Mathematically analysis to improve

efficiency of simple AC generator in term of

special relativity
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2014, 020124 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5054528
Published Online: 21 September 2018

Ihtiari Prastyaningrum, and Jeffry Handhika

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AIP Conference Proceedings 2014, 020124 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5054528 2014, 020124

© 2018 Author(s).
 Mathematically Analysis to Improve Efficiency of Simple
AC Generator in Term of Special Relativity
Ihtiari Prastyaningrum1,a) and Jeffry Handhika2
1
Department of Electrical Engineering Education
2
Department of Physiscs Education
Universitas PGRI Madiun
Jl.Setyo Budi No.85 Kartoharjo Madiun

e-mail: a) [email protected]

Abstract. The generator is one of the tools that used in power system circuit. The working system of electrical generators
is converted the mechanical energy from an external source into electrical energy as output. The generator works by
exploiting the electric flux generated by a magnetic field that passes through the rotation of the coil on the generator
engine. Both of these are things that affect the efficiency level of the generator. If the efficiency of a generator is higher
so the electrical energy generated is also greater. In this paper will be analyzed theoretically mathematically to improve
the efficiency of the alternating current generator. The analytical review will be performed on magnetic field strength and
coil rotation speed. With the increase of these two factors is expected to increase generator efficiency is also increasing
so that the electrical energy which is the output of the generator system is also higher

INTRODUCTION
Electrical energy is one form energy that can not be separated in life in the modern era. Over time walking,
energy needs continue to increase while fossil energy reserves are increasing decreased even depleted. Therefore it
takes an effort to exploit various renewable energy potentials for meet the needs of electrical energy in scale
household [1].
As technological developments have been made to improve the productivity of electrical energy. One of them by
increasing the efficiency of the electrical equipment used in the power generation system. The electrical appliances
used in the system is a generator.
A generator as one of the most important appliances of power generation systems has an important rule. The
basic principle of a generator is the change of mechanical energy into electrical energy. Regardless of size, all
electrical generators, whether DC or AC, depending upon the principle of magnetic induction. An emf is induced in
a coil as a result of a coil cutting through a magnetic field, or a magnetic field cutting through a coil. As long as
there is relative motion between a conductor and a magnetic field, a voltage will be induced in the conductor [2]. For
the relative motion to take place between the conductor and the magnetic field, all generators must have two
mechanical parts. The rotor is the part that rotates, the stator is the part that remains stationary [2]. In a DC
generator, the armature is always the rotor. In alternators, the armature may be either the rotor or stator.
As explained earlier, that the generator converts the mechanical energy obtained from the coil rotation that is in
the middle of the generator into electrical energy. The principle for this change utilizes magnetic fields and magnetic
flux. Magnetic flux is a measurement of the total magnetic field which passes through a given area. It is a useful tool
for helping describe the effects of the magnetic force on something occupying a given area. The measurement of
magnetic flux is tied to the particular area chosen. We can choose to make the area any size we want and orient it in
any way relative to the magnetic field.
If we choose a simple flat surface with area A as our test area and there is an angle θ between the normal to the
surface and a magnetic field vector (magnitude B) then the magnetic flux is showed by equation 1,

International Conference on Science and Applied Science (ICSAS) 2018

AIP Conf. Proc. 2014, 020124-1–020124-6; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5054528
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1730-4/$30.00

020124-1
   BA cos  (1)

Research on generators has been done a lot. Among research on effective estimation of the angular speed of
synchronous generator based on stator voltage measurement [3]. Besides that also has been conducted research on
the energy efficiency of engine-generator set using biofuels under varied loads [4]. Besides these two studies have
also conducted research on the power and efficiency for the type of thermoelectric generator, but limited only under
the temperature control [5].

The Principle of AC Generator

A simple AC generator consists of a strong magnetic field, conductors that rotate through that magnetic field,
and a means by which a continuous connection is provided to the conductors as they are rotating (Figure 1). The
strong magnetic field is produced by a current flow through the field coil of the rotor. The field coil in the rotor
receives excitation through the use of slip rings and brushes. Two brushes are spring-held in contact with the slip
rings to provide the continuous connection between the field coil and the external excitation circuit. The armature is
contained within the windings of the stator and is connected to the output. Each time the rotor makes one complete
revolution, one complete cycle of AC is developed. A generator has many turns of wire wound into the slots of the
rotor.

