Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

Starting methods of induction motors (December

2015)
Colcha Ivn, IEEE, National Polytechnic School
Abstract This paper provides a detailed discussion of

the basic theory of operation and control of the

synchronous motor. It describes typical synchronous motor
starting and provides information regarding control and
optimization of the motor through the use of power factor
control or VAr operation that can be helpful in reducing
VAr penalties and improving voltage stability of the plant.
Typical protection is also discussed involving motor pullout
and under and overexcitation concerns

produced in a synchronous motor and its direction is marked

in Fig.1

Index Terms

I.

INTRODUCTION

A synchronous machine is a machine whose speed alternating

current under steady state conditions is proportional to the frequency
of the current in his armor. The magnetic field created by armature
current rotates at the same speed that creates the field current in the
rotor (rotating at the synchronous speed), and a stationary torque
occurs.

As the name suggests Synchronous motors are capable of

running at constant speed irrespective of the load acting on
them. Unlike induction motors where speed of the motor
depends upon the torque acting on them, synchronous motors
have got constant speed-torque characteristics.
Synchronous motors have got higher efficiency (electrical to
mechanical power conversion ratio) than its counterparts. Its
efficiency ranges from 90 92%.

2) Rotor: Constant Magnetic field

Rotor is excited by a D.C power supply, magnetic field
produced around the rotor coil by DC excitation is shown
below. It is clear that the rotor acts like a permanent magnet
due to such magnetic field. Alternatively rotor can also be
made of permanent magnet.
Interaction of Rotor and RMF is interesting. Assume you
are giving an initial rotation to the rotor, with same direction
of RMF. You can see that opposite poles of RMF and Rotor
will attract each other and they will get locked magnetically.
This means that rotor will rotate at the same speed of RMF, or
rotor will rotate at synchronous speed.

A. The Working Principle: RMF Constant

Magnetic field interaction
The constant speed characteristic is achieved by interaction
between a constant and rotating magnetic field. Rotor of
synchronous motor produces a constant magnetic field and
Stator produces a Rotating magnetic field.

1) Stator: Revolving Magnetic Field

The field coil of stator is excited by a 3 phase AC supply. This

will produce a revolving magnetic field (RMF), which rotates
at synchronous speed. The way RMF is produced with 3 phase
AC excitation is explained in a separate article. RMF

B. Synchronous Speed
Speed at which RMF rotates or Synchronous speed can easily
be derived as follows.

Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

It is clear from the relationship that speed of synchronous

motor,Ns(rpm) is directly proportional to frequency of the
electricity,f(Hz).P represents number of poles of the rotor. This
means that if one has got control over frequency of the
electricity, speed of synchronous motor can be very accurately
controlled. This is the reason why they are suitable for
C. Why Synchronous motors are not self starting ?
But if the rotor has got no initial rotation, situation is quite
different. North Pole of the Rotor will obviously get attracted
by South Pole of RMF, and will start to move in the same
D. Making Synchronous Motor Self Start Use of
Damper winding
To make synchronous motor self start, a squirrel cage
arrangement is cleverly fitted through pole tips. They are also
called as damper windings.
At the starting rotor field coils are not energized. So with
revolving magnetic field, electricity is induced in squirrel cage
bars and rotor starts rotating just like an induction motor starts.
When the rotor has achieved its maximum speed, rotor field
coils are energized. So as discussed earlier poles of rotor gets
locked with poles of RMF and will start rotating at
synchronous speed. When rotor rotates at synchronous speed,
relative motion between squirrel cage and RMF is zero. This
means zero current and force on squirrel cage bars, thus it will
not affect synchronized operation of the motor.

