EE 153L – Energy Conversion Laboratory

EXERCISE 2

SHUNT-CONNECTED SELF-EXCITED DC GENERATOR

Introduction:

A wound-field direct current (dc) generator can be separately excited or self-excited. In a

separately excited dc generator, the magnetic field can be controlled independently by varying
the field current using a separate dc supply while a self-excited dc generator can be excited by the
generated emf across the armature. When the field winding is in parallel with the armature, the dc
generator is shunt-connected and when the field winding is connected in series with the armature,
the dc generator is series-connected.

Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Figure 1.3

Separately Excited DC Shunt-Connected, Series-Connected,
Generator Self-Excited DC Generator Self-Excited DC Generator

During starting, when the generated emf is zero, the magnetic field can be supplied by the
residual flux 𝜙𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 across the magnetic core of the pole of the dc machine. This generated emf
𝐸𝑔_𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 will supply a current through the field winding. This increase in the field current will
produce a proportional increase in the amount of magnetic flux, thus increasing the generated
𝑍𝑝𝜙𝑛
emf further as described by the equation 𝐸𝑔 = . The relationship between the generated emf
60𝑎
and field current during this transient stage is shown on segment a of Figure 1.4.
 Figure 1.4 Open-Circuit Characteristics of DC Shunt Generator

The magnetic flux will only gradually increase when the magnetic core reaches the knee
point. When the magnetic flux reaches the knee point, the generated emf will start to reach
saturation point as shown on segment b of Figure 1.4. During running condition, the magnetic
flux is practically constant, similar to a permanent magnet dc generator. The constant flux can be
maintained when the field current is within the range 𝐼𝑓_𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑒 < 𝐼𝑓 < 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑎𝑡 .

The voltage regulation of a shunt-connected self-excited dc generator is slightly poorer

than a separately excited dc generator. At no load, the terminal voltage
𝑉𝑡𝑛𝑜−𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐸𝑔 − 𝐼𝑓 𝑅𝑎 is lower than the generated emf due to the 𝐼𝑎 𝑅𝑎 drop where the armature
current, 𝐼𝑎 is equal to the field current, 𝐼𝑓 .

During the range of field current 𝐼𝑓_𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑒 < 𝐼𝑓 < 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑎𝑡 where the generated emf is practically
constant, the drop in the terminal voltage is mainly due to 𝐼𝑎 𝑅𝑎 drop. As the load current
increases, the armature current and the armature drop also increases. The drop in terminal
voltage can be described by the expression, 𝑉𝑡 = 𝐸𝑔 − 𝐼𝑎 𝑅𝑎 .

Figure 1.5 Internal and External Characteristics of DC Shunt Generator

Procedure:

Part 1: Creating a Simulink Model of a Shunt-Connected Self-Excited DC Generator

1. Create a new Simulink Model for a Shunt-Connected Self-Excited DC Generator on a New Blank
Model.

Figure 2.1
2. Rename the Blocks with their new names as shown below.

Original Block Name New Block Name

Constant Speed, w
Scope1 Eg
Display Speed, w (rad/s)
Display 1 Armature current, Ia (A)
Display 2 Field Current, If (A)
Display 3 Electrical Torque, Te (Nm)
Display 4 Generated EMF, Eg (V)

3. Label the Scope input ports as indicated by their corresponding Display block names.

4. Set the following parameters for each block.

DC Machine Block:
Preset model: No
Mechanical input: Speed w
Field type: Wound
Armature resistance and inductance [Ra (ohms) La (H)] [ 0.6 0.012]
Field resistance and inductance [Rf (ohms) Lf (H)] [ 240 120]
Field-armature mutual inductance Laf (H): 1.8
Sample time (-1 for inherited) -1
 DC Voltage Source Block
Amplitude (V): 100
Note 1: The constant DC Voltage Source supplies the constant field current thus practically
modelling the shunt-connected generator constant magnetic field at running condition.

Speed, w: (Constant Block)

Constant value: -600*(2*pi/60)
Sample Time: inf
Note 2: 600 is the speed in rpm. The mathematical expression automatically converts the
speed in rpm to rad/s. You may need to resize the Constant Block to show the entire
expression.

Note 3: For a DC Machine Block, if the input TL or w is positive, the DC Machine is in Motor
mode, and if the input TL or w is negative, the DC Machine is in Generator mode.

5. Take a screenshot of the Model and paste it on the Datasheet as Figure 3.1

Part 2: Generated EMF and Speed Relationship

6. Set the Stop Time to 10 seconds and Run the simulation.

7. Double click on the scope labeled Eg. Copy the figure (Ctrl+C) and paste it on the Datasheet

as Figure 3.2. Note: You may need to click to reset the scale to its limits and
to zoom in on the graph.

