SYNCHRO CHARACTERISTICS

Synchro characteristics play a very important part in synchro troubleshooting and maintenance. By closely observing these characteristics, you can generally tell if a synchro or synchro system is working properly. Low torque, overheating, and improper operating voltages are just a few of the abnormal characteristics found in synchro systems. In general, the load capacity of a synchro system is limited by the number and types of receiver units loading the transmitter, the loads on these receiver units, and the operating temperature.

TORQUE

Torque is simply a measure of how much load a machine can turn. In torque synchros, only small loads are turned; therefore, only a small amount of torque is required. The measure of torque is the product of the applied force and the distance between the point of application and the center of rotation. For instance, if a 3-ounce weight is suspended from a synchro pulley having a radius of 2 inches, the torque required to move the weight is 6 ounce-inches. In heavy machinery, torque may be expressed in pound-feet, but torque synchro measurements are in ounce-inches.

NOTE: The unit of torque is the pound-foot or ounce-inch. Do not confuse this with foot-pounds, which is the measurement of work. Many times in referring to torque, tools are marked in foot-pounds. While this use of foot-pounds is technically incorrect, common usage has made it acceptable.

The torque developed in a synchro receiver results from the tendency of two electromagnets to align themselves. Since the rotor can be turned and the stator usually cannot, the stator must exert a force (torque) tending to pull the rotor into a position where the primary and secondary magnetic fields are in line. The strength of the magnetic field produced by the stator determines the torque. The field strength depends on the current through the stator coils. As the current through the stator is increased, the field strength increases and more torque is developed.

Q.13 What major factors determine the load capacity of a torque-synchro transmitter?
Q.14 Define the term "torque."
Q.15 What unit of measurement refers to the torque of a synchro transmitter?

OPERATING VOLTAGES AND FREQUENCIES

Military standard and Navy prestandard synchros are designed to operate on either 115 volts or 26 volts. Synchros used in shipboard equipment are designed predominately for 115 volts, while most aircraft synchros operate on 26 volts.

Synchros are also designed to operate on a 60- or 400-Hz frequency. But like transformers, they are more efficient at the higher frequency. Operating a synchro at a higher frequency also permits it to be made physically smaller. This is because the lines of flux produced by the 400-Hz excitation voltage are much more concentrated than those produced by the 60-Hz excitation voltage. Hence, the core of the 400-Hz synchro can be made smaller than the core of the 60-Hz synchro. However, some 400-Hz synchro units are identical in size to their 60-Hz counterparts. This is done so that 60- and 400-Hz units can be physically interchanged without special mounting provisions. The operating voltage and frequency of each synchro is marked on its nameplate.

The use of the smaller size synchro permits the construction of smaller and more compact equipment. The most widely used frequency for airborne equipment is 400 Hz. It is being used increasingly in shipboard equipment as well. The newer gun and missile fire-control systems use 400-Hz synchros almost exclusively.

A synchro designed for 60-Hz operation may occasionally be used with a 400-Hz supply. There may be considerable loss of accuracy, but the synchro will not be damaged. This should be done only in the case of an emergency when the specified replacement is not available, and system accuracy is not critical.

NEVER connect a 400-Hz synchro to 60-Hz voltage. The reduced impedance results in excessive current flow and the windings quickly burn out.

Q.16 What type of equipment normally uses 26-volt 400-hertz synchros?

OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND SPEEDS

Standard synchros are designed to withstand surrounding temperatures ranging from -67F to +257F (-55C to +125C) at the terminal board. Prestandard synchros operate in a range of -13F to +185F (-25C to +85C). When a synchro is energized and not loaded, its temperature should stay within prescribed limits. Loading an energized synchro causes it to generate more heat. Similarly, overloading causes a synchro to generate much more heat than it would under normal loading conditions and could possibly result in permanent synchro damage. To meet military specifications, all standard synchros must be capable of continuous operation for 1,000 hours at 1,200 revolutions per minute (rpm) without a load.

A prestandard synchro has one of two specifications, depending upon its use in a data transmission system. Low-speed prestandard synchros must be capable of continuous operation for 500 hours at 300 rpm without a load. Low-speed prestandard synchros must be capable of continuous operation for 1,500 hours at 1200 rpm without a load.

Q.17 When will a synchro generate more heat than it is designed to handle?

THEORY OF OPERATION

Synchros, as stated earlier, are simply variable transformers. They differ from conventional transformers by having one primary winding (the rotor), which may be rotated through 360 and three stationary secondary windings (the stator) spaced 120 apart. It follows that the magnetic field within the synchro may also be rotated through 360. If an iron bar or an electromagnet were placed in this field and allowed to turn freely, it would always tend to line up in the direction of the magnetic field. This is the basic principle underlying all synchro operations.

We will begin the discussion of synchro operation with a few basic points on electromagnets. Look at figure 1-8. In this figure, a simple electromagnet is shown with a bar magnet pivoted in the electromagnet's field. In view A, the bar is forced to assume the position shown, since the basic law of magnetism states that like poles of magnets repel and unlike poles attract. Also notice that when the bar is aligned with the field, the magnetic lines of force are shortest. If the bar magnet is turned from this position and held as shown in view B, the flux is distorted and the magnetic lines of force are lengthened. In this condition, a force (torque) is exerted on the bar magnet. When the bar magnet is released, it snaps back to its original position. When the polarity of the electromagnet is reversed, as shown in view C, the field reverses and the bar magnet is rotated 180 from its original position.

Figure 1-8. - Operation of an electromagnet with a bar-magnet rotor.

Keeping in mind these basic points, consider how the bar magnet reacts to three electromagnets spaced 120 apart as illustrated in figure 1-9. In this figure, stator coils S1 and S3, connected in parallel, together have the same field strength as stator coil S2. The magnetic field is determined by current flow through the coils. The strongest magnetic field is set up by stator coil S2, since it has twice the current and field strength as either S1 or S3 alone. A resultant magnetic field is developed by the combined effects of the three stator fields. Coil S2 has the strongest field, and thus, the greatest effect on the resultant field, causing the field to align in the direction shown by the vector in view B of the figure. The iron-bar rotor aligns itself within the resultant field at the point of greatest flux density. By convention, this position is known as the zero-degree position. The rotor can be turned from this position to any number of positions by applying the proper combination of voltages to the three coils, as illustrated in figure 1-10, view (A), view (B), view (C), view (D), view (E), view (F) .