AC Generator

DC Generator
Alternator
 Commonly known as AC Generator.
 Unlike DC generator, it must be driven at definite speed because the frequency is determine by that
speed which is called the synchronous speed.
 The frequency in cycle per second will depend directly upon the number of revolutions per second
(rpm/60) made by the field and thus, the frequency per revolution is equal to the number of pairs of
poles.
 Combining this facts, it can be concluded that the frequency of the emf in an alternator is proportional
to:
 The speed in revolutions per second
 The number of pairs of poles.
This relationship may be written in the form of equation:
𝑃 𝑁 𝑃𝑁
𝑓= 𝑥 = ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑧 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑝𝑠
2 60 120
Where:
P-poles
N- speed, revolution per second
Principle of Operation
 The moving copper conductors in the armature core through the use of steam
or turbine cut the lines of force.
 The presence of magnetic lines of force in the copper.
 Motion of conductors cutting the flux.
 EMF is generated.
Fleming's Right Hand Rule

E.M.F

• The Thumb represents the direction of Motion of the conductor.

• The First finger (four finger) represents Field.
• The Second finger (Middle finger) represents Current
Fleming's Right Hand Rule
Faraday’s Law
The magnitude of the generated voltage is directly proportional to the rate at which a conductor cuts
the magnetic line of force.
1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡
100,000,000 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠/𝑠𝑒𝑐

∅ ∅
𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 𝑡 𝑥 108 E = 𝑁 𝑡 𝑥 108

 There is flux change of flux per pole (maxwells) through a coil as the latter moves a distance equal to
one half of pole pitch or the distance a coil must travel to generate ¼ of a cycle voltage. Since one
cycle occurs in 1/f sec, the elapsed time for ¼ of a cycle will be 1/4f sec. Thus, when substituted to t,
∅
𝐸𝑎𝑣𝑒 = 𝑁 = 4𝑓∅𝑁𝑥10−8 𝑉
1
𝑥 108
4𝑓
𝐸 = 1.11 𝑥𝐸𝑎𝑣𝑒 = 4.44𝑓∅𝑁𝑥10−8 𝑉
 Coil Pitch and Pitch factor
 The distance between two sides of the coil is its coil pitch.
 When this is exactly equal to the distance between the centers of two adjacent poles, 180 electrical
degrees, the coil is said to be full pitch and the winding a full pitch winding.
 Under this condition, the generated voltage in both coil sides are exactly in phase.
 Thus, the voltage generated in a fractional pitch winding is less than the voltage developed in a full
pitch winding. The factor, always a decimal, by which the full pitch voltage is multiplied to give the
fractional pitch voltage is called the pitch factor. It is given by the formula:
𝑝𝑜 𝑦𝑠 180 𝑜
𝑘𝑝 = sin 𝑝𝑜 = 𝑥
2 𝑆/𝑃 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑛
Where:
𝑘𝑝 = 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝑝𝑜 = 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑛, 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠
𝑦𝑠 = 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑛
𝑆 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡
𝑃 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒
 Distribution Factor
 The factor by which the generated voltage E must be multiplied (because the coils are distributed in several slots
under the poles instead of being concentrated in single slots under the poles) to obtain the correct value is called
the distribution factor (𝑘𝑑 ) .
 Distributing the winding in many slots has the effect of improving the shape of voltage wave to make it approach a
sinusoidal function and as well as of adding rigidity and mechanical strength to the winding.
𝑛 𝑑𝑜
sin( )
𝑘𝑑 = 2
𝑑𝑜
𝑛 𝑥 sin 2

Where:
𝑘𝑑 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑠
𝑛 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒 (𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑥𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠)
180𝑜
𝑑 𝑜 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑠
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒

 The general emf equation will now be corrected by pitch factor

𝑘𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑘𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑚𝑓 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛.
𝐸 = 4.44𝑓∅𝑁𝑘𝑝 𝑘𝑑 𝑥10−8 𝑉
 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. A alternator has six poles and operates at 1,200 rpm. (a) What frequency does it generate? (b) At what speed
must the machine be operated if it is to have a frequency of 25 cycles? 50 cycles?
2. What is the maximum speed at which the field of an alternator can be operated to develop 60 cycles? 25
cycles? 50 cycles?
3. Calculate the effective voltage in one phase of an alternator , given the following particulars: f=60 cps, turns
per phase N= 240; flux per pole = 2.08 x 10^6 maxwells.
4. Calculate the pitch factors for the following windings: (a) 36 slots, four poles, span 1 to 8 (b) 72 slots, six
poles, span 1 to 10 (c) 96 slots, six poles, span 1 to 12 . Illustrate the three coil spans by sketches.
5. Calculate the distribution factor for a 36 slot four pole three phase winding.
6. The following information is given in connection with an alternator: slots=96; poles=4 ; rpm=1,500; turns per
coil=16; flux per pole= 2.58 x 10^6; coil span= slots 1 to 20; winding=whole coiled lap, three phase. Calculate
the generated voltage per phase.