What is Generator: Definition and 1000 Discussions

In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts motive power (mechanical energy) into electrical power for use in an external circuit. Sources of mechanical energy include steam turbines, gas turbines, water turbines, internal combustion engines, wind turbines and even hand cranks. The first electromagnetic generator, the Faraday disk, was invented in 1831 by British scientist Michael Faraday. Generators provide nearly all of the power for electric power grids.
The reverse conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy is done by an electric motor, and motors and generators have many similarities. Many motors can be mechanically driven to generate electricity; frequently they make acceptable manual generators.

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  1. S

    Increase current output of generator?

    Hello, The speed of wind generator and its voltage are constant. The power needs to be constant, so does the magnets. The clue is to increase the current generated, how it can be done without altering the voltage, geometry or the speed? Thanks in advance!
  2. J

    San Onofre steam generator tubes leaking - why?

    Hi, San Onofre, menioned durring the Japan crisis, is leaking and corroding pipes fast: http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2012/03/22/5205/san-onofre-reactors-down-indefinitely/ http://sciencedude.ocregister.com/2012/02/02/nuclear-leak-damage-to-both-reactor-units/167503/ What is going on- any...
  3. J

    How Can I Increase the Output of a Small Wind Turbine Generator?

    This is my first time posting in this forum so please have patience. I am working on a small wind turbine design that will output 6-22 kWh (30kWh would be ideal but is not very plausible) and will be used to charge a lithium ion battery. The turbine will be used with wind speeds of 35-80 mph...
  4. B

    Understanding the Mechanics of a Cockcroft-Walton Generator

    I found this generator online and I was wondering how this setup works. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockcroft%E2%80%93Walton_generator How do the different stages up the voltage into dc? and just how do the capacitors and diodes actually work together to do this?
  5. H

    Turbine Generator and Torque

    I am making a small wind turbine using a generator to charge a battery. I have chosen a generator in relation to the battery and ultimate output requirements of the LEDs. However - I need to determine the amount of power I need to put generate for the system to work effectively. The...
  6. C

    How to decide the voltage for the piezoelectric disk on the droplet generator

    Now I am designing a piezoelectric droplet generator. The problem I am facing now is that the vibrational amplitude of the piezoelectric device is not sufficiently great. I do not know how to determine the voltage applied to the piezoelectric disk for my droplet generator. Can someone provide me...
  7. P

    Electromagnetic Induction and an electric generator

    Homework Statement An electric generator consists of n = 500 turns of wire formed into a rectangular loop with a length of 5 cm and width of 3 cm placed in a uniform magnetic field of 2.50 T. What is the maximum value of the emf produced when the loop is spun at f = 100 rpm about an axis...
  8. S

    Why is there an induced current in a dc motor?

    When I put a current into a dc motor, there will be a turning effect. But I thought as this happens, won't there the an induced current that flows in the opposite direction? Bt Fleming's Right hand rule, the current will flow in the other direction. So I'm quite confused about this...
  9. M

    Calculating DC Generator Output via Input

    My dad is an electrical engineer, I am not. I am just a dumb race car driver. That said, I want to not ask him too much about all this stuff since I want to not look like a complete idiot. I feel that some of this stuff should be somewhat common knowledge, but alas, I am drawing a blank. I...
  10. F

    Generator hunting when parallel

    Evening to all, I'm electrician onboard AHTS vessel. Currently I've have problem with generators onboard my vessel. For your info, we have 4 generators onboard. When paralleling with generator No. 1 and 2, the generator will be hunting if the load is low. But if running only generator 1 or 2...
  11. D

    Why is my body so sensitive to a van de graaff generator

    my husband has a van de Graaff generator and one day he decided to bring it out and show me since i had never seen one. well after about 5 minutes of it running i could not even be in the same room as it while it was running because it caused me physical pain. now i want to know why did this...
  12. B

    Steam generator on the exhaust pipe of the car ( cogeneration )

    I'm trying to do the concept of a turbosteamer that the bmw is workking on but I'm facing few problems : the flow rate of water will be 9 ml/s and of pressure 6 bars . based on htri xchanger program , the best design of my shell and tube heat xchanger will be of 22 cm diameter and 6.4 mm tube...
  13. A

    Can the Siemens SGT400 turbine be used as both a generator and compressor?

