598 ROTATING MACHINES
Ia = IL
Vt
IaRa
IaRa
Ea
Ra
Ea
If
+−Vf
(a)
Field current If
Drop due to Open circuit
armature reaction
Load
Terminal voltage
Vt
Terminal voltage
Vt
Vt at rated full load
External characteristic
Drop due to armature reaction
Rated load
Load current IL
−
+
−
+
(b)
(c)
Figure 13.4.5Open-circuit and
load characteristics of a separately
excited dc generator.(a)Schematic
diagram of connections.(b)Termi-
nal voltage versus field current rela-
tionships.(c)External volt-ampere
characteristic.
Because the separately excited generator requires a separate dc field supply, its use is limited to
applications in which a wide range of controlled voltage is essential.
A shunt generator maintains approximately constant voltage on load. It finds wide application
as an exciter for the field circuit of large ac generators. The shunt generator is also sometimes
used as a tachogenerator when a signal proportional to the motor speed is required for control or
display purposes.