page_title: Electric machine
section_title: Generator
hierarchical_section_title: Electric machine / Generator
caption_attribution_description: English: Generator Unit 16 at Pointe du Bois station, Manitoba Hydro. This is the oldest generating station still in service with Manitoba Hydro. Until 2001 the plant was operated by Winnipeg Hydro. These units are double horizontal Francis turbines. Generators are made by ABB and bear the pre-WWII ASEA logo. This picture was taken by me November 2002 and is released to the public domain.
context_page_description: In electrical engineering, electric machine is a general term for machines using electromagnetic forces, such as electric motors, electric generators, and others. They are electromechanical energy converters: an electric motor converts electricity to mechanical power while an electric generator converts mechanical power to electricity. The moving parts in a machine can be rotating or linear. Besides motors and generators, a third category often included is transformers, which although they do not have any moving parts are also energy converters, changing the voltage level of an alternating current.
  Electric machines, in the form of generators, produce virtually all electric power on Earth, and in the form of electric motors consume approximately 60% of all electric power produced. Electric machines were developed beginning in the mid 19th century and since that time have been a ubiquitous component of the infrastructure. Developing more efficient electric machine technology is crucial to any global conservation, green energy, or alternative energy strategy.
context_section_description: An electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electrons to flow through an external electrical circuit.  It is somewhat analogous to a water pump, which creates a flow of water but does not create the water inside.  The source of mechanical energy, the prime mover, may be a reciprocating or turbine steam engine, water falling through a turbine or waterwheel, an internal combustion engine, a wind turbine, a hand crank, compressed air or any other source of mechanical energy.
  The two main parts of an electrical machine can be described in either mechanical or electrical terms. In mechanical terms, the rotor is the rotating part, and the stator is the stationary part of an electrical machine. In electrical terms, the armature is the power-producing component and the field is the magnetic field component of an electrical machine. The armature can be on either the rotor or the stator. The magnetic field can be provided by either electromagnets or permanent magnets mounted on either the rotor or the stator. Generators are classified into two types, AC generators and DC generators.
caption: Electric generator.
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