LABORATORY REPORT 5

OPEN- AND SHORT-CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

The fundamental characteristics of a synchronous machine can be determined by a pair of tests, one
made with the armature terminals open-circuited and the second with the armature terminals short-
circuited.

Objective

To conduct open circuit and close circuit test on three phase alternator to pre determine the
percentage regulation curve by using equivalent parameters.

Theory

Open Circuit Saturation Characteristic and No-Load Rotational Losses:

Like the magnetization curve for a dc machine, the open-circuit characteristic (also referred to as the
open-circuit saturation curve) of a synchronous machine is a curve of the open-circuit armature
terminal voltage (either in volts or in per unit) as a function of the field excitation when the machine
is running at synchronous speed.

The open-circuit characteristic represents the relation between the space fundamental component of
the air-gap flux and the mmf acting on the magnetic circuit when the field winding constitutes the
only mmf source. Note that the effects of magnetic saturation can be clearly seen; the characteristic
bends downward with increasing field current as saturation of the magnetic material increases the
reluctance of the flux paths in the machine and reduces the effectiveness of the field current in
producing magnetic flux the open-circuit characteristic is initially linear as the field current is
increased from zero. This portion of the curve (and its linear extension for higher values of field
current) is known as the air-gap line. It represents the machine open-circuit voltage characteristic
corresponding to unsaturated operation. Deviations of the actual open-circuit characteristic from this
curve are a measure of the degree of saturation in the machine.
Note that with the machine armature winding open-circuited, the terminal voltage is equal to the
generated voltage Eaf. Thus the open-circuit characteristic is a measurement of the relationship
between the field current 'If' and 'Eaf' It can therefore provide a direct measurement of the field-to-
armature mutual inductance 'Laf'

When the machine is an existing one, the open-circuit characteristic is usually determined
experimentally by driving the machine mechanically at synchronous speed with its armature
terminals on open circuit and by reading the terminal voltage corresponding to a series of values of
field current. If the mechanical power required to drive the synchronous machine during the open-
circuit test is measured, the no-load rotational losses can be obtained. These losses consist of friction
and wind age losses associated with rotation as well as the core loss corresponding to the flux in the
machine at no load. The friction and wind age losses at synchronous speed are constant, while the
open-circuit core loss is a function of the flux, which in turn is proportional to the open-circuit
voltage.

The mechanical power required to drive the machine at synchronous speed and unexcited is its
friction and windage loss. When the field is excited, the mechanical power equals the sum of the
friction, windage, and open-circuit core loss. The open circuit core loss therefore can be found from
the difference between these two values of mechanical power.

Short Circuit Characteristic and Load Loss:

A short-circuit characteristic can be obtained by applying a three-phase short circuit through suitable
current sensors to the armature terminals of a synchronous machine. With the machine driven at
synchronous speed, the field current can be increased and a plot of armature current versus field
current can be obtained. This relation is known as the short-circuit characteristic.

If the mechanical power required to drive the machine is measured while the short-circuit test is being
made, information can be obtained regarding the losses caused by the armature current. Because the
machine flux level is low under short circuit conditions, the core loss under this condition is typically
considered to be negligible. The mechanical power required to drive the synchronous machine during
the short-circuit test then equals the sum of friction and windage loss (determined from the open-
circuit test at zero field current) plus losses caused by the armature current. The losses caused by the
armature current can then be found by subtracting friction and windage from the driving power. The
losses caused by the short-circuit armature current are known collectively as the short-circuit load
loss. The short-circuit load loss consists of I2R loss in the armature winding, local core losses caused
by the armature leakage flux, and the very small core loss caused by the resultant flux. The dc
resistance loss can be computed if the dc resistance is measured and corrected, when necessary, for
the temperature of the windings during the short-circuit test. For copper conductors

If this dc resistance loss is subtracted from the short-circuit load loss, the difference will be the loss
due to skin effect and eddy currents in the armature conductors plus the local core losses caused by
the armature leakage flux. This difference between the short-circuit load loss and the dc resistance
loss is the additional loss caused by the alternating current in the armature. Commonly considered to
have the same value under normal load conditions as on short circuit. It is a function of the armature
current.

As with any ac device, the effective resistance of the armature 'Ra, eff' can be computed as the power
loss attributable to the armature current divided by the square of the current. On the assumption that
the stray load loss is a function of only the armature current, the effective resistance of the armature
can be determined from the short-circuit load loss:

APPARATUS

1. 3 phase alternator: v: 380v, 1.7A, 1.1KW, 3000kpm

2. DC shunt meter: v: 220v, 1.1 KW, 3000kpm, I arm5.6
3. Voltmeter, ammeter

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Open circuit test

Short circuit test

PROCEDURE

1. For performing open circuit test on an alternator, the machine is driven of raged synchronous
speed and an ammeter is connected in series with field circuit to measure the field current and
a voltmeter is connected across the armature terminal.
2. Now the field current it is gradually increased from zero to 'it' raged voltage value to note
down the voltage generated across the armature terminals.
3. For performing short circuit test on an alternator, the machine is driven at raged synchronous
speed and the armature terminals are short circuited through an ammeter as shown in figure.
4. Now the field current it is gradually increased from zero until the armature short circuit
current reaches its maximum safe value.

Readings of field current and short circuit current are noted and plotted in figure.

Observation 1: open circuit test

S. no IF EF

1. 0.03 58
2. 0.05 110

3. 0.08 162

4. 0.1 207

5 0.13 242

6 0.14 260

7 0.16 283

8 0.18 300

9 0.21 320

10 0.24 340

11 0.25 350

12 0.27 360

13 0.29 370

14 0.32 380
Observation 2: short circuit test

s.no IF Ia

1. 0.03 0.11

2. 0.04 0.15

3. 0.07 0.28

4. 0.1 0.42

5. 0.14 0.57

6. 0.17 0.67

7. 0.18 0.75

8. 0.2 0.82

9. 0.22 0.91

10. 0.25 1.03

11. 0.27 1.12

12. 0.3 1.2

13. 0.33 1.33

14. 0.35 1.41

15. 0.37 1.52

 Conclusion

The experiment successfully determined the open-circuit and short-circuit characteristics of the three-
phase alternator. By systematically increasing the field current and observing the corresponding
voltages and currents, the percentage regulation curve was obtained using equivalent parameters.

The results demonstrated the influence of saturation effects on the magnetic material during the open-
circuit test and revealed the armature's current behavior under short-circuit conditions. The core
losses, friction, windage losses, and armature current losses were quantified and analyzed, enhancing
understanding of the alternator's efficiency and operational limits under different conditions.

This investigation emphasizes the practical importance of these tests in predicting machine
performance, ensuring safety, and optimizing the design of synchronous machines for real-world
applications.