Automotive Alternators
Team 9
Tyler Borysiak, Myles Moore, Alex Sklar, Joshua Lamb,
Stephen Dunn
Agenda
History: DC vs AC Parts of a Wye-Connected
Automotive Alternator
DC/AC Field Theory
Power Generation Process
Electromagnetic Induction
Different Types of Alternators Importance of Automotive
Alternators
War of Currents: DC vs. AC
- Late 1880’s: Thomas Edison vs. Nikola Tesla
- DC not easily converted
- Solution: Alternating Current
- Can easily be converted to different voltages using transformer
Usage of AC and DC
- Electric Vehicles and
computers run on DC
power
- Discovery of AC led to
creation of generators
DC Field Theory
- A DC current through a wire produces a magnetic field
AC field Theory
- Maxwell Faraday equation
- Ampere Maxwell Law
- Direction of propagation
using the right hand rule
http://www.olympusmicro.com/primer/lightandcolor/electromagintro.html
https://rdl.train.army.mil/catalog/view/100.ATSC/8594DF18-
D94D-432C-823B-7D40C4B4BE4A-1274317197310/9-
Electromagnetic Induction
- Faraday’s law
- A time varying
magnetic field
induces a current in a
coil of wire
Right Hand Rule for Current, Force, and
Magnetic Field
Parts of a Wye-Connected Alternator
1. Aluminum shield
2. Diode rectifier
3. Claw-pole rotor
4. Stator windings
5. Rotor slip rings
6. Roller bearings
7. Pulley
8. Mounting points
9. Voltage regulator
http://www.mynrma.com.au/roadside-assistance/car-electrics/alternators.htm
Rotor and Stator
Rotor Stator
- Coil of wire wrapped around iron - Set of coils fixed to the shell of the
core alternator
- Field current (DC) produces a - Magnetic field from rotor produces
magnetic field around core current in windings
- Driven by alternator pulley attached - Placed 120 degrees apart,
to the engine producing 3 separate phases
http://www.kava-auto.com/product/533-motorola-alternator- http://store.alternatorparts.com/cs144-series-alternator-
parts-motorola-8lha--8lhp-alternators-rotor-28-505--e0fd/ stator.aspx
Diode Rectifier and Voltage Regulator
Diode Rectifier Voltage Regulator
- AC current needs to be converted - Two inputs, one output
to DC in order to be used - Inputs: field current supply and
- Diode rectification produces pulsed battery voltage input
DC voltage - Output: field current to the rotor
- Critical automotive components
have internal filtering circuits
http://starterok.com/rectifier-
http://starterok.com/voltage-regulator-alternator_cargo_333255.html
alternator_cargo_138389.html
Claw Pole Rotor
- Helps generate and orient magnetic field lines
Stator Coils
- Introduce stator coils to the claw-
pole rotor field
- As rotor turns, the polarity flips
- Alternating Current!
Rectification of AC voltage
- 3 sets of coils offset by 120
degrees creates 3 phase power.
- rectified by a simple diode
circuit
- Ripple is reduced without need
for large capacitors
Circuit Overview
- 3 stator coils and field coil
- 3 or 6 diodes for half or full
wave rectification
- Some applications have
additional filtering
Classification by Excitation - Field Coils
- Transformation and Rectification
- Small residual magnetism in iron core of rotor
- The alternator generates a stronger voltage that builds up
- After build-up the field is supplied by rectified voltage from stator with brushes
- Direct Connected DC Generator
- Smaller generator to excite the field coils
- Brushes to excite the rotor
- Variation: direct current from a battery for excitation, i.e. automotive alternator
Classification by Excitation - Magnets
- Magnetos
- Two alternators end - to - end
- Main alternator and Exciter
- Exciter has a stationary field coil and rotating armature (power coils)
- Main alternator has a rotating field coil and stationary armature (magnets)
- No brushes or slip rings
Classification by Phases
- Single to Polyphase
- 3 Phase automotive alternator
Classification by Rotating Part
- Field in Stator
- Field in Rotor
- Field in rotor uses less power, slip ring / brushes are less costly
Classification by Application
- Electric Generators
- Power stations
- Automotive Alternators
- Locomotive Alternators
- Power for electric traction motors
- Radio Alternators
Automotive Alternator Types
- Delta Configuration of the Stator
- Lower voltage, higher current
- Typical for gasoline engines
- Higher reliability
- Line current greater than the phase current by 1.73
- Wye (Y) Configuration of the Stator
- Higher voltage, lower current
- Ideal for diesel engines due to lower RPM
- Can be found in newer automotive alternators
- Series doubles resistance
- Line voltage greater than phase voltage by 1.73
Importance of Automotive Alternators
- Converts mechanical energy to
electrical energy
- Uses current generated to power
vehicle’s electrical components
- Excellent balance between efficiency
and cost
Versatility of Alternators
- Customizable
- Reversible
- Dependable
Questions?