8. Double click on the scope labeled Scope. Set the layout of the waveforms in a 2x2 grid. To
set the layout, click View-Layout on the Toolbar, and then select 2x2 squares. You may

need to click to reset the scale to its limits and to zoom in on the graph. Copy
the figure (Ctrl+C) and paste it on the Datasheet as Figure 3.3

9. Measure the Generated EMF, 𝐸𝑔 , Speed, 𝜔 and Field current, 𝐼𝑓 . Tabulate the values in
Table 1 using the Display readings. Verify the readings shown on the Scope blocks. The
Display reading must be the same as the Scope steady-state values.

10. Repeat the simulation using different values of speed, 𝜔 as indicated in Table 1. For
each trial, measure the Generated EMF, 𝐸𝑔 , Speed, 𝜔 and Field current, 𝐼𝑓 and tabulate
all values in Table 1.

11. Plot the Generated EMF, 𝐸𝑔 vs Speed, 𝑛 using the plot command on Matlab Command
Window or Editor. Include axes labels and title on the plot. Paste the plotting commands
on the Datasheet. Copy and paste the plot on the Datasheet as Figure 3.4.
 𝐸𝑔
12. Calculate the Voltage Constant, 𝐾𝐸 , using the formula 𝐾𝐸 = . Tabulate all calculated
𝜔
values in Table 1.

13. Take a screenshot of the Model after performing the last trial and paste it on the Datasheet
as Figure 3.5

Part 3: Creating a Simulink Model of a Shunt-Connected Self-Excited DC Generator with Load

Resistance

14. Create a new Simulink Model for a Shunt-Connected Self-Excited DC Generator with Load
Resistance on a New Blank Model.

Figure 2.2
15. Rename the Blocks with their new names as shown below.

Original Block Name New Block Name

Constant Speed, w
Display Speed, w (rad/s)
Display 1 Armature current, Ia (A)
Display 2 Electrical Torque, Te (Nm)
Display 3 Terminal Voltage, Vt (V)
Display 4 Field Current, If (A)
Display 5 Load Current, IL (A)
Series RLC Branch Field Resistance, Rf
Series RLC Branch 1 Load Resistance, RL
16.
17. Label the Scope input ports as indicated by their corresponding Display block names.
Note 4: The Scope field current readings for this exercise do not indicate the actual field
current loading effect. To measure the actual field current, use the Display 4 readings.

18. Set the following parameters for each block.

DC Machine Block:
Preset model: No
Mechanical input: Speed w
Field type: Wound
Armature resistance and inductance [Ra (ohms) La (H)] [ 0.6 0.012]
Field resistance and inductance [Rf (ohms) Lf (H)] [ 240 120]
Field-armature mutual inductance Laf (H): 1.8
Sample time (-1 for inherited) -1

DC Voltage Source Block

Amplitude (V): 100

Speed, w: (Constant Block)

Constant value: -600*(2*pi/60)
Sample Time: inf

Field Resistance, Rf: (Series RLC Branch)

Branch type: R
Resistance (Ohms): 240
Measurements: None

Load Resistance, RL: (Series RLC Branch 1)

Branch type: R
Resistance (Ohms): 14
Measurements: None

19. Take a screenshot of the Model and paste it on the Datasheet as Figure 3.6
Part 4: Internal and External Characteristics of Shunt-Connected Self-Excited DC Generator

20. Set the Stop Time to 10 seconds and Run the simulation.

21. Measure the Terminal Voltage, 𝑉𝑡 , Armature Current, 𝐼𝑎 , Field Current, 𝐼𝑓 , Load Current,
𝐼𝐿 and Electrical Torque, 𝑇𝑒 using the readings on the Display Blocks. Tabulate the values
in Table 2 and Table 3.

22. Repeat the simulation using different values of Load Resistance as indicated in Table 2
and Table 3. For each trial measure the Terminal Voltage, 𝑉𝑡 , Armature Current, 𝐼𝑎 , Field
Current, 𝐼𝑓 , Load Current, 𝐼𝐿 and Electrical Torque, 𝑇𝑒 . Tabulate all values in Table 2 and
Table 3.

23. Calculate the Generated EMF, 𝐸𝑔 , Electrical Power, 𝑃𝑒 and Torque Constant, 𝐾𝑇 , using
the following formulas:
𝐸𝑔 = 𝑉𝑡 + 𝐼𝑎 𝑅𝑎
𝑃𝑒 = 𝐸𝑔 𝐼𝑎
𝑃𝑒 = 𝑇𝑒 𝜔
𝑇𝑒
𝐾𝑇 =
𝐼𝑎

24. Plot the Internal (𝑬𝒈 𝒗𝒔 𝑰𝒂) and External (𝑽𝒕 𝒗𝒔 𝑰𝑳 ) Characteristic Curves of the Shunt-
Connected Self-Excited DC Generator using the plot command on Matlab Command
Window or Editor. Include axes labels, title and legends on the plot. Paste the plotting
commands on the Datasheet. Copy and paste the plot on the Datasheet as Figure 3.7.

25. Attach the Datasheet to your Final Report as instructed. Submit the Final Report on the
assigned upload section in Blackboard.