Introduction to D.C motors,Principle of operation of D.C motors
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| dc motor | 
Introduction:
 A motor is a device which converts an electrical energy into the 
mechanical energy . The energy conversion process is exactly opposite to
 that involved in a d.c. generator. In a generator the input mechanical 
energy is supplied by a prim mover while in a d.c. motor, input 
electrical energy is supplied by a d.c. supply. The construction of a 
d.c. machine is same whether it is a motor or a generator.
Principle of Operation of a D.C. Motor :
 The principle of operation of a d.c. motor can be stated in a single 
statement as 'when a current carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic 
field' it experiences a mechanical force'. In a practical d.c. motor, 
field winding produces a required magnetic field while armature 
conductors play a role of a current carrying conductors and hence 
armature conductors experience a force. As a conductors are placed in 
the slots which are in the periphery, the individual force experienced 
by the conductors acts as a twisting or turning force on the armature 
which is called a torque. The torque is the product of force and the 
radius at which this force acts. So overall armature experiences a 
torque and starts rotating. Let us study this motoring action in detail.
 Consider a single conductor placed in a magnetic field as shown in the 
Fig .1. The magnetic field is produced by a permanent magnet but in a
 practical d.c. motor it is produced by the field winding when it 
carries a current.
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| figure.1 | 
 
 Now this conductor is excited by a separate supply so that it carries a
 current in a particular direction. Consider that it carries a current 
away from an observe as shown in the Fig. 1. Any current carrying 
conductor produces its own magnetic field around it. hence this 
conductor also produces its own flux, around. The direction of this flux
 can be determined by right hand thumb rule. For direction of current 
considered, the direction of flux around a conductor is clockwise. For 
simplicity of understanding, the main flux produced by the permanent 
magnet is not shown in the Fig. 2.
Now there are two fluxes present,
1. The flux produced by the permanent magnet called flux.
2. The flux produced by the current carrying conductor.
     
 There are shown in the Fig.2. Form this, it is clear that on one 
side of the conductor, both the fluxes are in same direction. In this 
case, on the left of the conductor there is gathering of the flux lines 
as two fluxes help each other. As against this, on the right of the 
conductor, the two fluxes are in opposite direction and hence try to 
cancel each other. Due to this, the density of the flux lines in this 
area gets weakened. So on the left, there exists high flux density area 
while on the right of the conductor there exists low flux density area 
as shown in the Fig. 2.
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| FIGURE-2 | 
  This flux distribution 
around the conductors acts like a stretched rubber band under tension. 
This exerts a mechanical force on the conductor which acts from high 
flux density area towards low flux density area. i.e. from left to right
 for the case considered as shown in the Fig. 2.
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| FIGURE-3 | 
*GOOD TO KNOW: 
 In the 
practical d.c. motor, the permanent magnet is replaced by a field 
winding which produces the required flux called main flux and all the 
armature conductors, mounted on the periphery of the armature drum, get 
subjected to the mechanical force. Due to this, overall armature 
experiences a twisting force called torque and armature of the motor 
starts rotating. 
 
 
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