Computer-based automated testing of salient pole alternators

A knowledge of alternator parameters and operational characteristics is a pre-requisite for any thorough assessment of performance or suitability for a particular application. Parameter values are determined, after manufacture, via measurements taken during tests conducted according to standard procedures specified by various national and international bodies. This paper describes the design, evolution and operation of automatic test equipment for the conduct of any required sequence of standard tests, and results are displayed to illustrate the effectiveness of the equipment. For practical reasons, testing has been confined to small, high-speed machines, but the techniques are far more widely applicable.