Renewable energy-fed switched reluctance motor for PV pump applications

A photovoltaic (PV)-sourced switched reluctance motor (SRM) system based on maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control is proposed in this paper. The power flow between PV array, storage battery and SRM can be achieved by using only one power converter. There are four operational modes of the new energy SRM system as the PV-only motor drive mode, the battery-only motor drive mode, the battery charging mode and the hybrid motor drive mode. By controlling the duty cycle of the switching devices, the constant voltage tracking (CVT) of the PV array in the hybrid mode can be realized, which enables the maximum power point tracking of the PV array and the output power control of the SRM. The proposed topology and control strategy are validated by the simulation and experimental results, which shows great potentials for many industrial pump applications.