DC MOTOR

What is a DC motor?
A DC motor converts direct current electrical energy into mechanical energy.

 Electric motors provide forces and torques to generate rotation.

 The major advantages of dc machines are easy to control speed and torque regulation.
Different Parts of a DC motor:
A DC motor is composed of the following main parts:
Yoke
The outer frame or yoke serves two purposes:
i) It provides mechanical support to poles and acts as a
protecting cover for the whole machine.
ii) It carries the magnetic flux produced by poles.
For small machine, yoke is made of cast iron, but for large machines the yoke is
made of cast steel or rolled steel.
Poles
Poles in the stator are used to energize a specific sequence of magnetic poles to make
sure the rotor is rotating. It is divided into Pole Core and Pole Shoes. For a dc motor we
need the magnetic fields to make the rotor start rotating. In order to generate magnetic
fields, we put field windings around the Pole Shoe which is attached to the Pole Core in
the Yoke inner part. This pole unit generates flux spread out into the air gap between
rotor and stator.
Armature Core or Rotor
The armature of a DC motor is a cylinder of magnetic laminations that are insulated from
one another. The armature is a rotating part that rotates on its axis and is separated from
the field coil by an air gap. Armature core made from low hysterisis silicon steel
lamination to reduce the magnetic losses. These laminated steel sheets will be assembled
together to create the armature core with cylindrical shape.

Armature Windings

Armature winding is used to energize the static magnetic field in the rotor. We install the
armature winding around the slot of the armature core.
Field Coil or Stator

A DC motor field coil is a non-moving part on which winding is wound to produce a

magnetic field. The field windings are made from copper wire and circle around the Pole
Shoes. Field winding is used to energize the static magnetic field in the stator. We install the
field windings around the slot of the Pole Shoes.
Commutator and Brushes

Commutator
The commutator of a DC motor is a cylindrical structure that is made of copper segments
stacked together but insulated from each other using mica. The primary function of a
commutator is to supply electrical current to the armature winding.

Brushes
The brushes of a DC motor are made with graphite and carbon structure. These brushes
conduct electric current from the external circuit to the rotating commutator. Hence, we
come to understand that the commutator and the brush unit are concerned with
transmitting the power from the static electrical circuit to the mechanically rotating
rotor.
Working Principle of DC Motor

A DC motor is an electrical machine which converts electrical energy into mechanical

energy. The basic working principle of the DC motor is that whenever a current carrying
conductor places in the magnetic field, it experiences a mechanical force. The direction of
this force given by Fleming's left-hand rule.
Fleming's Left Hand Rule:

If we stretch the first finger, second finger and thumb of our left hand to be perpendicular
to each other, and first finger represents the direction of the magnetic field, the second
finger represents the direction of the current, then the thumb represents the direction of
the force experienced by the current carrying conductor.
Magnitude of force (F) = BIL Newtons
Where,
• B = magnetic flux density,
• I = current
• L = length of the conductor within the magnetic field.

 When armature winding is connected to a DC supply,

an electric current sets up in the winding.

 Field winding provides the magnetic field. In this

case, current carrying armature conductors
experience a force due to the interaction of electric
field and magnetic field, according to the principle
stated above.
 Types of DC Motor
Mainly there are two types of DC Motors. One is Separately Excited DC Motor and other is
Self-excited DC Motor.

DC Motor

Separately Permanent
Self-excited
excited Magnet

Series
excited
Separately Excited DC Motor

The field coils or field windings are energised by a separate DC source as shown
in the circuit diagram shown below:

Separately Excited DC Motor

Self Excited DC Motor
As the name implies self-excited, hence, in this type of motor, the current in the windings
is supplied by the machine or motor itself. Self-excited DC Motor is further divided into
shunt wound, and series wound motor and compound motor.

(i) Shunt Wound Motor

This is the most common types of DC Motor. Here the field winding is connected in parallel
with the armature as shown in the figure below:

Shunt Wound DC Motor

(ii) Series Wound Motor
In the series motor, the field winding is connected in series with the armature winding.
The connection diagram is shown below:

Series Wound DC Motor

(iii) Compound Wound Motor

A DC motor in which both the series field and shunt field are combined is known
as compound wound DC motor. There two types of compound DC motors as

(a) Short-Shunt Compound Motor

In a short-shunt compound motor, the shunt field winding is directly connected in parallel
with the armature winding.

Short – Shunt Compound Motor

(b) Long-Shunt Compound Motor

When the shunt field winding is connected in parallel with the series combination of
armature winding and the series field winding, then the motor is known as long-shunt
compound motor.

Long – Shunt Compound Motor

Cummulative compound

Differential compound
Applications of DC Motors
The applications include:
i) DC Motors are used in weaving machines and spinning machines.
ii) Shunt Wound Motors are used in lathe machines and centrifuges.
iii) They are also used in lifts, fans and blowers.
iv) Compound Excited Motors are used in presses, electric shovels, conveyors and Rolling
Mills.
v) Permanent Magnet Motors are widely used in automobiles in the functioning of
windshield wipers and washers, in blowers for Air conditioners and heaters and to operate
windows.
vi) They are used in computer or laptop drives.
vii) They are also a part of cranes and compressors.
viii) They are used in food mixers, vacuum cleaners and electric toothbrushes and toys.
Advantages of DC Motors
DC Motors have their own significant advantages over the AC motors and some of them are
listed below:
It allows a wide range of controlling the speed of the rated speed in DC Shunt type motor by
using the Armature control method. This technique is used in paper mills where fine speed
applications are used.
DC Series Motors have high starting torque which is used for driving heavy loads in starting
conditions such as electric trains and cranes.
It can maintain a constant Motor Shaft Torque over a given speed range.
It can start, stop, reverse or accelerate quickly.
It has lesser reactive power consumption than AC Motors.
Disadvantages of DC motors
There are also some disadvantages which are listed below:
The initial set up cost of this Motor is higher than the AC Motors.
The Commutator and the Brush gear present in this Motor increase the operational and
maintenance cost.
They cannot be employed in an explosive environment as there is always a risk of spark from
the Brush gear.