Starting synchronous motors is a two step process.

The first step is to accelerate the motor

to near synchronous speed. Most synchronous motors are equipped with a squirrel cage
winding on the rotor for starting purposes. This differs from an induction motor squirrel cage
in that it is not rated to carry load, but only to assist in starting. The synchronous motor is
started as a squirrel cage induction motor, and can use any starting method that is used on a
squirrel cage induction motor: full voltage, autotransformer, reactor, capacitor, etc.
There are two basic types of fields used on synchronous motors, brush type and brushless.
For either type, much detailed information about the motor's characteristics is required for
proper application of starting equipment. On brush type motors, which are an older design,
the two ends of the field winding are brought to slip rings, which are contacted by brushes,
giving this type its name. D.c. from an external supply is applied to the field using external
switching devices, usually a field contactor. The external supply may be a rotating exciter,
either shaft driven or a separate mg set; an excitation bus; or the output of a solid state
excitation package. Speed is sensed by measuring the frequency of the induced a.c. current
which flows in the field winding and the field discharge resistor. This frequency decreases as
the motor speed increases. When an appropriate speed is reached, the control closes the
field contactor, opening the discharge resistor circuit and closing the main field circuit. The
control may be electro mechanical or solid state, and includes protection against loss of field
and incomplete starting sequence.

Starting by DC Source:
Synchronous motor can be stated with the help of dc supply and dc compound motor, by
coupling the synchronous motor to the dc motor. DC motor is started and the speed of the dc
motor is adjusted by the speed regulator. The synchronous motor is then excited and
synchronized with the ac supply mains. At the moment of synchronizing, the synchronous
motor is switched on with the ac mains and dc motor is disconnected from the dc supply
mains. Now the synchronous machine operate as synchronous motor and dc motor which
helped to start the synchronous motor acts as load to the synchronous motor.
The synchronous motor can also be stated by the exciter mounted on an synchronous motor
shaft extension. Here also, an available dc supply source operate the exciter as a motor
during the starting period of the synchronous motor until it attains synchronous speed. Then
once again exciter (dc generator connected on the shaft of the synchronous motor for
providing dc field current) can carry on its normal function.

Starting by AC Motor:
A small directly coupled induction motor (pony motor) may be used for the starting of
synchronous motor. Induction motor should have two poles less than the synchronous motor
so that induction motor can able to run at synchronous speed of the synchronous motor (If
both induction motor and synchronous motors have same number of poles, induction motor
cannot be used as it cannot attain synchronous speed because induction motor runs below
synchronous speeds). Before switching the ac supply to synchronous motor, it must be
synchronized with the busbar. After normal operation is established, pony motor can be de-
coupled from the synchronous motor shaft. This method is not satisfactory and not suited for
industrial applications.

Starting by Damper Windings:

Modern synchronous machines are usually are of self starting type and are arranged to stat
as induction motors. The synchronous motor is made self starting winding by providing
damper windings or squirrel cage winding in the rotor poles. In the faces of the field poles
damper windings are provided. Damper windings are the short circuited copper bars
inserted in pole faces of field poles. 3-phase AC supply provided to stator windings of the
synchronous motor generates a rotating magnetic field which rotates at synchronous speeds.
This rotating magnetic field cuts the damper windings in the rotor. An emf is induced in the
damper windings and current flows through the damper windings. This damper winding
current produces a magnetic field which on interaction with the rotating magnetic field
generates a torque which helps to rotate the synchronous motor as induction motor during
stating. When the motor attains a speed of about 95% of the synchronous speed, the rotor
windings are connected to the exciter terminals which locks the rotating field of the stator
and rotating rotor of synchronous motor.

Methods of Starting of Synchronous Motor

1. Motor starting with an external prime Mover: Synchronous motors are

mechanically coupled with another motor. It could be either 3 phase induction motor
or DC shunt motor. DC excitation is not fed initially. It is rotated at speed very close
to its synchronous speed and after that DC excitation is given. After some time when
magnetic locking takes place supply to the external motor is cut off.
2. Damper winding: In case, synchronous motor is of salient pole type, additional
winding is placed in rotor pole face. Initially when rotor is standstill, relative speed
between damper winding and rotating air gap flux in large and an emf is induced in it
which produces the required starting torque. As speed approaches synchronous speed,
emf and torque is reduced and finally when magnetic locking takes place, torque also
reduces to zero. Hence in this case synchronous is first run as three phase induction
motor using additional winding and finally it is synchronized with the frequency.

Synchronous motor is not self starting. It is necessary to rotate the rotor at a speed very
near to synchronous speed. This is possible by various method in practice. The various
methods to start the synchronous motor are,
1. Using pony motors
2. Using damper winding
3. As a slip ring induction motor
4. Using small d.c. machine coupled to it.
Using pony motors
In this method, the rotor is brought to the synchronous speed with the help of some external
device like small induction motor. Such an external device is called 'pony motor'.
Once the rotor attains the synchronous speed, the d.c. excitation to the rotor is switched
on. Once the synchronism is established pony motor is decoupled. The motor then continues
to rotate as synchronous motor.

Using Damper Winding

In a synchronous motor, in addition to the normal field winding, the additional winding
consisting of copper bars placed in the slots in the pole faces. The bars are short circuited
with the help of end rings. Such an additional winding on the rotor is called damper winding.
This winding as short circuited, acts as a squirrel cage rotor winding of an induction motor.
The schematic representation of such damper winding is shown in the Fig.1.
 Fig . 1 Starting as a squirrel cage I.M.
Once the rotor is excited by a three phase supply, the motors starts rotating as an
induction motor at sub synchronous speed. Then d.c. supply is given to the field winding. At
a particular instant motor gets pulled into synchronism and starts rotating at a synchronous
speed. As rotor rotates at synchronous speed, the relative motion between damper winding
and the rotating magnetic field is zero. Hence when motor is running as synchronous motor,
there can not be any induced e.m.f. in the damper winding. So damper winding is active only
at start, to run the motor as an induction motor at start. Afterwards it is out of the circuit. As
damper winding is short circuited and motor gets started as induction motor, it draws high
current at start so induction motor starters like star-delta, autotransformer etc. used to start the
synchronous motor as an induction motor.
As a Slip Ring Induction Motor
The above method of starting synchronous motor as a squirrel cage induction motor does
not provide high starting torque. So to achieve this, instead of shorting the damper winding, it
is designed to a form a three phase star or delta connected winding. The three ends of this
winding are brought out through slip rings. An external rheostat then can be introduced in
series with the rotor circuit. So when stator is excited, the motor starts as a slip ring induction
motor and due to resistance added in the rotor provides high starting torque. The resistance is
then gradually cut off, as motor gathers speed. When motor attains speed near synchronous.
d.c. excitation is provided to the rotor, then motors gets pulled into synchronism ans starts
rotating at synchronous speed. The damper winding is shorted by shorting the slip rings. The
initial resistance added in the rotor not only provides high starting torque but also limits high
inrush of starting current. Hence it acts as a motor resistance starter.
The synchronous motor started by this method is called a slip ring induction motor is
shown in the Fig.1(b).
 Fig. 2 Starting as a slip ring I.M.
It can be observed from the Fig. 1(b) that the same three phase rotor winding acts as a
normal rotor winding by shorting two of the phases. From the positive terminal, current 'I'
flows in one of the phases, which divides into two other phases at start point as 1/2 through
each, when switch is thrown on d.c. supply side.
4. Using Small D.C. Machine
Many a times, a large synchronous motor are provided with a coupled d.c. machine. This
machine is used as a d.c. motor to rotate the synchronous motor at a synchronous speed. Then
the excitation to the rotor is provided. Once motor starts running as a synchronous motor, the
same d.c. machine acts as a d.c. generator called exciter. The field of the synchronous motor is
then excited by this exciter itself.

Application of Synchronous Motor

1. Synchronous motor having no load connected to its shaft is used for power factor
improvement. Owing to its characteristics to behave at any electrical power factor, it
is used in power system in situations where static capacitors are expensive.
2. Synchronous motor finds application where operating speed is less (around 500 rpm)
and high power is required. For power requirement from 35 kW to 2500 KW, the size,
weight and cost of the corresponding three phase induction motor is very high. Hence
these motors are preferably used. Ex- Reciprocating pump, compressor, rolling mills
etc.