Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

Topic 7
Testing of DC Machines

Testing
Testing of electrical machines is to obtain their relevant performance indices like efficiency, voltage
regulation, speed regulation, etc. Load test on a machine is a direct test in which it will be brought to all
permissible loading conditions and the relevant measurements will be taken for the real operating points, to
deduce such performance indices. The load test on a motor is also known as brake test.

But this real testing is not feasible to be carried out on all machines of a batch after production, in view of
the time, man-hour and energy required for the same. Hence the load test will be limited to a certain number
of samples of a batch of production and the remaining will be subjected to various prediction tests which do
not require much time, man-hour and energy. Even though such tests will not provide the exact information
regarding the performance of the machine, it will be sufficient to get an estimate of the same within tolerable
limits. Swinburne’s test, Hopkinson’s test, etc. are some tests of that kind for a dc motor.

Brake test
A dc shunt motor gets started using a starter and is brought to its rated speed under no load, by way of
adjusting its field regulator. Then it is loaded to different operating points within the permissible range, by
using a brake drum as shown in Fig.1.

Fig.1
Voltage applied (V), current drawn (Il), field current (Ish), speed (N), readings of the balances (S1, S2), etc.
are recorded for those operating points.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

Then, Pi = V Il
Tsh = 9.81 (S1∼S2) r N-m, where S1 and S2 are in kg-wt and r is the radius of the drum in m.
Hence, Po = 2 π N Tsh/60, N being in rpm.
ɳ = Po/ Pi
Brake test on a series motor can also be carried out in the same manner, except starting it at no load. It is to
be started with sufficient load at any time.

Swinburne's test
The circuit diagram for the Swinburne’s test is as shown in Fig.2.

Fig.2
A dc shunt motor gets started using a starter and is brought to its rated speed under no load, by way of
adjusting its field regulator. Rated voltage applied (V), current drawn (I lo) and field current (Ish) are recorded
along with the speed (N).
Iao = Ilo - Ish.
Hence, the constant loss gets measured as W c = (V Iao - Iao2 Ra), where Ra is available separately.
Then, the efficiency of the machine gets predetermined for both generator and motor modes of operation as
explained below.

Generator
Output, Po = V Il = V (Ia - Ish) = Pi - Ia2 Ra - V Ish - Wc.
When Po is known, Il = Po/ V, Ia = Il + Ish, Pi is computed as Pi = Po + Ia2 Ra + V Ish + W c.
Hence ɳ = Po/ Pi.
When Pi is known, Pi = V (Ia - Ish) + Ia2 Ra + V Ish + Wc, where only Ia is unknown.
Solving for Ia, Po is computed as Po = Pi - Ia2 Ra - V Ish - W c.
Hence ɳ = Po/ Pi.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

Motor
Input, Pi = V Il = V (Ia + Ish) = Po + Ia2 Ra + V Ish + Wc.
When Pi is known, Il = Pi/ V, Ia = Il - Ish, Po is computed as Po = Pi - Ia2 Ra - V Ish - W c.
Hence ɳ = Po/ Pi.
When Po is known, Po = V (Ia + Ish) - Ia2 Ra - V Ish - W c, where only Ia is unknown.
Solving for Ia, Pi is computed as Pi = Po + Ia2 Ra + V Ish + W c.
Hence ɳ = Po/ Pi.

Hopkinson’s test
The circuit diagram for the Hopkinson’s test is as shown in Fig.3.

Fig.3
 Let the identical machines I and II be operated as motor and generator respectively.
 Keeping switch, S open, Rfg maximum and Rfm minimum, close the DPST switch.
 Get the machine I started as a motor using the starter and run at rated speed by adjusting Rfm.
 Adjust Rfg to make the voltmeter across S to read zero and close the switch, S.
 Keeping the machines I and II as motor and generator respectively, adjust Rfg and Rfm to bring the
machines at various loading conditions.
 Record the readings V, I1, I2, Ifg and Ifm at all those loading conditions. Then, I = I1 - I2.
Hence, the constant loss of each machine, W c = [VI - I12Ra - I22Ra]/ 2, where Ra is available separately.
Then,
ɳg = V I2/ [V I2 + I22 Ra + V Ifg + W c] and
ɳm = [V I1 - I12 Ra - W c]/ [V (I1 + Ifm)] for all operating points.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

