Electrical generators

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 82. Chapters: Wind generator, Electrical generator, Magneto, Auxiliary power unit, Van de Graaff generator, Electrodynamic tether, Radioisotope thermoelectric generator, Wind turbine, Doubly-fed electric machine, List of electrostatic generator patents, MHD generator, Diesel generator, Alternator, Homopolar generator, Dynamo, Head end power, Small wind turbine, Gramme machine, Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, Thermionic converter, Airborne wind turbine, Atomic battery, Engine-generator, Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power, Wimshurst machine, Superconducting electric machine, List of homopolar generator patents, Induction generator, Ringle Crouch Green Mill, Sandhurst, Yaw drive, Nameplate capacity, Ram air turbine, Alkali-metal thermal to electric converter, Singly-fed electric machine, Permanent magnet synchronous generator, St Margaret's Bay Windmill, Windbelt, Excitation, Jacobs Wind, Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator, Linear alternator, Wells turbine, Anti-twister mechanism, Radioisotope piezoelectric generator, Wave motor, Hybrid generator, Vibration-powered generator, Slot insulation, Hydrogen turboexpander-generator, MAGPIE, Third-brush dynamo, Winding factor, Beta-M, Critical field resistance, Gross generation, Energy Ball, Net generation, Faraday Wheel, Hotel Electric Power, V curve, Peltric set. Excerpt: Electrodynamic tethers (EDTs) are long conducting wires, such as one deployed from a tether satellite, which can operate on electromagnetic principles as generators, by converting their kinetic energy to electrical energy, or as motors, converting electrical energy to kinetic energy. Electric potential is generated across a conductive tether by its motion through the Earth's magnetic field. The choice of the metal conductor to be used in an electrodynamic tether is determined by a variety of factors. Primary factors usually include high electrical conductivity, and low density. Secondary factors, depending on the application, include cost, strength, and melting point. As part of a tether propulsion system, crafts can use long, strong conductors (though not all tethers are conductive) to change the orbits of spacecraft. It has the potential to make space travel significantly cheaper. It is a simplified, very low-budget magnetic sail. It can be used either to accelerate or brake an orbiting spacecraft. When direct current is pumped through the tether, it exerts a Lorentz force against the magnetic field, and the tether accelerates the spacecraft. Over the years, numerous applications for electrodynamic tethers have been identified for potential use in industry, government, and scientific exploration. The table below is a summary of some of the potential applications proposed thus far. Some of these applications are general concepts, while others are well-defined systems. Many of these concepts overlap into other areas; however, they are simply placed under the most appropriate heading for the purposes of this table. All of the applications mentioned in the table are elaborated upon in the Tethers Handbook. Three fundamental concepts that tethers possess, that will be discussed within this thesis are gravity gradients, momentum exchange, and electrodynamics. Potential Tether Applications can be seen below: A motional Electromotive Force (EMF) is generated across a teth