Universal Motor Drive based Drip Irrigation using PV or Grid System

Abstract-In underdeveloped/ developing countries, farmers still based on bore well based farming. Most of them suffer from frequent power failures or else power is available for a limited time only. In such cases, they are either losing some part or most of the crop. To overcome this problem, one of the options is using solar power. Generally, photovoltaic (PV) output is a $DC$ power and can be directly used to drive a DC motor, or it can transform into AC power with the help of an inverter and then drive the AC motor. However, PV output power depends mainly upon climatic conditions, and hence there is a discontinuity in the input power supply. However, a continuous drive operation is achieved using either a battery bank or from conventional power sources. In the prior one, the overall cost increases, and regular maintenance is required. An extra converter is required (for a DC motor, a rectifier, and an AC motor, an inverter to convert DC from PV). However, these setbacks can overcome with a special machine (universal motor) that operates for both AC and DC power supplies. Hence, the continuous and hassle-free operation of the drive is possible. Here, the modeling and performance analysis of universal motor driven by PV and the conventional source is studied. A power management algorithm takes the changeover of power from PV to a conventional place.