University Of Kufa
College Of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department
Commutator
االشـــراف :م .حازم ناصر
اعــــداد الطالب :كرار قاسم صبيح
المرحــــــلة :الرابــــــــعة (عــام)
What Is the Commutation Process?
So far, we know that how generally and based on what main rule electric motors work. In this
section and in order to better understand the performance and features of commutator motors, we
intend to get acquainted with its main component i.e. the commutator. As you may know, the
operating principle of DC motors is on the basis of the mutual interaction between the magnetic
field of an armature rotating and the magnetic field of a fixed stator. When the armature’s north
pole is attracted to the stator’s south pole or vice-versa, a force is produced on the armature
causing it to rotate. Commutation is indeed the process of switching the field in the armature
windings to make constant torque in one direction with the purpose of ensuring that the torque
acting on the armature is always in the same direction and the device connected to the armature
enabling this current switch is the commutator.
How Does a Commutator Work?
A commutator itself is a split rotary ring, typically made of
copper, with each segment of the ring attached to each end
of the armature coil that is used in some types of electric
motors and electrical generators whose job is to
periodically reverse the current direction between the rotor
and the external circuit. The armature having multiple coils
need a commutator with similarly multiple segments supporting each end of each coil. Spring-
loaded brushes are put on each side of the commutator and make contact with it as the
commutator turns and supplying the commutator segments and the corresponding armature coils
with voltage.
Commutators are mostly applied in direct current machines
such as dynamos or as they are called DC generators and many
DC motors as well as universal motors. By reversing the
current direction in the rotating windings each half turn, a
steady rotating force which is called torque is produced. In a
generator the commutator picks off the current generated in the
windings, reversing the direction of the current with each half
turn, serving as a mechanical rectifier to convert the alternating
current from the windings to unidirectional direct current in
the external load circuit. The first DC commutator machine, the dynamo, was built by Hippolyte
Pixii in 1832. We have to note that what we discussed above relates to traditional brushed DC
motors with a traditional commutation process that uses mechanical means. Brushless DC
motors also need a commutation process, but the difference is that for brushless designs the
commutation process is carried out electronically, via an encoder or hall effect sensors
monitoring the position of the rotor to determine when and how to energize the coils in the
armature.
What Is a Commutator Motor?
The basic form of almost all the direct-current motor
is the same. A stationary magnetic field is made
across the rotor by set poles on the stator. The coils
carrying direct current encircle these poles or they
may contain permanent magnets. The armature or as
it is called the rotor consists of an iron core with a
coil accommodated in slots. Almost all the DC
motors whose ends of the rotor coil are connected to
the bars of a commutator switch mounted on the rotor
shaft are called commutator motors.
Suppose the armature terminals connected to a direct-current supply in a wat that a current enters
at the positive terminal. The interaction between this current and the magnetic flux produces a
counterclockwise torque accelerating the rotor. The commutator enters when the rotor has turned
about 120°, and reverse the connection from the supply to the armature.
The new direction of the current in the armature coil is such as to continue to make
counterclockwise torque while the coil is under the pole. Proportional to the speed, a voltage is
generated in the armature coil. As this coil voltage is alternating, the commutation process makes
a unidirectional voltage at the motor terminals. The electrical input will be the product of this
terminal voltage and the input current. The mechanical output power will be the product of the
rotor torque and speed.
