What is Electric Motor ?

reliability and efficiency benefits in certain use cases.

Common use cases

Vehicular generators

Roadway vehicles

Motor vehicles require electrical energy to power their instrumentation, keep the engine itself operating, and recharge their batteries. Until about the 1960s motor

vehicles tended to use DC generators with electromechanical regulators. Following the historical trend above and for many of the same reasons, these have now been

replaced by alternators with built-in rectifier circuit

Bicycles

Bicycles require energy to power running lights and other equipment. There are two common kinds of generator in use on bicycles: bottle dynamos which engage the

bicycle's tire on an as-needed basis, and hub dynamos which are directly attached to the bicycle's drive train. The name is conventional as these they are small

permanent-magnet alternators, not self-excited DC machines as are dynamos. Some electric bicycles are capable of regenerative braking, where the drive motor is

used as a generator to recover some energy during braking.

Sailboats

Sailing boats may use a water- or wind-powered generator to trickle-charge the batteries. A small propeller, wind turbine or impeller is connected to a low-power

generator to supply currents at typical wind or cruising speeds.

Genset

An engine-generator is the combination of an electrical generator and an engine (prime mover) mounted together to form a single piece of self-contained equipment.

The engines used are usually piston engines, but gas turbines can also be used. And there are even hybrid diesel-gas units, called dual-fuel units. Many different

versions of engine-generators are available - ranging from very small portable petrol powered sets to large turbine installations. The primary advantage of engine-

generators is the ability to independently supply electricity, allowing the units to serve as backup power solutions.[20]

Human powered electrical generators

A generator can also be driven by human muscle power (for instance, in field radio station equipment).

Human powered direct current generators are commercially available, and have been the project of some DIY enthusiasts.

Typically operated by means of pedal power, a converted bicycle trainer, or a foot pump, such generators can be practically

used to charge batteries, and in some cases are designed with an integral inverter. An average "healthy human" can produce a

steady 75 Watts (0.1 horsepower) for a full eight hour period, while a "first class athlete" can produce approximately 298 Watts