Synchronous Motor
Electrical motors are an electro-mechanical
device that converts electrical energy to
mechanical energy. Based on the type of input
we have classified it into single phase and 3
phase motors.
The most common type of 3 phase motors is
synchronous motors and induction motors.
When three-phase electric conductors are placed
in certain geometrical positions (i.e. in a certain
angle from one another) – an electrical field is
generated. The rotating magnetic field rotates at
a certain speed known as the synchronous
speed.
The term “synchronous motor” derives from the
rotor’s speed matching the speed of the rotating
magnetic field.
It is a fixed speed motor because it has only one
speed, which is synchronous speed. This speed is
synchronised with the supply frequency. The
synchronous speed is given by:
Where:
N= The Synchronous Speed (in RPM – i.e.
Rotations Per Minute)
f = The Supply Frequency (in Hz)
p = The number of Poles
Principle of Operation Synchronous Motor
i) Stator: Consisting of a three phase star or
delta connected winding. This is excited by a
three phase a.c. supply.
ii) Rotor: Rotor is a field winding, the
construction of which can be salient (projected
pole) or non-salient (cylindrical) type. Practically
most of the synchronous motors use salient i.e.
projected pole type construction. The
field winding is excited by a separate d.c supply
through slip rings.
Synchronous motor works on the principle
of the magnetic locking. When two, unlike poles,
are brought near each other, if the magnets are
strong, there exists a tremendous force of
attraction between those two poles. In such
condition, the two magnets are said to be
magnetically locked. If now one of the two
magnets is rotated, the other also rotates in the
same direction with the same speed due to the
force of attraction
Consider a three-phase synchronous motor,
whose stator is wound for 2 poles. The two
magnetic fields are produced in the synchronous
motor by exciting both the windings stator and
rotor with three-phase a.c. supply and d.c.
supply respectively. When the three-phase
winding is excited by a three-phase a.c. supply
then the flux produced by the three-phase
winding is always of rotating type. Such a
magnetic flux rotates in space at a speed
called synchronous speed. This magnetic is called
a rotating magnetic field.
The synchronous speed of a stator rotating
magnetic field depends on supply frequency and
the number of poles for which stator winding is
wound. If the frequency of the a.c supply is f Hz
and stator is wound for P number of poles, then
the speed of the rotating magnetic field is
synchronous given by,
Ns = 120f/p r.p.m
In this case, as the stator is wound for say 2
poles, with 50 Hz supply, the speed of the
rotating magnetic field will be 3000 r.p.m.
For simplicity of understanding let us assume
that the stator poles are N1 and S1 which are
rotating at a speed of Ns.
The direction of rotation of the rotating
magnetic field says clockwise. When the
field winding on the rotor is excited by a
d.c supply, it also produces two poles, assuming
rotor construction to be two poles, salient type.
Let these poles be N2 and S2.
Now one magnet is rotating at Ns having poles
N1 and S1 while at start rotor is stationary i.e.
second magnet is stationary having poles N2 and
S2. If somehow the unlike poles N1 and S2 or
S1 and N2 are brought near each other, the
magnetic locking may get established between
stator and rotor poles.
As stator poles are rotating, due to
magnetic rotor will also rotate in the same
direction as that of stator poles i.e. in the
direction of rotating magnetic field, with the
same speed i.e. Ns.
Hence synchronous motor rotates at one and
only one speed i.e. synchronous speed. But this
all depends on the existence of magnetic locking
between stator and rotor poles.
Practically it is not possible for stator poles to
pull the rotor poles from their stationary position
into magnetic locking condition.
Hence synchronous motors are not self-starting.
At this instant, the rotor is stationary and unlike
poles will try to attract each other. Due to this
rotor will be subjected to an instantaneous
torque in the anti-clockwise direction as in
figure(a).
Now stator poles are rotating very fast i.e. at a
speed Ns r.p.m. Due to inertia, before rotor
hardly rotates in the direction of anticlockwise
torque, to which it is subjected, the stator poles
change their positions. Consider an instant half a
period latter where stator poles are exactly
reversed but due to inertia rotor is unable to
rotate from its initial position. This is shown in
figure(b).
At this instant, due to the unlike poles
trying to attract each other, the rotor will be
subjected to torque in the clockwise direction.
This will tend to rotate the rotor in the
direction rotating magnetic field. But before this
happens, stator poles again change their
positions reversing the direction of the torque
exerted on the rotor.
We use a mechanical method to initially spin the
rotor in the magnetic field’s direction, bringing it
close to synchronous speed. Once it reaches this
speed, magnetic locking keeps the motor
spinning, even without external assistance.