The Importance Of Generators

The Importance of Generators

by

Zach Ball

Modern society is heavily dependent upon generators of all kinds. Whether they are portable, gas, electric, or environmentally based, we would be practically powerless without them. They re used frequently in various industrial works, and are the backbone of much of modern society. Without the power and energy created and supplied by generators life as we known it would come to a screeching halt. The ability to generate electricity is often used to measure quality of life, and the difference between third world countries and first.

How Generators Work

Generators are devices designed to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. They work based upon the principle of electromagnetic induction, discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831. Simply stated, this principle notes that it is possible to create an electrical current using a magnetic flux by moving a conductor through a magnetic field. This creates a change in the magnetic field, resulting in a flux forcing an electric current down the conductor. The way this theory works in practice is for a coil of conductive wire to be spun, using mechanical means, in magnetic field, generating an electrical current down and through the conductive wire.

The First Generator

Michael Faraday made the first ever generator while trying to prove his theory of electromagnetic induction. Faraday had little formal education, but was considered a great experimenter, and one of the most important scientists in history. His first attempt to test his theory of electromagnetic induction consisted of wrapped wires around an iron torus. He was able to detect a transient current moving through the torus between the wires. This led to Faraday creating Faraday s Disk, the first ever generator. With this Faraday created a steady DC current using a copper disk, bar magnet, and a sliding electrical lead. The copper disc would rotate between the prongs of the bar magnet, sending an electrical current along the lead. Although the Faraday disk proved to be an overall inefficient generator, due to the fact it used a counter flow of current, it was an extremely important scientific breakthrough that has led to humanity s ability to generate power today.

Current Generators

Modern day

power generation equipment

is built with a rotor, made usually as a circuit of copper, which spins around in a magnetic field. Generally this magnetic field is created by either permanent magnets or electromagnets. This is in accordance to Faraday s law, leading to the creation of the electrical current supplied by the generator. The rotor itself can be spun using a variety of mechanical means, which most commonly separates the different type of generators.The different ways of harnessing this mechanical force is wide and varied, as more and more are discovered as time passes. One of the most well-known ways is the hydroelectric dam, which uses water to spin large rotors. Another was is windmills, harnessing the wind using large blades to catch the wind and spin the rotor. Even gas generators, including

diesel generators

, use the combustion to power a piston, which spins the rotor, providing the electrical current.

Zach Ball is a freelance writer for

Worldwide Power Products

.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com