Experimental Study on Different Modes of Self Excited Induction Generator Operation

Since the last few decades, induction generators (IGs) have become popular in renewable energy source-based small-scale energy systems due to many advantages. An induction machine can be operated as a generator at the above synchronous speed condition. In off-grid/stand alone mode of operation the IG is not a self started and a suitable rating of a pre-charged capacitor bank is needed to connect to the stator terminals to make it as a self excited induction generator (SEIG). The connection mode of stator windings and capacitors can be changeable. In this paper, various capacitor calculation methods and all possible combinations of SEIG operation are discussed and experimentally verified.