Effect of Excitation Capacitor on Output Voltage of Self Excited Induction Generator (SEIG)

The increasing demand of electrical energy has attracted researchers, engineers and designer to focus and investigate further for clean energy sources. The conversion of renewable energy to electric involve use of generators. The concept of induction generator has been addressed by many researchers till date. Nowadays, demand is to further extend the application of induction machine as motor and induction generator in electric vehicles as well. During the regenerative breaking of electric vehicles, the induction machine can serve as induction generator provided appropriate capacity excitation is given. For an electric vehicle the actual speed virus depending upon road conditions, traffic and the driving skills. Hence the induction machine in such an application shall be capable of working as a generator for variable speed operations. The induction generator offers many advantages such as robust and maintenance free construction (squirrel cage), inherent overload protection, configurability etc. This paper discusses the effect of excitation capacitor on the output voltage of self-excited induction generator at variable speed and variable loading conditions. The experimental results of a case study are presented