University of Wasit

Department of Electrical Engineering

DC Machine
Part-5
Characteristics of D.C. Generators:
Following are the three most important characteristics or
curves of a d.c. generator:
1. No-load saturation Characteristic (E0/If): It is also known
as Magnetic Characteristic or Open-circuit
Characteristic (O.C.C.). It shows the relation between
the no-load generated mmf in armature, E 0 and the field
or exciting current If at a given fixed speed. It is just the
magnetization curve for the material of the
electromagnets. Its shape is practically the same for all
generators whether separately-excited or self-excited.
2. Internal or Total Characteristic (E/Ia): It gives the
relation between the mmf E actually induces in the
armature (after allowing for the demagnetizing effect of
armature reaction) and the armature current I a. This
characteristic is of interest mainly to the designer.
3. External Characteristic (V/I): It is also referred to as
performance characteristic or sometimes voltage-
regulating curve. It gives relation between that terminal
voltage V and the load current I. This curve lies below
the internal characteristic because it takes into account
the voltage drop over the armature circuit resistance.
The values of V are obtained by subtracting I aRa from
corresponding values of E. This characteristic is of great
importance in judging the suitability of a generator for a
particular purpose. It may be obtained in two ways:
(i) by making simultaneous measurements with a suitable
voltmeter and an ammeter on a loaded generator or,
(ii) graphically from the O.C.C. provided the armature and
field resistances are known and also if the
demagnetizing effect (under rated load conditions) or
the armature reaction (from the short-circuit test) is
known.
Separately-excited Generator:
a) No-load Saturation Characteristic (E0/If): the voltage
equation of a d.c. generator is, Hence, if speed is constant,
the above E k becomes
relation
It is obvious that when If is increased from its initial small
value, the flux and hence generated mmf Eg increase
directly as current so long as the poles are unsaturated. This
is represented by the straight portion Od. But as the flux
density increases, the poles become saturated, so a greater
increase in If is required to produce a given increase in
voltage than on the lower part of the curve. That is why the
upper portion db of the curve Odb bends over as shown.
b) Internal and External Characteristics: Let us consider a
separately-excited generator giving its rated no-load voltage of
E0 for a certain constant field current (line I). But when the
generator is loaded, the voltage falls due to armature reaction
and armature voltage drop, thereby giving slightly dropping
characteristics. If we subtract from E0 the values of voltage
drops due to armature reaction for different loads, then we get
the value
Curve II of
is E–the
plottedemf
in actually
this wayinduced in the armature under
load
and conditions.
is known as the internal
characteristic. The straight line
Oa represents the IaRa drops
corresponding to different
armature currents. If we
subtract from E the armature
drop IaRa, we get terminal
voltage V. Curve III represents
the external characteristic and
is obtained by subtracting
No-load Curve for Self-excited Generator:
The O.C.C. or no-load saturated curves for self-excited generators
whether shunt or series connected, are obtained in a similar way. The
field winding of the generator is disconnected from the machine and
connected to an external d.c. source. The field or exciting current If is
increased (starting from zero) and the values of E0 are measured. On
plotting the relation between If and E0, a curve of this form is obtained.
Due to residual magnetism in the poles, some emf (= OA) is generated
even when If = 0. Hence, the curve starts a little way up. It is seen that
the first part of the curve is practically straight. This is due to the fact
that the flux and consequently, the generated emf is directly proportional
to the exciting current. However, at high flux densities saturation of poles
starts, and straight relation between E and If no longer holds good. It
should be noted that O.C.C. for a higher speed would lie above this curve
and for a lower speed, would lie below it.
Voltage Built up and Critical Resistance for Shunt
Generator:
For shunt generator, due to residual magnetism in the poles, some emf
and hence current, would be generated. This current while passing
through the field coils will strengthen the magnetism of the poles. This
will increase the pole flux which will further increase the generated
mmf. Increased mmf means more current which further increases the
flux and so on. This mutual reinforcement of mmf and flux proceeds on
till equilibrium is reached at some point like P. The point P is the
crossing point between the field resistance line OA and the O.C.C. curve.
OB
The represents
voltage OL smaller resistance
corresponding to point P represents the maximum
and the to
voltage corresponding voltagewill
which the machine OMbuild
is up with R as field resistance.
slightly greater than OL. If R is
increased so much that the
resistance line does not cut the
O.C.C. at all (like OI), then obviously
the machine will fail to excite i.e.
there will be no ‘build up’ of the
voltage. If the resistance line just
lies along the slope, then with that
value of field resistance, the machine
will just excite. The value of the
Conditions for Build-up of a Shunt Generator:
1. There must be some residual magnetism in the
