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GURU TEGh BAHADUR PUBLIC

SCHOOL

Name: Rupam Samanta

Class: XI
Section: C
Roll no: 38
Subject: Physics Project
Topic: AC Generator
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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that RUPAM SAMANTA, of class XI-C of GURU TEG

BAHADUR PUBLIC SCHOOL, has successfully completed the
investigatory science project on the topic - AC Generator for the
Annual Examination for the academic year 2022-2023.

Date: 29th January, 2023

Signature of Principal: __________________

Signature of Internal Examiner: __________________

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my immense gratitude to my physics teacher,

Mr. R. Das and Mr. S. Roy for the help and guidance they provided
for completing this project.

I would also like to thank my parents who gave their ideas and inputs
in making this project. Most of all, I would like to thank our school
authorities, for providing us the facilities and opportunities to do this
project.

Lastly I would like to thank my group members who have done this
project along with me. Their support made this project fruitful.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sl. No. Content Page No.

1 Introduction 5
2 Aim of the project 6
3 Apparatus required 7
4 Theory and working 8
5 Components of AC Generator 9
6 Efficiency 13
7 Observation 14
8 Result 15
9 Uses 16
10 Losses in AC Generator 17
11 Precautions and Sources of Error 19
12 Conclusion 20
13 Bibliography 21
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INTRODUCTION

An electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy

into electrical energy.

A generator forces the electric current to flow through an external

circuit. The source of mechanical energy may be a reciprocating,
turbine, steam engine, an internal combustion engine, wind turbine,
a hand crank, compressed air or any other source of mechanical
energy

Generators provide nearly all of the power for electric power grids.
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AIM OF THE PROJECT

The aim behind doing this project is to minimise the dependency

over non renewable sources of energy for electricity.

Generators are useful appliances that supply electrical power during

a power outage and prevent discontinuity of daily activities or
disruption of business operations. Generators are available in
different electrical and physical configurations for use in different
applications. In the following sections, we will look at how a
generator functions, the main components of a generator, and how a
generator operates as a secondary source of electrical power in
residential and industrial applications.

A generator serves as a standby source of electrical power that is

ready to operate during an interruption to the main power supply.
Without a reliable generator, a company could experience a
significant loss of revenue during an outage and possibly put the
safety of its workers and customers at risk. Most industrial
generators are designed to deliver emergency power - they will start
automatically when the electricity from the utility provider shuts off
and then return to standby mode when power is restored.

A generator does not manufacture electricity. Instead, it works via a

scientific principle known as electromagnetic induction to convert
mechanical or chemical energy into electrical energy. This occurs via
the harnessing of the power of motion to force electrons from an
external source through an electrical circuit, which transforms them
into electrical energy.
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APPARATUS REQUIRED

 Ply board base (50 x 20) cm

 Ply board wheel of 10cm diameter

 Ball bearings

 Rubber bands

 Motor

 Ply board stand

 Nails and screw

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THEORY AND WORKING

 The strong magnetic field is produced by a current flow through the

field coil of the rotor.

 The field coil in the rotor receives excitation through the use of slip
rings and brushes.

 Two brushes are spring-held in contact with the slip rings to provide
the continuous connection between the field coil and external
excitation circuit.

 The armature is contained within the windings of the stator and is

connected to the output.

 Each time the rotor makes one complete revolution, one complete
cycle of AC is developed.

 A generator has many turns of wire wound into the slots of rotor.

 The magnitude of AC voltage generated by an AC generator is

developed on the field strength and speed of the rotor.

 Most generators are operated at a constant speed; therefore, the

generated voltage depends on field excitation, or strength.
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COMPONENTS OF AN AC GENERATOR

 Field

 Armature

 Prime mover

 Rotor

 Stator

 Slip rings
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FIELD
 The field of an ac generator consists of coils of conductors within the
generator that receive a voltage from a source and produce a
magnetic flux.

 The magnetic flux in the field cuts the armature to produce a voltage.
This voltage is ultimately the output voltage of ac generator.

ARMATURE
 The armature is part of an ac generator in which voltage is produced.

 This component consists of many coils that are large enough.

PRIME MOVER
 Prime mover is the component that is used to drive the ac generator.

 The prime mover may be of any type of rotating machine, such as

diesel engine, a steam turbine, or a motor.
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ROTOR
 The rotor of an ac generator is the rotating component of the
generator.

