Chapter 6 considered the generation of an a.c. voltage by means of
a single coil rotating in a magnetic field. Such an arrangement
produces a single sinusoidal voltage and is referred to as a single-
phase a.c. supply. Single-phase supplies have certain disadvantages
and these disadvantages can be overcome by increasing the number
of alternator windings.
20.2 Two-phase supply
In a two-phase alternator there are two equal voltage sources. Two
coils displaced by 90° (see Figure 20.1) are rotated in a magnetic
field. This arrangement generates two voltages with a phase diffe-
rence of 90°
(IT/2
radians) ...
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