MODULE 2: ELECTRICAL MACHINE PARTS

Lesson 1: THE STATIONARY PART (STATOR)

The most important function of the stator is to serve as the seat of the magnetic flux that must
be made to enter the armature core. The field generally consists of a cylindrical yoke or frame
to which is bolted a set of electromagnets.

Field-Pole Cores – built up of a stack of steel laminations, about 0.025 in. thick per lamination.
The shape of the assembled core is such that the smaller cross section is provided for the field
winding or windings, while the spread-out portion called the pole shoe permits the flux to
spread out over a wider area where the flux enters the armature core.

Field windings - Each of the main pole cores may have one of three types of the field-winding
construction depending upon whether the machine is to be operated as shunt, series, or
compound dynamo:

(1) shunt winding – has a comparatively large number of turns of fine wires; its
resistance is therefore high enough so that it may be connected directly across the
armature voltage.
(2) series winding – has relatively few turns of heavy wire and is connected in such a
way that high values of current usually pass through it; its resistance is extremely
low so that even when carrying normal load current, its voltage drop will be small.
(3) compound winding – a combination of the shunt and series field. The series coil is
wound over the shunt coil; this is good general practice because the series field,
carrying high values of current, is kept cool more readily when placed on the
outside.
Lesson 2: THE ROTATING PART (Rotor)

It is the real source of the electric (generator) power or the mechanical (motor) power, is
built up of laminated steel core, slotted to receive the insulated copper armature winding.
The number of slots is carefully selected in conjunction with the number of commutator
segments, on the basis of good design.

Commutator – built-up group of hard-drawn copper bars, wedge-shaped in section when

viewed on end, and having V-shaped grooves at each end. Together with the stationary
brushes that ride over its rotating surface, it is designed to change an internally generated
alternating current to an external direct current in the generator and of changing an
externally applied direct current to an internal alternating current in the motor.
Armature Winding - virtually the heart of the dynamo; it is where the voltage is generated in
the generator or where torque is developed in the motor.

Types of Armature Winding

The two types of armature winding used on modern dc machines are designated lap and wave.
They may be distinguished from each other in two general ways:

1) from the standpoint of construction, they differ only by the manner in which the coil
ends are connected to the commutator bars.
2) from the standpoint of an electrical circuit they differ in the number of parallel
paths between the positive and the negative brushes.

Recognizing this simple construction difference, it should, therefore, be clear that:

(a) a lap winding is one in which the coil ends are connected to the commutator segments
that are near one another and;
(b) a wave winding is one in which the coil ends are connected to commutator segments
that are some distance from one another- nearly 360 electrical degrees apart.
1. Lap Winding- The number of parallel paths are equal to the number of poles. Also, the
number of brushes is equal to the number of parallel paths.

2. Simplex Lap Winding

In simplex lap winding, the terminating end of one coil is joined to the commutator segment
and the starting end of the next coil is placed under the same pole. Also, the number of
parallel paths is similar to the number of poles of the windings.

3. Duplex Lap Winding

In duplex winding the number of parallel paths between the pole is twice the number of
poles. The duplex lap winding is mainly used for heavy current applications. Such type of
winding is obtained by placing the two similar winding on the same armature and connecting
the even number commutator bars to one winding and the odd number to the second
winding.
 Progressive and Retrogressive Lap Winding

4. Wave Winding

The conductors are so connected that they are divided into two parallel paths irrespective of
the number of the poles of the machine.
Lesson 3: ARMATURE WINDING PARAMETERS

1. Coil Pitch (or Span) - refers to the distance between the two sides of the individual
coils, measured in terms of the number of slots. It is determined in exactly the same
way for all windings, whether lap or wave.

The fundamental rule that fixes the coil pitch in any given machine is: the distance
between the two sides of the coil must be equal (or very nearly so) to the distance
between two adjacent poles.

Where:

YS = coil pitch, slots

S = total number of armature slots

P = number of main poles

k = any part of S/P that is subtracted to make YS an integer

2. Commutator Pitch- refers to the distance on the commutator between the two ends
of a coil element, measured in terms of commutator segments.

For Lap: YC is equal merely to the degree of multiplicity

Cm
For Wave: Y c P
2

Where: YC = commutator pitch

C = total number of commutator segments

P = number of poles

m= multiplicity

Note: Use +m if winding is progressive.

Use –m if winding is retrogressive.

