ABSTRACT
Almost all three-phase power is generated by three-phase synchronous machines operated as generators at hydro, nuclear, or thermal power plants. Efficiency and economy of scale dictate the use of very large generators, commonly in excess of 1000 MVA. Synchronous motors also exist and are used in constant-speed applications in both large industrial settings and small fractional horsepower applications such as electric clocks, timers, and record players. Synchronous machines can also be used with zero real power only to exchange reactive power with the power system. In this application, they are called synchronous condensers. This chapter discusses the construction of synchronous machines, their equivalent circuits, and power-torque characteristics. This chapter also introduces the standard tests to determine the parameters of the equivalent circuit. In power system applications, parallel operation of synchronous generators is important and this chapter discusses such operation as well.
