DC Generators are used today in many home and industrial applications and they represent an evolution from the traditional induction alternators.
What is a DC generator?
DC generators use a permanent magnet alternator, which represents an evolution from the traditional induction alternators in terms of efficiency, maintenance service and size.
Advantages of DC Generators
1. Efficiency
A modern DC Generator that relies on a permanent magnet alternator improves the efficiency of the device by reducing the amount of fuel consumed in the process.
By reducing the electric ripple and maintaining efficiency through a wide range of RPMs, the DC generator can exceed 93% efficiency.
The permanent magnet alternator is coupled with a Smart DC controller, which can provide power to charge a battery bank or feed a DC power load.
2. No Maintenance
A DC generator unit with permanent magnet reduces wear and tear due to reduced number of pieces contained (no bearings, slip rings, exciters, brushes or attached diodes), which means that such a device does not require a continuous maintenance service.
This machine is very practical because is designed to be coupled with any housing layout and can use any manufacturer’s driveshaft.
The engine comes with variable speed functionality that uses an ideal operating speed to ensure optimum torque and a low vibration of the device.
3. Reduced Size
DC Generators with permanent magnet (DC-PMG units) are 30% smaller compared to traditional alternatives due to a reduced length and diameter.
Applications of DC Generators
1. Diesel Engines
DC Generators with permanent magnet can be used to successfully replace traditional alternators in diesel engines.
A DC generator is better because is smaller, lighter, less noisy and more efficient compared to a traditional alternator.
By using a permanent magnet, the generator decreases operating expenditures by lowering fuel consumption and reducing service time.
Switching from a traditional alternator to a permanent magnet DC Generator will ensure up to 15% fuel savings, and by combining the DC generator with a smart variable speed DC generator controller the fuel savings can exceed 45%.
The DC generator with permanent magnet is designed to match any diesel engine on the market and optimize its performance by increasing fuel savings.
2. Telecom DC Generators
The telecom sector is known as being a large energy consumer because each BTS site requires a continuous supply of power to serve the very large number of mobile telephony subscribers.
To be sure that the mobile service never stops, each BTS site has a backup power supply under the form of a generator and a battery bank.
In developing countries, BTS sites require a backup power supply, but if there is no connection to the grid, they rely entirely on distributed generation in the forms of a renewable energy source and a generator.
DC power is used to power BTS signals, but by now, backup power sites were using AC generators (due to their availability on the market).
AC generators represent the lowest capital expenditure, but they are not engineered to maximize efficiency.
By using a DC Generator with permanent magnet combined with a Variable Smart DC Generator Controller, the speed of the engine is changed according to the load requirement of the site, which means that the engine will lower its speed when the electric load decreases while maintaining a constant charging voltage.
