CONTENTS

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………………………………………2

2. INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………..3

3. PRINCIPLE OF AN AC GENERATOR ……………..…….3

4. COMPONENTS OF AC GENERATOR …………………..4

5. THEORY OF OPERATION …………………………………..8

6. WORKING OF ELECTRICAL GENERATOR …………..9

7. EFFICIENCY …………………………………………………….10

8. USES OF AC GENERATOR …………………………….…10

Page | 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere thanks to the Principal,Mrs.
J.K Sidhu, DAV Public School, BRS Nagar, Ludhianafor her encouragement and
for all the facilities that she provided for this project work. I sincerely
appreciate this magnanimity by taking me into his fold for which I shall remain
indebted to her. I extend my hearty thanks to Mr. Ashish Kapoor, Physics
Teacher,who guided me to the successful completion of this project. I take this
opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude for his invaluable guidance,
constant encouragement, immense motivation, which has sustained my efforts
at all the stages of thisproject work.

I can’t forgot to offer my sincere thanks to Mr.Jarnail Singh, Lab Assistant and
also to my classmates who helped me to carry out this project work successful
and for their valuable advice and support , which I received from them time to
time.

Page | 2
INTRODUCTION
 The electrical generator was first invented by the Hungarian inventor
and engineer Anyos Jedlik sometime between 1827 and 1830. Jedlik
invented the generator

 An electric generator is a device which converts Mechanical energy to

Electrical energy.

 Electric generator is also called Dynamo.

Principle of an AC Electric Generator

 Generator works on the principle of electromagnetic induction
discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831-32.

 Faraday’s Law : An Electro Magnetic Field (E.M.F.) is induced in a

conductor (i.e. a coil) when the magnetic field around it changes. The
magnitude of the E.M.F. is proportional to the rate of change of the
field, or rate of cutting flux, while its direction depends on the direction
of the rate of change.

 An Electrical Generator is a device that produces an Electromotive Force

(e.m.f.) by changing the number of Magnetic Flux Lines (Lines of Force),
Φ, passing through a Wire Coil. Figure 1 is one type of Generators. When
the Coil is rotated between the Poles of the Magnet by cranking the
handle, an AC Voltage Waveform is produced.

Page | 3
 Figure 1: Electrical Generator

Components of an AC generator:
 a. Field

 b. Armature

 c. Prime mover

 d. Rotor

 e. Stator

 f. Slip rings

 g. other components used show the working of generator electric wires,

LEDs and diode to convert AC current to DC for connection to LEDs.

Field
 The field in an AC generator consists of coils of conductors within the
generator that receive a voltage from a source (called excitation) and
produce a magnetic flux.

 The magnetic flux in the field cuts the armature to produce a voltage.
This voltage is ultimately the output voltage of the AC generator.

Armature
 The armature is the part of an AC generator in which voltage is
produced.

Page | 4
  This component consists of many coils of wire that are large
enough to carry the full-load current of the generator.

Prime Mover
 The prime mover is the component that is used to drive the AC
generator.

 The prime mover may be any type of rotating machine, such as a diesel
engine, a steam turbine, or a motor.

Rotor
 The rotor of an AC generator is the rotating component of the
generator, as shown in Figure 2.

 The rotor is driven by the generator’s prime mover, which may be a

steam turbine, gas turbine, or diesel engine.

 Depending on the type of generator, this component may be the

armature or the field.

 The rotor will be the armature if the voltage output is generated there;
the rotor will be the field if the field excitation is applied there.

Figure 2 Basic AC Generator

Page | 5
Stator
 The stator of an AC generator is the part that is stationary (refer to
Figure 1).

 Like the rotor, this component may be the armature or the field,
depending on the type of generator.

 The stator will be the armature if the voltage output is generated

there; the stator will be the field if the field excitation is applied
there.

Slip Rings
 Slip rings are electrical connections that are used to transfer power to
and from the rotor of an AC generator (refer to Figure 1).

 The slip ring consists of a circular conducting material that is connected

to the rotor windings and insulated from the shaft.

 Brushes ride on the slip ring as the rotor rotates.

 The electrical connection to the rotor is made by connections to the

brushes.

 Slip rings are used in AC generators because the desired output of the
generator is a sine wave.

Slip Rings
 In a DC generator, a commutator was used to provide an output whose
current always flowed in the positive direction, as shown in Figure 2.

 This is not necessary for an AC generator.

 Therefore, an AC generator may use slip rings, which will allow the
output current and voltage to oscillate through positive and negative
values.

 This oscillation of voltage and current takes the shape of a sine wave.

Page | 6
 Figure 3 - Comparison of AC and DC Generator Outputs

Other components usedin project

 Two wires are connected to LED through diode which converts AC

current to DC current as LED works on DC current. Figure 4.

Figure 4 Simple electric generator in operation

Page | 7
Theory of Operation
 The strong magnetic field is produced by a current flow through the
field coil of the rotor.

 The field coil in the rotor receives excitation through the use of slip
rings and brushes.

 Two brushes are spring-held in contact with the slip rings to

provide the continuous connection between the field coil and the
external excitation circuit.

 The armature is contained within the windings of the stator and is

connected to the output. Each time the rotor makes one complete
revolution, one complete cycle of AC is developed.

 A generator has many turns of wire wound into the slots of the rotor.

 The magnitude of AC voltage generated by an AC generator is

dependent on the field strength and speed of the rotor.

 Most generators are operated at a constant speed; therefore, the

generated voltage depends on field excitation, or strength.

 In our project rotor is moved manually with handle.

A simple AC generator consists of:

(a) A strong magnetic field,

(b) Conductors that rotate through that magnetic field, and

(c) A means by which a continuous connection is provided to the

conductors as they are rotating (Figure 4).

Page | 8
Working of Electrical Generator
Most metals have electrons that can move around freely. These
electrons allow electricity to move through the metal, transmitting
electrical energy from one place to another. These metals are called
electrical conductors. A generator is a device that is used to move
electrons through a conductor to give electric power. It does this by
using a magnet that forces electrons to move along a wire at a steady
rate while putting pressure on them. With the help of a generator, the
electrons can transmit electric energy from one point to another. The
difference in the number of electrons and the pressure that the
generator applies is what creates the different electric currents. The
generator spins at a certain number of rotations per minute. The
number of electrons that move is measured in amps. The pressure is
measured in volts.

Page | 9
Efficiency
 Efficiency of an AC generator is the ratio of the useful power output to the total
power input.

 Because any mechanical process experiences some losses, no AC generators can be

100 percent efficient.

 Efficiency of an AC generator can be calculated using Equation.

 Efficiency =(Output /Input )x 100

Uses of Electrical Generator

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive systems, automotive starter generators, aircraft
auxiliary power generation, wind generators, high speed gas turbine generators

• An A.C. generator, or 'alternator', is used to produce A.C. voltages for transmission

via the grid system or, locally, as portable generators.

Page | 10