What is a rotor?
Even if we constantly use technical terms in everyday life, we are often not entirely clear about their exact meaning. When you hear the word rotor, you might think of helicopters or wind power plants, and both are correct. This is because rotors can be found on a broad basis.
Rotor - definition based on the origin of the word
It does not always make sense to ask about the etymology of a word in order to find out its exact definition. Sometimes this is misleading when translating the disease "lupus" as "wolf", for example. Historical misinterpretations can, on closer inspection, severely separate a word from its true meaning. In some cases, however, there is also the famous spark of truth in the origin of the word. This is the case here.
- The term comes from a Latin verb - rotare.
- This means "circling" and describes the basic function of the rotors very well. These are components in or on a machine that can be set in circular movements.
- In most systems, the counterpart of the rotor can also be found - a stator. This is an immovable part.
- The movements can fulfill different tasks depending on the machine.
There are different types of electric motors. Some work with alternating current ...
What is the role of the rotors?
- Helicopters work with rotors. The word "propeller" is often used synonymously. In fact, a propeller is a sub-group of rotors: the so-called aerodynamically acting rotors. The rotors drive the air currents in order to generate a drive for the machine.
- The wind turbines also use rotors. They do this, however, to have exactly the opposite effect. The rotor blades are driven by the wind and the rotor is used to convert this air energy into mechanical movement.
- The sense of the interaction between rotors and stators can be explained well using the example of the turbines: Here the stator helps to guide the incoming air in a targeted manner so that the rotor can use it effectively can.
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