Dynamos & Power Plants - Question

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the operation of dynamos in power plants and their relationship with batteries, particularly whether dynamos require batteries to function continuously once activated. The inquiry also touches on the role of fuel sources like oil and nuclear reactants in generating electricity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if dynamos in power plants need batteries to operate continuously, comparing them to car and motorcycle systems.
  • Another participant asserts that cars do not need a battery while running, referencing the ability to jump-start a car with a dead battery, and states that power plants' generators do not require external excitation once started.
  • A follow-up post seeks clarification on the necessity of oil and nuclear reactants for power plants, suggesting that these are essential for generating electricity and questioning the role of the dynamo.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the initial question about batteries is separate from the need for mechanical power input for generators, explaining that generators convert mechanical work into electrical energy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity of batteries for dynamos in power plants, with some asserting that they do not require them once started, while others question the relationship between fuel sources and generator operation. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the operation of vehicles and power plants that may not be universally applicable, as well as a lack of clarity regarding the definitions of terms like "excitation" and "prime mover." There are also unresolved questions about the mechanics of how dynamos and generators function in different contexts.

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Dynamos & Power Plants -- Question

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I know that cars need batteries to generate electricity to the dynamo to make the dynamo produce electricity continuously without stopping unless you switched off the car. The same to motorcycles. But I don't know whether the power plants do the same thing, so I need an answer for this question if you don't mind:

Q: Do dynamos in power plants need batteries even if they're switched ON and producing electricity? If so, can't we remove the batteries from the dynamos after switching the dynamo on? Or do the "oil" and "nuclear reactants" do the work instead of batteries? Because I know that Dirt Bikes that have a "kick starter" can work without batteries via kicking the kick starter thingy to produce mechanical energy to the dynamo to make the dynamo produce electricity. But I heard that Cars cannot work the same as Dirt Bikes due to their "large engine and bla bla...", you cannot remove batteries from the car even if the dynamo is producing electricity so there will be no dangerous electricity going through the car. So I really want to know, do power plants' dynamos have batteries or they work without them?
Thank you!
 
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Cars don't need the battery when running - if they did, it wouldn't be possible to jump-start a car with a destroyed battery.

In any case, power plants' generators have to be started but once started do not require external excitation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitation_(magnetic )
 
Last edited by a moderator:
russ_watters said:
Cars don't need the battery when running - if they did, it wouldn't be possible to jump-start a car with a destroyed battery.

In any case, power plants' generators have to be started but once started do not require external excitation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitation_(magnetic )

Then why do we use Oil and Nuclear Reactants for power plants to produce electricity? It was said that the "Oil has to be burnt to boil water and make steam, use the steam to drive a steam turbine, use the steam turbine to spin the electrical generator/dynamo to make electricity." And the Nuclear Reactors are the same.
So I guess the Dynamo can't run without these things. Can you explain more if you don't mind?? Any more answers are appreciated and thank you for your informative answer!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wait, what? Your first post asked if dynamos required batteries. That has nothing to do with the question of whether the prime mover requires input mechanical power! That's a completely separate question! The reason a generator requires input mechanical power is because a generator converts mechanical work to electrical energy. In other words, the force required to move electrons through a wire physically pushes against the generator's rotation.
 
Ok, I see you have multiple threads open asking the same questions. Please don't do that. Thread locked.
 

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