Chapter 11

Electrical Generators
• A generator is a device that converts
mechanical energy (motion) into electrical
energy (current – voltage).

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Basic Principle of Generators
• Faraday’s Law:
– “When a piece of wire moves within a
magnetic field, it causes current to be induced
in the conductor.”

See figures on page 101 and 102

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 Magnitude of Induced Current

• I is proportional to the speed of the conductor (v)

• I is proportional to the angle of travel of the
conductor with respect to the magnetic field (B).
– I is max when v is perpendicular to B.
– I is min (I=0) when v is parallel to B.
– I = K B V (sin of angle between v and B)

See figures on page 101 and 102

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 Basic Generator
• The basic generator consists of a loop of wire
wound on an armature drum residing within a
magnetic field (B) produced by a permanent
magnet.
• Each end of the loop is connected to a slip ring
which conducts electricity.
• Attached to each slip ring are electrical contactors
called “brushes”.

See figures on page 103.

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 Working of a Generator
As the loop (armature) turns, both ends of the loop
start to rotate a circular path.
• At 0 degrees the loop v is parallel to B and I = 0
• At 90 degrees, loop v is perpendicular to B and I
reaches its maximum value.
• At 180 degrees, loop v is parallel to B and I = 0
• At 270 degrees, loop v is perpendicular to B and I
reaches its minimum value.
• At 360 degrees, loop is parallel to B and I = 0
• At any other angle I = K v B (sin angle v,B)

See figures on pages 104, 105, and 106

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Methods of Generating Electricity
1. Hydroelectric (Water) Plants.
2. Nuclear power plants.
3. Coal driven power plants.
4. Wind power plants.
5. Geothermal power plants.
6. Solar power plants.

• The first five operate with a generator moved

by water, air or steam.
• The last one (solar), the electricity is produced
by the action of the sun given energy to
electrons to move on semiconductor materials.

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 To Increase the current

• Remember that I = K v B (sin of angle v,B)

• Then we can increase I by:
– Increasing v.
– Increasing B
– Using many loops in parallel

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 To Increase the Frequency (f)

• Increase the angular velocity of the loop (rotation

of the loop)
• However, by doing this, the amplitude of current
and voltage also increase.

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 Single-Phase Generator

• A generators with a single source or AC

voltage is called a Single-Phase generator.

See figure on bottom of page 107

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 Two-Phase Generator
• Two-Phase Generator is a generator built
with two loops at 90 degrees as shown in
Figure on page 108.

See figure on page 108

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 Three-Phase Generator
• Three-Phase Generator is a generator
built with three loops at 60 degrees as
shown in figure on page 109.

See figure on page 109

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To Increase the Generator Output
1. Increase the strength of the electromagnetic
field.
2. Increase the number of wires which make up
the loop.
3. Increase the rotation speed of the loop,
however, remember that by doing this, the
output frequency is also changed.

See figure on page 110

Website

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 Chapter 12: DC Motors
• Motor operation is dependent on the
interaction of magnetic fields
• To understand how a motor operates, we
need to review:
– The rules of magnetism.
– The relationship between I and B.

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 Magnetism
• A permanent magnet has two poles, N
and S, and has an electromagnetic field
(B), with flux lines traveling from N to S
external to the magnet.

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 Effect of Like / Unlike Poles
• Like poles of a magnet repel.
• Unlike poles attract each other.

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Current Flow and Magnetic Field
• A current flow in a conductor produces a
magnetic field.
– Perpendicular to the current flow.
– Left-hand rule gives direction of magnetic field
• Thumb = direction of conductor motion
• Index finger = magnetic lines of force
• Middle finger = induced current in conductor.

See figure on top of page 105.

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 Electromagnets
• Electromagnets are built with a conductor
formed into a coil around an iron core.

See figure on top of page 114

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 Direct Current Motors
• A simple DC motor looks just like the DC
generator. . .
• . . . but, in the generator the input is the motion
and the output is the current . . .
• . . . and, in the DC motor the input is the current
and the output is the motion.

