Generators, Motors and

How We Get Electricity

 Topics
What is electricity?
Energy Conversion
The Faraday Effect
Motor vs. Generator
AC/DC
Energy Trends - the case for Green
 What is Electricity?
Electricity is energy transported by
the motion of electrons

**We do not make electricity, we

CONVERT other energy sources into
electrical energy**

Conversion is the name of the game

Energy Conversion Options for Electricity
Non-Thermal Paths
Source to Electrical
Source Converter
Sun Photovoltaic (photon to electron)
Chemical Fuel Cell

Source to Potential/Kinetic to Mechanical to Electrical

Source Converter Kinetic to Mechanical Mech to Electrical
Dam Penstocks Turbine (water) Generator
Tides Machine Turbine (air or water) Generator
Wind N/A Turbine (air) Generator
Energy Conversion Options for Electricity
Thermal Paths
Heat to Mechanical to Electrical
Source Heat to Mechanical Mech to Electrical
Geothermal Turbine (vapor) Generator
OTEC Turbine (vapor) Generator

Stored Energy to Heat to Mechanical to Electrical

Source Reactor Heat to Mechanical Mech to Electrical
Fuel Combustor Turbine (gas or vapor) Generator
U, Pu Reactor Turbine (gas or vapor) Generator
Sun Collector* Turbine (gas or vapor) Generator
H, H2, H3Reactor Turbine (gas or vapor) Generator

* More a modifier or concentrator than a reactor

 Faraday Effect

Faraday Effect

Basic Concepts
Voltage V Potential to Move Charge (volts)
Current I Charge Movement (amperes or amps)
Resistance R V = IxR (R in =ohms)
Power P = IxV = I2xR (watts)
 Electric Motor

Electrical Mechanical
Energy M Energy

DC Motor
 Model Electric Motor
Beakman Motor

1. Electric Energy
What do you need? 2. Coil
3. Magnetic Field
 Electric Generator
Mechanical Electrical
Energy G Energy

Stationary magnets - rotating magnets - electromagnets

 AC/DC
(not the band)

Alternating Current Direct Current

Large-scale Batteries,
generators produce Photovoltaics, fuel
AC cells, small DC
Follows sine wave generators
with n cycles per Charge in ONE
second direction
1, 2, 3-phase? Negative, Positive
US:120 V,60 Hz terminals
Europe: 240 V,50Hz Easy conversion AC to
Transforming ability DC, not DC to AC
 Generator Phases
1 Phase 2 Phase 3 PhaseSmooth Power

Force Driving Motor (Red)

150
110

100

50
V( t )

V 1( t )
200
0 155.563
V 2( t )

V 3( t )
150
50 250
220

100
200
100
V( t )
50
V 1( t ) 150
110 150
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 V 2( t )
0 t 0.033 0
V 3( t ) V( t ) 100

V 1( t )
50 50
V 2( t )

V 3( t )
100 0

110 150 50
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035
0 t 0.033

100

110 150
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035
0 t 0.033

Single Phase Two Phase Three Phase

Polyphase Systems 3 phases for smoother torque delivery

 Where do we get our
Electricity?
Fossil Coal, Natural
Gas, Oil 550 Gigawatts
(GW)
Nuclear 200 GW
Hydro 75 GW
Geothermal 2.3 GW
Other Renewable
Wind, Solar, OTEC 13.6
GW
 Energy Usage Per Capita (1999)
9

7
TOE/person-year

0
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Ru
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*TOE - Tons of Oil Equivalent (~40 Million Btus)
 Oil Resources
Have Oil Use Oil

Saudi Arabia 26% U.S. 26%

Iraq 11% Japan 7%
Kuwait 10% China 6%
Iran 9% Germany 4%
UAE 8% Canada 4%
Venezuela 6% Russia 3%
Russia 5% Brazil 3%
Libya 3% S. Korea 3%
Mexico 3% France 3%
China 3% India 3%
Nigeria 2% Mexico 3%
U.S. 2% Italy 2%

The U.S. uses more than the next 5 highest

consuming nations combined.
 U.S. Renewable Energy Resource Assessment

Solar Wind
10
12
14
16 14
16

12
10
12 10
14
16
18 2

10
Megajoules/m
12 <10
10-12
12-14
14-16
16-18
20
22 24 14
18-20
26
20-22 6.0-6.5 m/s
26 13.4-14.6 mph
22-24
24 14
22 20 18 24-26 6.5-70 m/s
16 14.6-15.7 mph
26-28
>28 >7.0 m/s
15.7+ mph

Biomass Geothermal

Agricultural
resources & residues
Wood resources & o

Temperature <90C
residues o

Temperature >90C
Agricultural & wood
Geopressured resources
residues
Low inventory
 Barriers to Change
US energy infrastructure is large and deeply entrenched
400,000+ miles of gas and oil pipelines
160,000+ of high voltage transmission lines
176,000 gasoline stations
1000s of oil and gas wells drilled annually in the
US and Canada
 Barriers to Change
oil and gas are readily available as a world
commodity at low cost -- equivalent to $ 4 to 5 /
million Btu

US coal is even more abundant and cheaper

approximately $1/million Btu

US electricity prices remain low relative to

other commodities

The average American family spends only 3

to 4% of their income on energy!!