𝑃

COIL PITCH OR POLE PITCH 𝜃𝑒 = 𝜃

2 𝑚
 COIL PITCH: The distance between the two
sides of a coil is called the coil span or coil pitch.
 POLE PITCH: The angular distance between the
central line of one pole to the central line of
the next pole is called Pole Pitch.
A pole pitch always 180 electrical degrees regard-
less of the number of poles on the machine.
Full Pitch Coil: A coil having a span equal to 180
electrical degree is called a full pitch coil as shown.
 In case of full pitch coil, the two coil sides span a
distance exactly equal to the pole pitch of 180 electrical degrees. As result,
the voltage generated in full pitch coil is such that the coil side voltages are
in phase as show in fig. Let Ec1 and Ec2 be the voltages generated in the
coil sides and Ec the resultant coil voltage.
Ec = Ec1 + Ec2
Ec1 = Ec2 = E (Say )
Since Ec1 and Ec2 are in phase , the resultant coil voltage Ec is equal to their 1
arithmetic sum. Ec = Ec1 + Ec2 = 2E

Short Pitch Coil: A coil having a span less than
180 electrical degree is called Short pitch coil or
frictional pitch coil. It is also called chorded coil.
A stator winding using frictional pitch coil is
called chorded winding. if the span of coil is
reduced by an angle α electrical degrees, the coil
span will be (180-α) electrical degree as shown.
 If the coil span of single coil is less than the pole pitch of 180 (electrical
degree), the voltage generated in each coil side are not in phase. The resultant
Coil voltage Ec is equal to Phasor sum of Ec1 and Ec2.
 If the coil span is reduced by an angle α electrical degrees , the coil span is
(180-α) electrical degrees. the voltage generated Ec1 and Ec2 in the two sides
will be out of phase with respect to each other by an angle α electrical degrees
as show in fig. The phasor sum of Ec1 and Ec2 is Ec.
Advantage of short pitching or chording:
 Shortens the ends of the winding and therefore there is a saving in the
conductor material.
 2
Reduces effects of distorting harmonics, and thus the waveform of the
generated voltage is improved and making it approach a sine wave.
PITCH FACTOR
 In order to save the cupper and to improve the wave form of generated emf the full
pitch winding is made short pitch. This short pitches causes the lower voltage
induced than full pitch winding.
 What is pitch factor?
 The ratio of phasor sum of induced EMFs per coil to the arithmetic sum of
induced EMFs per coil is known as pitch factor Kp or coil span factor Kc.
Its value is always less than unity.
 The ratio between emf induced in short pitch coil to emf induced in full pitch coil is
called pitch factor.
emf induced in short pitch winding
Pitch factor =
emf induced in full pitch winding
Let, slot = 24; Pole = 4; Coil span = 24/4 = 6
 Let us consider, the coil has a pitch short by an angle α electrical degrees
from the full pitch. The induced emf in each coil side be E. Now, if the coil is
said to be full pitch, then total induced emf in the coil would be 2E.
 For a coil, that is short-pitched by α electrical degrees, the resultant induced
emf ER is the phasor sum of two voltages α electrical degrees. 3
 Pitch factor
The formula for pitch factor is given by,

The pitch factor in the above equation is for fundamental component of emf.
If the coil span is reduced by one slot, then the phase angle α between the
induced EMFs in the two sides of the coil is given as,
1800
∝= where n is the number of slots per pole
𝑛

4
DISTRIBUTION FACTOR

 If all the coil sides of any one phase under one pole are bunched in one
slot, the winding obtained is known as concentrated winding.
 The ratio of the phasor sum of the EMFs induced in all the coils
distributed in a number of slots under one pole to the arithmetic sum of the
EMFs induced(or to the resultant of EMFs induced in all coils
concentrated in one slot under one pole) is known as breadth factor Kb or
distribution factor Kd. Its value is always less than unity.

 Let n, m and Ec be the number of slots per pole, number of slots per pole
per phase and the induced emf in each coil side respectively. Angular
displacement between the slots,
1800 5
β =
𝑛
 The EMFs induced in different
coils of one phase under one pole
are represented by side AC,
CD, DE, EF,… which are equal
in magnitude but differ in phase.
[Say the magnitude be E and phase
difference be 180 degrees]
 If bisectors are drawn on AC,
CD, DE, EF, they would meet at
a common point. This point would
be the center of the circle having
AC, CD, DE, EF as the chords. They represent the EMFs induced in the
coils in different slots.

 The resultant emf can be obtained from the below equation, 6

 Thus the distribution factor can be obtained as:

 Now considering the above two factor EMF can be written as follow:
E = 4.44 Kp Kd f Φ T volt per phase

7
ARMATURE REACTION AND ITS EFFECT

 When the alternator is loaded with external load, current will flow through
armature winding. This current carrying armature winding will set up its
own magnetic flux which is also rotating in nature. The effect of armature
field on the field produced by the rotor is known as armature reaction. The
nature of armature reaction depends upon the power factor of the load.
Note : So effect of the armature flux on the main flux affecting its value and
the distribution is called armature reaction.
 The effect of the armature flux not only depends on the magnitude of the
current flowing through the armature winding but also depends on the
nature or the power factor of the load connected to the alternator.
Now we will study the effect of nature or the load power factor on the
armature reaction.

8
UNITY POWER FACTOR LOAD

 Consider a purely resistive load connected to the alternator, having unity

power factor. As induced e.m.f. Eph drives a current of Iaph and load power
factor is unity, Eph and Iph are in phase with each other.
 If Φf is the main flux produced by the field winding responsible for
producing Ephthen Eph lags Φf by 90o .
 Now current through armature Ia, produces the armature flux say Φa. So
flux Φa and Ia are always in the same direction.
 This relation between Φf , Φa, Eph and Iaph can be shown in the phasor
diagram. (See Fig. 1)

Fig.1: Armature reaction for resistive load (unity pf)

 It can be seen from the phasor diagram that there exists a phase difference
of 90o between the armature flux and the main flux. The waveforms for the
two fluxes are also shown in the Fig. 1. From the waveforms it can be seen
that the two fluxes oppose each other on the left half of each pole while
assist each other on the right half of each pole. Hence average flux in the air
gap remains constant but its distribution gets distorted.
Note : Hence such distorting effect of armature reaction under unity p.f.
condition of the load is called cross magnetizing effect of armature reaction.
 Due to such distortion of the flux, there is small drop in the terminal voltage
of the alternator.

Zero Lagging Power Factor Load

 Consider a purely inductive load connected to the alternator having zero
lagging power factor. This indicates that Iaph driven by Eph lags Eph by 90o
which is the power factor angle Φ.
 Induced e.m.f. Eph lags main flux Φf by 90o while Φa is in the same direction
as that of Ia. So the phasor diagram and the waveforms are shown in the
10
Fig. 2.
 It can be seen from the phasor diagram that the armature flux
and the main flux are exactly in opposite direction to each
other.
Note: So armature flux tries to cancel the main flux. Such an
effect of armature reaction is called demagnetizing effect of the
armature reaction.
 As this effect causes reduction in the main flux, the terminal
voltage drops. This drop in the terminal voltage is more than
the drop corresponding to the unity p.f. load.

11

Fig.2: Armature reaction on inductive load

ZERO LEADING POWER FACTOR LOAD
 Consider a purely capacitive load connected to the alternator having zero
leading power factor. This means that armature current Iaph driven by Eph, leads
E by 90o, which is the power factor angle Φ.
 Induced e.m.f. Eph lags Φf by 90o while Iaph and Φa are always in the same
direction. The phasor diagram and the waveforms are shown in the Fig.3.

Fig.3: armature reaction on capacitive load

 It can be seen from the phasor diagram and waveforms shown in the Fig. 3, the
armature flux and the main field flux are in the same direction i.e. they are
helping each other. This results into the addition in main flux.
Note : Such an effect of armature reaction due to which armature flux assists field
flux is called magnetising effect of the armature reaction.
 As this effect adds the flux to the main flux, greater e.m.f. gets induced in the12
armature. Hence there is increase in the terminal voltage for leading power
factor loads.