼𝑎 )𝐼𝑎 = 𝑘𝐼𝑎2
At 60% of the full-load torque, the armature current will be
𝑇𝑎 1 𝑇𝑎 2 100% 60%
2 = 2; 2 = 2, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐼𝑎 2 = 23.24 𝐴
(𝐼𝑎1 ) (𝐼𝑎2 ) (30) (𝐼𝑎2 )
Calculating the back emf at full-load
−𝑉𝑠 + 𝐼𝑠𝑒 𝑅𝑠𝑒 + 𝐼𝑎1 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−400 + 30(0.2) + (30)(0.1) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏1 = 391 𝑉
Calculating the back emf at 60% of the load
−𝑉𝑠 + 𝐼𝑠𝑒 𝑅𝑠𝑒 + 𝐼𝑎2 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−400 + (23.24)(0.2) + (23.24)(0.1) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏2 = 393.028 𝑉
Applying the constant in the back emf equation,
𝑍𝑃∅𝑁 𝑍𝑃
𝐸𝑏 = =( ) ∅𝑁; 𝑏𝑢𝑡 ∅ = 𝑘𝐼𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐸𝑏 = 𝑘𝐼𝑎 𝑁
60𝑎 60𝑎
Considering the relation between the full-load and twice the load
𝐸𝑏1 𝐼𝑎 1 𝑁1 391 (30)(1000)
= ; = ; 𝑁2 = 1,297.57 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝐸𝑏2 𝐼𝑎 2 𝑁2 393.028 (23.24)𝑁2
Since the load on the shaft was reduced, the shaft will tend to rotate faster.
3. Find the no-load and full-load speeds of a four-pole and calculate the speed regulation for a 220-V
shunt motor having the following data: Field current = 5 A, armature resistance = 0.04 ohm, flux per pole
= 0.04 Wb, number of armature conductors = 160, two-circuit full-wave connection, full-load current =
95 A, no-load current = 9 A.
Solution. The machine draws a supply current of 9 A at no-load. Out of this, 5 A are required for the field
circuit so the armature carries a no-load current of 4 A
Back emf at no-load,
−𝑉𝑠 + 𝐼𝑎𝑁𝐿 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−220 + (4)(0.04) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏𝑁𝐿 = 219.84 𝑉
Speed at no-load,
60𝑎𝐸𝑏 𝑁𝐿 (60)(2)(219.84)
𝑁𝑁𝐿 = = = 1030.5 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝑃𝑍∅ (4)(160)(0.04)
Back emf at full-load
−𝑉𝑠 + 𝐼𝑎 𝑅𝑎 + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
−220 + (90)(0.04) + 𝐸𝑏 = 0
𝐸𝑏 = 216.4 𝑉
Speed at full-load
60𝑎𝐸𝑏 (60)(2)(216.4)
𝑁 = = = 1014.375 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝑃𝑍∅ (4)(160)(0.04)
For the speed regulation,
𝑁𝑁𝐿 − 𝑁𝐹𝐿 1030.5 − 1014.375
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑥 100% = 𝑥 100% = 1.59%
𝑁𝐹𝐿 1014.375
4. A 220-V shunt motor has an armature resistance of 0.2 ohm and field resistance of 110 ohms. The
motor draws 5 A at 1500 rpm at no-load. Calculate the speed if the motor draws 52 A at rated voltage.
220
Solution. The shunt field current is the same regardless of the motor load, 𝐼𝑠ℎ = = 2 𝐴, therefore
110
𝐼𝑎𝑁𝐿 = 5 − 2 = 3 𝐴
𝐼𝑎 52 = 52 − 2 = 50 𝐴
At no-load,
𝐸𝑏𝑁𝐿 = 𝑉𝑠 − 𝐼𝑎𝑁𝐿 𝑅𝑎 = 220 − (3)(0.2) = 219.4 𝑉
At 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 52 𝐴
𝐸𝑏𝑁52 = 𝑉𝑠 − 𝐼𝑎52 𝑅𝑎 = 220 − (50)(0.2) = 210 𝑉
𝐸𝑏1 𝑁1
Using the relation for the speed and back emf, = , we can calculate the speed when the motor
𝐸𝑏2 𝑁2
draws 52 A.
𝐸𝑏𝑁𝐿 𝑁𝑁𝐿
=
𝐸𝑏52 𝑁52
219.4 1500
=
210 𝑁52
𝑁52 = 1435.73 𝑟𝑝𝑚