Numerical Examples of Synchronous Machines
Example-1: A 3-phase star connected alternator is rated 1600 kVA, 13500 V. The armature
effective resistance and synchronous reactance are 1.5 Ω and 30 Ω respectively per phase.
Calculate the percentage regulation for a load of 1280 kW at a pf of (i) 0.8 lagging (ii) unity
(iii) 0.8 leading.
Solution: Given, Vt 13500 / 3 7794.5V , Ra 1.5 , X s 30
(i) For 0.8 power factor lagging:
PL 1280 1000
Stator current, Ia 68.43 A
3VL cos 3 13500 0.8
Emf equation, E f (Vt cos I a Ra ) 2 (Vt sin I a X s )2
(7794.5 0.8 68.43 1.5) 2 (7794.5 0.6 68.43 30) 2
(6338) 2 (6729.6)2
9244.4 V
E f Vt 9244.4 7794.5
% Voltage regulation 100 100
Vt 7794.5
18.6 %
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(ii) For unity power factor :
PL 1280 1000
Stator current, Ia 54.74 A
3VL cos 3 13500 1
Emf equation, E f (Vt I a Ra ) 2 ( I a X s ) 2
(7794.5 54.74 1.5)2 (54.74 30)2
7876.62 1642.2 2 8046 V
E f Vt 8046 7794.5
% Voltage regulation 100 100
Vt 7794.5
3.227 %
(iii) For 0.8 power factor leading:
Emf equation, E f (Vt cos I a Ra ) 2 (Vt sin I a X s )2
(7794.5 0.8 68.43 1.5)2 (7794.5 0.6 68.43 30)2
(6338) 2 (2623.8)2 6859.6 V
E f Vt 6859.6 7794.5
% Voltage regulation 100 100
Vt 7794.5
11.99 %
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Example-2: A 5 MVA, 11 kV, 3-phase star-connected alternator is synchronized to the bus bar
and is operating with an induced emf of 125 % of rated voltage. If the load current is 500 A,
what is the power factor of operation? The machine has a synchronous reactance of 5Ω and
negligible resistance per phase.
Solution: Given, Vt 11000 / 3 6350 V , I a 500 A, Ra 0, Xs 5
The emf of the alternator is 125 % of rated voltage,
E f 1.25Vt 1.25 635 7938 V
The alternator operates at lagging power factor because machine is over excited.
Emf equation of the alternator is
E f 2 (Vt cos ) 2 (Vt sin I a X s )2 Vt 2 2Vt I a X s sin ( I a X s ) 2
79382 63502 2 6350 500 5 sin (500 5) 2
sin 0.517
Power factor of the alternator is
cos 1 sin2 1 (0.5172 0.85 (lagging).
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Example-3: A 20 MVA, 3 phase star-connected alternator, with an impedance of 5 Ω. and a
resistance of 0.5 Ω, is operating in parallel with constant voltage 11 kV bus bars. If its field
current is adjusted to give an excitation voltage of 12 kV, then calculate:
a) The maximum power output from the alternator and
b) The armature current and power factor under maximum power conditions.
Solution: Given, Vt 11000 / 3 6350V , E f 12000 / 3 6930 V
(a) Maximum power output from the alternator is given by
2
E f Vt V2 6930 6350 6350
Pog (max) 3 3 2 ra 3 3 0.5 24 MW
Zs Zs 5 5
(b) Now, power factor
cos s ra / Z s 0.5 / 5 0.1
From the phasor diagram,
E f 2 Vt 2 2 E f Vt cos s 69302 63502 2 6930 6950 0.1
Ia 1784 A
Zs 5
The power factor under maximum power condition is given by
E f Z s Vt ra 6930 5 6350 0.5
cos 0.706 lagging.
Ia Zs2 1784 5 2
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Example-4: A 400 V, 3-phase mesh-connected synchronous motor runs at rated voltage
and with an excitation emf of 510 V. Its synchronous impedance per phase is (0.5+j4) Ω,
and friction, windage and iron losses are 900 W. Calculate the shaft power output, line
current, pf and efficiency for
(a) maximum power output and (b) maximum power input.
Solution: Here, Vt = 400 V, Ef = 510 V,
Zs 0.52 42 4.031
s tan 1 (4 / 0.5) 82.87 0
(a) For maximum power output of synchronous motor is
2
E f Vt Ef 2 510 400 510
Po(max) 3 3 2 ra 3 3 0.5 127812.6 W
Zs Zs 4.031 4.031
Shaft power output,
Psh Po(max) friction, windage and iron losses
127812.6 900 126912.6 W
From the phasor diagram,
I a Zs E f 2 Vt 2 2E f Vt cos s
510 2 400 2 2 510 400 cos 82.87 0
Ia 150.79 A
4.031
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The line current,
I a 3 150.79 261.17 A
From the phasor diagram,
Vt Zs E f ra
cos (s )
I a Zs 2
400 4.031 510 0.5
cos (s )
150.79 4.0312
cos (s ) 0.554
s cos 10.554 56.360
82.870 56.360 26.510
Power factor,
cos cos 26.510 0.895 lagging.
Efficiency,
output 3 400 261.17 0.895
100 100 78.38%.
input 126912.6
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(b) For maximum power input of the synchronous motor is
2
E f Vt Ef 2 510 400 400
Pi(max) 3 3 2 ra 3 3 0.5 166593.6 W
Zs Zs 4.031 4.031
From the phasor diagram,
E f 2 Vt 2 2E f Vt cos s 510 2 400 2 2 510 400 cos 97.13
Ia 170.21A
Zs 4.031
Line current, I a 3 170.21 294.8 A
Shaft power output,
Psh 166593.6 3 170.212 0.5 900 122236.43 W
Power factor,
166593.6
cos 0.816 lagging.
3 400 170.21
Efficiency,
122236.43
100 73.37 %.
166593.6
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Example-5: A 3300 V, star-connected synchronous motor has synchronous impedance of
(0.4+j5) Ω per phase. For an excitation emf of 4000 V and motor impedance power of
1000 kW at rated voltage, compute the line current and power factor.
Solution: Vt 3300 / 3 1905.3V, E f 4000 / 3 2309.5 V
Zs 0.42 52 5.016 s tan 1 (0.4 / 5) 4.570
The input power,
E f Vt Ef 2
Pi sin ( s ) 2 ra
Zs Zs
2
1905.3 2309.5 1905.3 1000000
sin ( s ) 0.4
5.016 5.016 3
sin ( s ) 0.314
18.31 4.57 22.880
From the phasor diagram,
E f 2 Vt 2 2E f Vt cos s 1905.32 2309.52 2 1905.3 2309.5 cos 22.880
Ia 184.43 A
Zs 5.016
Power factor, 1000000
cos 0.9486 leading.
3 1905.3 184.43
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