Zenobe Théophile Gramme was a Belgian electrical engineer born on April 4, 1826, in Jehay-Bodegnée, Belgium, and died on January 20, 1901, in Bois-Colombes, France. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the electric generator and the dynamo.
Gramme began his working life at the age of ten as a shepherd. He later worked as a joiner and then as a draftsman in a machine shop. His interest in electricity led him to study electrical engineering, despite having no formal education in the field.
In 1869, Gramme invented the Gramme Dynamo, which was a significant advancement in the field of electrical engineering. This machine was an improvement over existing dynamos because it could produce direct current (DC) efficiently, which was essential for the practical use of electricity in various applications. The key innovation was the use of a ring armature, which improved the efficiency of the dynamo by ensuring a more uniform magnetic field.
The Gramme Dynamo's design allowed for self-excitation, where the dynamo could maintain its magnetic field through its own generated current, making it highly efficient for industrial use. This invention was patented in 1870, and Gramme's dynamo became widely used in Europe and the United States, significantly contributing to the spread of electric lighting and power.
Gramme received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Rumford Medal from the Royal Society of London in 1883, and he was made an Officer of the Légion d'Honneur in France.