    I have recently some research about Siemens turbine, specially SGT400 model. this type of turbine can be used as a generator and also as a compressor. Both of them has a core "core engine " http://www.energy.siemens.com/hq/en/power-generation/gas-turbines/sgt-400.htm I need to know is...
  14. Q

    Airflow design for generator box

    I'm making a portable generator box, and I'm currently designing the baffles. The design is quite similar to this: http://media.photobucket.com/image/hush%20box/Audiomechanic/ProjectorHushBox1.png There will be an extra wall on the left and right to accommodate louvres on the exterior...
  15. S

    Can a 2KW Generator Handle a 5000 RPM, 27HP Engine for Tuning?

    We have a single cylinder 500 cc petrol bike engine. It's maximum power output is 27bhp( max) and the max rpm of the engine is 5000 rpm. We need to tune the engine to MAP it accordingly. We are thinking to use a generator to convert the mechanical power into electrical power. I need help on...
  16. S

    Steam Generator Problem: Calculating Heat Input and Fractional Usage of Heat"

    Thank you Homework Statement cold water enters a steam generator at 20°C, is vaporized at 165°C, and exits as a superheated vapor at 350°C. The steam generator, operates at constant pressure. (a) the heat input to the generator (kJ per kg of steam product); (b) the fraction of the input...
  17. S

    Cyclic set: Difference between generator and unit

    Hello everyone, I've just begun a lesson on cyclic sets, but I am having problems determining a few concepts. One question will ask me to find the generators and the units of a cyclic set Z8. I have become confused and realized that I did not understand the difference between a generator and...
  18. B

    Cyclic groups generator problem

    Regarding finite cyclic groups, if a group G, has generator g, then every element h \in G can be written as h = g^k for some k. But surely every element in G is a generator as for any k , (g^k)^n eventually equals all the elements of G as n in takes each integer in turn. Thanks...
  19. B

    Synchronous Generator ( again )

    So I decided to take a brake from electronics, and get back to physics of synchronous machines, or alternators if you will. A great deal of help was mr. jim hardy, trying to explain the alternator in the intuitive way. And so he succeed. I got the basics right. Now I want to tackle some more...
  20. L

    Diesel Emergency Generator Amp Load

    Hi there! I have here a CAT Standby 650 ekW 813 kVA 60 Hz 1800 rpm 480 Volts generator with CAT 3412C TA Diesel Engine. Im trying to come up with maximum apm load which can be connected to this generator. What formula should I use for that? simple one W=V*A, where A=W/V good enought? Or...
  21. D

    Understanding How a 3-Phase Generator Works

    Hi, I was having some confusion understanding how the three phase generator works. As far as I know AC is connected to the stator and DC is connected to the rotor and the changing magnetic field in the stator causes the rotor to rotate. I was wondering what causes the rotor to rotate in...
  22. A

    Oscilloscope/Function Generator with GnuRadio (using very cheap hardware)

    I was just getting started with RF signal processing, and I was very interested in being able to make an oscilloscope and function generator work in real time with python. Essentially, I would like some means of: *Creating arbitrary waveforms defined by a numpy array (or sending out individual...
  23. C

    Why Is My 3-Phase Generator Voltage Clipping and Distorting?

