A Novel Method of Evaluating Performance Characteristics of a Self-Excited Induction Generator

Self-excited induction generators (SEIG) are increasingly being used in isolated areas to generate electrical energy from both conventional and nonconventional energy sources. This paper proposes a novel method of evaluating the steady-state performance characteristics of a SEIG under various operating conditions. The criteria for the constant terminal voltage and the constant-stator-current operations are also derived and embedded into the system of equations. Unlike the previous methods of analysis, the problem is formulated in a simple and straightforward way without going through lengthy and tedious derivation for the coefficients of a set of. nonlinear equations. The formulated problem is then solved using a numerical-based routine "fsolve" given in MATLAB. The effectiveness of the proposed method is then evaluated on a 220-V, 1.5-kW induction generator for various operating conditions. Some of the simulation results obtained by the proposed method are also compared with the corresponding experimental values and are found to be in very good agreement.