ABSTRACT
Generators use primary inductors and an input voltage from an “exciter” to create output current in a number of secondary inductors.
Most generators use induction to produce an output voltage. A typical generator is composed of the following:
• Power source, usually a type of exciter and often direct current (DC); generally, the more current supplied, the stronger the induced electromagnetic field around the rotor windings • Rotor (components rotate as single unit) • Carbon brushes and copper/steel slip rings that transfer power to a cop-
per conductor • Copper conductor that receives power via the slip rings and is wound
around the rotor core • Rotor (field/permanent) windings and core (aforementioned copper conduc-
tor is wound to encircle the core) • Stator (components remain stationary)
• Stator core that encircles the rotor and holds the stator windings in proper orientation to the rotor (circumference orientation is designed to produce induced current with a sine wave characteristic)
• Stator windings, where the copper conductor is wound to encircle a portion of the stator core ring
In a typical generator, the input voltage/electric field is supplied by the rotor, while the output voltage is induced across the stator windings. The stator windings are wound around the rotor windings, with some air gap in between. This allows the stator windings to be placed in the optimal orientation to catch the electric field generated by the rotor windings.
