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Electronic load controllers for self excited induction generator

Conference Paper · February 2016

DOI: 10.1109/ICICCS.2016.7542354

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2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and Challenges in Cyber Security (ICICCS 2016)

ELECTRONIC LOAD CONTROLLERS FOR SELF EXCITED

INDUCTION GENERATOR

Sunil Singh1, Murari Lal Azad2 ,Atul Kumar3

1
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology,
G.B. Pant University of Ag & Tech Pantnagar. Email-yogisunilyogi@rediffmail.com
2
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
Amity University, Greater Noida. Email- murariazad@gmail.com.
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
Amity University, Greater Noida. Email- akumar3@gn.amity.edu

ABSTRACT the worldwide attention in reducing the pollution

Micro hydro projects are gaining world wide
attention due to the various advantages. Micro
hydro power is a renewable, clean and
environmental friendly, less gestation period.
Very small (below 10KW) capacity plant is
viable if it is economic. Isolated micro hydro
plant can be controlled either by governor system
or by using Electronic controllers to keep its
frequency constant. It may use conventional
alternator or Induction generators. These
schemes depend on the capacity and
requirement. So by using appropriate technology
we can reduce the cost of micro hydro system.
This paper describes the requirement and
concepts of Electronic load controller (ELC) and
Induction generator controller (IGC). This paper
describes the resent technology which can make
very small schemes viable. Various Electronic
controllers are discussed for induction generators
as well as alternators. its pros and cons is
described and economically viable system is
suggested for the system below 30 kw capacity.
Keywords: Induction Generator, Electronic
Load controller (ELC), Induction Generator
Controller (IGC)
1. INTRODUCTION
Electrical energy is the basic necessity of any
country for its overall development. Fossil fuels
(Coal, Oil, and Diesel) are the main sources of
electrical energy (about 60% in our country).
Fast depletion of fossil fuels results insecurity of
availability of fossil fuels, subsequent increase in
energy cost, the environmental pollution and
above all the global warming. This has brought
and conservation of the limited conventional
fuels by encouraging more and more use of the
energy available from the non-
conventional/renewable sources such as the
wind, the biogas, the tidal waves and the small
hydro power stations on the running canals and
rivulets etc.
The potential of the energy available from the
small hydro and the wind sources seems to be
quite promising to meet the future energy
demands, especially in the remote and isolated
areas. The objective of the harnessing of such
non-conventional energy sources could be
achieved in a big way by development of the
suitable low cost generating systems. The
electric power generation from these sources will
not only supply the energy to the remote and
isolated areas, but can also supply the power
requirements to the interconnected systems.
However, these systems will become more viable
if their cost is reduced to the minimum.[4]
Therefore, the squirrel cage rotor induction
generators are receiving much attention for such
applications due to its low cost and robust
construction. A recent development in Micro
Hydro technology is the use of an induction
motor) motor (the standard industrial with a
suitable set of capacitors as generator, and an
Induction Generator Controller (IGC) to keep
voltage in check. Due to characteristics of the
induction motor with capacitors, also frequency
is kept reasonably constant as long as power
factor of user loads is above 0.8. In Nepal and
Sri Lanka, many of such schemes have been
installed and results are positive.[1]

978-1-5090-2084-3/16/$/31.00©2016 IEEE
300
2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and Challenges in Cyber Security (ICICCS 2016)
2. SELECTION OF GENERATORS
Generation of electrical power is possible either
by ac generation or D.C. generation, D.C.
generation is costlier above 2 kw capacity. Its
running or maintenance cost is high above this
capacity. If we want AC supply one has to
convert using inverters, so it becomes more
expensive.
Generally almost all the power generating
stations utilizing the synchronous generators.
They are widely used for all big power plants. In
India and Uttarakhand the current practice is to
use synchronous generator even for a very small
power generation capacity. We recommends
induction generators for systems below 30 kW
capacity as induction generators are cheap,
robust, can stand over speed, require very little
maintenance and are available with lower
nominal speeds so that transmission ratio can be
lower. Only above 30 kW, a synchronous
generator would become cheaper than an
induction generator with capacitors.[1]
3.REQUIREMENT OF
CONTROLLERS:
Generator should supply constant voltage and
frequency as per specifications. In India voltage
should be 440Vand frequency should be 50Hz.
The frequency and voltage of the generator
output depends on shaft speed and load. When
load changes voltage drops very rapidly so to
maintain it, we have to increase the excitation
current of the generators of the alternator and by
changing the load, speed also decreases, hence
frequency decrease. To keep frequency constant
we have to maintain speed constant by using
automatic ALFC loop, this requires a very costly
hydraulic governor system. Traditional governor
gives high performance but very expensive. In
case of induction generators this voltage drops
more rapidly so again we require hydraulic
governor but it is not viable for very small
system (below 10 KW). Therefore one system
known as (ELC) electronic load controller may
be used to the control the voltage or frequency.
Most of the plants are constant head, means its
input power is constant. If by any means we
could maintain our load constant then we can
keep our frequency constant. Electronic load
controllers are used in synchronous generators
while Induction generator controller (IGC) is
used in Induction generators.[2]
301
4. CONCEPTS OF ELC AND IGC:
The function of ELC or IGC is to keep constant
load even if actual load varies. If actual load
decreases then a secondary load is connected
automatically to the system to maintain overall
load constant. This extra load is called dump
load. So ELC or IGC perform same function but
they are different in working and applications
.ELC senses the frequency and applied on
synchronous generator whereas IGC senses the
terminal voltage and is generally applied in
induction generator. IGC can be converted into
ELC or vice –versa. As given in figure -1. ELC
senses the frequency and send the signal to the
controller to vary the dump load accordingly. In
case of IGC it senses the terminal voltage and if
find any deviation from the nominal the error
signal goes to the controller which takes
appropriate action by changing the dump
load.[1],[2]
Fig 1: Schematic diagram of induction generator
with ELC or IGC.
5. DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS
TYPES OF ELC:
Main function of ELC or IGC is to control the
ballast load according to load variations .Three
main techniques are there to control the ballast
load.
5.1-Phase angle control:
Power dissipation in the ballast is varied by
changing the firing angle f of thyristor; the
fundamental value of the current going through
the resistor-thyristor circuit can be controlled.
When f = 0°, full current passes through the
resistor-thyristor circuit, thus giving maximum
load. When f = 180°, current through the
resistor-thyristor circuit is zero. For values of f in
between 0° and 180°, current through the ballast
2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and Challenges in Cyber Security (ICICCS 2016)

load varies between its maximum and zero, thus
acting as a variable resistor. However, as f is
increased, the displacement factor of the resistor-
thyristor circuit increases, thus absorbing
reactive power. Under this condition, the
resistor-thyristor circuit draws reactive current
from the circuit that’s why phase angle control is
often used with synchronous generators but it is
less appropriate for induction generators. [1]
ballast load and the AC side current when the
consumer load is only 50% of the rated load of
the machine. The electronic switch may be a
transistor, a MOSFET or an IGBT. Most of the
latest circuits employ IGBTs. However, when
employing IGBTs, extra care must be taken
against spikes generated during the switching
transients as IGBTs are easily damaged. Scheme
is suitable for IGC because it produces a variable
unity power factor load with just a single ballets.
It is also used to minimize cyclic voltage
fluctuations due to uneven turbine power output.

Fig 2.Phase angle controller and Voltage and

current waveforms Fig 4. IGBT based dump load controller

5.2. Switched binary –weighted loads:

Back to back thyristor pair operates either as a

open or closed switch. Form this scheme smooth
variation is not possible and complexity is
increases as no of dump load increases.

Fig 3.Switched binary –weighted load controllers

5.3 Variable mark -space ratio chopping

As indicated above, the thyristor-based circuits

have some drawbacks. A circuit that exhibits
smoothly varying ballast load with unity power
factor operation is shown in Fig.4. In this circuit, Fig 5. Voltage across the ballast load and supply
the electronic switch is operated at a high side current for high-frequency ballast with a
frequency, thus chopping the rectified AC 50% loading on the machine.[2]
voltage. The effective resistance of the ballast
load can be changed by varying the duty ratio of
the switch. Fig. 5 shows the voltage across the

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 2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and Challenges in Cyber Security (ICICCS 2016)
6. CONCLUSIONS
Micro hydro schemes having capacity below ( 20
kW) can viable if it is economic. Induction
generator with IGC as a controlling device may
be the best option for these very small hydro
power plants. Induction motor with appropriate
capacitance may be used. Further research is
required to design and implement of the
induction generator in the field to harness
smallest power even one or two KW. Induction
generators should be manufactured in India.
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REFERENCES
[1]. J.B. Ekanayake, “ Induction generators for
Small hydro schemes” Power engineering
journal, April 2002,pp63-67
[2]. T. Chandrasekhar and Vishnu “ Voltage
regulators for SEIG” IEEE conf.
publications 2004.
[3]. Nigel P.A. smith “Induction Generators for
Stand –alone Micro-Hydro system” Proc.
Of international conference on power
electronics,drivesand energy systems for
industrial growth,V01.2,pp.669.Jan1996
[4]. B.H. Khan,Non conv energy
resources.TMH new Delhi
[5]. www.microhydropower.net