Alternator

Alternators made in 1909 by Ganz Works in the power generating hall of a Russian hydroelectric station (photograph by Prokudin-Gorsky, 1911).[1]

An alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.[2] For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field with a stationary armature.[3] Occasionally, a linear alternator or a rotating armature with a stationary magnetic field is used. In principle, any AC electrical generator can be called an alternator, but usually, the term refers to small rotating machines driven by automotive and other internal combustion engines.

An alternator that uses a permanent magnet for its magnetic field is called a magneto. Alternators in power stations driven by steam turbines are called turbo-alternators. Large 50 or 60 Hz three-phase alternators in power plants generate most of the world's electric power, which is distributed by electric power grids.[4]

  1. ^ "Abraham Ganz at the Hindukush". Poemas del río Wang. Studiolum. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  2. ^ Aylmer-Small, Sidney (1908). "Lesson 28: Alternators". Electrical railroading; or, Electricity as applied to railroad transportation. Chicago: Frederick J. Drake & Co. pp. 456–463.
  3. ^ Gordon R. Selmon, Magnetoelectric Devices, John Wiley and Sons, 1966 no ISBN pp. 391-393
  4. ^ "List of Plug/Sockets and Voltage of Different Countries". World Standards. World Standards.