 The rotor is driven by generator’s prime mover. Depending on the

type of generator, this component may be the armature or the field.

 The rotor will be the armature if voltage output is generated there;

the rotor will be the field if field excitation is applied there.

STATOR
 The stator of an ac generator is the part that is stationary.

 Like the rotor, the component may be the armature or the field,
depending on the type of generator.

 The stator will be the armature if voltage output is generated there;

the stator will be the field if the field excitation is applied there.

SLIP RINGS
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 Slip rings are electrical connections used to transfer the power to

and from the rotor of an ac generator.

 They consist of circular conducting material that is connected to

rotor windings and insulated from the shaft. Brushes ride on the slip
rings as the rotor rotates. The electrical connection to the rotor is
made by the connections to the brushes.

 Slip rings are used in generators because the desired output is a sine
wave.

EFFICIENCY
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 Efficiency of an ac generator is the ratio of the useful power output

to the total power input.

 Because any mechanical process experiences some loss, no ac

generator can be 100% efficient.

Efficiency of an ac generator can be calculated using the following

equation:

Efficiency = (Output/Input) X 100

OR

Efficiency = (Power Out/Power In) X 100

OBSERVATION
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Observation table for ac generator:

Time of LED (JAM) Reading on Ammeter Efficiency (%)

14 1.04 80
18 0.99 83.67
22 0.95 87.25
27 0.92 90.50

RESULT
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 When the axle of generating motor is rotated, emf is produced

Reason: Change in flux through winding of the motor.

 The emf remains in circuit as long as the axle is rotated. Hence,

Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction is verified.

 As speed of rotor is increased, the voltage and current produced by

the generator also get increased.
Reason: Rate of change of flux increases.

USES
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 Aircraft auxiliary power generation, wind generators, high speed gas

turbine generators.

 Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive systems, automotive starter

generators.

 An ac generator or ‘alternator’ is used to produce ac voltages for

transmission via the grid system or locally, as portable generators.

 All of our household appliances run on ac current. For example,

refrigerator, washing machine, oven, lights, fans, etc.

LOSSES IN AC GENERATOR
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1) Internal Voltage Drop

 The load current flows through the armature in all ac generators.

The armature has some amount of resistance and inductive
reactance.

 The combination of these make up what is known as the internal

resistance, which causes a loss in an ac generator.

 When the load current flows, a voltage drop is developed across

the internal resistance.

 This voltage drop is subtracted from the output voltage and

therefore, represents generated voltage and power that is lost
and not available to the load.

2) Hysteresis Loss

 Hysteresis loss occurs when iron cores in an ac generator are

subjected to effects from a magnetic field.

 The magnetic domains of the cores are held in alignment with the
field in varying numbers, dependent upon field strength.

 The heat produced by this friction is called as magnetic hysteresis

loss.
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 To reduce hysteresis losses, most armatures are constructed of

heat treated silicon steel, which has inherently low hysteresis loss.

 The magnetic domains rotate, with respect to the domains not

held in alignment, one complete turn during each rotation of the
rotor. This rotation of magnetic domains in the iron causes friction
and heat.

3) Mechanical Loss

 Rotational or mechanical losses can be caused by bearing friction,

brush friction on the commutator and air friction, which is caused
by air turbulence due to armature rotation.

 Clean bearings and proper lubrications are essential to the

reduction of bearing friction.

 Brush friction is reduced by ensuring proper brushing, proper

brush use and maintenance of proper brush tension.

 A smooth and clean commutator also aids in reduction of brush

friction.

PRECAUTIONS
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 Do all the connections carefully.

 Fix all the components on cardboard with strong glue.

 Do not take a high voltage LED bulb.

 Use only DC motor in making the model.

SOURCES OF ERROR

 The circuit may not be closed.

 The bulb may be faulty.

CONCLUSION
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So, in this activity we learned that an ac generator is a device that

converts mechanical energy into electrical energy in the form of
alternating emf or alternating current. It is based on the principle of
electromagnetic induction. In ac generators, the supply of
mechanical energy is provided by combustion engines, gas turbines
and steam engines. The working principle of ac generator is based on
Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. The law states that
current will be induced in the conductor when placed in the
magnetic field. AC generators have many uses in our day to day life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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I was able to complete this project with the help of my friends,

teachers and from the following sources:

 Concise Physics for ICSE

 Wikipedia

 www.geeksforgeeks.org

 YouTube

 www.linquip.com

Thank You...