Generating Electricity
Shaun Harrison
Contents
Introduction
Basic Principles of Operation
Alternator Design
Summary
Questions
Further Information
Introduction
What is an alternator?
Alternators convert mechanical power into AC electricity.
They’re found in, amongst others;
Vehicle electrical systems (charge alternator)
Power Stations
Wind Turbines
Industrial Diesel Generators
Industrial Diesel Generators
Industrial Diesel Generators (Generator Sets) are machinery that incorporate;
A Prime Mover – The diesel engine
An Alternator
Ancillary equipment such as fuel tanks, starting batteries, control panel,
exhaust system, acoustic canopy or attenuators
The flywheel from the engine is often directly coupled to the alternator, no
gearbox or clutch, the rpm of the alternator rotor is equal to the rpm of the
diesel engine.
Basic Principles of Operation
Michael Faradays Laws of Induction tells us when a conductor moves in
respect to a magnetic field, an emf is induced.
If the conductor is part of a circuit then current will flow.
Flemings right hand rule can be used to show the direction of current flow.
Basic Principles of Operation
Flemings Right Rule
With the thumb, first finger, and
second finger at right angles;
the thumb represents the direction
of movement
the first finger the direction of the
magnetic field
the second finger will give the
direction current would flow
through the conductor
Basic Principles of Operation
Self excited single bearing auxiliary
magnet alternator. Auxiliary Magnet Alternators
An alternator uses mechanical
power to rotate a conductor
through a magnetic field, or rotate
a magnetic field inside a
conductor.
Auxiliary Magnet Alternators are a
type of self excited alternator, that
use only electromagnets and
contain no permanent magnets at
all.
Industrial Alternators
The main alternator components are;
The main rotor and main stator
exciter rotor and exciter stator
Shaft and bearings
Diodes
Automatic voltage regulator.
MAIN ROTOR
AND STATOR
AUTOMATIC
VOLTAGE
REGULATOR
(AVR)
SHAFT AND
BEARINGS
EXCITER
ROTOR AND
STATOR
DIODES
Industrial Alternators
The shaft rotates as a result of an external force, in the case of a diesel
generator, this is the diesel engine. The bearings, coated in grease, keep
friction to a minimum.
As the shaft rotates the two rotors rotate at the same speed.
The exciter rotor rotating within the magnetised stator produces an emf. This
alternating emf passes through a set of diodes to deliver a DC emf & current
into the main rotor.
This is called the field current and as the field current increases, so does the
magnetic field strength.
Alternating EMF
The electromagnet rotor creates a
constantly changing magnetic field
in the stator windings (coil)
The magnitude can be calculated
with the formula:
𝐸 = 𝐵𝑙𝑣
v being the velocity perpendicular
to the magnetic field, at angle 𝜃
this is sin 𝜃 v
This is where the sine wave comes
from.
3 Phase Electricity
To generator a 3-phase supply,
three stator windings are used.
These are at intervals of 120°.
Each winding gives one phase of
a 3-phase electricity system at
one terminal.
The other terminals are tied at
the star point to give a neutral.
AVR
The stator windings have a self inductance, and
at 50 Hz there is an inductive reactance (𝑋𝑙 )
Increased load also leads to an decrease in
terminal voltage due to increased internal
resistance (V=IR – as I increases, 𝑉(𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝) increases)
To counter the voltage drop as a result of 𝑋𝑙 and
internal resistance, the AVR increases the current
in the rotor windings (field current)
This increases magnetic field strength.
As 𝐸 = 𝐵𝑙𝑣 or in a rotating magnetic flux 𝐸 =
𝐵𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛∅𝜃𝑣, increasing magnetic field strength
increases voltage, and brings terminal voltage
back to the desired value.
Frequency
The alternator is synchronous, this means the frequency of the AC supply
matches the speed of the rotor (which matches the speed of the engine)
In the UK a 50Hz supply is required,
For a 4-pole alternator (2 pairs of poles)
60 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒 ∗ 50 (𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦)
The shaft RPM must be 𝑟𝑝𝑚 = or 𝑟𝑝𝑚 = 1500
2 (𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠)
As the load current increases, so does an opposing magnetic flux
The engine must produce more power at fixed speed to maintain the output
frequency
Current/Power
The current flowing through the
stator windings causes a
temperature rise in the
conductors.
The windings must be large enough
to allow the design current to flow
safely
As the design current increases,
the physical size of the alternator
increases
Summary
An alternator requires the input of
mechanical force
This force is used to move a
magnetic field inside a coil/s of
conductors
The movement induces an emf in
the conductors
Circuits from the stator windings
take electrical power from the
alternator
QUESTIONS?
A Video Explanation
