INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF ELECTROMECHANICAL ENERGY CONVERSION

•   The chief advantage of electric energy over other forms of energy is the relative ease and high efficiency with which it can be transmitted over long distances.

• •    Its main use is in the form of a transmitting link for transporting other forms of energy, e.g. mechanical, sound, and light, etc. from one physical location to another.

• •    Electric energy is seldom available naturally and is rarely directly utilized.

• •    Obviously two kinds of energy conversion devices are needed, to convert one form of energy to the electric form and to convert it back to the original or any other desired form.

• •    These devices can be transducers for processing and transporting low- energy signals.

• •    A second category of such devices is meant for production of force or torque with limited mechanical motion like electromagnets, relays, actuators etc.

• •    A third category is the continuous energy conversion devices like motors or generator which are used for bulk energy conversion and utilization.

• •    Electromechanical energy conversion takes place via the medium of a magnetic or electric field the magnetic field being most suited for practical conversion devices.

• •    Because of the inertia associated with mechanically moving members, the fields must necessarily be slowly varying, i.e. quasistatic in nature.