Operation of a motor vehicle alternator

摘要

A conventional full wave diode bridge of an alternator is replaced with a full wave controlled rectifier bridge having controlled switches in place of diodes and the rectifier bridge is controlled in response to a third harmonic of the voltage generated by the alternator to synchronize the rectifier bridge with the alternator and to increase output power from the alternator. The alternator includes a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current which is controlled up to a maximum field current for partial control of the output power produced by the alternator. Power produced by the alternator is also controlled by introducing a phase angle between the phase voltages at the three output connections of the stator winding and the third harmonic up to a maximum or optimum phase angle. To increase power output from the alternator, preferably the field current is increased up to a maximum before any phase angle is introduced between the phase voltages and the third harmonic. Similarly, the phase angle is reduced to zero before the field current is reduced if power generated by the alternator is to be decreased.