An electric generator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy for use in an external circuit, typically by rotating a shaft within a magnetic field. Its underlying principle, electromagnetic induction, was established by Michael Faraday in 1831, who showed that a varying magnetic field induces an electromotive force in a nearby conductor. Faraday built the first practical device demonstrating the effect, the Faraday disk, a copper disc rotating between the poles of a horseshoe magnet, which produced a small direct current and laid the foundation for every later generator design.
Facts
Patent or First-Use DateSourced to the subject's own account YearSourced to the subject's own account SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe dynamo was the first electrical generator capable of delivering power for industry, refined into a practical commercial device by Wheatstone, Siemens and Varley in the mid 1860s. 1 Connections
Associated With
Copper, Materials Copper windings carry the induced current in electric generators.
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In Field
Source Electric Generator (Wikipedia)
Invented By
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1. Electric Generator (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, Faraday disk generator paragraph, sentence 1
The operating principle of electromagnetic generators was discovered in the years of 1831-1832 by Michael Faraday.
History section, dynamo paragraph, sentence 1
The dynamo was the first electrical generator capable of delivering power for industry.
History section, modern dynamo paragraph, sentence 1
Varley took out a patent on 24 December 1866, while Siemens and Wheatstone both announced their discoveries on 17 January 1867 by delivering papers at the Royal Society.
In Field: Electrical Engineering, Lead section
In electricity generation, a generator, also called an electric generator, electrical generator, and electromagnetic generator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an external circuit.
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