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winding thereof is supplied with a fixed rotor DC magnetic
field, which passes the front stator magnetic field is produced.
The rotor poles are now undergoing attraction and repulsion,
in short periods of time, by the stator poles, but the rotor fails
to rotate, at most it will vibrate. But if we bring the rotor to
synchronous speed, causing it to rotate by an auxiliary engine,
faced opposite sign poles of a magnetic latch that requires
them to continue to rotate together, being able to remove the
auxiliary engine is established.
Two electric circuits, one in the other in the rotor and stator
Winding or excitation winding or inductor: One of the
windings, to be traversed by an electric current produces a
magnetomotive force that creates a magnetic flux.
Induced: The other winding, in which an emf is induced that
results in a torque.
Three coils in the stator, 120 out of phase with each stay.
Each of the coils is connected to one phase of a three phase
system and give rise to a rotating magnetic field
The speed of the rotating magnetic field is called the
synchronous speed (* s) and depends on the frequency of the
electrical network to which is connected the motor.
Rotor: From a construction point of view there are two typical
forms of rotor:
Squirrel-cage rotor: It consists of copper bars or aluminum and
joined at their ends to two rings of the same material.
Rotor winding or slipring: The rotor is made up of three
windings of copper wire connected at a common point. The
ends may be connected to three copper rings integrally
rotating with the shaft (slip rings). Contacting the three rings
are some brushes for connecting to these windings resistors
that can regulate the speed of motor rotation. They are more
expensive and require more maintenance.

1) THREE SYNCHRONOUS
MACHINES

E. Synchronous motor out of Synchronism

Synchronous motors will produce constant speed
irrespective of motor load only if the load is within the
capability of motor. If external torque load is more than torque
produced by the motor, it will slip out of synchronism and will
come to rest. Low supply voltage and excitation voltage are
other reasons of going out of synchronism. It is interesting to
note that synchronous motor has got the same constructional
features of an alternator.
If an alternator is withdrawn the prime mover and the stator is
powered by a three phase AC system it is generated in the
stator a rotating magnetic field, whose speed is know that N =
60 f / p. If in such circumstances, with the rotor stopped

The open circuit and the short circuit test are used to obtain
the unsaturated synchronous impedance and an approximate
value of saturated synchronous impedance. In the case of a
constant voltage source having constant impedance, the
impedance can be found by dividing the open circuit terminal
voltage by the short circuit current. However when the
impedance is a function of the open circuit voltage, as it is
when the machine is saturated, the open circuit characteristics
or the magnetization magnetization curve in addition to the
short circuit characteristic required.

2) OPEN
CHARACTERISTICS

CIRCUIT

Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

To obtain the open circuit characteristics the machine is driven

at rated speed without the load. Readings of the line-to-line
voltage are taken for various values of field current. The
voltage, except in very low voltage machines, is stepped down
by the means of a potential transformer.
The open circuit characteristics are shown below.
Connect the circuit for the open circuit test
Do not energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks the
circuit and permission is given to energize.
Start the D.C. motor couple to the alternator and adjust its
speed to correspond to the alternator. (The armature of the
alternator is kept on open circuit.)
Increase the field current of the alternator from zero value and
note the no-load voltage across the alternator for various field
currents.
SHORT CIRCUIT TEST
If not for the magnetic saturation of the iron, the open circuit
characteristics would be linear as represented by the air gap
line.

Using the circuit diagram connect the circuit for the short
circuit test.
Do not energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks the
circuit and gives permission to energize the circuit.
LOAD TEST

THE SHORT CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

In this test the machine is introduced to normal working

conditions. This test evaluates how the machine operates
under different working conditions. We will compare the
results of the load test with the parameters developed in the
open circuit and the short circuit test.

The three terminals of the armature are short circuited each

through a current measuring circuit.
The machine is driven at approximately synchronous rated
speed and measurements of armature short circuit currents are
made for various values of field currents usually up to and
above rated armature current.
In conventional synchronous machines the short circuit
characteristics is practically linear because the iron is
unsaturated up to rated armature current.
Methods of starting synchronous motor
Basically there are three methods that are used to start a
synchronous motor:
To reduce the speed of the rotating magnetic field of the
stator to a low enough value that the rotor can easily accelerate
and lock in with it during one half-cycle of the rotating
magnetic fields rotation. This is done by reducing the
frequency of the applied electric power. This method is
usually followed in the case of inverter-fed synchronous motor
operating under variable speed drive applications.

Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

To use an external prime mover to accelerate the rotor of
synchronous motor near to its synchronous speed and then
supply the rotor as well as stator. Of course care should be
taken to ensure that the direction of rotation of the rotor as
well as that of the rotating magnetic field of the stator are the
same. This method is usually followed in the laboratory- the
synchronous machine is started as a generator and is then
connected to the supply mains by following the
synchronization or paralleling procedure. Then the power
supply to the prime mover is disconnected so that the
synchronous machine will continue to operate as a motor.
To use damper windings or amortisseur windings if these are
provided in the machine. The damper windings or amortisseur
windings are provided in most of the large synchronous
motors in order to nullify the oscillations of the rotor
whenever the synchronous machine is subjected to a
periodically varying load. Each of these methods of starting a
synchronous motor are described below in detail.
Motor Starting by Reducing the supply Frequency
If the rotating magnetic field of the stator in a synchronous
motor rotates at a low enough speed, there will be no problem
for the rotor to accelerate and to lock in with the stators
magnetic field. The speed of the stator magnetic field can then
be increased to its rated operating speed by gradually
increasing the supply frequency f up to its normal 50- or 60Hz value. This approach to starting of synchronous motors
makes a lot of sense, but there is a big problem: Where from
can we get the variable frequency supply? The usual power
supply systems generally regulate the frequency to be 50 or 60
Hz as the case may be. However, variable-frequency voltage
source can be obtained from a dedicated generator only in the
olden days and such a situation was obviously impractical
except for very unusual or special drive applications. But the
present day solid state power converters offer an easy solution
to this. We now have the rectifier- inverter and
cycloconverters, which can be used to convert a constant
frequency AC supply to a variable frequency AC supply. With
the development of such modern solid-state variablefrequency drive packages, it is thus possible to continuously
control the frequency of the supply connected to the
synchronous motor all the way from a fraction of a hertz up to
and even above the normal rated frequency. If such a variablefrequency drive unit is included in a motor-control circuit to
achieve speed control, then starting the synchronous motor is
very easy-simply adjust the frequency to a very low value for
starting, and then raise it up to the desired operating frequency
for normal running. When a synchronous motor is operated at
a speed lower than the rated speed, its internal generated
voltage (usually called the counter EMF) EA = K will be
smaller than normal. As such the terminal voltage applied to
the motor must be reduced proportionally with the frequency
in order to keep the stator current within the rated value.
Generally, the voltage in any variable-frequency power supply
varies roughly linearly with the output frequency.
Motor Starting with an External Motor
The second method of starting a synchronous motor is to
attach an external starting motor (pony motor) to it and bring
the synchronous machine to near about its rated speed (but not

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exactly equal to it, as the synchronization process may fail to
indicate the point of closure of the main switch connecting the
synchronous machine to the supply system) with the pony
motor. Then the output of the synchronous machine can be
synchronised or paralleled with its power supply system as a
generator, and the pony motor can be detached from the shaft
of the machine or the supply to the pony motor can be
disconnected. Once the pony motor is turned OFF, the shaft of
the machine slows down, the speed of the rotor magnetic field
BR falls behind Bnet, momentarily and the synchronous
machine continues to operate as a motor. As soon as it begins
to operates as a motor the synchronous motor can be loaded in
the usual manner just like any motor. This whole procedure is
not as cumbersome as it sounds, since many synchronous
motors are parts of motor-generator sets, and the synchronous
machine in the motor-generator set may be started with the
other machine serving as the starting motor. More over, the
starting motor is required to overcome only the mechanical
inertia of the synchronous machine without any mechanical
load ( load is attached only after the synchronous machine is
paralleled to the power supply system). Since only the motors
inertia must be overcome, the starting motor can have a much
smaller rating than the synchronous motor it is going to start.
Generally most of the large synchronous motors have
brushless excitation systems mounted on their shafts. It is then
possible to use these exciters as the starting motors. For many
medium-size to large synchronous motors, an external starting
motor or starting by using the exciter may be the only possible
solution, because the power systems they are tied to may not
be able to handle the starting currents needed to use the
damper (amortisseur) winding approach described next.
Motor Starting by Using damper (Amortisseur) Winding
As already mentioned earlier most of the large synchronous
motors are provided with damper windings, in order to nullify
the oscillations of the rotor whenever the synchronous
machine is subjected to a periodically varying load. Damper
windings are special bars laid into slots cut in the pole face of
a synchronous machine and then shorted out on each end by a
large shorting ring, similar to the squirrel cage rotor bars. A
pole face with a set of damper windings is shown in Figure..
When the stator of such a synchronous machine is connected
to the 3-Phase AC supply, the machine starts as a 3-Phase
induction machine due to the presence of the damper bars, just
like a squirrel cage induction motor. Just as in the case of a 3Phase squirrel cage induction motor, the applied voltage must
be suitably reduced so as to limit the starting current to the
safe rated value. Once the motor picks up to a speed near
about its synchronous speed, the DC supply to its field
winding is connected and the synchronous motor pulls into
step i.e. it continues to operate as a Synchronous motor
running at its synchronous speed.
Behavior of a synchronous motor
The behavior of a synchronous motor can be predicted by
considering its equivalent circuit on similar lines to that of a
synchronous generator as described below.

Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

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regulates grid voltage, a synchronous condenser is often
necessary to ensure an adequate supply of fault clearing
current, which inverters often cannot provide unassisted.

Synchronous-motor power equation

Except for very small machines, the armature resistance of a
synchronous motor is relatively insignificant compared to its
synchronous reactance, so that equation to be approximated to

II. SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER

A synchronous condenser (sometimes called synchronous
compensator) is a synchronous generator that is not attached to
a prime mover. There is typically a small pony motor attached
to the synchronous machine input shaft, but it is used only to
accelerate it to synchronous speed. Once the synchronous
machine is on-line, the pony motor is de-energized and spins
freely. The synchronous machine field current is controlled by
a voltage regulator as needed to control the system voltage or
to furnish/absorb a specified amount of reactive power.
Increasing the device's field excitation increases its reactive
power (kVAR) output. The synchronous condenser is thus a
continuous variable source/sink of reactive power. A
synchronous condenser performs several key functions in a
wind-diesel hybrid power system. When in running in parallel
with one or more diesel generators, it shares the reactive
power load with the diesel generator(s), which improves the
system voltage regulation and often allows for the net load to
be met with a smaller genset than would otherwise be
required. Also, the inertia of the rotating machine resists rapid
changes in speed and thereby assists the diesel generator(s)
with frequency regulation. This improved voltage and
frequency regulation counteracts the destabilizing influence of
the wind turbines, which can be significant in gusty winds,
when wind power fluctuations can be rapid and large. In high
penetration wind-diesel systems, which frequently are
designed to support diesel-off operation (such that the wind
generators carry 100% of the load), the synchronous
condenser is sometimes used to regulate the grid voltage, a
task normally performed by the diesel generators. Even where
there is a battery/inverter or flywheel/inverter system that

Synchronous motors can also be used to improve overall

power factor of the system. When the sole purpose of
application is power factor improvement synchronous motors
are referred as synchronous condenser. In such situation shaft
of the motor is not connected to any mechanical load and it
spins freely.
Synchronous motors load the power line with a leading power
factor. This is often usefull in cancelling out the more
commonly encountered lagging power factor caused by
induction motors and other inductive loads. Originally, large
industrial synchronous motors came into wide use because of
this ability to correct the lagging power factor of induction
motors.
This leading power factor can be exaggerated by removing the
mechanical load and over exciting the field of the synchronous
motor. Such a device is known as a synchronous condenser.
Furthermore, the leading power factor can be adjusted by
varying the field excitation. This makes it possible to nearly
cancel an arbitrary lagging power factor to unity by paralleling
the lagging load with a synchronous motor. A synchronous
condenser is operated in a borderline condition between a
motor and a generator with no mechanical load to fulfill this
function. It can compensate either a leading or lagging power
factor, by absorbing or supplying reactive power to the line.
This enhances power line voltage regulation.
Since a synchronous condenser does not supply a torque, the
output shaft may be dispensed with and the unit easily
enclosed in a gas tight shell. The synchronous condenser may
then be filled with hydrogen to aid cooling and reduce
windage losses. Since the density of hydrogen is 7% of that of
air, the windage loss for a hydrogen filled unit is 7% of that
encountered in air. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of
hydrogen is ten times that of air. Thus, heat removal is ten
times more efficient. As a result, a hydrogen filled
synchronous condenser can be driven harder than an air cooled
unit, or it may be physically smaller for a given capacity.
There is no explosion hazard as long as the hydrogen
concentration is maintained above 70%, typically above 91%.
The efficiency of long power transmission lines may be
increased by placing synchronous condensers along the line to
compensate lagging currents caused by line inductance. More
real power may be transmitted through a fixed size line if the
power factor is brought closer to unity by synchronous
condensers absorbing reactive power.
The ability of synchronous condensers to absorb or produce
reactive power on a transient basis stabilizes the power grid
against short circuits and other transient fault conditions.
Transient sags and dips of milliseconds duration are stabilized.
This supplements longer response times of quick acting
voltage regulation and excitation of generating equipment. The
synchronous condenser aids voltage regulation by drawing
leading current when the line voltage sags, which increases
generator excitation thereby restoring line voltage.
(Figure below) A capacitor bank does not have this ability.

Synchronous motors and Synchronous condenser

Synchronous condenser improves power line voltage

regulation.
The capacity of a synchronous condenser can be increased by
replacing the copper wound iron field rotor with an ironless
rotor of high temperature superconducting wire, which must
be cooled to the liquid nitrogen boiling point of 77oK (196oC). The superconducting wire carries 160 times the
current of comparable copper wire, while producing a flux
density of 3 Teslas or higher. An iron core would saturate at 2
Teslas in the rotor air gap. Thus, an iron core, approximate
r=1000, is of no more use than air, or any other material with
a relative permeability r=1, in the rotor. Such a machine is
said to have considerable additional transient ability to supply
reactive power to troublesome loads like metal melting arc
furnaces. The manufacturer describes it as being a reactive
power shock absorber. Such a synchronous condenser has a
higher power density (smaller physically) than a switched
capacitor bank. The ability to absorb or produce reactive
power on a transient basis stabilizes the overall power grid
against fault conditions.
Synchronous condensers for reactive power compensation
ABBs synchronous condensers ensure efficient and reliable
operation of power grids by providing reactive power
compensation and additional short circuit power capacity.
ABB can tailor synchronous condenser modules to match
system performance requirements and site conditions, and
deliver optimum cost-efficiency.
To ensure enduring and reliable operation, ABB synchronous
condensers are designed for high reliability, durability and the
capability to operate for long periods of time between
recommended service intervals.

III. CONCLUSION

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With the completion of this trial we can say that a
synchronous motor is an electromechanical device capable of
lifting a high load range at a given speed, called synchronous
speed, drawing the necessary energy from a network.
The synchronous motor is used in those cases where it is
desired constant speed
The synchronous motor, uses the concept of a rotating
magnetic field produced by the stator, but now the rotor
consists of permanent magnets which rotate synchronously
with the stator field.
Ultimately this trial been of great help as my knowledge
increased and clearing my doubts about a synchronous motor.

REFERENCES

[1] J. Chapman., Mquinas Elctricas., McGraw-Hi

D.F., Cuarta Edicin. .
[2] A. E. Fitzgeral, Mquinas Elctrica, Quinta Edic

Ivn M.Colcha, was born in Riobamba, in 1990. He studied al Plinio

Robalino School. His secondary school ternimed al the Technical

Saint Joshep. It is in the race of Electrical Engineering at the
National Polytechnic School.