Individual Electric DriveIn an electric drive system, if an individual machine is fitted with its own motor and each operator has complete control on their machine, then it is termed as an individual electric drive.Examples − Drill machine, lath machine, etc.Group Drive SystemA group drive system uses a high powered motor to drive a common shaft. When several machines are organized on a single shaft and are driven by a single large motor, this system is known as group drive. Group drive is also known as line shaft drive because a large sized motor (called main motor) drives a common ... Read More

The electric motors that generate power to rotate the wheels of the train are known as traction motors. The turning force produced by the traction motor is transmitted to the wheels of the train through the driving gear unit and axle. Traction motors should have high efficiency.Desirable Characteristics of Traction MotorsThe desirable characteristics and features of the electric motors used for traction purpose are described below.Suitable Speed-Torque CharacteristicsThe traction motor should have suitable speed-torque characteristics. In a traction system, the torque required at start is very high, while during the constant speed, the torque requirement is not high because kinetic ... Read More

An electric lamp is a device that can generate artificial light by consuming electric energy. There are different types of lamps available in the market, which include −Incandescent LampFluorescent LampCompact Fluorescent LampSodium Vapor LampMercury Vapor LampHalogen LampMetal Halide LampNeon LampLED LampLASER LampIn this article, we will compare and contrast the various features of these lamps.Incandescent Lamp vs. Fluorescent Lamp vs. CFLThe following table compares the features of incandescent lamp, fluorescent lamp, and CFL.Basis of ComparisonIncandescent LampFluorescent LampCFLPrinciple of operationHeating effect of electric currentGas discharge (or ionization of gas by electric current)Gas dischargeColor of light emittedYellowWhiteWhiteProduction of heat during operationMoreLessModerateCostLessMoreMoreNeed of ... Read More

With the modern traction equipment, fast trains can easily achieve the desired acceleration. However, if the stopping system or braking system of the trains fail, it will cause a great disaster. Therefore, braking system of trains is very important. In this article, let's understand how mechanical breaking differs from electric breaking and which one is more efficient.Mechanical BrakingMechanical brakes are applied by brake shoes which are pressed with force against the wheel of the train. In mechanical braking, the braking force is generally produced by means of piston-cylinder arrangement. The movement of the piston is transmitted to the brake shoes ... Read More

Internal Combustion Engine VehicleVehicles with an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) use fuel which combusts inside a combustion chamber with the help of an oxidizer (generally oxygen from air).Electric VehicleA type of vehicle that uses one or more electric motor for propulsion is known as electric vehicle (EV). In simple words, we can say the electric vehicles are the automobiles that are propelled by one or more electric motors using the energies stored in batteries.Comparison between IC Engine Vehicle and Electric VehicleThe following table highlights the points that differentiate an IC Engine Vehicle from an Electric Vehicle −Point of ComparisonInternal Combustion ... Read More

DC Traction SystemA traction system in which DC series motors are used for running the electric trains is known as DC traction system. The DC power to be fed to DC series motor is obtained from substations which are located at a distance of 3 to 5 km for urban and suburban heavy traffic and 15 to 30 km for main line service.AC Traction SystemA traction system in which AC motors (1-phase or 3-phase induction motors) are used for running the electric trains is known as AC traction system.In AC traction system, a high voltage is fed to the overhead ... Read More

What are Traction Systems?The word "traction" means the action of pulling an object over a surface, especially a road or track. The action of propelling vehicles by electric power derived from overhead wires, third rail, storage batteries or diesel generators mounted on the vehicles is known as electric traction. In simple words, the traction system which uses electric power for its operation is known as electric traction.The electric traction system is widely used in electric trains, tramcars, trolley buses and hybrid vehicles, etc.Traction systems can either be electric or non-electric depending on the type of source from where they draw ... Read More

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is a type of fluorescent lamp that has been compressed into the size of an ordinary incandescent lamp. It works on the principle of gas discharge, i.e., ionization of gas by the electric current.The modern CFL was invented by Edward E. Hammer in 1973.CFLs are the lamps of choice for those looking for an energy efficient alternative to incandescent lamps.CFLs consume very less power than an incandescent lamp.The increasing variety of shape and color and small size of CFL have made them more versatile and acceptable than the conventional long tube fluorescent lamps.Construction and Working ... Read More

Both decoder and demultiplexer are types combinational logic circuits used for implementing different types of digital systems. However, the function of a decoder is completely different from that of a demultiplexer. A decoder is a combination logic circuit that decrypts an input data stream from one format to another, whereas a demultiplexer is a combination circuit that routes the data from one input line to any of the multiple output lines. Read this article to find out more about decoders and demultiplexers and how they are different from each other. Let's start with a basic overview of these two combinational ... Read More