Stand-alone micro-hydro power plant with induction generator supplying single phase loads

Abstract

Micro-hydro power plants less than 10 kW usually supply isolated networks. This paper presents a new control method for a stand-alone three-phase induction generator supplying single-phase loads. Besides voltage and frequency regulation, the phase balancing should be ensured for this particular operating regime. The proposed control topology relies on a combination between a voltage source inverter (VSI) and a dump load (DL). The VSI imposes the system frequency and performs the unbalances compensation, while the DL deals with the voltage regulation. Through simulations and experiments, the reliability of such a configuration is tested when supplying varying loads. The results show a stable operation for a wide range of loads, during both steady-state and transitory regimes; moreover, the maximum obtained power in single-phase mode of operation is close to the generator rating in three-phase mode of operation.