DC Generator working and construction details:
A shunt-wound DC generator is constructed so that the
field winding is in parallel with the armature winding. The voltage of a
shunt-wound DC generator decreases with an increase in load current. A
series-wound DC generator is constructed so that the field winding is
in series with the armature winding. The voltage of a series-wound DC
generator increases sharply with an increase in load. In a
cumulatively-compounded DC generator, the series and shunt fields aid
one another. In a differentially-compounded DC generator, the series
and shunt fields oppose one another. The voltage of a flat-compounded
DC generator changes less than 5 percent from no-load to full-load. The
voltage of an over-compounded DC generator gradually rises
with an increasing load.
Here is the construction diagram of dc generator
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An electrical generator is a device that
converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, generally using
electromagnetic induction. The source of mechanical energy may be a
reciprocating or turbine steam engine, water falling through a turbine
or waterwheel, an internal combustion engine, a wind turbine, a hand
crank, or any other source of mechanical energy.
The Dynamo was the first
electrical generator capable of delivering power for industry. The
dynamo uses electromagnetic principles to convert mechanical rotation
into an alternating electric current. A dynamo machine consists of a
stationary structure which generates a strong magnetic field, and a set
of rotating windings which turn within that field. On small machines the
magnetic field may be provided by a permanent magnet; larger machines
have the magnetic field created by electromagnets.
The energy conversion in generator is based on the principle of the production of dynamically induced e.m.f. Whenever a conductor cuts magneticic flux , dynamically induced e.m.f is produced in it according to Faraday's Laws of Electromagnetic induction.This e.m.f causes a current to flow if the conductor circuit is closed. Hence, two basic essential parts of an electrical generator are (i) a magnetic field and (ii) a conductor or conductors which can so move as to cut the flux.
The energy conversion in generator is based on the principle of the production of dynamically induced e.m.f. Whenever a conductor cuts magneticic flux , dynamically induced e.m.f is produced in it according to Faraday's Laws of Electromagnetic induction.This e.m.f causes a current to flow if the conductor circuit is closed. Hence, two basic essential parts of an electrical generator are (i) a magnetic field and (ii) a conductor or conductors which can so move as to cut the flux.
Generator Construction:
Simple loop generator is having a single-turn
rectangular copper coil rotating about its own axis in a magnetic field
provided by either permanent magnet or electro magnets.In case of without commutator the two ends of the coil are joined to slip rings
which are insulated from each other and from the central shaft.Two
collecting brushes ( of carbon or copper) press against the slip
rings.Their function is to collect the current induced in the coil. In
this case the current waveform we obtain is alternating current ( you
can see in fig). In case of with commutator the slip rings are replaced by split rings.In this case the current is unidirectional.
Components of a generator:
Rotor:
In its simplest form, the rotor consists of a single loop of
wire made to rotate within a magnetic field. In practice, the
rotor usually consists of several coils of wire wound on an
armature.
Armature:
The armature is a cylinder of laminated iron mounted on an
axle. The axle is carried in bearings mounted in the external
structure of the generator. Torque is applied to the axle to
make the rotor spin.
Coil: Each
coil usually consists of many turns of copper wire wound on the
armature. The two ends of each coil are connected either to two
slip rings (AC) or two opposite bars of a split-ring commutator
(DC).
Stator: The
stator is the fixed part of the generator that supplies the
magnetic field in which the coils rotate. It may consist of two
permanent magnets with opposite poles facing and shaped to fit
around the rotor. Alternatively, the magnetic field may be
provided by two electromagnets.
Field electromagnets: Each
electromagnet consists of a coil of many turns of copper wire
wound on a soft iron core. The electromagnets are wound, mounted
and shaped in such a way that opposite poles face each other
and wrap around the rotor.
Brushes:The
brushes are carbon blocks that maintain contact with the ends
of the coils via the slip rings (AC) or the split-ring
commutator (DC), and conduct electric current from the coils to
the external circuit.
How DC generator works?
The commutator rotates with the loop of wire just as
the slip rings do with the rotor of an AC generator. Each half of the
commutator ring is called a commutator segment and is insulated from the
other half. Each end of the rotating loop of wire is connected to a
commutator segment. Two carbon brushes connected to the outside circuit
rest against the rotating commutator. One brush conducts the current out
of the generator, and the other brush feeds it in. The commutator is
designed so that, no matter how the current in the loop alternates, the
commutator segment containing the outward-going current is always
against the "out" brush at the proper time. The armature in a large DC
generator has many coils of wire and commutator segments. Because of the
commutator, engineers have found it necessary to have the armature
serve as the rotor(the rotating part of an apparatus) and the field
structure as the stator (a stationary portion enclosing rotating parts).