DC generator

• DC generator working principle

• DC generator Vs AC generator
• DC generator construction
• DC generator classification
• DC generator losses & power stages

Prepared by
Prof.Sharad Patel
Department of Electrical Engineering
Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology
Sarvajanik University
DC generator
DC generator
DC generator
DC generator
Single turn DC Generator
 DG generator
• EMF induced in coil is proportional to rate of change of flux.
• When the plane of coil is at right angles to the direction of field, flux linked
with coil is maximum, but rate of change of flux is minimum. Hence induced
EMF is minimum.
• When the plane of coil is at parallel to the direction of field, flux linked with
coil is minimum, but rate of change of flux is maximum. Hence induced EMF is
maximum.
• In order to get a unidirectional current in external circuit, a split ring
arrangement is done.
DG generator
 DC generator

AC Generator
• The ac generator converts mechanical power provided by the prime mover into
the ac power..
• Its output voltage varies its polarity after a certain interval of time..
• There is no need of commutators in the construction of this generator..
• In an ac generator, slip rings are used.
• In ac, generator armature is existing at rotor or stator. Small generator armature
is existing at rotor and medium and large alternator armature is existing at stator)
• Its effiency is larger due to less power losses.
• Its output current can be induced at the stator or the rotor.
• Its output voltage are high and varies in amplitude normally frequency of
output voltage is fifty or sixty hertz.
• Its repairing is very simple and its reliability is also good.
• Its price is high
 DC generator
• DC Generator
• Dc generator converts mechanical input into the dc output
• Its output voltage of dc generator have two terminals ( positive terminal and
negative terminal). The electrical load is connected across output terminals of
dc generator.
• In this generator, commutators are used
• In this generator spilt rings are used for conversion of ac into dc at the output
terminals
• In dc generator the armature part can be either rotor or stator (normally
rotor)
• Its efficiency is less due to large power losses
• Output current produces at the rotor
• Its output voltage are in less value and frequency is zero.
• Its reliably is less
• Its price is less
 DC generator
• Construction Same for DC Generator and Motor A DC machine essentially
consists of two parts.
• 1. Stator(Stationary Part) – Magnetic Field System
• 2. Rotor(Rotating Part) – A system of conductors
DC generator
DC generator
 DC generator
1. Magnetic Frame or Yoke
• The outer yoke or frame is used for two purpose.
 It provides mechanical support for the poles and also provides mechanical strength
to generator machine. It acts as a protecting cover for whole machine.
 This carries the magnetic flux produced by poles. In small size generator yoke are
made of cast iron but in large size generator it is made of cast steal.
2. Poles Cores and Pole Shoes
• The field magnet consist of pole cores and pole shoes. The pole shoes used for two
purposes.
 They spread out the flux in the air gap and also they reduced the reluctance in
magnetic path.
 They support the field coil (exciting coils).
• There are two main types of pole constructions.
 The pole core is made from cast iron or cast steal but pole shoe is laminated.
 In modern design, the whole pole cores and pole shoes are made of thin
lamination of annealed steal which are riveted from hydraulic pressure.
The lamination thickness varies from 1 mm to .25 mm.
 DC generator
3.Pole Coils or Field Coils
 Pole coils or field coils, which consist of copper wire or strip. When current flow in
these coils they electromagnetise the poles and the poles produces the necessary
flux that is cut by revolving armature conductor.
4. Armature Core
 Its most important function is to provide a path of very low reluctance to the flux
through the armature from a North pole to a South pole.
Its is cylindrical or drum shaped. Field coils lies in Armature core. Armature core
holds Armature winding and provide path of low reluctance.
5. Armature Windings
 In DC generator there are two types of windings, first one is Field winding and
second is armature winding. The armature winding is usually former-wound. In
Armature winding EMF induced when this rotate and its circuit will closed so
current will flow in this winding.
 DC generator
6. Commutator
 The commutator main work is to take input AC (alternating current ) and give
output DC. The commutator is to facilitate collection of current from the
armature conductor.
We take output DC from commutator by using carbon brush. It works like a
rectifier but its input and output magnitude are being same so it is also a very
useful part of DC generator.
7. Brushes and Bearings
• Brushes
 The brushes which collect current from commutator are made of carbon or
graphite. Its shape in rectangular block. Brush are made of carbon or
graphite because its friction coefficient is better than other. So carbon brush
take supply from commutator and give output to terminal of generator.
• Bearings
 In DC generator bearing are used to reduces losses of friction and other
mechanical losses. So its mainly used for reduce mechanical losses. It lies at
both ends rotor and making rotor essay for rotation.
DC generator
 DC generator
Classification of DC generator
 DC generator
• Each DC machine can act as a generator or a motor. Hence, this classification is
valid for both: DC generators and DC motors.
• DC machines are usually classified on the basis of their field excitation method.
• This makes two broad categories of dc machines;
(i) Separately excited and (ii) Self-excited.
 Separately excited DC machines: In separately excited dc machines, the field
winding is supplied from a separate power source. That means the field winding is
electrically separated from the armature circuit.
 Separately excited DC generators are not commonly used because they are
relatively expensive due to the requirement of an additional power source or
circuitry.
• They are used in laboratories for research work, for accurate speed control of DC
motors with Ward-Leonard system and in few other applications where self-excited
DC generators are unsatisfactory. In this type, the stator field flux may also be
provided with the help of permanent magnets (such as in permanent magnet DC
motors. PMDC (permanent magnet DC) motors are popularly used in small toys,
e.g. a toy car.
 DC generator
• Self-excited DC machines: In this type, field winding and armature winding are
interconnected in various ways to achieve a wide range of performance
characteristics (for example, field winding in series or parallel with the
armature winding).
In a self-excited type of DC generator, the field winding is energized by the
current produced by themselves. A small amount of flux is always present in
the poles due to the residual magnetism. So, initially, current induces in the
armature conductors of a dc generator only due to the residual magnetism.
The field flux gradually increases as the induced current starts flowing through
the field winding.
 DC generator
• Self-excited machines can be further classified as
 Shunt wound dc machines – Here, field winding is connected in parallel with the
armature winding. Hence, the full voltage is applied across the field winding. Shunt
winding is made with a large number of turns and the resistance is kept very high
(about 100 Ohm). It takes only small current which is less than 5% of the rated
armature current.