Figure 1. Simple AC Generator

The magnitude of AC voltage generated by an AC generator is dependent on the field strength and speed of the
rotor. Most generators are operated at a constant speed. Therefore, the generated voltage depends on field excitation
or strength. The rotation of the rotor is due to the presence of magnetic torque. As the rotors rotate 360 o, the voltage
of the AC generator also changes depending on the rotor position in the direction of the magnetic field. The change
of electric voltage based on armature rotation is shown in Figure 2. The output voltage graph of a generator has a
sinusoidal shape.

The Efficiency of AC Generator

AC generator is a tool that works to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. Where the output of an AC
generator is voltage. The amount of output power is determined by the output induction emf. Where the magnitude
of the induction is influenced by the rotational speed of the rotor and magnetic flux magnitude [6]. In order to know
the efficiency of the generator, the first analysis is to determine the input frequency of the generator. In real terms,
ideal frequencies used today range from 50 Hz - 60Hz [7]. Several studies that discuss the frequency of generators
such as the development of variable frequency AC generator [8] and the utilization of oscillatory circuit for high
frequencies of the generator [9]. Based on the theory, the frequency of the generator is dependent on the number of
field poles and the speed at which the generator is operated, as indicated in Equation (2).
n. p
f  Hz (2)
120

020124-2
 Where f is the input frequency of the generator, n is the rotational speed and p is the number of poles. For 120
value, that's the conversion from minutes to seconds and from poles to pole pairs. From equation 2 can be seen that
the input frequency can be increased by increasing the rotational speed of the rotor or increasing the number of
poles.
From equation 2 to determine the frequency, it can be calculated the induced emf generated by the generator. If
the rotor rotates once (ie 60 / n sec) then each stator wire will be cut by the flux of  p Weber, such that
d  p and dt  60 / n seconds. Of the magnitude of the flux, the average emf price that arises per conductor
is equal
d p np
E   volt (3)
dt 60 n 60

Untuk nilai ggl rata-rata setiap kaeat adalah sebesar

p 120 f
E   2 f volt (4)
60 p

If the stator wire consists of two wires per phase, then the effective emf price arising on the generator is equal to
4,44 fT volts. That value is the ideal value of a no-load generator. To know the efficiency value of the generator
it must know the amount of loss from the generator. Theoretically, the mechanical power generated by the originator
of the synchronous generator is converted to electrical power. The difference between the input power and the
output power of the synchronous generator is called the generator losses. The mechanical input power of a generator
is given by the equation
2n
Pin  T (5)
60
After entering the generator becomes an anchor power Pa  E.I a . The difference between the input power and the
anchor power is a mechanical loss to the generator Pm  . So if showed by an equation, we obtain
Pa  Pin  Pm (6)

The process of changing the power from the anchor power to the output power generator also suffered losses. Where
the output power becomes as big.
Pout  Pa  Pcore  PCu total (7)

Pcore is a total losses loss of power caused by iron core losses where
Pcore  Physterisis  Pedy current . (8)

If the total loss is known, then we can determine the efficiency of the generator using the equation
Pout
 %    100 % . (9)
Pin
Where
Pin  Pout   losses . (10)

Improve The Efficiency of AC Generator as Mathematically Technique

Based on equation (3) and equation (10) to increase the efficiency of the generator, it is necessary to increase the
rotational speed of the rotor so that the input power becomes large. Besides, based on (7), the generator power losses

020124-3
must be minimized [10,11]. Several methods have been undertaken to evaluate losses and efficiency, including for
wind generators [12]. Edy current losses can be reduced by make the core of a practical AC machine from thin
sheets of metal [13]. The sheets break up the circulating path and the eddy currents are minimized. And the
hysteresis losses are minimized by the use of steel that easies to magnetize.
In this paper, we will not discuss minimizing losses generator. But will discuss mathematical analysis on how to
improve the efficiency of the generator. In this case, the review to be discussed is to accelerate the rotation of the
rotor to obtain high output power. This relates to the theory that the faster the rotor rotates, the higher the magnetic
flux value. So the higher the input power. Assuming that the generator losses remain, then based on equation 6, the
higher the input power the mechanical power of the generator is also higher.
Before discussing the mathematical analysis of generator efficiency in the form of special relativity, we first
review the comparison of the stationary frame and the moving frame for the generator.