    I have a 600v 3 phase generator that will not put out a stable voltage. When looking at the sine wave through a scope meter I see phase “B” and “C” are clipping at 690v, Phase A is still a sine wave but with some cross over distortion. Phase “A” peak is 840v. Any Ideas?
  24. B

    Function generator for wireless energy experiment

    My problem is that I am trying to, in this case, send a 50 KHz signal through an LC circuit to a receiving coil (very short distance by the way) so that the secondary coil can power an ipod. It's more so a first attempt and an experiment because the 50 KHz isn't a very powerful signal but I am...
  25. S

    Piezoelectric generator wiring question

    Hello, I am working on science fair project in which I am harvesting kinetic energy and converting it into electrical energy to charge an electrical device. However, i would appreciate another opinion on the setup of my circuit. Currently, my setup is as follows: I am using a piezoelectric...
  26. W

    Need Quick help regarding Generator

    Hey all, I was floating around and found this forum very very much helpful and informative... So i thought to post a question here which i was searching all over and didnt found any good answer.. I m searching for a generator (dynamo) that i would be using at around 100,000 RPM... Plz help...
  27. B

    Triangle wave op-amp generator

    Well another op-amp thread, while the other one is being cooked. http://pokit.org/get/a09120280ee2f6b6e3de7a99989b8bd9.jpg To speed you up, this is a triangle wave op amp generator. It generates a triangle wave at U2. In general I understand how the circuit works, but from the engineering...
  28. T

    BEd degree - magnetic generator - help with design

    Hey guys - I am doing my BEd degree. I'm going to get this out there right off the start because it will save a lot of issues. Please don't take this the wrong way, it's simply the truth as I know it. I am doing my Bachelor of Education, to be a teacher. As a teacher, based on my 'teacher...
  29. B

    Optimizing Sawtooth Wave Generator: Understanding Voltage and Amplitude

    http://pokit.org/get/f118bc654187e429ec1bb489e1eb3a38.jpg Suppose we have a sawtooth wave generator, like in the picture. I have a fairly simple question: If let's say Vcc is 15V, and let's say voltage drop across Re is 2.7V, and saturation point of Uce is 0,2 V. Provided that the period...
  30. F

    Negative Voltage/Current Readings in Induction Generator: Causes & Solutions

    Homework Statement I am taking the readings of voltage/current in a small induction generator; the readings are conveyed as negative on the voltage/current sensors on my data-logger, and positive on the multimeter in both areas. When the magnet passes through the coil, and power is generated...
  31. Y

    Calculating inductance using a RL circuit and a frequency generator

    any help would be much appreciated i am trying to calculate the inductance and impedance of a unknown air cored inductor. over a set frequency range (1600hz - 2700hz in 100hz increments) using a series RL circuit tools scope multimeter frequence generator Amplifier 1ohm 100W metal...
  32. G

    How to connect function generator software on laptop to breadboard?

    I'm using a software to generatre sine waves for my op amp circuit. I know you have to use the headphone jack to output the signal, but I don't know how I would go about connecting my headphones to my circuit. The problem is I don't know how I have to cut my headphone wire for ground and etc...
  33. I_am_learning

    Synchronous Generator in Isolated Mode

    I tried simulating a simple synchronous generator driving a resistive load in isolated mode (not connected to the grid/infinite bus), using Matlab Simulink, SimPowerSystems. First I used, Input mechanical power of 1 pu, and output resistive Load of 1 Pu. And Excitation Field Voltage of 4 pu...
  34. G

    Generator Design Questions (Electromagnetics)

    I am trying to use Faraday’s law to calculate the number of turns a coil requires to produce a certain voltage. This is what I have so far. V = -N * change in (( tesla * area meters squared)/ seconds) becomes N = -1*(-V/ change in (( tesla x area meters squared)/second)) N=-1*(-V/((T*A)/S)...
  35. T

    Variable Frequency Generator question

    As you can probably guess by my last few posts, I'm looking into resonance right now. I thought it would be interesting to make a device that could hit a specific resonant frequency, maybe even smash an object. Sure, people have done it, but...fun :) Anyhow, I was looking on how to make one...
  36. N

    If one generator commutes with all other,why must it be generator of U(1)?

