812 E lectrical M achinery (Art. 6.

16

6.16. INDUCTION GENERATOR

Fig. 6.50 shows the complete torque-slip (or torque-speed) characteristics of a 3-phase in-
duction motor over its entire slip range of - 1 to 2. During the motoring mode, the operating
point lies somewhere near point ‘a ’ between the points B and A. Here B indicates zero torque at
zero slip and A denotes maximum torque at slip smT.
Suppose that 3-phase induction motor is coupled to a prime-mover whose speed can be controlled
and that the operating point is ‘a’ in Fig.
6.50. If the prime-mover speed is in-
creased, the operating point begins to
travel from ‘a’ towards B. When
prime-mover attains synchronous
speed ns, slip is zero and operating
point is B. For prime-mover speed
above synchronous speed, slip becomes
negative. As a consequence, rotor emf
and rotor current as per Eqn. (6.17),
torque as per Eqn. (6.25) and power as
per Eqn. (6.34), all attain negative
values. This implies that for negative
slip, electric torque developed is nega-
tive, i.e., opposite to the prime-mover Fig. 6.50. Torque-slip characteristics of a 3-phase induction machine
torque. Under such a condition, showing plugging, motoring and generating modes.
machine must act as a generator and
delivers its generated power to the supply mains from which it was taking power when working
as a 3-phase induction motor. In other words, when rotor speed is made more than synchronous
speed, slip becomes negative and 3-phase induction machine begins to operate as a 3-phase
induction generator.
Just as point A denotes the maximum torque of a 3-phase induction motor, point C indi-
cates the maximum torque that can be applied to induction machine now working as an induc-
tion generator. If the prime-mover torque exceeds this maximum torque given by point C
lvanishes* g6nerat0r °VerSPe<!d ^ S° me higher Va' Ue ° f slip' the B e r a t i n g effeci

For prime-mover speed above synchronous speed, the rotor is being driven at a speed faster
than the synchronously rotatmg magnetic field. The rotor conductors are now befng cut by the
d e r a t e d emf
generatedI em E^ 2,
3 rotor
r Z current
c™ T fI2* and hence dU" ng m°t0ring
its stator mode'
component U This shows
change theirthat rotor
signs as

^Z onool t ^ tStat° r r ? " 4 ° M iS" 0WC°mp0Sed° fcu rren t° « andcomPonent/ , ' in

ator one f 10n V° Uage F ig ' 6 '5 1 ' A s the ^ during induction-gener-
ator operation ,s not synchronous, it is also called an asynchronous generator.
In polyphase induction motors, rotating magnetic field is set up by the magnetizing current
drawn by the stator from the supply mains. When the speed of the machine is made more than
synchronous speed, even then this magnetizing current must he rf»iiv» I t. , .
erator by the supply mains so that rotating flu l Z s U b T s h e d £ “ l i t SnducUon £
orator is not a sdf-cxcted machine and must therefore continue to get its magnetizing current

.n d u cT o n 'ro to rT h , ,01? T l° Whid’ “ WaS connMt« l

oarallel Whb th P ,T lnduct'on K™o™tor cannot work in isolation ; it must work in
current I d th° buS' bar ° r 0thar S f'h ro n o u s generator/s, which can supply the magnetizing
current and reactive power needed by 3-phase induction generator.

Scanned by CamScanner
 A rt. 6 .1 6 ]
P olyp h ase In d uction M o to rs 813

The transition from motoring mode

to generating mode can easily be shown
on the circle diagram of a polyphase in-
duction machine. In Fig. 6.51, induction
> motor operation is from point Q, upper
part of semi-circle and up to point D
where s —1 .0 . Induction generator
operation is from point Q, lower part of
semicircle and up to point S •
—OOi
Suppose, 3-phase induction
machine is coupled with a loss-less
prime-mover (p.m.). With 3-phase in-
duction motor running at no load
from a 3-phase source, the operating
point is Q. The motor operates at a
p /’ small value of no-load slip. Under
this condition, ac source supplies (i)
quadrature magnetizing current OP
and (ii) a power component PQ to Fig. 6.51. Circle diagram for motoring as well as generating
supply friction, windage and core loss modes of a 3-phase induction machine.

