Simplex Wave Winding

By : Dr. Atul R. Phadke

Associate Professor and Head of Electrical Engineering Department
Government College of Engineering, Jalgaon
SIMPLEX WAVE WINDING:

Following points regarding simplex wave winding should be noted carefully:

1) The back and front pitches are odd and both have same sign. YB and YF are either
equal to each other or they differ by 2.
2) Both YB and YF should be nearly equal to pole pitch.
3) The average pitch YA = (YB + YF) / 2.
𝑵𝒐.𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒔 ± 𝟏
4) Commutator pitch YC = YA. Also 𝒀𝑪 = 𝑵𝒐.𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔

5) Resultant pitch YR = YB + YF.

6) The number of parallel paths in the armature = 2m. Where, m is the multiplicity of the
winding. For simplex winding, m = 1.
𝒁±𝟐
7) The average pitch 𝒀𝑨 = . YA must be an integer. Therefore, there is a
𝑵𝒐.𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔
restriction on the value of Z. For example, if Z = 32, wave winding is impossible for a
four-pole machine whereas lap winding is possible.

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SIMPLEX WAVE WINDING:

Developed diagram of a simplex 2-layer wave wound armature winding for a 4-pole
generator with 26 armature conductors.

Here, YA = (26 ± 2) / 4 = 6 or 7.

Taking YA = 7, we have YB = YF = 7.

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WINDING TABLE:
Sr. Back connection Front connection
No.
1 1 to (1 + 7) = 8 8 to (8 + 7) = 15
2 15 to (15 + 7) = 22 22 to (22 + 7) = 29 = 29 – 26 = 3
3 3 to (3 + 7) = 10 10 to (10 + 7) = 17
4 17 to (17 + 7) = 24 24 to (24 + 7) = 31 = 31 – 26 = 5
5 5 to (5 + 7) = 12 12 to (12 + 7) = 19
6 19 to (19 + 7) = 26 26 to (26 + 7) = 33 = 33 – 26 = 7
7 7 to (7 + 7) = 14 14 to (14 + 7) = 21
8 21 to (21 + 7) = 28 = 28 – 26 = 2 2 to (2 + 7) = 9
9 9 to (9 + 7) = 16 16 to (16 + 7) = 23
10 23 to (23 + 7) = 30 = 30 – 26 = 4 4 to (4 + 7) = 11
11 11 to (11 + 7) = 18 18 to (18 + 7) = 25
12 25 to (25 + 7) = 32 = 32 – 26 = 6 6 to (6 + 7) = 13
13 13 to (13 + 7) = 20 20 to (20 + 7) = 27 = 27 – 26 = 1
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DEVELOPED DIAGRAM:

23 25
21 2 Sr. Back connection Front connection
4 No.
6
1 1 to (1 + 7) = 8 8 to (8 + 7) = 15
2 15 to (15 + 7) = 22 22 to (22 + 7) = 29 = 29 – 26 = 3
3 3 to (3 + 7) = 10 10 to (10 + 7) = 17
N S N S 4 17 to (17 + 7) = 24 24 to (24 + 7) = 31 = 31 – 26 = 5
5 5 to (5 + 7) = 12 12 to (12 + 7) = 19
26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1 6 19 to (19 + 7) = 26 26 to (26 + 7) = 33 = 33 – 26 = 7
24 3
7 7 to (7 + 7) = 14 14 to (14 + 7) = 21
7
8 21 to (21 + 7) = 28 = 28 – 26 = 2 2 to (2 + 7) = 9
20 5
22 9 9 to (9 + 7) = 16 16 to (16 + 7) = 23
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
10 23 to (23 + 7) = 30 = 30 – 26 = 4 4 to (4 + 7) = 11
11 11 to (11 + 7) = 18 18 to (18 + 7) = 25
12 25 to (25 + 7) = 32 = 32 – 26 = 6 6 to (6 + 7) = 13
_
+ 13 13 to (13 + 7) = 20 20 to (20 + 7) = 27 = 27 – 26 = 1

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DIVISION OF CURRENT IN SIMPLEX WAVE WINDING
23 25
21 2
4
6

N S N S

26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1
24 3
7
20 5
22

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

_
+

20 13 6 25 18 11 4 23 16 9 2 21 14 7
Ia / 2

+ -
Ia Ia
Ia / 2
1 8 15 22 3 10 17 24 5 12 19 26

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SIMPLEX WAVE WINDING:

From the above discussion, for simplex wave winding it can be concluded that:
1) Only two brushes are required. However, in practice, more brushes are added at 180 degree
electrical apart and they are connected to each other as they have equal potential. This gives
better current distribution over the commutator.
2) Generally, the number brushes are equal to the number of poles.
3) In this winding, the number of parallel paths is always equal to 2, independent of the number of
poles.
4) The emf induced between the positive and negative brushes is equal to the emf induced in any
single path of the two parallel paths.
5) If Ia is the total armature current, then the current in one parallel path is equal to Ia / 2.

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DUMMY OR IDLE COILS:
▪ These are used with wave winding.
𝒁±𝟐
▪ In wave winding, the average pitch 𝒀𝑨 = and YA must be an integer.
𝑵𝒐.𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔

▪ For example, the number of armature slots is 15, each containing 4 coil sides and the
𝟔𝟎 ± 𝟐
number of poles is 4. Then 𝒀𝑨 = . Which is not integer as required by this winding.
𝟒
𝟓𝟖 ± 𝟐
▪ However, if 58 active conductors are used, 𝒀𝑨 = = 14 or 15. This makes the winding
𝟒
possible.
▪ But the armature would be out of balance mechanically if there are some slots without
winding.
▪ Dummy or idle coils are placed in these empty slots to provide mechanical balance for the
armature.
▪ These dummy coils do not influence the electrical characteristics of the winding because
these are not connected to the commutator.
▪ These are exactly similar to the other coils but their ends are cut short and taped.