A B
Figure 2. A) Rest Frame B) Moving Frame of generator

A physically figure A shows the frame rest of an electrically neutral metal ring in which the electron current
flows clockwise (whereas the positive current flows counterclockwise), and which is moving to the right at a large
velocity. In the frame rest, the ring has no charge density at any point. As we view when the rings move, the
electrons will move faster to the right at the top of the ring, while the positive charge will move faster to the right at
the bottom. Therefore in this framework, the length of the above electron trajectory and the positive charge
trajectory at the bottom will be shortened relative to the negative charge density above the ring and the positive
charge density at the bottom of the ring [14].
Electrons will have greater velocity outside, so in the outer frame remains the reference we will observe a length
of contraction of that side of the electron. because the electron density in a uniform magnetic frame, then we will
review the electron as. Negative charges that have a greater density on the outside. This will lead to a more negative
potential outside the magnet relative to its center. Similarly, the potential should be positive when the magnet is
rotated counterclockwise with the North end out. This analysis gives the correct sign of magnetic orientation and
rotation directions.
We can approach this problem analytically using the relativistic transformation equation for the electric field
observed in a fixed (primed) coordinate system arising from a moving magnetic field:
E'   E  v x B  . (11)

For this case there is no electric field in the moving system (the magnet) and the velocity v of any point on the
magnet due to the rotation of the magnet is always perpendicular to the residual magnetic induction. Therefore the
electric field observed in the fixed frame as the magnet rotates, for small velocities the equation (11) reduces to
E'  v B . (12)

at all points within the magnet, and is in the radial direction. The total electric potential developed is then
determined by integrating this electric field along a radius from the center of the magnet (r = 0) to the outside radius
R of the magnet:
R
 B R2
E'  
r 0
v B dr 
2
. (13)

where ω is the angular velocity of the magnet, and the linear velocity of a point in the magnet is

020124-4
 v  xr . (14)

As we have seen that the rotational speed of a generator is expressed in radians per minute, or so-called rpm. The
unit shows the angular velocity unit. To perform the analysis in the form of special relativity [15,16], the angular
velocity can be converted first into linear velocity, where the relationship of angular velocity and linear velocity is
expressed by where r is the radius of the rotor. These two properties lead to the following transformation law [17].


t '   r  t  vr  r
c2
 ; r'  r (15)

r '  '   r r  vr t  ; z'  z (16)

1
In which   is the Lorentz-type factor with velocity v(r) to be determined by the last property
1  vr 
2

c2
which is. So if we substituted the value of into equation (11) and (12) we obtain

ct ' 
1
ct  cvr  r c  2

1  vr 
2

c2

1  vr  
ct '   ct  r  (17)
1  vr 
2
 c 
c2
And than equation (12) becomes too

1  vr  
r '   r  ct  (18)
1  vr 
2
 c 
c2
Based from the equation (14) so the equation 18 is a relativistic equation for linear rotor speed. So to get the speed
of rotation (as in equation 2) it must be divided by the radius of the rotor. So the equation is obtained

1
'    t  (19)
1  vr 
2

c2

If equation (19) is substituted into equation 2, then it is obtained,

 
 
 1
2

  t 
 1  vr  2
2

 c 
Pin  T (20)
60

020124-5
So based on the equation (16) we get the value of the comparison of the increase in efficiency    t  for an AC
generator based on mathematical calculations. This factor is obtained by ignoring the internal losses of the AC
generator.

CONCLUSION
The conclusion of this paper is that the value of generator efficiency can be mathematically improved by adding a
factor equal    t  to the rotational speed of the rotor. This value is added by ignoring the internal losses of
the transformer. Where further analysis is necessary to strengthen the theory analysis by considering internal losses.
So that, in the end, can be obtained a complete mathematical formula to increase the efficiency of the generator.

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