Difference Between DC Motor and DC Generator

Electricity has become an integral part of our daily lives. Most of the things we do and the devices we use depend on electricity. For the use of energy, there are different tools that help make it favorable for personal use. Two of these most commonly used methods are known as generators and motors. The simple definition of them is quite simple, a generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy while a motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. This is the first and foremost difference between them, while there are several more. The central principle for running a DC generator is Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, while the main principle used for the operation of a DC motor is that of induction. Another difference between them is that a DC motor follows Fleming’s left hand rule while DC generator follows Fleming’s right hand rule. For the case of DC motor and generator, direct current electricity is shown as out for the former while direct power is shown as output for the latter. They also both have different equations to measure the required value. There are certain cases where a DC motor can start working as a DC generator, but that is not the case the other way around, and a DC generator can also work as a DC motor. They both have similar components, but some of them are different, that’s because they both work differently and the way they produce output is also not similar. One thing can be said about them that they are both the way to convert energy but in their own way. They both have different types with compound, shunt, long and short being the main types of DC motor while series, compound and shunt are the main types of DC generators. There are also some other differences between these two which will be detailed later. , but a detailed explanation of both devices is provided in the next two paragraphs.

DC Motor Definition

A simple DC motor has a coil wrapped in a magnetic field. Two brushes that are present at each end that supply current to the motor when they move, this is done when they come into contact with the split ring. Force is applied to the wires that remain in a neutral magnetic field and the coil generates a torque. Regarding the equation, force is applied to a wire that has a particular length and carries a current in the magnetic field. The force will be indicated by F, Length by L, current by I, while a magnetic field by B. The angle between the coil and the magnetic field is iLBsinѲ, which is usually 90 degrees when the field is vertical. The DC motor follows Fleming’s left-hand rule, but the right-hand rule is followed for the direction of force. The coil is mainly considered as an electromagnet, then the path can be found by bending the fingers of the right hand in the direction of the current, and the thumb will point north. The stator and rotor play an important role in the operation of the motor, so the effect of the split ring and brushes cannot be overlooked. When the steering turns, the flat brushes are no longer in contact with the split rings and the torque is generated by two different forces.

This is a device that converts mechanical energy into direct work by operating it. This is done with the help of the induction principle, which is also the basis of DC motors. Since a DC generator can be used as a DC motor, they are both known as DC machines and thus have a similar type of operation. The outer part of such a generator is known as a yoke which is usually made of steel. It gives strength to the system and keeps all the internal parts safe. At each end there are two poles that are attached to the yoke by soldering, these include windings. The windings are made of copper and are placed on the poles that are connected in series and form the north and south poles needed for the job. There is a commutator brush system that is configured to build connections to the armature windings. The main function of the commutator is to catch the current that is produced during the process. The number of commutator segments is equal to the number of coils present. When a conductor is placed in a magnetic field, an electromotive force is generated in the conductor, if there is no path, this current moves in the specified path which then goes to the electromagnetic field. This produces an induced electromagnetic field, which can be calculated with the help of Fleming’s right-hand rule. When a conductor is placed in a magnetic field, an electromotive force is generated in the conductor, if there is no path, this current moves in the specified path which then goes to the electromagnetic field. This produces an induced electromagnetic field, which can be calculated with the help of Fleming’s right-hand rule. When a conductor is placed in a magnetic field, an electromotive force is generated in the conductor, if there is no path, this current moves in the specified path which then goes to the electromagnetic field. This produces an induced electromagnetic field, which can be calculated with the help of Fleming’s right-hand rule.

Differences in a nutshell

1. A DC motor converts electrical energy into direct power output, while a DC generator converts mechanical energy into direct electrical energy.
2. A DC motor can be converted into a DC generator, while the reverse is also possible.
3. DC motor uses Fleming’s left hand rule while DC generator uses Fleming’s right hand rule.
4. The main types of DC motors are Shunt Wound and Compound Wound while the main types of DC generators are Series, Shunt and Compound Wound.
5. More power is generated if more force is applied to a motor, whereas a generator always runs at a fixed rate.