How Do Generators Work?

Flip Flop Professional DevelopmentJune 14, 2012

Presenters:Jane R. Pablico

Gloria A. Quisido

Introduction Science Content Standards Vocabulary Review Lecture

◦ How Power Plants Work◦ How Generators Work

Hands On Activities◦ Building Turbine and Linear Generators

Presentation of Output

Agenda

SI GLE’s (Scientific Inquiry Skills, Understanding Scientific Inquiry)

PS GLE’s (Forms of Energy, Transformations of Energy, Interactions of Energy and Matter)

SE GLE’s ( Resources and Resource Management, Environmental Awareness and Protection)

Related Science Content Standards

Kinetic energy Potential energy Mechanical energy Generator Turbine generator Linear generator Electromagnetic induction Motor

Vocabulary Activity

Vocabulary Review Kinetic energy - the energy possessed by bodies in motion Potential energy - the energy possessed by bodies at rest and

ready to do work Mechanical energy - the energy associated with the motion and

position of an object Generator - a device that converts mechanical energy to

electrical energy Turbine generator - a rotary mechanical device that extracts

energy from a fluid flow and converts it into electrical energy or useful work

Linear generator –a device that induces electrical energy by a sliding magnet that moves back and forth through a solenoid - a spool of copper wire

Electromagnetic induction – a process in which electric current is produced by moving a wire loop through a magnetic field or by moving a magnet through a loop of wire

Motor - a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion

How a Coal-Fired Power Plant Works

HOLT Environmental Science

How a typical nuclear power plant works

HOLT Environmental Science

Heat is generated to turn water into steam. The steam turns a turbine which then makes the generator produce electricity.

What is Common to Both Power Plants?

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy◦Turbine generator◦Linear generator

What is an Electric Generator

When the device is shaken back and forth, the magnet oscillates through the coil and induces an electric current.

How a Linear Generator Works

Shake Flashlight

Generating Electricity from Wave Energy

http://sustainabledesignupdate.com/2007/12/ocean-wave-energy/

As the turbine turns, the rotor (which is either the coil of wire or the magnet) connected to it will also spin with respect to the stator. If the magnet is the rotor, the coil of wire is the stator, and vice versa. The relative motion between the magnets and the coils of wire induces electrons to move through the wire, therefore producing electricity.

How a Turbine Generator Works

Any change in the magnetic environment of a coil of wire will cause a voltage (emf) to be "induced" in the coil.

Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction

http://www.way2science.com/index.php/faradays-laws-of-electromagnetic-induction/

changing the magnetic field strength moving a magnet toward or away from the coil

moving the coil into or out of the magnetic field

rotating the coil relative to the magnet

Ways of Electromagnetic Induction

Linear GeneratorTurbine Generator◦Wind◦Hydroelectric

Hands on Activities

Presentation of Outputs

Arms, K. & Savannah, G. (2004). Environmental Science. HOLT, Rinehart & Winston

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/farlaw.html

http://www.re-energy.ca/

References

Thank you!!!