CONTROL OF GRID CONNECTED INDUCTION GENERATOR USING NATURALLY

COMMUTATED AC VOLTAGE CONTROLLER

M. A. Abdel-halim A. F. Almarshoud A. I. Alolah

Elec. Power and Machines College of Technology EE Dept.-College of Eng.
Dept.-College of Eng. P.O.Box 42826 King Saud University
Cairo University Riyadh 1155 1 P.O.Box 800, Riyadh 11421
Giza, Egypt Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT power factor and efficiency of the generator at such

The paper presents complete analysis of induction
generator linked to the network through ac voltage
controller utilizing anti-parallel thynstors. The
performance characteristics regarding the harmonic
contents, active power, reactive power, power factor
and efficiency have been computed. These
characteristics have been determined with the help of
a novel abc-dq circuit model. The model posses the
advantages of both the dq and direct phase models .
1. INTRODUCTION
Induction generators have two states of operation.
They are either autonomous units or grid-connected
units. The power factor of the grid-connected
induction generator is fixed by its slip and its
equivalent circuit parameters and not affected by the
load. The quadrature component of the current
output is nearly constant for any fixed terminal
voltage and frequency and leads the voltage. It is
necessary therefore to operate such generators in
parallel with synchronous machines. These
synchronous machines do not only supply the
quadrature lagging current demanded by the load but
also supply sufficient quadrature lagging current to
neutralize the quadrature leading component of the
current delivered by the induction generator. Thus,
the synchronous machines in parallel with an
induction generator determine its voltage and
frequency, while its output is fixed by its slip [ 11.
Induction generators when driven by wind turbines
are liable to run near its synchronous speed when the
wind speed is low. This results in operation at bad
power factor and low efficiency. To improve the
loads, it is recommended to lower its terminal
voltage. Thus an ac voltage controller used as an
interface between the network and the generator is
useful in this concern [2,3].
In previous work by one of the authors [4]an ac
voltage controller utilizing power transistors as
electronic switches has been used to link the
generator to the grid. Forced commutation has been
applied, and the converter has been provided with
switched free-wheeling paths. In the present paper, a
rather simple ac voltage controller is used to control
the active and reactive power of an induction
generator connected to an infinite bus bar. The ac
voltage controller utilizes a set of anti-parallel
thyristors. The performance of the induction
generator is studied through modeling it by a novel
equivalent circuit in a pseudo-stationary abc-dq
reference frame. Based on the circuit model a state
space mathematical model is develop ed. The model
is capable of dealing with the nonlinearities
introduced by the used electronic solid-state
switches. The performance characteristics have been
computed for a wide range of operating conditions
through a simulating computer program.
2. PROPOSED CONTROL CIRCUIT
The proposed circuit is shown in Fig. 1. Each stator
phase has a control circuit that consists of two anti-
parallel thyristors. This control circuit links the
induction generator to the network. The terminal
voltage of the generator is controlled by controlling
the triggering angle, a of the thyristors.

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 The current begins to flow at this angle and the ihase bus bar
thyristor is naturally commutated when the current
falls down to zero. The current, power factor, active
and reactive power of the generator are controlled
through the variation of the triggering angle of the
thyristors.

3- SYSTEM MODELLING

The stator of the induction machine is modeled in the

direct phase reference frame, abc while its rotor is
modeled as two pseudo-stationary coils in the dq
reference frame (Fig. 2). This new model has the
following advantages:

i- There is no need to transform the stator voltage

and current quantities as the stator is modeled
keeping its original physical arrangement.
ii- Stator direct phase modeling allows unbalanced Fig. 1: Generator System
conditions and nonlinearities arising from the
use of electronic switches and other reasons to
be easily represented.
iii- Using pseudo-stationary coils for the rotor
results in time-independent mutual inductances
between the stator and rotor coils. Thus the
advantages of the dqo models are reserved.

The five coil currents and the rotorspeedare

chosen to be the state variables. Based on the
previous circuit model the voltage matrix equation of
the machine could be formulated as follows:

where [R].[i] is the resistive voltage drop matrix

[x].p[i] is the transformer voltage matrix I
I
w[G].[i] is the rotational voltage matrix. I
I
.’o I

?I
The resistance matrix is given by = I
+
Fig.2: Circuit model of the Induction Generator
R , O O O 0
O R , O O 0
O O R , 0 0 If the rotor d-axis is chosen along the magnetic axis
2 of the stator phase “a”, and neglecting the space
0 0 0 -R, 0
3 harmonic fluxes and the saturation effects, The [XI
2 and [GI matrices are given by:
O O O O YR2

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stator-phase (rms) currents, harmonic factor, power 2.0 S Wr=1.08 p.u.
c
'
factor, active and reactive power, and the generator ?
Wr=1.06 p.u.

efficiency. 0 - Wr=1.04 p.u

1.5 - Wr=1.02 p.u
S

A three-phase, 11 kW squirrel cage induction 5

generator having the specifications and parameters f 1.0
M
given in table 1 has been used for computations. The m
L
performance characteristics have been computed at a,

different speeds and different triggering angles.

