Current source inverter for a 400 kW ocean waves induction generator

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 1999

Authors

Carlos Ramos (Author) FEUP; Pedro Moreira da Silva (Author) Other; Adriano Carvalho (Author) FEUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: EPE 99 - European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications

Pages: 172-180

EPE 99 - European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications

Indexing

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

Other information

Abstract (EN): Electrical energy generated from the ocean waves is a renewable energy being developed. One form of retrieving this energy is using the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) principle. In order to optimise this energetic resource, the electric generator must work at variable speed depending on the input power. For the energy to be delivered to mains, the voltage magnitude and frequency must be constant. This paper describes a system that uses a generator based on a wound induction machine with slip energy recovery, which allows operation with variable speed and direct connection to the mains. The Slip Energy Recovery System (SERS) is based on a wound induction machine being controlled through the amount of rotor energy delivered to the mains by means of a static converter. The AC variable rotor voltage is converted to DC voltage with a rectifier groupment and then converted again to AC in order to be injected into mains. The use of an IGBT Current Source Inverter (CSI) as DC-AC converter minimises current harmonics and allows smooth interaction between the random and variable input power and the mains. The main advantage of this system is the ability to generate 400 kW using a 200 kW machine and a 200 kW CSI. The prototype appears as an important development due to work with a large renewable energy source at a significant power level. The good performance carried out by the equipment based on an induction generator is reached through a well-controlled IGBT based current inverter that is presented within this paper.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9