Switched Reluctance Generator for Low Voltage DC Microgrid Operation: Experimental Validation

Abstract

This paper presents the control of a Switched Reluctance Generator (SRG) for low voltage DC grid with the objective of efficiency maximizing. Analysis of the energy conversion, including electrical machine losses (Joule, magnetic, mechanical) and power converter losses (switching and conduction), has shown that there is an optimal combination of control variables (turn-on and conduction angles, phase current reference), which maximizes the drive efficiency. The control variables are derived from a Finite Element Analysis and parametric optimization algorithm for all of the operating points in the torque-speed plane and stored in lookup tables. The performances are evaluated with intensive numerical simulations and experimental tests with a 8/6 SRG feeding a DC resistive load for different rotational speeds. The results show good performances of the output DC voltage control with low ripples, even in the presence of speed and load variations. Thanks to the optimization, simulation results show that beyond 1500 rpm, drive efficiency is higher than 60 % and almost reaches 70 % at nominal speed. The experimental results show that, for light loads and beyond rated speed, the drive efficiency lies in the range between 60 % and 80 % .

Keywords

• Switched Reluctance Generator
• Finite Element Analysis
• efficiency optimisation
• DC voltage control