DC AND AC SOURCES

Two types of Electrical Sources

a.) DC Source
b.) AC Source

DC SOURCES

 Direct Current (DC) sources are sources with unidirectional (one direction) flow of
charge.

Categories of DC voltages sources

a.) Batteries
b.) DC Generators
c.) Power supplies

Symbol for DC Voltage Source

BATTERIES

 It is the most common of the DC sources.

 It consists of a combination of two or more similar cells.
 A cell is the fundamental source of electrical energy produced through
chemical conversion.

Types of Cell

a.) Primary – not rechargeable

b.) Secondary – rechargeable

Most common rechargeable Batteries

a.) Lead-acid (automobiles)

b.) Nickel-cadmium (calculators, tools, shavers, etc.)
c.) Lithium-ion (Cellular Phone)

Ampere-Hour Rating

 The capacity rating of Batteries is in ampere-hours (Ah) or milliampere-

hour (mAh).
 The capacity of a dc battery decreases with an increase in the current
demand.
  The capacity of a dc battery decreases at relatively low and high
temperatures.

DC GENERATORS

 Direct Current (DC) generator is a machine that converts mechanical

energy into electrical energy.
 When the generator is rotating at its rated speed due to the applied
torque of some external source of mechanical power, a voltage is
generated at the external terminals of the machine.

POWER SUPPLIES

 The dc supply most frequently used in the laboratory employs rectification

and filtering processes as its means in obtaining a steady dc voltage.
 Most laboratory dc supplies have regulated, adjustable voltage output
with three available terminals.

AC SOURCES

 Alternating current (AC) sources are sources that changes with time.
 It is the commercially available electrical source.
 AC generator is also called “alternator”

Types of AC Waveforms

 Sinusoidal (sine) wave

 Square (Rectangular) wave
 Triangular wave

Figure 1.1. Types of ac waveforms

Various Sources of AC Power

a.) Power plant

b.) Portable AC generator
c.) Function generator
Figure 1.2. Various sources of AC Power: (a.) Large power plant, (b.) Portable AC
generator, (c.) Function generator

POWER PLANT

 Large power plant is the most common source of ac voltage that supplies
almost all the electricity needs of the country.
 Ac generator is the primary component in the energy conversion process
in a power plant.

Prime mover of large ac generator:

 Water turbine
 Steam turbine (coal, geothermal, nuclear)
 Gas turbine
 Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)

PORTABLE AC GENERATOR

 Portable ac generators are available that run on gasoline that can be

used in isolated areas or during power outage.

FUNCTION GENERATOR

 Generates ac voltages that can be controlled by the user.

Function generator plays an integral role in the investigation of theorems
and methods of analysis in electric circuit theory.