Fig. 76.—The brushes of a Holmes dynamo.
Fig. 78 shows another method of winding—the shunt. Most of the current generated passes through the external circuit 2, 2; but a part is switched through a separate winding for the magnets, denoted by the fine wire 1, 1. Here the strength of the magnetism does not vary directly with the current, as only a small part of the current serves the magnets. The shunt winding is therefore used where the voltage (or pressure) must be constant.
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Fig. 77.—Sketch showing a "series" winding. | Fig. 78.—"Shunt" winding. |
A third method is a combination of the two already named. A winding of fine wire passes from brush to brush round the magnets; and there is also a series winding as in Fig. 77. This compound method is adapted more especially for electric traction.
ALTERNATING DYNAMOS.
These have their field magnets excited by a separate continuous current dynamo of small size. The field magnets usually revolve inside a fixed armature (the reverse of the arrangement in a direct-current generator); or there may be a fixed central armature and field magnets revolving outside it. This latter arrangement is found in the great power stations at Niagara Falls, where the enormous field-rings are mounted on the top ends of vertical shafts, driven by water-turbines at the bottom of pits 178 feet deep, down which water is led to the turbines through great pipes, or penstocks. The weight of each shaft and the field-ring attached totals about thirty-five tons. This mass revolves 250 times a minute, and 5,000 horse power is constantly developed by the dynamo. Similar dynamos of 10,000 horse power each have been installed on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Fig. 79.