Usage of standard centrifugal pumps as an off-grid generator and performance analysis

Abstract

Using field-specific design turbine-generator equipment in rural areas and projects with hydraulic resources at micro scale reduces accessibility by increasing investment costs. Another alternative for projects that want to generate electricity with usable performance with limited financial resources is to use the standard centrifugal pump-motor set as a turbine-generator. This study aimed to design a load control system that can keep the energy quality deterioration in variable load situations within the desired limits and at the same time be installed with low cost , while the standard centrifugal pump-motor set is independent from the grid as a turbine-generator and feeding single-phase loads. It is focused on the use of a three-phase self-excited induction generator to feed one-phase loads, which has the advantage of easy excitation and stable operation, thus reducing the number and cost of the elements in the load control SN stem. PID algorithm has been created to enable the ballast load of the load control system to a stable operation at the calculated power. MATLAB SIMULINK program was used to test the design in computer environment. Then, the physical performance tests or the system, which was established in the experimental set environment, were also performed. The results of the measurements showed that the designed load control card keeps the generator output voltage and frequency at the desired output voltage and licquency, which reduces the change in the generator output voltage frequency from 16% to 1% and the voltage change from 34% to 3% during load changes. It has been determined that the response time of the load control card is between 40 and 150 ins during load shedding and unloading.