GROUP 6

AC MACHINES

OBJECTIVES
To be able to know about AC Machines
To discover todays innovation of AC

Machines
To differentiate AC and DC Machines
To be able to know the advantages and
disadvantages of AC Machines
To be able to know the importance and use of
AC machines in the Aviation Industry
To discover other Facts about AC Machines

AC Machines

 The most common use for AC is

transmitting electricity over long

distances.
Power lines and power distributions
grids use AC because it loses less
voltage over long distances than DC.
AC is good at providing very low
voltages steadily , just as it is good at
carrying very high voltages across
power lines.

TYPES OF AC MOTORS

Universal motor
Induction motor

Synchronous motor

HISTORY

 THOMAS EDISON - originally developed

the first practical light bulb in the 1880s . He

decided to use DC power to transmit
electricity across the grid to power his light
bulbs. The problem with this was that he
needed a massive amount of wires and power
stations to do so.
NICOLA TESLA - Edisons problem was
solved by Tesla shortly later using AC . AC
was able to be transmitted across much
further distances using less wires and far
fewer power stations.

TODAYS INNOVATION

HOW AC MACHINES WORK?

UNIVERSAL MOTORS
Fractional Horsepower AC series motors are

called universal motors.

They can operate on either alternating or
direct current.
Resemble DC motors in that they have
brushes and a commutator.
used extensively to operate fans and portable
tools like drills, grinders, and saws.

UNIVERSAL MOTORS

An electric drill uses a universal motor

which is similar in construction to a serieswound DC motor.

INDUCTION MOTORS
There is no need for an electrical connection

between the motor housing and the rotating

elements.
Can be operated on either single-phase or
three-phase alternating current.
Two primary parts of an induction motor are
the stator and the rotor.

 Single-phase induction motor

used to operate devices like surface

locks, intercooler shutters, oil shutoff

valves, and places where the power
requirements are low.
require some form of starting circuit that
automatically disconnects after the
motor is running.
operate well in either rotational
direction, with the direction determined
by the starting circuit.

 Three-phase induction motors

are self-starting and are commonly used

when high power is needed.

Common applications for three-phase
induction motors include engine
starting, operating flaps and landing
gear, and powering hydraulic pumps.

The complete rotor in an induction motor is sometimes called a squirrel

cage and, therefore, motors containing this type of rotor are often called
squirrel cage induction motors.

SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR
uses a rotating magnetic field.
the principle of operation of the synchronous

motor begins with a multi-phase source of AC

applied to a series of stator windings. When this
is done, a rotating magnetic field is produced.
DC current is applied to the rotor winding
producing a second magnetic field.
A synchronous motor is designed so that the
rotor is pulled by the stator's rotating magnetic
field. The rotor turns at approximately the same
speed as the stator's magnetic field. In other
words, they are synchronized.

 A synchronous motor is not self-starting. Since rotors are

heavy, it is impossible to bring a stationary rotor into

magnetic lock with a rotating magnetic field. As a result,
all synchronous motors have some kind of starting
device. One type of simple starter used is another AC or
DC motor which brings the rotor up to approximately 90
percent of its synchronous speed.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

AC and DC MACHINES

DC MACHINES

AC MACHINES

CONTINUAL AND
STANDARD CURRENT
FLOW

USED IN VARIANT
SITUATIONS IRRESPECTIVE
OF THE QUALITY OF THE
CURRENT FLOW.

SELF - STARTING

REQUIRES EFFECTIVE
STARTING EQUIPMENT

ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF
AC MACHINES

ADVANTAGES OF AC MACHINES
Low Cost
Lowest cost motor for applications requiring more
than about hp (325 watts )
Can be found in air conditioners , washers, dryers ,
industrial machineries ,fan ,blowers, vacuum
cleaners and many other.

Speed Variation
The fixed number of winding sets ( known as poles )
built into the AC motor , which determines the AC
motors base.
The amount of torque loading on the motor , which
causes slip.

 High Power Factor

Power factor of an AC electrical power system is
defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the
load to the apparent power in the circuit.
Higher currents increase the energy lost in the
distribution system and require larger wires and
other equipment.

Reliable Operation
The simple design of the Ac motor results in
extremely reliable , low maintenance operation.
There are no brushes to replace
It may not need new bearings for more than a
decade.

DISADVANTAGES OF AC MACHINES
Inability to operate at low speeds
AC motors should not be operated at speed less
than about 1/3 of base speed due to thermal
conditions.

Poor positioning Control

It is expensive and crude with AC motors

AC will produce eddy current due to the

production of a back emf

Back emf works to reduce the current in the loop ,
thus slowing the motor down , and it gets larger as
the speed of the motor increases

AC in the
Aviation Industry

WHY AC machines for an Aircraft?

Direct current is used as the main electrical

power for small aircraft because it is storable

and aircraft engines are started through the
use of battery power. However, large aircraft
require elaborate ground service facilities and
external power sources for starting.
Therefore, they can take advantage of the
appreciable weight savings provided by using
alternating current as their primary power
source.

 In addition to saving weight, alternating

current has the advantage over direct current
in that its voltage is easily stepped up or

down. Therefore, when needed, AC carries

current a long distance by passing it through
a step-up transformer. This promotes
additional weight savings since high voltage
AC is conducted through a relatively small
conductor. Once the voltage arrives at its
destination it passes through a step-down
transformer where voltage is lowered and
current is stepped up to the value needed.

 Primary AC power sources in an aircraft

include
main generators

Inverters
and transformers.

You must have a basic understanding

of the components of these electrical systems
and power distribution systems in order to
maintain them in proper operating condition.

AC GENERATORS
Alternating current (ac) generators supply the
electrical energy for operating aircraft avionics
equipment. A generator is a machine that
converts mechanical energy into electrical
energy by electromagnetic induction.

In todays aircraft, the same ac-powered

equipment obtains various ac voltages and dc
power by using simple transformers and
transformer-rectifiers. These components are
LIGHTWEIGHT, SIMPLE, and RELIABLE.

AC INVERTERS
Inverters are an emergency source of ac

power when normal ac power fails. The

backup system of the F/A-18 aircraft is an
example of this type. The standby attitude
indicator receives power from the right115volt ac bus. If the aircrafts generators fail to
supply power to this bus, the standby attitude
indicator receives power from an inverter.

ACTRANSFORMERS
A transformer, by itself, is not a true electrical power

source. A true electrical power source can produce

electrical energy from another type of energy, such
as chemical or mechanical. Transformers take
electrical energy in the form of an ac voltage and
convert it to a different usable ac voltage.
Ac-powered equipment is more efficient than the
larger, heavier dc-powered equipment. Therefore, ac
generators now power naval aircraft; but dc power is
needed for lighting and for controlling ac-powered
equipment. The most common device now used to
provide the necessary dc voltage is the transformerrectifier (TR).

SOME GUIDE QUESTIONS :

Which is commonly used in aircraft , AC or

DC?
What are the primary power sources in

aircraft that are run by AC?

People who works on the electrical of an

aircraft ?

END.