 Series wound dc machines – In this type, field winding is connected in series with
the armature winding. Therefore, the field winding carries whole of the load
current (armature current). That is why series winding is designed with few turns of
thick wire and the resistance is kept very low (about 0.5 Ohm).

 Compound wound dc machines – In this type, there are two sets of field winding.
One is connected in series and the other is connected in parallel with the armature
winding. Compound wound machines are further divided as -
– Short shunt – field winding is connected in parallel with only the armature
winding
– Long shunt – field winding is connected in parallel with the combination of
series field winding and armature winding
DC generator
DC generator
DC generator
 DC generator
The most convenient method to understand these losses in a dc generator is using
the power flow diagram. The diagram visualizes the amount of power that has been lost
in various types of losses and the amount of power which has been actually converted
into the output. Following are the typical power flow diagrams for a dc generator
 DC generator
• Copper Losses
• These losses occur in armature and field copper windings.
• Copper losses consist of Armature copper loss, Field copper loss and loss due to
brush contact resistance.

Armature copper loss = Ia2Ra

(where, Ia = Armature current and Ra= Armature resistance)
This loss contributes about 30 to 40% to full load losses. The armature copper loss
is variable and depends upon the amount of loading of the machine.

Field copper loss = If2Rf (where, If = field current and Rf = field resistance)
In the case of a shunt wounded field, field copper loss is practically constant. It
contributes about 20 to 30% to full load losses.

Brush contact resistance also contributes to the copper losses. Generally, this loss
is included into armature copper loss.
 DC generator
• Iron Losses (Core Losses)
• As the armature core is made of iron and it rotates in a magnetic field, a small
current gets induced in the core itself too. Due to this current, eddy current
loss and hysteresis loss occur in the armature iron core.
• Iron losses are also called as Core losses or magnetic losses.

Hysteresis loss is due to the reversal of magnetization of the armature core.

When the core passes under one pair of poles, it undergoes one complete cycle
of magnetic reversal. The frequency of magnetic reversal is given by,
f=P.N/120 (where, P = no. of poles and N = Speed in rpm)
The loss depends upon the volume and grade of the iron, frequency of magnetic
reversals and value of flux density. Hysteresis loss is given by, Steinmetz formula:
Wh=ηBmax1.6fV (watts)
where, η = Steinmetz hysteresis constant
V = volume of the core in m3
 DC generator
• Eddy current loss: When the armature core rotates in the magnetic field, an emf is
also induced in the core (just like it induces in armature conductors), according to
the Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction Though this induced emf is small, it
causes a large current to flow in the body due to the low resistance of the core.
This current is known as eddy current. The power loss due to this current is known
as eddy current loss.
 DC generator
• Mechanical Losses
• Mechanical losses consist of the losses due to friction in bearings and
commutator. Air friction loss of rotating armature also contributes to these.
These losses are about 10 to 20% of full load losses.
Stray Losses
• In addition to the losses stated above, there may be small losses present which
are called as stray losses or miscellaneous losses. These losses are difficult to
account. They are usually due to inaccuracies in the designing and modeling of
the machine. Most of the times, stray losses are assumed to be 1% of the full
load.
DC generator
 DC generator
• Wave winding is a type of armature winding in which the coils are connected in
a wave-like pattern. This means that the one end of the coil is connected to
the starting end of the other coil which has the same polarity. This connection
is made at some distance apart. The consecutive coils in wave winding are
connected in such a way that the winding looks like a wave.

• In wave winding, the conductors are split into two parallel paths, regardless of
the number of poles of the machine. Each path has Z/2 conductors in series.
This means that the conductors are divided into two groups, and each group
has a certain number of conductors connected in series. This allows for the
distribution of current among the parallel paths, ensuring smooth and efficient
operation of the machine.

• The number of brushes in a wave winding machine is equal to 2, i.e., the

number of parallel paths. This means that there are only 2 brushes, one for the
positive end of the armature coils and one for the negative end of the armature
coils. This is in contrast to lap winding machines, which have a brush for each
parallel path.
 DC generator
References :
A Text book of Electrical Technology Volume II AC & DC Machines, B.L.Thereja ,A.K.Thereja ,S chand.
https://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/wind-energy/dc-generator-design.html
https://www.theelectricalportal.com/2015/02/construction-of-dc-generator.html
https://www.electricaleasy.com/2022/09/construction-and-working-of-dc-generator.html
https://www.electricaleasy.com/2012/12/classifications-of-dc-machines.html
https://www.electricaleasy.com/2014/01/losses-in-dc-machine.html
https://eees.in/dc-machines-notes/
https://www.electricaldesks.com/2023/01/what-is-lap-and-wave-winding.html