Separation of losses
This test is to separate the components of the constant loss (W c) of a dc shunt motor such as hysteresis
loss (W h), eddy current loss (W e), friction loss (W f) and windage loss (W w). Out of theses four components of
constant loss, hysteresis loss and friction loss are proportional to speed while eddy current loss and
windage loss are proportional to square of speed, when the flux/ flux density is constant. So the constant
loss, W c can be represented as W c = W h + W e + W f + W w = AN + BN2 + CN + DN2, where N is the speed
and A, B, C and D are constants under constant flux/ flux density operation. Hence it is clear that the
components of constant losses can be determined at any speed N, once these constants A, B, C and D are
determined. Now, W c = (A + C) N + (B + D) N2 and W c/ N = (A + C) + (B + D) N.

It shows that a graph of (W c/ N) vs N can be plotted, if the constant loss (W c) is measured for different
values of N under a constant flux/ flux density operation. That graph will reveal the quantities (A+C) and
(B+D) being its intercept and slope respectively.

As the values of (A + C) and (B + D) are not at all sufficient to solve for A, B, C and D, the measurement of
Wc for different values of N can be repeated under another constant flux/ flux density operation and the
graph of (W c/ N) vs N can be plotted. But, switching over to another constant flux/ flux density operation
needs replacement of the constants A and B with some A# and B# since both hysteresis loss (W h) and eddy
current loss (W e) depend up on the flux/ flux density. Thus this graph will reveal the quantities (A # + C) and
(B# + D) being its intercept and slope respectively. Taking at least one measurement of W c at the same
speed for both the values of constant flux/ flux density, relations between A & A # and B & B# can be
formulated as given below.

A/ A# = (Φ/ Φ#)1.6 = (E/ E#)1.6 and B/ B# = (Φ/ Φ#)2 = (E/ E#)2 where,
(i) Φ and E are the flux and emf respectively corresponding to A and B
(ii) Φ# and E# are the flux and emf respectively corresponding to A# and B#.

As E and E# can be computed using the relevant voltage equation, the quantities A/A# and B/B# get
calculated. Knowing the values of (A + C), (B + D), (A# + C), (B# + D), A/A# and B/B#, the constants A, B, C
and D are determined.

Procedure:
 Wire up the test circuit, where the circuit diagram is same as that of the Swinburne's test (with a
variable resistance in the armature circuit).

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

 Supply rated voltage, get the dc shunt motor started and run it at no load.
 Keep the field current constant as If = If1, vary the speed by adjusting the armature circuit resistance
and measure the constant loss, W c = (V Iao - Iao2 Ra) at different speeds.
 Keep the field current constant as If = If2, where If2 is sufficiently different from If1, vary the speed by
adjusting the armature circuit resistance and measure the constant loss, W c = (V Iao - Iao2 ra) at different
speeds, at least one speed being the same for If1 and If2.
 Plot the graph (W c/ N) vs N for If = If1 and get the quantities (A + C) and (B + D) measured.
 Plot the graph (W c/ N) vs N for If = If2 and get the quantities (A# + C) and (B# + D) measured.
 Compute E = (V - Iao Ra) for If = If1 and E# = (V - Iao Ra) for If = If2 at the same speed.
 Compute A/ A# = (E/ E#)1.6 and B/ B# = (E/ E#)2.
 Solve the equations obtained to get the constants A, B, C and D determined.
 Plot the variation of the W h, W e, W f and W w with respect to speed.

Tabulation:
V= Ra =

If (A) N (rpm) Iao (A) Wc = (V Iao - Iao2 Ra) (W) Wc/ N (W/rpm)

N = N3
If = If1

N = N3
If = If2

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

A= B= C= D=
2
N (rpm) Wh = AN We = BN Wf = CN Ww = DN2

Retardation test
This test is to separate the components of the constant loss (W const) of a dc shunt (or compound) motor such
as iron loss (W i) and mechanical loss (W m) and to determine the moment of inertia (I) of the rotating system.
When the supply to the motor is cut off while it is running at no load at a particular speed, it will continue to
rotate for some more time due to the kinetic energy stored. In this phase of running known as retardation, its
speed decreases to zero almost exponentially. Retardation taking place here is due to the losses, which is
given by the rate of dissipation of the kinetic energy. The equation governing the dissipation of the kinetic
energy is given as
Losses = (2π/60)2 I N (dN/dt) ……………………………….……………………………………..(1)
where I is the moment of inertia of the rotating system, N is the speed at which these losses occur and
(dN/dt) is the rate of change in speed at N, all quantities being in SI system of units.