    Please teach me this: If one generator of a Lie algebra commutes with all other generator,then why must this generator be the generator of U(1) trasformation?(I know that generator of U(1) commutes with all other generators). By the way,compact simple Lie algebras belong to 3 families...
  37. B

    Engine for small generator 3-30V

    Hello, I am a new user here but have found links to this site in many of my Google quests so I thought this may be the place to start a more focused search for information. I am doing a project with my son, we have created some spinning discs using magnets as a power source. I am...
  38. K

    Homopolar Generator: 0.1V Output, No Current

    I've made a homopolar generator using Al disk, its giving me a output voltage of around 0.1V but shockingly der is no current ! a checked the resistance of the disk its very low as required, i checked for every other problem like : improper contact , smoothness of the disk , symmetry of the...
  39. B

    Connecting a synchronous generator to the grid

    Hi for a project i need to connect a synchronous generator to the electrical grid, i need to use 2 curcuit breakers and . How to determine the cross section of the cables required and how to connect them to the 2 curcuit breakers.
  40. C

    Confusion: Van de Graaff generator

    My physics book explains a van de Graaff in this way: A small conducting sphere of radius a and carrying charge q is located inside a larger shell of radius b that carries charge Q. A conducting path is momentarily established between the two conductors, and the charge q then moves entirely to...
  41. F

    Gasoline fuel cell (vs. gas generator)

    Fuel cells means chem engineering, right? (move to the right section if necessary) Anyway this sounds great, except that it still uses gasoline: http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/39203/
  42. B

    How to select the DC generator?

    Hello, I have designed a water turbine which weighs about 5.3 Kgs and it rotates at about 150 rpm from a head of 3 mtrs. The water is guided by a single 25.4 mm dia pvc pipe. I can achieve better rpm upto 200 rpm by increasing the flow. My plan is to generate steady 12 Volts DC for rural...
  43. R

    Dc signal generator to several motors

    Hey guys, I got this problem. I have 9 fans motors in which i need to send a range of dc signal of 0-10 volts to each one. I had decided to buy a simple signal generator that can do the trick but soon realized that having one signal generator hook up to 9 motors at the same time will not be...
  44. S

    Concept of dc motor and a.c. generator

    Homework Statement I want to ask how dc motor and ac generator work and how they are used. dc motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. dc motor consists of magnet, coil, split ring commutator, brush and dc supply. dc supply will give direct current to the...
  45. F

    Synchronous Generator: Increase of Field Current & Torque Angle

    Hi, I'm a electrical engineering student and i have a question conserning synchronous machines, more precisely a sinchronous generator. Considering that's no change in load, the increase of the field current of the rotor would imply in a change in the torque angle? I need a detailed...
  46. N

    How do we know generator of U(1) is operator of electric charge?

    Please teach me this: How do we know the generator of U(1) symmetry is the operator of electric charge.Is this observation(the value defined by the operator) being the reserved observation deducing from Noether theorem(considering U(1) symmetry).And also how we know this Noether reserved...
  47. M

    Power delivered by a generator.

    I know the power delivered by a generator is IV and I'm ok with that. I'm just curious, why doesn't it include a term involving a magnetic potential? I mean when the generator moves a charge it does some work per unit charge (V) because it applies a force storing energy in the electric field...
  48. J

    How can I build a hand crank generator to power a universal powermat?

    Alright, so I am building a hand crank generator, and my goal is to replicate the K-tor pocket socket. http://www.k-tor.com/ The goal is to power a universal powermat with the generator. I need to produce 10watts at 120volts, and my group is completely lost. If anyone could provide...
  49. M

    Feeding electricity to the grid and generator loads

    Hi, I am in processing of sizing a generator that biomass as fuel to be fed back to the grid as part of feed in tariff initiatives. However, I would like to know roughly how this feeding mechanism works. For example, in a workshop, a machine motor would initially draw up to 5X the rated motor...
  50. A

    Working of induction generator

    Suppose that the stator of an induction motor is connected to grid and the rotor is run faster than the synchronous speed. Now the current direction in the rotor circuit reverses because air gap flux as seen by the rotor rotates in reverse direction at slip speed. To maintain the same flux in...
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