Lap vs Wave Winding: Difference and Comparison

Key Takeaways

1. Lap winding consists of numerous parallel paths with fewer turns per coil, resulting in lower voltage and higher machine current ratings.
2. Wave winding utilizes fewer parallel paths with more turns per coil, generating higher voltage and lower current ratings.
3. Lap winding is suitable for high-current, low-voltage applications, whereas wave winding is preferable for low-voltage applications.

What is Lap Winding?

Electrical equipment such as transformers and motors create a homogeneous magnetic field used in Lap Winding to ensure that the magnetic field formed by the machine is of the same magnitude in all directions, resulting in more efficient and dependable performance.

By winding the same number of turns of the same size wire onto each of the machine’s separate coils, lap winding creates a homogeneous magnetic field in an electrical device. This sort of winding produces a symmetrical winding pattern, meaning that the same number of turns wounds onto each machine’s separate coils.

The uniformity of the magnetic field produced by the lap winding results from the number of turns of the same size wire wound onto each of the individual coils of the machine. The more uniform the magnetic field, the more efficient the operation of the device. It is because the same energy is used to produce the same output.

The lap winding lowers the current required to achieve a particular output. It conducts this by decreasing the number of turns in the spiral pattern. It allows the machine to provide the same output while using less current, resulting in lower energy usage.

What is Wave Winding?

Wave winding is a technique used in electrical machines to transfer electrical energy into mechanical energy or vice versa. To optimize the number of spins in a given space, the coils of the machine wound in a spiral or “wave” pattern. This approach is utilized in various electrical machines, including alternators and motors, and is a cost-effective and efficient method of producing devices with high power output.

Wave winding has the primary advantage of increasing the number of turns in a given region. Because more coil packs into smaller areas, space is more efficient. It is advantageous in equipment that requires many turns, such as transformers. Wave winding also requires less wiring because the coil is placed closer together, resulting in fewer connections.

In addition to increasing efficiency, wave winding can also reduce the size of the machine. The machine’s overall size reduces since more coil packs into a smaller area. It is beneficial for applications where space is limited, such as in portable devices.

Another advantage of wave winding is that it improves machine reliability. Since the coil packs firmly together, a short circuit is less likely to develop. It lowers the likelihood of the equipment malfunctioning owing to electrical issues.

Difference Between Lap and Wave Winding

1. The coil in the lap is winding and laps back to the next coil, whereas, in wave winding, the coils connect in a wave shape.
2. The end of the armature coil in lap winding connects to the neighboring commutator segment. Still, in wave winding, the end of the armature coil is put in the separate commutator segment.
3. In lap winding, the number of parallel lines equals the number of poles in the coil, whereas, in wave winding, the number of parallel routes always equals two.
4. The number of brushes in lap winding equals the number of parallel routes, but the number of same in wave winding is two.
5. In low voltage, high current machines, lap winding is employed, whereas wave winding is in high voltage, standard current devices.

Comparison Between Lap and Wave Winding

Parameters of Comparison	Lap Winding	Wave Winding
Definition	Lap back to the succeeding coil.	Winding forms the wave shape.
Connection	An adjacent segment on the commutators.	Commutator segments some distance apart.
Additional Coil	Equalizer ring	Dummy coil
EMF	Less	More
Uses	Low voltage machines	High voltage machines

References

1. Calculation of a Lap Winding Coil Geometry | SpringerLink
2. Balanced fractional-slot wave windings | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore

Last Updated : 30 July, 2023