×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Correct Terminology

Correct Terminology

Correct Terminology

(OP)
I was wondering if the terms synchronous generator and alternator are interchangeable.  I work in an office where the mechanical engineers perfer to call it an alternator whereas I simply call it a generator (leave out synchronous as we are only working with one type).

RE: Correct Terminology

Same thing.

RE: Correct Terminology

(OP)
From the definitions of alternator that I have seen, they all seem to state that it is a device that produces an alternating voltage.  If this definition is true, is an induction generator not an alternator also?

If it is, then calling our synch genny an alternator is correct but not precise and could lead to confusion.

RE: Correct Terminology

In my country alternator (female) also means a woman that works in bars trying to have the customers buy her drinks... she "generates" profit for herself and the bar... so, in essence, through a totally different approach we arrived at the same result... yep, generator = alternator.
Cheers.
Saludos
a.

RE: Correct Terminology

Suggestion: IEEE Std 100-2000 "Dictionary"
1. Alternator. An alternating-current generator.
2. Generator. A machine that converts mechanical power into electrical power.
(My preference is to use energy instead of power.)
It means that the generator is the more general expression including the alternator.

RE: Correct Terminology

Correct terminology:-
A generator is a DC device.
An alternator is an AC device.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources