{"id":156,"date":"2018-07-31T14:38:29","date_gmt":"2018-07-31T18:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/trigforelectricians\/?post_type=chapter&p=156"},"modified":"2018-12-14T16:11:27","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T21:11:27","slug":"the-alternator","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/trigforelectricians\/chapter\/the-alternator\/","title":{"raw":"The Alternator","rendered":"The Alternator"},"content":{"raw":"

How do we keep the voltage coming?<\/h1>\r\nWe have established that if we have a conductor pass through a field or a field through a conductor a voltage is established. \u00a0This means that voltage is only established when there is constant motion.\u00a0\u00a0Instead of having someone passing a conductor through a field rapidly, it was discovered that the conductor could be formed into a loop and rotated through the field to maintain a voltage.\u00a0\u00a0This would be an example of what is known as a simple alternator<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nA simple alternator has two magnetic poles that establish a magnetic field.\u00a0\u00a0The conductor (armature) rotates through this field to establish a voltage.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_157\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 46. Simple alternator<\/strong>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nA practical alternator<\/strong> has a stationary conductor and the field rotates.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_158\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 47. Practical alternator<\/strong>[\/caption]\r\n

\u00a0What are the parts of the alternator?<\/h1>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_160\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 48. Simple alternator parts<\/strong>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_161\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"286\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 49. Practical alternator parts<\/strong>[\/caption]\r\n\r\nArmature.\u00a0<\/strong> This part is what the voltage is induced on to. \u00a0It can be rotating (simple alternator) or stationary (practical alternator).\r\n\r\nSlip rings.\u00a0<\/strong> Made of brass, they rotate and either bring current to the load (simple alternator) or excitation to the field (practical alternator).\r\n\r\nBrushes.\u00a0<\/strong> Made of graphite carbon, they are stationary and either pass current to the load (simple alternator) or current to the field (practical alternator).\r\n\r\nField poles.\u00a0<\/strong> They are either stationary (simple alternator) or rotating (practical alternator).\r\n\r\nPrime mover.\u00a0<\/strong> This part spins the armature (simple) or the field (practical).\u00a0 Examples include:\r\n