Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motors
(a) Construction and Performance
Such motors have a cage rotor having rare-earth permanent magnets instead of a wound field. Such a motor starts like an induction motor when fed from a fixed-frequency supply. A typical 2-pole and 4-pole surface-mounted versions of the rotor are shown in Fig. 39.14. Since no d.c. supply is needed for exciting the rotor, it can be made more robust and reliable. These motors have outputs ranging from about 100 W upto 100 kW. The maximum synchronous torque is designed to be around
150 per cent of the rated torque. If loaded beyond this point, the motor loses synchronism and will run either as an induction motor or stall.
These motors are usually designed for direct-on-line (DOL) starting. The efficiency and power factor of the permanent-magnet excited synchronous motors are each 5 to 10 points better than their reluctance motor counterparts.
(b) Advantages
Since there are no brushes or slip- rings, there is no sparking. Also, brush maintenance is eliminated. Such motors can pull into synchronism with inertia loads of many times their rotor inertia.
(c) Applications
These motors are used where precise speed must be maintained to ensure a consistent product. With a constant load, the motor maintains a constant speed. Permanent magnetic synchronous motor Hence, these motors are used for synthetic-fibre drawing where constant speeds are absolutely essential.
Synchros
It is a general name for self-synchronizing machines which, when electrically energized and electrically interconnected, exert torques which cause two mechanically independent shafts either to run in synchronism or to make the rotor of one unit follow the rotor position of the other. They are also known by the trade names of selsyns and autosyns. Synchros, in fact, are small cylindrical motors varying in diameter from 1.5 cm to 10 cm depending on their power output. They are low-torque devices and are widely used in control systems for transmitting shaft position information or for making two or more shafts to run in synchronism. If a large device like a robot arm is to be positioned, synchros will not work. Usually, a servomotor is needed for a higher torque.