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Energy conversion
Convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
Automotive Charging system Purpose of charging system
• Contents It recharges the battery
I. Charging system functions It supplies electrical current after the engine has been started.
II. Purpose of charging system
III. Basic charging system parts
All charging circuits operate in three stages
IV. Principle of induced emf During starting: Battery supplies all load current
V. Alternator construction During normal operation: Alternator supplies all current an
VI. Alternator operation recharges the battery.
VII.Voltage regulator During peak operation: Battery helps alternator supply current
VIII.Charge indicators

Principle of operation

• The working of AC generator is electromagnetic induction to

generate electrical energy from mechanical energy .
• Faraday law basically states, “when the magnetic flux or the
magnetic field changes with time, the electromotive force is
produced”.
Lenz’s law.
When an emf is generated by a
change in magnetic flux
according to Faraday's Law, the
polarity of the induced emf is
such that it produces a current
whose magnetic field opposes the Factors affecting the magnitude of the induced emf
change which produces it.. 1. Increasing the number of turns
2. Increasing the speed
3. Increasing the strength of the magnetic field

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Induced voltage
1. In a single straight conductor

• With the right hand is held with the thumb, first finger and second
finger mutually perpendicular to each other (at right angles),:
I. The thumb is pointed in the direction of the motion of the
conductor relative to the magnetic field.
II. The first finger is pointed in the direction of the magnetic field.
III. The second finger represents the direction of the induced or
generated current within the conductor

Induced… Induced ……
• Consider a straight conductor of length L • Because of the charge, an electric field is
moving with constant velocity through a created:
uniform magnetic field F = qE = qvB or E = vB
• The charge experience a force of magnitude • The potential difference across the rod
F = qvB. ends is:
• Because of the magnetic force V = EL = BvL
– electrons accumulate at the lower end • If the motion is reversed..?
– positive charge is created at the upper end. • If the rod length is reduced by half..?

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Or,…..Induced …. Example
• The work done in moving the charge in the • In the figure below with R = 10  and L = 1 m,
length of the wire. and that a uniform 3 T magnetic field is directed
W = F x (length L), but force is F = qvB into the page. At what speed should the bar be
W = Fl= qvBL moved to produce a current of 0.5 A in the
• The induced voltage is just the work per resistor?
charge
V = w/q = qvBL/q = BvL 1.7 m/s

Induced voltage Induced ….

2. In the rotating coil
• Induced voltage = 2BLv = 2BLv sin
┴ angular
• If the loop rotates with constant
velocity ω: v = rω,  = ωt,
• and the area of the loop is A = L2r
• 2BLrω sin(ωt) = BAω sin(ωt)
• If the loop has N turns: NBAωsin(ωt)

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Induced …
Example 2
• An alternator has 95 turns of stator coil with
an area of 2x10-2 m2 and its rotor winding has
.02 T magnetic field density. Determine the
speed in RPM so that its maximum output is
14V.
n=3518rpm
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Example 1
1. A generator with a circular coil of 45 turns of
area 2 x 10-2 m2 is placed in a 0.30 T magnetic
field and rotated with a frequency of 60 Hz.
Find the maximum emf which is produced
during a cycle
102 volt
Next to to slide 9 (rms)
Class activity
• The voltage reading at sockets of your class
room is 220v, find the maximum voltage Vpeak)
• Show that the sum of the voltages from stator
coil at any time (t) is zero V0 sinωt + V0
sin(ωt +1200) + V0 sin(ωt + 2400) = 0
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Examples

Root mean square RMS (Effective voltage)

RMS, or root mean square (also called effective), voltage is a method

of denoting a voltage sine waveform (AC waveform) as an equivalent
voltage which represents the DC voltage value that will produce the
same heating effect, or power dissipation, in circuit, as this AC voltage at
the same time interval .

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Major components of charging system  The engine crankshaft pulley

drives the alternator through a belt
two to three times crankshaft
speed (3:1).
i. Battery
 Pulleys are either bolt on or are
pressed on the rotor shaft.
 Both 'V' and Multi-grove types are
i. Alternator. used
 To calculate the actual alternator
ii. Voltage RPM, determine the ratio between
regulator the two pulley diameters.

Alternator Parts of an Alternator

Energy conversion
 Converts mechanical energy to electrical energy
(Driven by Crankshaft, with the help of a drive-belt)

 The output of alternator is DC, but actually AC voltage

is generated and then converted to DC.

With external fan With internal fan

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Rotor …Rotor
•The rotor which is supported by bearings creates an •The fingers on one pole piece produce south
alternating magnetic field, Each end of the rotor field magnetic poles while the other piece produce north
winding is attached to a slip ring.
magnetic poles
•The DC supply is given to the rotor winding through the
slip rings and and brushes arrangement.

