In the creation of a developed world where electric generators are commonplace, modern production systems have become reliant upon them. Whole industries are energized by the consumption and generation of electric power. The perfect power machines are electric generators. They employ a process called electromagnetism, which can yield power at levels far beyond what any human-driven machine can accomplish (with the necessary parts available in huge quantities).
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In this article, we take a deep dive into the working principles of what amounts to one of the most fundamental technologies of our time. You’ll come away with a comprehensive understanding of the basic concepts necessary to examine electromagnetic generators—devices that use magnetic fields to generate electric current.
The principle of science that makes electrical generators work is called electromagnetic induction. It was discovered in 1831 by the scientist Michael Faraday. The principle of induction can be applied and understood in a number of ways. Induction is the process of producing an electric current within a conductor by changing the magnetic field around it. The actual working principle of an electric generator, like those found in a power station, is based on electromagnetic induction. A generator converts mechanical energy into electric energy. This energy conversion occurs in the generator’s core.
When analyzing the scenario described, several basic components of an electromagnetic generator can be identified. Rotors: These are external parts of the generator that provide physical power to the entire system. The rotor does all the work by spinning, and it pretty much represents a turbine that is doing work on the system by virtue of its rotation. Stator: The stator is a house for the wire coils that make continuous loops around the rotor. The stator is immovable, and that is a good thing because the electric current finds its way through the stator just as it finds its way through any good conductor. Magnetic Field: The electromagnetic generator makes use of an expressed magnetic field. The rotor, if you will, is spinning through this field. The very act of the rotor “breaking” this magnetic field generates current.
The principle behind their operation is Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, which states that an electrical conductor must have an electric current flowing through it if it is to experience an electromagnetic effect. This law also specifies that the conductor must be in a magnetic field that is either static or changing. Meanwhile, the rotor, or “armature,” in an electromagnetic generator is constantly slicing through the lines of force in the generator’s magnetic field, causing an alternating electric current to flow in the output circuit. They are called “electromagnetic” generators because the forces involved in their operation are electromagnetic forces. Yet, for our purposes, it’s probably more useful to think of them as simply electric generators that produce an alternating electric current in their output circuit. In this sense, “alternator” is a more appropriate name for them.
For both of them, the movement they perform due to the magnetic fields present generates an electric current. Electromagnetic generators are highly versatile, with many applications. They vary from very large power plants to portable generators and are found in industrial and residential settings. A typical application of an electromagnetic generator is power generation. Power plants that use commercial-scale electricity generation couple very large electromagnetic power generators directly to water or steam turbines. “Renewable energy systems such as electric generators, wind turbines, and hydroelectric systems work with electromagnetic generators.” Once again, what is being harvested here is a natural resource in the form of electricity, with an admirable lack of carbon emissions during generation.
Backup power supplies exist in two forms: mobile and stationary service generators. Service generators are found everywhere—from homes to businesses to hospitals to military installations. They keep the lights on in the event of an emergency. Mobile generators are generally reserved for military use or construction when the worksite is somewhere away from the electrical grid. In addition to backup power systems, an array of small, portable, stationary, or remote generators is available on the civilian market. These civilian generators serve everything from construction to keeping the lights on in circumstances in which one otherwise would not have made it to the electrical grid.
On the surface, generator technology has not changed appreciably in the last hundred years. But if we peer through the looking glass of generator history to see what can be achieved by applying new materials, new ideas, and new designs, we can make some significant changes.
Meanwhile, smart sensors and control systems help assure practical implementation to ensure that the generators themselves are not the reason for the undue high performance being asked from the power plant. They ensure that the generators are only performing at their optimal, high-performing levels, and not at an unduly high level that could be causing a basic yet excessive component fatigue situation. Another situation being examined is the feasibility of coupling these generators with green energy sources like wind or solar power, in an effort to make them even more efficient and cost-effective.
There are promising new areas of research, too. Potential alternative methods, like magnetic levitation and quantum technologies, could serve as the foundation for the next generation of electromagnetic generators—20 to 25 years down the road. What we can guarantee from these latest advances is something even more effective and environmentally friendly than what currently exists for harnessing electrical energy: the electromagnetic generator. To this day, the only truly viable method for generating electrical energy from magnetic fields—something that’s been around since the late 1820s—has been used to create power plants that rely on nuclear fission.
One thing is certain: technological advancements will carry us forward toward incredibly efficient, clean energy solutions. One of these clean, efficient energy solutions is the electromagnetic generator. An electromagnetic generator is an important tool for providing the world with the energy it requires, whether that energy is harnessed by giant utilities or small-scale devices. Our real concern with electromagnetic generators is ensuring that they are as efficient as possible and that they have a lifespan that gives the customer a good value for their investment. We want to be able to rely on generators that provide this kind of consistent and worthwhile energy.
