Does an alternator obey Ohm's law?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around whether alternators obey Ohm's law, particularly in relation to their output voltage, rotor excitation current, and load resistance. Participants explore the implications of these relationships in both theoretical and practical contexts, including examples of alternator outputs and calculations of current.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the output voltage of an alternator is proportional to the rotor excitation current, suggesting that changes in excitation affect output voltage while load resistance remains constant.
  • One participant provides examples of alternator outputs, calculating current using Ohm's law, which states that current is voltage divided by resistance.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of analyzing a generator as part of a closed circuit, noting that the current is zero without a load and that power produced must match power consumed.
  • There is a suggestion that the behavior of the generator and the load must be considered together, especially if the load is not a constant resistance.
  • Some participants express confusion about how Ohm's law applies to alternators, questioning how current can be calculated if it is believed that alternators do not follow Ohm's law.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether alternators obey Ohm's law. There are competing views on the applicability of Ohm's law to alternators, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the relationship between excitation current, output voltage, and load resistance.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations in the discussion include the dependence on specific definitions of resistance and the assumptions made about load characteristics. The relationship between excitation current and output voltage is also not fully explored in terms of its implications for different types of loads.

torbor
Do alternators obey Ohm’s law? The alternator output voltage is proportional to the rotor excitation current. When reducing rotor excitation, the output voltage drops and the load resistance stays constant. Can why still use ohm law to determine the output current.

Example alternator 480 v / 4 ohm current output is 120 a if why now reduce rotor excitation output voltage drops tu 220 v / 4 ohm output current is 55 a can why calculete like this.

Another example is car alternator have 900 w of pawer tu give that pawer with 13.7 v output current is 65 a and load resistance is 0.21077 this all calculation are based on ohm low.

Can why calculate like this of course every equipment must support rated current

also i understand principle of impedance can why calculate a show i above examples

if why can apply ohm's law tu alternator haw why can determinant output current

i am really confused about this because i am always thought that resistance determine the current same people say they alternator does not follow ohm law ok but haw then calculate current output and load itself
 
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torbor said:
Example alternator 480 v / 4 ohm current output is 120 a if why now reduce rotor excitation output voltage drops tu 220 v / 4 ohm output current is 55 a can why calculete like this.
Hi Torbor. :welcome:

The excitation current is a DC current you supply to the alternator to create the electromagnets, and these magnets are spun (on a rotor) inside a set of stationary coils (the stator). The alternating output voltage from the stationary coils will be greater if the electromagnets are supplied with higher current or if they are spun faster.
 
You must analyze a generator or a motor as part of a closed circuit including the load. Considered alone, with no load, the current is always zero.

One tool you can depend on is conservation of energy. Power produced by a generator must always match power consumed by the load if RPM stays the same. Charge is also conserved, so generator current and load current must also match.

That should help you see why behavior of the generator and behavior of the load must both be considered.

So, if the load on the alternator is a resistance R, then load V=iR must match the generator V and I, if RPM remains constant. If the alternator supplies a load that is not constant resistance, then things will be different.
 
torbor said:
Do alternators obey Ohm’s law? The alternator output voltage is proportional to the rotor excitation current. When reducing rotor excitation, the output voltage drops and the load resistance stays constant. Can why still use ohm law to determine the output current.

Example alternator 480 v / 4 ohm current output is 120 a if why now reduce rotor excitation output voltage drops tu 220 v / 4 ohm output current is 55 a can why calculete like this.

Because Ohm's Law says Current is Volts divided by ohms.
You have defined the values of volts and ohms. That's why you can calculate like this.

torbor said:
i am really confused about this because i am always thought that resistance determine the current same people say they alternator does not follow ohm law ok but haw then calculate current output and load itself

Did you look at the responses to your very similar thread yesterday ? It's at https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-do-i-calculate-the-output-current-of-an-alternator.924471/
 

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