![]() Although efficiency is far from 100%, it’s still very useful to convert mechanical energy to electricity to charge the battery and run the electrical systems of a vehicle. Some of it is converted to noise, heat, and vibration. The engine has to work harder and burns more fuel to be able to provide this additional energy.Īnother important concept to remember is that the mechanical energy of the engine is not PERFECTLY converted to electricity. That means an equal amount is given up from the engine. The electricity isn’t “created”, it’s just some other form of energy which is converted. In the case of the alternator, the fossil fueled engine (connected by a belt and pulley) provides MECHANICAL* energy to the alternator which converts that energy to ELECTRICAL energy. This eventually came to be known as the Laws of Thermodynamics.Īccording to the Law of Conservation of Energy, “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed rather, it can only be transformed or transferred from one form to another.” Scientists such as Galileo, Newton, and Bernoulli studied the natural world and came to realize that there are certain “rules” that are always followed. Where does the original source of energy for the alternator come from? The alternating current is converted to direct current (DC) with diodes, and a voltage control circuit makes sure that the output voltage is appropriate for charging the vehicle’s 12V battery. We normally call that “Alternating Current”. Because the magnetic fields on the rotor alternate polarity (north/south), the direction of the flow of current induced “flip-flops” many times per second, reversing direction as well. As the shaft rotates, this magnetic field induces current to flow in a matching stationary set of coils. The flow of current creates a magnetic field. On the shaft are either permanent magnets or copper wire coils with a small DC current flowing through them. A belt from the vehicle’s engine spins a pulley which is connected to the rotor of the alternator. To find the answer, we need to know how an alternator works and where the energy comes from.Īn automotive alternator is a type of generator which creates Alternating Current (AC). So, how about it? If fossil-fueled cars have alternators to charge their battery, why don’t electric cars just do the same? Electric Car projects is “Why don’t you just add an alternator to charge the car as you drive?” ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |