Skip to main content

Series motor current at 800 rpm

Short answer

With total resistance 0.1 Ω, Eb1 = 220−25×0.1 = 217.5 V. For series motor Eb ∝ IN, so (220−0.1I2)/217.5 = (I2/25)×(800/1200). Solving gives I2 ≈ 37.3 A.

A dc series motor with armature resistance of 0.06 Ω0.06\ \Omega and field winding resistance of 0.04 Ω0.04\ \Omega is supplied by a 220 V source. If the motor draws 25 A when running at 1200 rpm, calculate the current drawn by motor when running at 800 rpm.

In a series motor the field current is the armature current, so (unsaturated) the flux is proportional to the current: Φ∝I\Phi\propto I. The back emf then follows Eb∝ΦN∝INE_b \propto \Phi N \propto I N.

Total resistance R=Ra+Rse=0.06+0.04=0.1 ΩR = R_a + R_{se} = 0.06 + 0.04 = 0.1\ \Omega.

Condition 1: 1200 rpm, 25 A

Eb1=V−I1R=220−25(0.1)=217.5 VE_{b1} = V - I_1R = 220 - 25(0.1) = 217.5\ \text{V}

Condition 2: 800 rpm, current I2I_2

Eb2=220−0.1I2E_{b2} = 220 - 0.1I_2

Using Eb2Eb1=Φ2N2Φ1N1=I2N2I1N1\dfrac{E_{b2}}{E_{b1}} = \dfrac{\Phi_2N_2}{\Phi_1N_1} = \dfrac{I_2N_2}{I_1N_1}:

220−0.1I2217.5=I225×8001200\frac{220 - 0.1I_2}{217.5} = \frac{I_2}{25}\times\frac{800}{1200} 220−0.1I2=5.800 I2  ⇒  I2=2200.1+5.800=37.29 A220 - 0.1I_2 = 5.800\,I_2 \;\Rightarrow\; I_2 = \frac{220}{0.1 + 5.800} = 37.29\ \text{A}

Check: Eb2=220−0.1(37.29)=216.27 VE_{b2} = 220 - 0.1(37.29) = 216.27\ \text{V}.

Answer: the motor draws I2=37.29 AI_2 = 37.29\ \text{A} at 800 rpm (assuming an unsaturated magnetic circuit).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

All Electrical Machines chapter 4 questions →