alternator: see generator generator, in electricity, machine used to change mechanical energy into electrical energy. It operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, discovered (1831) by Michael Faraday.
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Source of direct electric current in modern vehicles for ignition, lights, fans, and other uses. The electric power is generated by an alternator mechanically coupled to the engine, with a rotor field coil supplied with current through slip rings, and a stator with a three-phase winding. A rectifier converts the power from alternating to direct form. A regulator ensures that the output voltage is properly matched to the battery voltage as engine speed varies. An inductor alternator is a special kind of synchronous generator in which both the field and the output winding are on the stator.
alternator
alternator [′ȯl·tər‚nād·ər]
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alternator
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Exploded view of an automotive alternator. The engine's turning crankshaft, connected to the …
(credit: © Merriam-Webster Inc.)
alternator
an electrical machine that generates an alternating current
alternator [′ȯl·tər‚nād·ər]
(electricity)
A mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical device which supplies alternating current.
alternator
A generator of alternating current which is produced by the turning of its rotor.
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