2 0.5
a,
r
k-
1 Vrated I415 V 0.0
Irated 17 A
140 150 160 170 180
f 50 HZ Firing angle (a)
Rs 0.0504 pu
I XSI 1 0.076 pu Fig. 6: The Average Torque
XM I 2.35 pu
R, I 0.0493 DU 1.5
- -0
- 1 Wr=lO8 p U
Wr=lO6 p U
I
c
'
z! 1.2 i s - Wr=lO4 p U
Q \ Wr=io~pu
W 7
Table 1: parameters for induction generator & 0.9 i
J \
-
a 0.6 i
T - - I -

Figure 3 shows the generator fundamental current.

As the triggering angle increases, the fundamental
current remains nearly constant for a certain range,
and then drops rapidly approaching the zero value.
The constant current range gets wider at lower
speeds. Figure 4 shows the generator harmonic
factor. The harmonic factor increases as the 140 150 160 170 180
triggering angle increases. The phase shift between Firing angle ( a )
the fundamental current component and the phase Fig. 7: The Active Power
voltage (displacement angle) is shown in Fig. 5. The
fundamental current component leads the pha se
voltage. The angle remains more or less constant as
the firing angle increases, and then increases rapidly
and exceeds the 90 degree. The average torque (Fig.
6) behaves in a manner similar to that of the current.

The variation of the delivered active power of

the generator with the firing angle at different speeds
is shown in Fig. 7. The pattern of the active power is a, J . ,
/
;
/ I
I

in general similar to those of the current and torque. $ -0.6 --;i I

i
,/
: E Wr=1.08 p.u.
The induction generator generally consumes reactive (0
a, , '.. Wr=1.06 p.u.
power (Fig. 8). This reactive power slightly increases
K
a, -0.8 1 -
f i Wr=1.04 p.u.
Cb Wr=i.02 p.u.
c
as the triggering angle increases over a certain range, I- 1

then it decreases rapidly approaching zero. -1.0,

-

T
-

;- I !

~ ! 1 ' I

140 150 160 170 180

The power factor remains high for triggering Firing angle ( a )
angle less than 160 degree especially at high speeds,
But when the triggering angle increases, power Fig. 8: The Reactive Power
factor decreases rapidly to zero and may go to

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negative values at higher triggering angles as shown
in Fig. 9. The efficiency behaves in a manner similar
to that of the power factor as shown in Fig. 10. At
high triggering angles the values of the power factor
and efficiency are negative, this happens because at
high triggering angles the generated power is not
enough to cover the stator and core losses. So, the
generator will absorb active power from the grid.
[3] S. Suresh Babu, G.J. Mariappan and S. Palanichamy, “
A novel Grid Interface for Wind-Driven Grid-Connected
Induction Generators” , Proc. of the IEEE/IAS
Intemational Conference on Industrial Automation and
Control, 1995, pp 373-376.
[4] M. A. Abdel-halim, “ Solid state control of a grid
connected induction generator”, Electric Power
Components and Systems, 29: 163-178,2000.

5- CONCLUSIONS [5] B. Adkins and R.G. Harley, “The General Theory of

Alternating Current Machines: Application to Practical
The paper has presented novel circuit and Problems”, Chapman and Hall, London, 1975.
mathematical model capable of representing the
steady state and transient conditions of induction
generator when electronic switches are connected to
its stator lines. The model has been used to analyze
an induction generator connected to the network
through an ac voltage controller. The use of solid-
state devices as electronic switches enables the ---z
control of the active power and reactive power \

delivered by the induction generator to the network.

L
a,
I ’ \’\
1 ‘5

From the computed performance characteristics,

the followings are concluded: -
7 - Wr=l04pu
i- The efficiency is negative at high triggering Wr=lO2 p U
angle. This is because the generated power at -0.5 1 I
these triggering angles does not cover the stator
copper and core losses especially at low speeds. 140 150 160 170 180
Fir1ng angle (a)
Consequently, the induction machine takes an
electrical power from the network. But at a large Fig. 9: The Power Factor
super synchronous speed, electric power is
delivered to the network by the induction
generator.
ii-The regions where the power factor or the 5.0 -,
efficiency is negative are considered impractical
operation regions for the induction generator.
iii- The existence of solid-state devices is
associated with existence of current harmonic
contents.

6. REFERNCES
a,
.15.0 7ol
Wr=l.08 p.u.
Wr=l.O6 p.u.

[I] Stephen J. Chapman “Electric Machinery

-20.0 j - ~ r = 1 . 0 4p.u.
:Wr4.02p.u.
Fundamentals”, 2”dedition, McGraw-hill, 1985. i -
r7
-25.0 i I ~

[2] V. Subbiah and K. Geetha, “Certain Investigations on 140 . 150 160 170
a Grid Connected Induction Generator with Voltage Firing angle (a)
Control”, Proc. Of the IEEE Intemational Conference on
Power Electronics, Drives and Energy Systems, 1996, pp Fig. 10: The Efficiency
439-444.

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