Eliminating the need for maintenance with brushless exciter

Synchronous motors call for extensive maintenance, undertaking which can be really problematic at times; the reason being that these motors operate with the aid of sliding contacts. These sliding contacts, commonly referred to as brushes, collector rings, and commutator, more or less pose a serious problem in terms of maintenance, thereby driving the costs upwards. However, maintenance is not the only thing that you may find difficult to take care of until and unless these contacts are gotten rid of. Apparently, these very same contacts can turn the use of synchronous machines in hazardous environments into a challenging job; however, with a brushless exciter, things actually differ.

Using the exciter can often result in multiple benefits, with the elimination of the need for maintenance being the most obvious of them. As it is possible to mount the exciter as well as assembly on the shaft, it makes no sense to put some additional bearings to use; therefore, maintenance doesn’t necessarily have to be an issue, at least not one which cannot be dealt with. Furthermore, as already mentioned, hazardous environments have more or less always been demanding as using the machines in these environments calls for added protection. However, with the brushless exciter, there is no specific requirement for enclosure modifications, at least not for ensuring that the required level of protection has been achieved to avoid all possible risks.
Meanwhile, the good news is that the use of the exciter does not really impact the benefits that are otherwise expected out of synchronous motors, and high efficiency as well as automatic regulation will continue to make your job easier. Nonetheless, the maintenance-related problem of synchronous motors can be tackled with the aid of the exciter, but wound rotor motors continue to fall under the category of motors requiring maintenance because of slip rings and of course brushes.