in 3-phase induction motor. Now increase the speed of p.m. so that operating point P is ob-
tained. At this point P, speed is synchronous, all losses are supplied by p.m. and the bus-bar
supplies the magnetizing current OP as well as the corresponding reactive power (= Vr •OP) to
the 3-phase induction machine.
As the p.m. speed is increased, induction generator begins to share the active load of the
bus-bars or synchronous generator/s, but the reactive power is still withdrawn from the 3-phase
ac mams. When operating point M (at about s = - 0.03 to - 0.05) is reached in Fig. 6.51, then
MH = mechanical power input to induction generator
ML = electrical power output of induction generator
CM = stator current
OL = magnetizing current taken from the bus-bar which has increased from OP to OL
KL = constant losses
K J = stator ohmic loss
J H = rotor ohmic loss
cos eG= cos /V^ OM = leading pf of the induction generator.
6.16.1. Self-excited or isolated induction generator. This type of induction generator
does not require an existing ac supply system for obtaining its magnetizing reactive power. In
the self-excited induction generator, a capacitor bank is connected across its stator terminals
as shown in Fig. 6.52. The capacitor bank provides the lagging reactive power of both the in-
duction generator as well as the load. In Fig. 6.52,
Capacitive reactive power, Q = Qlt reactive power needed by 3-phase induction generator
+ Q2, reactive power needed by the load. '
In self-excited induction generator, stator terminal voltage depends upon its magnetization
curve as shown in Fig. 6.53 (a). The reactive current of a capacitor depends upon the voltage
across its terminals, i.e., capacitor voltage Vc = I ■Xc where Xc = ^ •In Fig. 6.53 (6 ), load lines
of capacitor banks having different capacitances C1> C2 > C3 > C 4 are drawn.

bcannea oy uam ^canner

 if­
[Art. 6.16
814 E lectrical M achinery i

Fig. 6.52. A capacitor bank connected across stator terminals of a 3-phase induction generator.

(a) (b)
Fig. 6.53. Characteristics of (a) induction generator and (6) capacitor bank.

In Fig. 6.52, capacitor bank is connected across the stator terminals of a 3-phase induction
machine. When the rotor of induction machine is run at the required speed, residual magnetism
present in the rotor iron generates a small terminal voltage oa across stator terminals, Fig. 6.54
(a). This voltage produces a capacitor current ob. This current ob creates a flux which aids the
residual flux, thus producing more flux and therefore more generated voltage be across stator
terminals. This voltage be sends a current od in the capacitor bank which eventually generates
voltage de. This cumulative process of voltage build up continues till the saturation curve of
induction generator intersects the capacitor load line at point/, thus giving a no-load generated
emf of g/for magnetizing current 7ml. Note that this voltage build up process is similar to that
in a dc shunt generator.
 815
$ U W  Polyphase Induction M otors

if the residual flux is absent in the rotor iron, the induction generator will not build up. This
problem can, however, be overcome by running the machine as a polyphase induction motor for
some time to create residual magnetism.
Note that the voltage build up depends upon the value of capacitor. Higher the value of
capacitance, greater is the voltage build up, see Fig. 6.54 (6). In case capacitor load line does not
intersect the magnetization curve of induction machine, there would be no voltage build up. In
Fig. 6.54 (6), voltage build up for capacitor C4 does not occur.
6.16.2. A pplications of induction generators
(а) E xtern ally-excited generators. This type of generators require a little auxiliary
equipment. These are run in parallel with an existing 3-phase system. Thus, voltage and fre-
quency of induction generators cannot be controlled. Only the active power can be regulated
through the speed control of prime-mover driving the 3-phase induction generator. These gen-
erators don’t hunt. The short-circuit current of these generators is limited. It is because a short-
circuit at once reduces the excitation and thus short-circuit current gets limited.
Externally-excited induction generators are also used in unattended small remote hydro
plants thereby interconnecting a small power station to a large power distribution network.
Their disadvantages are as under :
(i) They require considerable amount of reactive power from the existing supply system.
(ii) Efficiency is relatively poor.
(iii) It can work at leading power factor only.
Induction generator principle is used for regenerative braking of hoists or electric locomo-
tives driven by 3-phase induction motors.
(б ) Self-excited g en erators. With depletion of energy sources world wide, every effort is
made to convert other forms of unconventional energies into electrical energy. Therefore, ener-
gy recovery schemes are becoming an important aspect of present-day industrial processes. In
the coastal areas, wind energy is available in abundance. For the conversion of this wind energy
into electrical energy, an induction generator coupled with a wind-mill offers an ideal solution.
Exam ple 6.65. A 400 V, 3-phase, 6-pole, 50 Hz, star-connected induction motor has the
following per-phase param eters referred to sta tor:
rj = 0.2 O, r2 = 0.5 Q, Xj = x2 = 2 O, Xm =48 0.
This motor drives a hoist. During lowering o f the hoist, the load accelerates the motor to a
speed o f 1050 rpm. At this speed, determine (a) the line current (b) power returned to 3-phase
supply and (c) the efficiency in case its rotational and core losses are 600 W.
Solution. The induction motor equivalent circuit, for this example, is shown in Fig. 6.55.
400
Per-phase supply voltage, Vx = = 230.95 V

1 2 0 x 5 0 1ftnnrnm
Synchronous speed ------= 1000 rpm

Induction machine operating slip,

1 0 0 0 - 1050
s= = - 0.05
1000
0.5
(j 48)
0.05 -96-/480 Fig. 6.55. Pertaining to Example 6.65.
From Fig. 6.55, Zr _ 1Q 50 ‘ - 10 + j 50

Scanned by CamScanner