THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
B. Sc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECNG 2000
Electromechanical Energy Conversion
DIRECT CURRENT MACHINES

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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Contents
1.

General Information ................................................................................................................ 4

2.

Lab Learning Outcomes .......................................................................................................... 5

3.

Pre-Lab .................................................................................................................................... 5

4.

5.

3.1.

Required Reading Resources .......................................................................................... 5

3.2.

Pre-Lab Exercise............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

In-Lab ...................................................................................................................................... 6
4.1.

D.C. MOTOR STARTER............................................................................................... 6

4.2.

OPEN CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................ 7

4.3.

SELF-EXCITATION...................................................................................................... 9

4.4.

EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTIC OF SHUNT GENERATOR................................... 9

Post-Lab................................................................................................................................. 11
5.1.

In-Lab Results............................................................................................................... 11

5.2.

Calculations and Results ............................................................................................... 13

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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

List of figures
Figure 1: Diagram of DC Motor Starter Panel in LAB .................................................................. 6
Figure 2: Diagram showing generator connections for the open circuit test, separately excited ... 7
Figure 3: Diagram showing the DC Generator as a self-excited shunt machine ............................ 9
Figure 4: Diagram showing the connections for load test ............................................................ 10

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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECNG 2000
Electromechanical Energy Conversion
http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/
Semester II

1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Lab #:
Name of the lab:

Lab weighting:

2.5%

Delivery mode:

Lecture
Online
Lab
Other

Venue for the lab:

Energy Systems Lab

Lab dependencies2

The theoretical background to this lab is provided in ECNG2000

Theoretical content link: MyeLearning ENCG2000

Recommended
prior knowledge
and skills3:

To undertake this lab, students should be able to:

Understand the basic concepts of DC Machines

Course Staff
Tariq Wadi
Mr. Alvin
Lutchman

Direct Current Machines

Position/Role
Engineering
Technician
Lecturer

Estimated total
study hours1:

E-mail

Phone Office

Tariq.Wadi@sta.uwi.edu
Ext.3195 302
Lab
Alvin.Lutchman@sta.uwi.edu 3142
328

Office
Hours
8am4pm

Estimate includes teaching time, study time, and student preparation time for classes and labs.
Include any Co-requisites, Post-requisites, or Forbidden course /lab combinations with respective code (C/P/F).
3
Lecturers can state lab input requirements in terms of student behaviours.
2

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

2. LAB LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the lab assignment, students will be able to:
1. To understand the D.C. Motor Starter.
2. To obtain the Open-Circuit characteristics of the D.C. Generator
3. To investigate the phenomenon of self-excitation and to obtain the external
characteristics of a D.C. Shunt Generator

Cognitive
Level
3
3
3

3. PRE-LAB
Submission
procedure:
Estimated time to
completion:

Online via MyeLearning

2 Hrs

3.1. Required Reading Resources

Myelearning ECNG2000

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4. IN-LAB
Allotted completion
time:

3hrs

4.1. D.C. MOTOR STARTER

Figure 1: Diagram of DC Motor Starter Panel in LAB

4.1.1.

Using Figure 1, connect the circuit to the Starter and the Field Regulator (Variable
Rheostat) in the field circuit.

DO NOT energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks it.

NB.

The motor field regulator should always be kept at the minimum (i.e.
fully anticlockwise) resistance position at the time of starting.

4.1.2.

Turn on the D.C. voltage switch.

4.1.3.

Adjust the starter switch slowly from OFF to ON.

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

4.1.4.

Adjust the motor field regulator and observe how the speed can be controlled.

4.1.5.

Turn the motor field regulator fully anticlockwise and turn off the D.C. voltage switch.

NB.

Starter field will automatically turn off.