generator poles.
2. For the given direction of rotation, the shunt field
coils should be correctly connected to the
armature i.e. they should be so connected that the
induced current reinforces the mmf produced
initially due to residual magnetism.
3. If excited on open circuit, its shunt field resistance
should be less than the critical resistance (which
can be found from its O.C.C.)
4. If excited on load, then its load resistance should
be more than a certain minimum value of
resistance which is given by internal
characteristic
External Characteristic:
It is found that if after building up, a shunt generator
is loaded, then its terminal voltage V drops with
increase in load current. Such a drop in V is
undesirable and should remain constant and
independent of the load. This condition of constant
voltage is almost impossible to be fulfilled with a
shunt generator unless the field current is being
automatically adjusted by an automatic regulator.
Without such regulation terminal voltage drops
considerably as the load on the generator is
increased. These are three main reasons for the drop
in terminal voltage of a shunt generator when under
load.
(i) Armature resistance drop: As the load current increases, more
and more voltage is consumed in the ohmic resistance of the
armature circuit. Hence, the terminal voltage V=E−I aRa is
decreased where E is the induced mmf in the armature under
load condition.
(ii) Armature reaction drop: Due to the demagnetizing effect of
armature reaction, pole flux is weakened and so the induced mmf
in the armature is decreased.
(iii) The drop in terminal voltage V due to (i) and (ii) results in a
decreased field current If which further reduces the induced mmf
 Internal or Total Characteristic:
Internal characteristic gives the relation between E and Ia. Hence, E/Ia
curve can be obtained from V/I curve. In this figure, ab represents the
external characteristic as discussed before. The field resistance line OB is
drawn as usual. The horizontal distances from OY line to the line OB give
the values of field currents for different terminal voltages. If we add these
distances horizontally to the external characteristic ab, then we get the
curve for the total armature current i.e. dotted curve ac. For example, point
d on ac is obtained by making gd = ef. The armature resistance drop line OI
is then plotted as usual. If brush contact resistance is assumed constant,
then armature voltage drop is proportional to the armature current.
For any armature current = OK, armature voltage drop IaRa =
mK. If we add these drops to the ordinates of curve ac, we get
the internal characteristic. For example, St = mK. The point t
lies on the internal characteristic. Other points like t can be
found similarly at different armature currents as the total
characteristic can be drawn. It may be noted here, in passing,
that product EIa gives the total power developed within the
armature. Some of this power goes to meet I 2R losses in
armature and shunt field windings and the rest appears as
output. If load resistance is decreased, the armature current
increases up to a certain load current value. After that, any
decrease in load resistance is not accompanied by increase in
load current. Rather, it is decreased and the curve turns back.
If the load resistance is too small, then the generator is short-
circuited and there is no generated mmf due to heavy
demagnetization of main poles. Line OP is tangential to the
internal characteristic MB and its slope gives the value of the
minimum resistance with which the generator will excite if
excited on load.
Series Generator:
Because field windings are in series with the armature, they
carry full armature current I a. As Ia is increased, flux and
hence generated mmf is also increased as shown by the curve.
It will be noticed that a series generator has rising voltage
characteristic i.e. with increase in load; its voltage is also
increased. But it is seen that at high loads, the voltage starts
decreasing due to excessive demagnetizing effects of armature
reaction. In fact, terminal voltage starts decreasing as load
current is increased as shown by the dotted curve. For a load
current OC′, the terminal voltage is reduced to zero as shown.
 Compound Generator:
A shunt generator may be made to supply substantially constant
voltage by adding to it a few turns joined in series with either the
armature or the load. These turns are so connected as to aid to
shunt turns when the generator supplies load. As the load current
increases, the current through the series windings also increase
thereby increasing the flux. Due to the increase in flux, induced
mmfadjusting
By is also increased.
the number of series turns
(or series amp-turns), this increase in mmf
can be made to balance the combined
voltage drop in the generator due to
armature reaction and the armature drop.
If the series field amp-turns are such as to
produce the same voltage at rated load as
at no-load, then the generator is flat-
compounded. If the series field amp-turns
are such that the rated-load voltage is
greater than the no-load voltage, then
generator is over-compounded. If rated-
load voltage is less than the no-load
 Example-1:

N2
E2 E1
N1
i. Eo 252V
AB 145
ii. Rc 54; Nc  N 840 554r. p.m
AC 220
iii . R f  new 43.2; Radd 43.2  36 7.2ohm
216 E  V 240  216
iv. I f  6 A;  E 240;  Ia   32 A
36 Ra 0.75
 I L I a  I f 32  6 26 A
 300
New field
Eo R resistance
c
250
E
o
C E
200

VT IaRa
150
E

100

50

0
A
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
If