See figure on page 112.

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 Operation of a DC Motor
• When voltage is applied to the loop of wire a
current flows, and a magnetic field is created that
will interact with the field of the magnet.
• Repulsion and attraction of the fields will cause
the loop to turn.
• The loop moves away from the strong field toward
the weak field.
• The direction of the rotation can be determined by
“the right-hand rule”.

See figure on page 113.

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Motor / Generator notation
• Field Windings / Armature
• Stator / Rotor

See figure on top of page 107

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 Types of DC Motors
• DC motors have two types of windings:
1. Field windings (Electromagnets)
2. Armature winding (Loop)

• Depending on how these windings are

connected to the voltage supply,
motors are classified in to three types

1. Series DC Motor
2. Shunt DC Motor
3. Compound DC Motor

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 Series DC Motor
• Field and armature windings in series.

• Use left-hand rule to find “N” and “S”

of magnets.

• Use right-hand rule to find if motor is

turning CW or CCW.

See figure on top of page 114

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 Use of DC Series Motors
• To operate small electrical appliances
• Portable electric tools
• cranes, winches, hoists

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Load Concerns of DC Motors
• Some load must ALWAYS be connected
to a Series DC Motor.
• Otherwise its speed will increase and
may damage the bearings or windings.
• Small motors, such as the ones used in
electric hand drills, have enough internal
resistance to load themselves

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 Shunt DC Motor
• Field windings and armature windings are
connected in parallel.
• Use the left-hand rule to draw the
electromagnetic fields, and right-hand
rule to show that the motor turns CW.

See figures on bottom of page 114, and top of page 115

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Speed of DC Shunt Motors
• Shunt DC motors provide constant
speed, even if the load requirements
change during operation.
• Therefore, the shunt DC Motors show
excellent speed regulation.

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 Reversing a DC Motor
• Will the rotation of the motor change if we switch
the connections at the voltage source?

• NO! Because if reverse the polarity, the current

will flow in opposite directions in both armature
and field windings.

• Verify this by inspection in the figure of page 115

(shown below). Remember to use the left-hand
rule for the fields and the right-hand rule for the
motor motion.

See figure on middle of page 115

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Reversing a DC Motor (2)
• To change the rotation of a DC motor we need to
ensure that the current flowing in only one of the
windings (Field or loop) changes its flow.

• Using left-hand rule for the field and right-hand

rule for the rotation, verify that the motor below
turns CCW.

See figure on page 116

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Generator Action in DC Motors
• In the figure below, the battery voltage (emf )
makes the current flow from its negative to its
positive terminal.

• Since the armature is a loop turning in a magnetic

field, it induces a current in opposite direction to
the battery current producing a voltage in
opposite direction ( cemf ).

• Therefore, the total voltage (EMFT) is

emfTotal = emf – cemf

See figure on page 117

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 Effect of cemf on DC Motor Speed

emfTotal = emf - cemf

• cemf strength depends of loop rotation speed

• Therefore, a motor at rest has no cemf.

• As motor starts to turn, cemf increases.

• Thus, emfTotal decreases, and…

• cemf is a self speed regulation in a DC motor

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Speed Regulation in DC Motor
• REVIEW
• Speed of a DC motor depends on ILOOP
• ILOOP is proportional to emfTotal
• cemf is directly proportional to motor speed

• SPEED REGULATION
• If load increases, then motor speed decreases,
• cemf decreases, emfTotal increases , & ILOOP
increases

• Since ILOOP increases, motor generates more

Force

• Loop turns faster compensating for any

reduction in speed due to mechanical load

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 Measure of Motor Output
• Output is measure in horsepower (hp).
• 1 hp = power to lift 550 pounds one foot
in one second.
1 hp = 746 Watts

- For residential uses motors < 1 hp

- Motors < 1hp are called
Fractional Horsepower Motors

* For large industrial applications motors

with multiple horsepower ratings are used

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