Armature (electrical)

In <a href="/facts/Electrical_engineering/YYXW1KLW">electrical engineering</a>, the armature is the <a href="/facts/Winding/fk2ElSDk">winding</a> (or set of windings) of an <a href="/facts/Electric_machine/0DvFEdCD">electric machine</a> which carries <a href="/facts/Alternating_current/qxICS3xa">alternating current</a>. The armature windings conduct <a href="/facts/Alternating_current/qxICS3xa">AC</a> even on <a href="/facts/Direct_current/r9MNUx84">DC</a> machines, due to the <a href="/facts/Commutator_(electric)/T89yIo7u">commutator</a> action (which periodically reverses current direction) or due to electronic commutation, as in <a href="/facts/Brushless_DC_electric_motor/FW8W7NnL">brushless DC motors</a>. The armature can be on either the <a href="/facts/Rotor_(electric)/TJegVHtc">rotor</a> (rotating part) or the <a href="/facts/Stator/pKBWvIHI">stator</a> (<a href="/facts/Field_coil/J0u1X7gd">field coil</a>, stationary part), depending on the type of electric machine.
Shapes of <a href="/facts/Armature_(electrical_engineering)/BvRwHHWn">armature</a> used in motors include double-T and triple-T armatures.
The armature windings interact with the <a href="/facts/Magnetic_field/Ta8Ev588">magnetic field</a> (<a href="/facts/Magnetic_flux/jQMVxrnD">magnetic flux</a>) in the air-gap; the magnetic field is generated either by permanent magnets, or electromagnets formed by a conducting coil.
The armature must carry <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">current</a>, so it is always a <a href="/facts/Electrical_conductor/BSuyupLP">conductor</a> or a conductive coil, oriented normal to both the field and to the direction of motion, <a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a> (rotating machine), or <a href="/facts/Force/LNAUWMwK">force</a> (linear machine). The armature's role is twofold. The first is to carry current across the field, thus creating <a href="/facts/Drive_shaft/lHnhqzzT">shaft</a> torque in a rotating machine or force in a linear machine. The second role is to generate an <a href="/facts/Electromotive_force/s6sNaHQL">electromotive force</a> (EMF).
In the armature, an electromotive force is created by the relative motion of the armature and the field. When the machine or motor is used as a motor, this EMF opposes the armature current, and the armature converts <a href="/facts/Electrical_power/w61ID9yQ">electrical power</a> to mechanical power in the form of <a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a>, and transfers it via the shaft. When the machine is used as a generator, the armature EMF drives the armature current, and the shaft's movement is converted to electrical power. In an <a href="/facts/Induction_generator/pBb5co0R">induction generator</a>, generated power is drawn from the <a href="/facts/Stator/pKBWvIHI">stator</a>.
A <a href="/facts/Growler_(electrical_device)/gTGQWd22">growler</a> is used to check the armature for short and open circuits and leakages to ground.

Armature (electrical) open-in-new

Armature (electrical)