In this section, the Open Circuit Characteristics of the D.C. Motor is investigated.
The Open Circuit characteristic is a graph relating the Open-Circuit armature voltage of a D.C.
generator versus its field current when the machine is driven at its rated speed. In this exercise
the D.C. generator field is excited by a separate D.C. source and the current is varied using a
generator field regulator (potential divider)

4.2. OPEN CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

Figure 2: Diagram showing generator connections for the open circuit test, separately excited

4.2.1.

Using the diagram in Figure 2, connect the circuit as a separately excited machine.

DO NOT energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks it.

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

4.2.2.

Start the D.C. motor using the Starter and increase the speed until rated speed is
obtained.

4.2.3.

With the D.C. Generator being driven at rated speed and open circuited, measure the
armature voltage from zero field current. This is due to residual magnetism.

4.2.4.

Increase the excitation current in steps and record the excitation current and armature
voltage for every 20V step in armature voltage (until armature voltage 220V). Record
your results in Table 2 in the Post Lab section.

4.2.5.

Repeat steps while decreasing excitation current. Record your results in Table 2 in the
Post Lab section.

4.2.6.

Plot on graph paper the open circuit (magnetization) characteristics of the DC Generator

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

4.3. SELF-EXCITATION

Figure 3: Diagram showing the DC Generator as a self-excited shunt machine

In this section, Self-excitation and the External Characteristics of the DC Shunt Generator are
investigated.
{The maximum value of Rext should be higher than the critical resistance}

4.3.1.

Using the diagram in Figure 3, connect the circuit for self-excitation.

DO NOT energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks it.

4.3.2.

Set Rext to its maximum value. Drive the DC Generator at its rates speed. Observe
whether the machine self excites (Develops e.m.f). Decrease Rext to a lower value so
that the machine self-excites. If the machine does not self excites, the field terminals of
the generator have to be reversed. This should be done only after the DC Machine is
switched off.

4.3.3.

Record observations made.

4.4. EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTIC OF SHUNT GENERATOR

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

Figure 4: Diagram showing the connections for load test

The external characteristics of a shunt generator is a graph relating terminal voltage and the load
current of a DC Generator when driven at its rated speed with the field current maintained at its
normal no-load value.
4.4.1.

Load the DC Generator by connecting a Resistive Load Bank across its terminals.

DO NOT energize the circuit until the demonstrator checks it.

4.4.2.

Drive the DC Generator at its rated speed. Adjust its Field Current so that the machine
develops rated voltage on NO-LOAD.

DO NOT adjust or vary the Generator Field Regulator

4.4.3.

Vary the load connected across the Armature of the DC Generator in steps until rated
armature current flows. Record all measurements taken in Table 3 in the Post-Lab
section.

Ensure that the speed is always set at its rated value (the motor field regulator may have to be
adjusted)

Plot on graph paper the external characteristics (VT vs IL).

(Record the value of armature resistance of the Generator).

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

5. POST-LAB
Due Date:
Submission
Procedure:

A signed plagiarism declaration form must be submitted with

your assignment.

Student ID:

5.1. In-Lab Results

Table 1: Results for sections 4.2.4 and 4.2.5

Reading No.

If increasing / Amps

VOC / Volts

If decreasing / Amps

VOC / Volts

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

Table 2: Results for section 4.1.3

If/Amps

Load Current, IL / Amps

Terminal Voltage,VT / Volts

Armature resistance = ________

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ECNG2000 Lab: Direct Current Machines

5.2. Calculations and Results

5.2.1.

From the plot of the open circuit (magnetization) characteristic of the DC Generator,
obtain the critical field resistance at rated speed.

5.2.2.

Determine the magnetization characteristic at half the rated speed and determine the
corresponding critical resistance.

5.2.3.

Discuss the protective devices incorporated in a DC motor starter and other observations
made.

5.2.4.

Discuss the observations and measurements made while studying the phenomenon of
self-excitation.

5.2.5.

From the plot of the external characteristics (VT vs IL) determine the internal
characteristic. Use the value of armature resistance of the Generator)

End of ECNG2000 Lab:

Direct Current Machines

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