LOSSES AND EFFICIENCY OF DC MACHINES

LOSSES AND EFFICIENCY OF DC MACHINES:

It is convenient to determine the efficiency of a rotating machine by determining the losses than by direct loading. Further it is not possible to arrange actual load for large and medium sized machines. By knowing the losses, the machine efficiency can be found by

In the process of energy conversion in rotating machines – current, flux and rotation are involved which cause losses in conductors, ferromagnetic materials and mechanical losses respectively. Various losses occurring in a DC machine are listed below.

Total losses can be broadly divided into two types.

1) Constant losses

2) Variable losses

These losses can be further divided as

1) Constant losses – i) Core loss or iron loss

a) Hysteresis loss

b) Eddy current loss

ii) Mechanical loss

a) Windage loss

b) Friction loss – brush friction loss and Bearing friction loss.

2) Variable losses – i) copper loss (/2r)

a) Armature copper loss

b) Field copper loss

c) Brush contact loss

ii) Stray load loss

a) Copper stray load loss

b) Core stray load loss

Core loss or iron loss occurs in the armature core is due to the rotation of armature core in the magnetic flux produced by the field system. Iron loss consists of a) Hysteresis loss and b) Eddy current loss.

a) Hysteresis loss: This loss is due to the reversal of magnetization of armature core as the core passes under north and south poles alternatively. This loss depends on the volume and grade of iron, maximum value of flux density Bm and frequency. Hysteresis loss Wh is given by Steinmetz formula.

b) Eddy Current Loss:Eddy currents are the currents set up by the induced emf in the armature core when the core cuts the magnetic flux. The loss occurring due to the flow of eddy current is known as eddy current loss. To reduce this loss the core is laminated, stacked and riveted. These laminations are insulated from each other by a thin coating of varnish. The effect of lamination is to reduce the current path because of increased resistance due to reduced cross section area of laminated core. Thus the magnitude of eddy current is reduced resulting in the reduction of eddy current loss.

ii) Mechanical loss: these losses include losses due to windage, brush friction and bearing friction losses.

2) Variable losses: Variable losses consist of (i) Copper loss:

Armature copper loss or /a ra loss: This loss occurs in the armature windings because of the resistance of armature windings, when the current flows through them. The loss occurring is termed as copper loss or /2r loss. This loss varies with the varying load.

b) Field copper loss: This is the loss due to current flowing in the field windings of the machine.

c) Brush contact drop: This is due the contact resistance between the brush and the commutator. This loss remains constant with load.

(ii) Stray load loss: The additional losses which vary with the load but cannot be related to current in a simple manner are called stray load loss. Stray load losses are.

i) Copper stray load loss: the loss occurring in the conductor due to skin effect and loss due to the eddy currents in the conductor set up by the flux passing through them are called copper stray load loss.

ii) Core stray load loss: When the load current flows through the armature conductors, the flux density distribution gets distorted in the teeth and core. The flux density decreases at one end of the flux density wave and increases at the other. Since the core loss is proportional to the square of the flux density, the decrease in flux density will be less than the increase due to the increase in flux density, resulting in a net increase in the core loss predominantly in the teeth, is known as stray load loss in the core.

Further under highly saturated conditions of teeth, flux leaks through the frame and end shields causing eddy current loss in them. This loss is a component of stray load loss. Stray load loss is difficult to calculate accurately and therefore it is taken as 1 % of the output of a DC machine.