Generators and Their Types
Imagine a generator as a ‘motor’ that rotates on a horizontal axis to generate electrical power. A typical generator is powered by a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine. With a gas-powered generator, the internal combustion engine rotates a shaft that turns an armature, causing an electrical current to be produced. The shaft rotates and brushes against a rotor, causing the current to be produced. Gasoline is burnt in the generator to heat the fuel and produce the electricity. This is called fossil-fuel generated electricity.
There are two types of generators, an infinite or repetitively repeated supply type and a single supply type. Repetitively repeatable generators have a series of gearboxes, or teeth, that spin to drive the blades that turn a stator. A single-sourced generator has one gearbox that controls the blades. Most single source units are diesel powered. Diesel is a poor power source, but there are diesel generators that run on gasoline, propane or other fuels.
There are three different ways a generator can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy: through the use of electromagnetic induction, the use of a perpetual electric motor, and the direct conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. electromagnetic induction is the process of energizing a piece of conductive metal using an alternating magnetic field. In the process, an electron is knocked loose from a surrounding metal piece. These electrons flow through the metal, knocking extra electrons loose, and the flow of extra electrons induces a small amount of voltage across the metal, thus producing a little bit of electrical energy.
Electromagnetic induction is a good way to start a mechanical generator. For one thing, the size of the generator is much smaller than a large standing magnet generator. Since the source of the electricity is essentially air, the generator doesn’t produce ozone, as a large standing magnet generator does. The amount of electricity that the generator produces depends largely on the strength of the alternating current that it is using. Smaller generators are more efficient in the generation of small amounts of electrical energy.
The second way that the electrical energy is produced by a generator is through the use of a perpetual electric motor. This is essentially a machine that is designed to run indefinitely by itself. The motor consists of many plates with magnetic fields that are aligned. The force of repulsion between the poles of the magnets creates a steady flow of electricity, as long as the field is strong enough. If the magnetic field is weak, the electricity produced is not constant.
The third way that this type of generator produces electricity is through the use of a natural gas engine. Natural gas engines do not need any fuel to operate and they do not have an exhaust. These generators produce their electrical energy directly from natural gas and, as a result, do not suffer from problems associated with burning fuel. These generators are much more efficient than the two previous methods that were listed. They are also very quiet, which is important if you want to use the generator at home.
The last type of generator that we will discuss uses internal combustion to provide electricity. Internal combustion engines do not burn fuel, but they use an internal pressure and a mixture of oil and gas to provide combustion. This is an efficient way to provide electricity, but it has some disadvantages as well. For example, the internal combustion engine requires a large storage tank in order to store the gas that is needed to power the generator. This gas must also be removed from the fuel system on a regular basis in order to prevent overheating.
One final option is to use a series of lead acid flooded batteries to supply your generator. These batteries do not suffer from the disadvantages associated with the other options, because they work using a special chemical process that causes them to generate their own electricity without any excess heat being generated by the engine. Lead acid flooded batteries are available and have the advantage over other options because they do not require the storage tank that most generators do.
