Generator
1. Definition
A generator is an electrical machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. This mechanical energy can be generated, for example, by a turbine, an internal combustion engine, or a hydroelectric power plant. Generators are the heart of power generation, both in large power plants and in smaller industrial facilities.
2. Application Areas in Industry
Generators are used in a multitude of industrial applications:
- Power Supply:
- Self-supply of industrial facilities with electrical energy
- Emergency power supply in case of power outages
- Provision of electricity for mobile applications (e.g., construction sites, events)
- Drive Technology:
- Driving electric motors in production facilities
- Frequency converters for controlling drive speeds
- Research and Development:
- Power supply for laboratories and research facilities
- Simulation of electrical networks
3. Types of Generators
Generators can be classified according to different criteria:
- According to the mode of generation of mechanical energy:
- Turbo generators: Driven by steam turbines (in power plants) or gas turbines (in industrial facilities)
- Hydro generators: Driven by hydraulic turbines
- Diesel generators: Driven by diesel engines
- According to the type of current produced:
- Alternators (synchronous machines): Produce three-phase alternating current
- Dynamos (DC machines): Produce direct current (less common in modern installations)
- According to the construction:
- Internal pole machines: The excitation is in the rotor
- External pole machines: The excitation is in the stator