3. Number of Parallel Paths (a)- number of groups of coils in series connection and
connected in parallel between the “+” and “-“ brushes.

aL  mP aW  2m aFL  2 P

4. Reentrancy – All dc armatures have closed-circuit windings; this implies that they
may be traced completely from any point through all or part of the winding.
For Lap: The degree of reentrancy is that number which is the highest common
factor between the number of commutator segments and the commutator pitch.

For Wave:
YC
Reentrancy = m, if mis an integer;

YC
Reentrancy = 1, if mis an integer;
5. Multiplicity, m (simplex, duplex, triplex, etc.) – is the number of segments
progressed or retrogressed by the end terminal of a set of successive coils in series
from its starting point in tracing around the armature.

6. Number of Brushes, b
For Lap: b = P

For Wave: b = 2 or P

7. The width of each brush = m segments

Note: Brushes are positioned to short circuit conductors in neutral position.

8. Total number of coils = number of slots

9. Pole pitch (or span)- is the number of slots spanned by two successive, opposite
polarity poles (i.e., pair of N & S poles).
S
Y P
P

If YP is an integer, then armature winding is a full-pitch winding.

If YP is not an integer, then the armature winding is a fractional-pitch winding.

Lesson 4: Armature Winding Design

TYPES OF ARMATURE DESIGNS

1. Single element winding: slots have an equal number with the segments
2. Multi-element winding: greater number of segments compared to the slots
3. Frog-legged windings

I. SINGLE-ELEMENT WINDING

Given: Duplex, progressive lap winding, S = 8, C= 8, P =2 (Equal number of slots and

segments)
Required: Draw a complete winding diagram (assume dynamo to be a generator rotating
clockwise)

Solution:
a) YS = (8/2) – 0 = 4 slots
b) YC = 2 segments
c) a = (2)(2) = 4 parallel paths
d) Reentrancy = HCF of 8 & 2 = 2 (doubly reentrant)
e) m = 2
f) b = 2
g) width of each brush = 2 segments
h) total no. of coils = 8 coils (single-element coil)
i) YP = 8/2 = 4 slots (full-pitch)
Advantages of Multi-Element Windings

1. As the number of segments is increased, the voltage between those that is adjacent to
each other decreases.
2. As the number of core slots is reduced, the teeth become mechanically stronger.
3. Assuming that a comparatively large number of segments have been selected for good
commutation, the choice of an armature with one-half, one-third, one-fourth, etc., as many
slots means that fewer coils will be constructed

II. MULTI-ELEMENT WINDING

Given: Simplex- lap, S = 12 slots, C = 24 segments, P = 4 poles

Required: Draw a complete winding diagram (assume dynamo to be a generator
rotating clockwise).
Solution:
a) YS = (12/4) – 0= 3 slots
b) YC = 1
c) a = (1)(4)= 4 parallel paths
d) Reentrancy = HCF of 24 & 1 = 1 (singly-reentrant)
e) m=1
f) b = 4
g) width of each brush = 1 segment
h) Number of elements per coil = 24/12= 2 elements per coil
i) Number of active elements = 24 elements
j) Number of conductors per slot = (2)(2)= 4
Dummy Elements are inserted when the ratio of segments to slots (C/S) is not a whole
number, it will always be found that there is one complete element of a multi-element coil
that cannot be used electrically.

Functions of Equalizers

1. They relieve the brushes of the circulating current load by causing the latter to be
bypassed.
2. They create a magnetic effect.
Frog-legged Armatures

SAMPLE PROBLEMS:

1. Calculate the coil pitches and indicate the slots which the first coils should be placed
for the following armature windings: (a) 28 slots, 4 poles; (b) 39 slots, 4 poles.

2. Calculate the commutator pitches for the following pole and commutator segment
combinations: (a) 6 poles, 34 segments; (b) 8 poles, 63 segments.

3. Determine the commutator pitch for a four-pole simplex-wave-wound armature having

21 segments. Also list the commutator segments in the proper order as the coils are
traced through the entire winding from segment 1 until it closes.

4. How many equalizers are there in a six-pole 50 percent equalized armature in which
there are 216 segments?

5. a. Determine the commutator pitch given only the following parameters:

5.a.1: four-pole, 76 slots, 227 segments

5.a.2: ten-pole, 54 slots, 216 segments

b. Also, list the commutator segments in the proper order as the coils are traced
through the entire winding from segment 1 until it closes.

c. Will there be a dead element in each of the following combinations?

6. Determine the coil and commutator pitches for a 24-slot, 48-segment, 6-pole frog-leg
armature winding.