Brushes and i. Slip Rings Stator

slip rings • A slip ring is a device that allows the The stator is fixed to the shell of the alternator, and
transmission of power from a stationary does not turn. The stator assembly is composed of:
to a rotating structure.  laminated iron frame and ,
• Mounted on the rotor shaft (insulated three sets of windings, wound into slots in the
from it) Provide current to the rotor
frame.
windings.
• An external source of electricity is
• The alternating magnetic
needed to excite the field field from the spinning
ii. brushes rotor induces an alternating
• Two stationary carbon brushes ride on voltage into the stator
two rotating slip rings. winding.
• Springs hold the brushes in contact with • The windings make a three
the slip rings
phase unit due to the
• Bushes are either soldered or bolted.
manner of their connection.

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…stator Wye (Y) or Star wound stator

The type of connection

I. Star and
ii. Delta connections

 Can be identified by 4
stator leads
 Star-wound stators
produce a higher
voltage
 Two windings are in
series at any one time
during charge output.

Delta_ connection Diodes

• Alternator output must be
rectified (changed) from AC
to DC because automobile’s
electrical system requires
direct current (DC)
• A diode allows current flow
in only one direction.
• Several diodes are connected
 Delta-wound stators into a rectifier circuit.
produce a higher current. • Half of these diodes are used
 The windings are in on the positive side and the
parallel other half are on the
 have only three stator lead negative side.(mounted on a
heat-sink)
ends.

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Rectification of AC to DC

N.B. If the battery connections are reversed, the

diodes will be damaged due to a large current flow.

Factors that are affecting the alternator Circuits of the alternator

output are:
There are three standard circuits for the
alternator:
• The speed of the rotor.
Pre- excitation circuit
• Strength of the magnetic field, i.e.,
Excitation circuit (self- excitation)
number of turns of wire in the rotor winding,
Generator or main circuit
amount of electricity applied to the rotor coil,
the air gap between the rotor poles and the stator.
• The number of turns of wire in the stator coils, and.
• Inductive reactance

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Pre-excitation circuit
• The battery current first flows through the charge
indicator lamp and to the excitation winding in the
rotor.
• This is necessary because the remenance in the
excitation winding of the iron core is very weak at
the instant of starting and at low speeds, and does
not suffice to provide the self-excitation needed for
building up the magnetic field.

Excitation circuit
Charging system circuit
• The excitation current comes from the current flowing in the
three-phase windings. It comes from the alternator through
the regulator IG and F terminals or flows through the three
exciter diodes if present. Hence, no external power source is
required for self-excitation.

• The excitation current generates the magnetic field during

the operation of the alternator so that the required alternator
voltage can be induced in the stator windings.

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Generator circuit Voltage regulator

• A voltage regulator regulates the charging voltage
that the alternator produces, keeping it between 13.5
• The induced voltage in the stator windings is
and 14.5 volts to protect the electrical components
first rectified by the power diodes. Then, the
throughout the vehicle.
current flows to the battery and the loads in the
vehicle electrical system. Changes the amount of current flowing through
the rotor windings
• Without voltage regulation, the alternator would
• The stator winding voltages are a function of
consistently produce too much voltage
the angle of rotation of the rotor.
overcharging the battery and possibly causing
damage to the electrical system.

Charge indicator
• Informs the driver of the operating condition Types
or output of the charging system i. Point type
• Types: (electromechanical) and
warning light
voltmeter indicator
ii. IC (electronic) regulator
ammeter indicator
If the battery light comes on and stays on while you
are driving, there is a problem in the charging system
Example broken alternator belt.

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Regulator types based on circuit
• Type-A circuit has the voltage regulator on the
ground side of the field coil.
• Type-B circuit has the voltage regulator located on
the power side of the field coil.
b. Engine operation (low speed to middle)
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voltage regulator wth Voltage Relay (Charge
lamp relay)
• If there were no voltage relay, there would occur a drop in
voltage in the magnetic coil because the voltage is applied
to a long circuit via the ignition switch.
• A reduction of voltage would cause a proportionate
decrease in magnetic force of magnetic coil so the moving
points would not pulled sufficiently. As a result, alternator
voltage would rise too high.
C. Engine operating (Middle speed to
high speed)
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IC-Regulator
 The solid-state regulator
allows battery current to
excite alternator field coils,
and also controls charging
voltage at safe values.
It may be separately
mounted or inbuilt type.
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Advantages over mechanical regulator
 It is almost fool proof
It is smaller in size i.e., compact and light
It can control higher field current with improved
durability and reliability (this is due to lack of
mechanical points).
A narrower output voltage range and little or no
variation with alternator speed and input voltage i.e.,
no hysteresis characteristics. There is little variation
in output voltage. (Not more than 0.1 to 0.2 V)
Voltage variation at the rated load, or at maximum
output current of the alternator is between 0.5-1v
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...Advantages over mechanical regulator
• Good resistance to vibration, climatic effects
and high durability due to lack of moving parts.
• Voltage ouput becomes lower as its temperature
rises, hence proper charging of the battery can
be performed. This is because the Zener diode
become more conductive as temperature rises
• Spark free switching prevents radio interference
Disadvantages
• Susceptible to unusually high voltage and
temperatures.
N.B.
• If a load exceeds the alternators capacity is
applied, the output voltage will suddenly drop,
as in the case of point type regulator.
Therefore, never apply an excessive load when
checking the output voltage

Operating principles of IC regulator M-Type IC regulator

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EE- Type IC regulator

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