Modern technology has presented society with many tools and luxuries that make the lives of billions of people easier on a daily basis. One of these luxuries is the automobile. With its gasoline compression, electrical conversions, and ability to move at very fast speeds, the automobile can get its driver across the country in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, there is a limit to the automobile's capacity to maintain its electrical power. To correct this issue, scientists and manufacturers have invented the alternator. This article will explore what an alternator is, how it works, and some of the major components that allow it to generate electricity.

What is an Alternator
An alternator is a device that works with the engine's crankshaft to convert the otherwise wasted up-and-down motion of the pistons in an engine into circular motion where it can then be converted to alternating current. The alternator then passes the electricity it has generated to the engine's battery where it is stored and later used to power the car's lights and other electrical systems. Considering that modern automobiles are almost entirely run on electrical systems of some kind, the alternator is a very crucial piece of technology.

General Construction
The general construction of an alternator is simple. A pulley connects the crankshaft of the engine to the rotor shaft of the alternator. As the crankshaft rotates, so does the rotor shaft. The rotor shaft extends all the way through the center of the rotor which causes the entire rotor to rotate at very fast speeds. As the rotor turns, the magnet that is built upon it interacts with metal linings that surround the rotor. These metal linings force the magnet to switch from North to South pole repeatedly. This alternating pattern generates a magnetic field that creates a voltage in the stator, a metal encasing that collects energy from the magnetic field. The electricity is then passed through a series of buffers and diodes to regulate the amount of current that is passed to the battery at any given time.How Does An Alternator Work

Rotor
As was explained in the previous paragraph, the rotor is the unit that houses the majority of an alternator's equipment. The rotor is responsible for rotating the alternator's magnet and indirectly generating the electricity that the battery craves. While the rotor is not the single-most important component of an alternator, it is extremely necessary to the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire device and the science of an alternator may not be possible without the rotor.

Voltage Regulator
The Voltage Regulator found within an alternator is responsible for maintaining the amount of voltage that the alternator generates based on the amount of voltage that is stored within the battery. If there is any sign of danger from too much voltage or any sign of failure from too little voltage, the Voltage Regulator powers on to regulate the flow.

Diode Rectifier
A diode rectifier is effectively a gateway that only allows electricity to flow in one direction. This is important in alternators as alternators generate alternating current (or AC) while batteries store electricity in direct current (or DC). In order to stop the current from alternating and direct it into the battery, the alternator uses a diode rectifier as a type of valve that converts the AC into DC.

Cooling Systems
Due to the massive amounts of energy that is created by the alternator, there is also a good amount of heat that builds up inside the rotor and other parts of the alternator. To combat this problem, a number of precautions have been taken to relieve heat from the alternator. For one, the alternator is surrounded by an aluminum shield that dissipates heat very rapidly as well as block the magnetic field from the rotor. There are also vents included on the sides of all alternators that let air in and heat out. Furthermore, newer alternators have built-in fans that get their power from the alternator itself and constantly work to reduce heat inside the alternator.

Terminals
Aside from the alternator's basic science, several devices are built into the alternator and rotor to manage electrical flow. One example of such devices are the assorted terminals found at the rear of every alternator. The terminals are necessary to the efficiency and safety of an alternator as they perform several key functions. The S Terminal, for instance, runs constant checks on the battery to detect how much voltage is located there. The IG Terminal, on the other hand, initiates the Voltage Regulator whenever the ignition is started. The L Terminal closes the circuit to the dashboard's warning lamp while the B Terminal allows electricity to be passed to the battery. Finally, the F Terminal serves as a bypass for the Voltage Regulator. Without these terminals, the alternator would be effectively useless.