These losses occurring during retardation will comprise of (i) mechanical loss (W m), (ii) iron loss (W i) if the
field circuit is not opened and (iii) copper loss (W c) if the armature circuit is not opened.

Hence the motor is allowed to retard from a speed slightly above the speed, N at which the losses are to be
determined and (dN/dt) at that speed is measured for 3 different cases: (i) both the field circuit and the
armature circuit are opened, (ii) the field circuit is not opened, but the armature circuit is opened, (iii) both
the field circuit and the armature circuit are not opened. Then the equation (1) will get modified as shown
below for these cases.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

Case (i): both the field circuit and the armature circuit are opened
Wm = (2π/60)2 I N (dN/dt)1 ………………………………………………………….…(2)

Case (ii): the field circuit is not opened, but the armature circuit is opened
Wm + W i = (2π/60)2 I N (dN/dt)2 ………………………………………………………….…(3)

Case (iii): both the field circuit and the armature circuit are not opened
Wm + W i + W c = (2π/60)2 I N (dN/dt)3 ………………………………………………………….…(4)

where (dN/dt)1, (dN/dt)2 and (dN/dt)3 are the values of (dN/dt) at N for each case.

By measuring W c also along with (dN/dt)3 in case (iii) and solving equations (2), (3) and (4), the iron loss
(W i) at N, mechanical loss (W m) at N and the moment of inertia (I) of the rotating system are determined.

Procedure:
(Assuming that N at which the losses are to be determined is the rated speed = 1500rpm)
 Wire up the test circuit as shown in Fig.4.

Fig.4
 Keeping switch S2 in position 1, R1 maximum and R2 minimum, close switch S1.
 Decrease R1 and then increase R2 to make the motor running at 1600rpm (say).

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2006D ELECTRICAL MACHINES I Semester: Winter/ 2021-’22

 Open switch S1 and move switch S2 from position 1 to the middle position simultaneously, start the stop
watch when the motor speed reaches to 1550rpm and record the time taken (t 1) for falling the speed
from 1550rpm to 1450rpm. This gives that (dN/dt)1 = 100/ t1.
 Do the required initial settings again and make the motor running at 1600rpm.
 Keeping the switch S1 in the closed position, move switch S2 from position 1 to the middle position, start
the stop watch when the motor speed reaches to 1550rpm and record the time taken (t 2) for falling the
speed from 1550rpm to 1450rpm. This gives that (dN/dt)2 = 100/ t2.
 Do the required initial settings again and make the motor running at 1600rpm.
 Keeping the switch S1 in the closed position, move switch S2 from position 1 to position 2, start the stop
watch when the motor speed reaches to 1550rpm, record the wattmeter readings W 1 and W 2 respectively
at 1550rpm and 1450rpm and record the time taken (t3) for falling the speed from 1550rpm to 1450rpm .
This gives that (dN/dt)3 = 100/ t3 and Wc = (W1 + W2)/2.
 Hence the solution for iron loss (W i) at 1500rpm, mechanical loss (W m) at 1500rpm and the moment of
inertia (I).

Examples
1. A 10kW, 240V, dc shunt motor which has armature and field resistances of 0.25 and 160
respectively draws a current of 5.2A on no load. Estimate the input and efficiency when the motor
delivers rated load.
2. When Hopkinson’s test was conducted on 2 identical 230V dc shunt machines, their armature currents
were 37A and 30A and field currents were 0.85A and 0.8A. If each of the machines has an armature
resistance of 0.33, calculate their efficiencies.
3. In a retardation test carried out on a dc machine, the time taken for the speed to fall from 1030rpm to
970rpm is 30sec with no excitation, 15sec with full excitation and 9sec with full excitation while the
armature supplies a load of 10A at 219V. Calculate the moment of inertia and iron and mechanical
losses at 1000rpm.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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