7/5/2015

THE OUTLINE

ECM346
BUILDING SERVICES

Electrical
Generator
- Theory of generator, Basic components in generator
- Alternating Current, Direct Current
- alternator
- dynamo
- rectifier
- inverter

Prepared by:
Herda Balqis Binti Ismail
herdabalqis@johor. uitm.edu.my
Faculty of Civil Engineering, UiTM PG

LESSON OUTCOMES

WHAT IS GENERATOR ?
A

generator is a machine that produces

electrical energy from mechanical
energy.

At the end of the topic, students are able to:

Describe

the principle electric generation

the Alternating Current and
Direct Current
Explain the electrical machine
Differentiate between D.C and A.C motor
Differentiate

It

does not create energy. It changes

mechanical energy into electrical
energy.

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COMPONENTS IN
GENERATOR..(1)

Armature/ coils/ windings

It is made of conductor
(copper). It is where a
current is induced by
magnetic induction
during movement of
magnet.

There are two main

types of generator;

Direct Current (DC)

generators produces
electric current that
always flows in the
same direction

Stator

The stationary
electromagnetic
structure/part of
generator.

Alternating Current
(AC) generators or
alternators produce
electric current that
reverses direction many
times every second

Rotor

The rotating/moving
electromagnetic
structure/part of
generator.
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COMPONENTS IN
GENERATOR..(2)

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BASIC PRINCIPLES ON HOW A

SIMPLE GENERATOR
WORKS(1)

660 MW generator,
stator end windings

The electricity is produced by means of

a principle coil (i.e.copper) near a
magnet or by moving a magnet near
the coil.

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BASIC PRINCIPLES ON HOW A

SIMPLE GENERATOR
WORKS..(2)

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If a coil of wire is rotated

between two poles of
permanent magnet (magnetic
field/flux), the two sides of the
coil cut the line of force.
Thus, This induces electricity in
the coil

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BASIC PRINCIPLES ON HOW A

SIMPLE GENERATOR
WORKS..(2)

The voltage of the electricity produced is

called an induced electromotive force (emf).
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BASIC PRINCIPLES ON HOW A

SIMPLE GENERATOR
WORKS..(3)

BASIC PRINCIPLES ON HOW A

SIMPLE GENERATOR
WORKS..(4)
There are two methods of
connection between the coil
and the external circuit which
are:

There are three (3) factors that will

increase the voltage produced by a
generator:

(1) The strength of the magnetic field.

- The stronger the magnet the higher the

Using slip ring

for producing Alternating

Current (AC) - alternator
- Example: Hydro electric

voltage produced

(2)The speed of the rotation.

- The faster the rotation the more voltage will

power plant

be produced

Using split ring (commutator)

for producing Direct
Current(DC) - generator
- Example: bicycle dynamo

(3) The number of loops of wires that

cut the magnetic field.
The more the number of the loops the more higher
the voltage.
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THE GENERATION OF
DIRECT CURRENT

DIRECT CURRENT (D.C)

DC flows in one direction

It can be generated from various sources such as :

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Dry and wet cell batteries

Photovoltaic cells
Dynamos
Generators
Rectifiers

To change the simple generator into DC

generator, two things must be done:

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The current must be conducted from the rotating loop

of wire, and
The current must be made to move in only one
direction

A device called a split rings/ commutator

performs both tasks

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How DC generator works?

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4) One brush feed it in

the generator

SPLIT RINGS /COMMUTATOR

2) The commutator rotates

with the loop of wire in the
magnetic filed

Each half of
the
commutator
rings is call
commutator
segment and is
insulated from
the other half

3) Two carbon
brushes
connected to
the outside
circuit rest
against the
rotating
commutator
segment
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4) One brush
conducts the current
out of the generator.
-No matter how the
current in the loop
alternates, the
commutator segment
containing the
outwards-going
currents is always
the out brush at the
proper time

1) Each end of the rotating

loop of wire is connected to
commutator segment

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ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT
CURRENT

The power generation can be from a large

generator to a portable generator depending on
the power demand/usage
DC current can be stored for future used in a
battery. - Power generation from small to
miniature batteries for small electrical gadgets,
example: watches, calculators, clocks, radios,
camera etc.
The current is more stable and less fluctuation

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DISADVANTAGES OF
DIRECT CURRENT

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ALTERNATING CURRENT
Alternating current or A.C is an electric current that
flows for an interval of time in one direction and then
in the opposite direction.
It starts from zero and grows to maximum and then
decrease to zero. It continues to reach maximum in the
opposite direction and finally return to zero. The cycle
process repeated indefinitely.

The voltage of DC is unable to be changed into

different range of voltage
DC is very dangerous for public utilization if high
voltage

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THE GENERATION OF
ALTERNATING CURRENT
To

change the simple DC generator into

an AC generator, two things must be
done:

Cycle or Revolution (Rev)

Half of the positive (+ve) cycle will alter direction to another half
negative (-ve) cycle and vice- versa and complete 1 revolution
(360o)

The current must be conducted from the rotating loop

of wire and

The current must be made to move in both directions

device called slip rings performs both

tasks.

Period (T) unit second(s)

Time required to complete 1 revolution

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1) Each end of wire

loop is connected/fixed
to the slip rings

2) The rings
rotated with the
wire loop in the
magnetic filed

How AC generator works?

3) A brush carbon rests

against each ring.
3) Each brush is
connected to a wire
leading to the device
that will use the
electricity. The current
produced in the loop of
wire flows in and out of
the generator through
the rings and brushes
to the devices.

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ADVANTAGES OF
ALTERNATING CURRENT
The

voltage could be lowered or raised

economically by using a transformer. This
will reduce losses of electrical power.

High

voltage is for generation and

transmission, and low voltage for safe
utilization.

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DISADVANTAGES OF
ALTERNATING CURRENT

The current will create a back emf due to the

generated magnetic flux that cuts the neutral
wire. This will affect the power supply in a
circuit.

How to change AC to DC?

The current is not stable and it tends to fluctuate

with time

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RECTIFIER..(1)

RECTIFIER..(2)

An electric device that allows more

current to flow in one direction
than the other, thus enabling
alternating emf to drive only DC.

The equipment that usually contains

rectifier is:
Hand

phones charger
DC radio and active speakers
AC-DC Electric power shower
AC

The device most commonly used

for rectification is the semi
conductor diode.

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INVERTER

How to change DC to AC?

Inverter is used in wide range of

applications, from small switching
power supplies in computers, to
large electric utility applications that
transport bulk power.

An inverter converts the DC from

sources such as batteries, solar panels,
or fuel cells to AC

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THANK YOU

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