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ElectricPowerGenerators:HowTheyWork

writtenby:johnzactrubaeditedby:LamarStonecypherupdated:4/25/2013
Electricitypowersyourlightswitches,computers,phonesandmore!Howdowegeneratealltheelectricityusedto
powerarehomes?LearnhowElectricPowerGeneratorsworkhere.
Nothingistoowonderfultobetrueifitbeconsistentwiththelawsofnature."
MichaelFaraday

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History
Theprincipleof
electromagneticinductionis

thebasisofthegenerationofelectricity.
Discoveredin1830byMichaelFaraday,thislaterledtothedevelopmentofthedynamobyPixie.Thisstartedthe
generationofelectricitybyconvertingmechanicalenergyfromsteamturbinesandhydroturbines.Beitthegenerationof
afewwattsofelectricityormillionsofwatts(megawatts)ofelectricity,thebasicprincipleremainsthesame.

TheBasicsofGenerators
Initssimplestformtheelectricgeneratorconsistsof
Amagnetthatproducesamagneticfield.
Amovablecopperconductorplacedatrightanglestothemagneticfield,
Whenthecopperconductormoves,theconductorcutsthemagneticfield.Thisproducesanemf(electromotiveforce)or
voltage,whichsendsanelectriccurrentthroughthecopperconductor.

Mechanicalenergymovesthecoilconvertingittoelectricalenergy.

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ModernElectricalGenerators
Inreallife,theelectricgeneratorisslightlydifferent.
Themagnetisanelectromagnetanditrotates.Thisisthe'rotor'orthe'field'andconsistsofwoundconductorson
therotatingpartofthegenerator.
Thecopperconductorisstationarycalledthe'stator'orthe'armature'.Thisconsistsofhighcurrentcarryingcopper
coilswoundonthestationarypartofthegenerator.
Therotor'srotatingmagneticfieldcutsthestationarystatorcopperconductorstoproducetheelectriccurrent.
TheenergyforrotationoftherotorisfromarotatingturbineoranInternalCombustionengine.

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Ecient Steam Products
Allgeneratorsusethisbasicprinciple.Onlytheprimaryenergysourceandprimemoverisdifferent.Theprimemover
canbeasteamturbine,agasturbine,awindturbine,orahydroturbine.
Oneveryimportantfactoraboutelectricgeneratorsistheirsynchronisedoperation.
Allthepowerplantgeneratorsconnecttothenationalortheregionaltransmissiongrid.Thedomestic,public,or
industrialusersgettheelectricityfromthisgrid.Thismeansallthesegeneratorsshouldproduceelectricpowerthathas
thesamecharacteristics.

ThreeCharacteristics
Thethreeimportantcharacteristicsare
Frequency:Thepowerwhatwegetisanalternatingcurrentwith50Hz,whichverysimplymeansthevoltageandthe
directionalflowoftheelectriccurrentchanges50timesasecond.IntheUS,Japan,andsomeothercountriesthe
frequencyis60Hz.Eventhoughthisissomethingwecannotseeorfeelthisisaveryimportantinthedesignofand
operationofelectricgeneratorsandappliances.
Voltage:

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thisisthemainelectromotiveforcethatdrivestheelectriccurrent.Largegeneratorsproduceelectricityat20,000volts,
smallergeneratorsoutputat400voltsor6000volts.Thesevoltagesare"steppedupordown"asrequiredfor
transmissionanddistributiontotheuser.Transmissionofelectricityoverlargedistancestakesplaceatveryhigh
voltagesintheorderof150,000to400,000voltsormore.Adomesticuserneedselectricityat230volts(120voltsin
US).Eventhoughthedifferenttypesofgeneratorsproducevoltagesatcertainstandardlevels,attheconnectionpointto
gridtheyallhavetohavethesameequivalentvoltage.
Phase:Largeelectricpowergeneratorsproduce3phaseelectricpower.Verysimplyputthismeanstherearethree
differentcircuitseachgeneratingpoweratthesamevoltageandfrequency.Theonlydifferenceisthehighsandlowsin
eachcircuittakesplaceatdifferenttimesineachofthe50Hzcycle.Theadvantageistheelectriccurrentthrougheach
conductorisonethirdofthatofasinglephasemakingitverycosteffectiveintransmissionandapplication.Inaddition,it
iseasiertoproduceamagneticfieldrequiredtorunanelectricmotor.Householdappliancesworkonlyonasingle
phase,butalmostallofindustrialapplicationathigherloadsuse3phase.
Whileconnectingageneratortothegriditisveryimportantthatthesethreecharacteristicsmatchwiththatofthegridto
whichitisconnected.Ifnotproperlydonethiscandisastrouslydamagethegenerator.Theprocessofconnectionis
knownassynchronisation.

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