Just like a DC Machine
, a same induction machine can be used as an induction motor
as well as an induction generator, without any internal modifications. Induction generators are also called as asynchronous generators.
Before starting to explain how an induction (asynchronous) generator works, I assume that you know the working principle of an induction motor
. In an induction motor, the rotor rotates because of slip (i.e. relative velocity between the rotating magnetic field and the rotor). Rotor tries to catch up the synchronously rotating field
of the stator but never succeeds. If rotor catches up the synchronous speed, the relative velocity will be zero, and hence rotor will experience no torque.
But what if the rotor is rotating at a speed more than synchronous speed?
How Induction Generators Work?
- Consider, an AC supply is connected to the stator terminals of an induction machine. Rotating magnetic field produced in the stator pulls the rotor to run behind it (the machine is acting as a motor).
- Now, if the rotor is accelerated to the synchronous speed by means of a prime mover, the slip will be zero and hence the net torque will be zero. The rotor current will become zero when the rotor is running at synchronous speed.
- If the rotor is made to rotate at a speed more than the synchronous speed, the slip becomes negative. A rotor current is generated in the opposite direction, due to the rotor conductors cutting stator magnetic field.
- This generated rotor current produces a rotating magnetic field in the rotor which pushes (forces in opposite way) onto the stator field. This causes a stator voltage which pushes current flowing out of the stator winding against the applied voltage. Thus, the machine is now working as an induction generator (asynchronous generator).
Induction generator is not a self-excited machine. Therefore, when running as a generator, the machine takes reactive power from the AC power line and supplies active power back into the line. Reactive power is needed for producing rotating magnetic field. The active power supplied back in the line is proportional to slip above the synchronous speed.
Self-Excited Induction Generator
It is clear that, an induction machine needs reactive power for excitation, regardless whether it is operating as a generator or a motor. When an induction generator is connected to a grid, it takes reactive power from the grid. But what if we want to use an induction generator to supply a load without using an external source (e.g. grid)?
A capacitor bank can be connected across the stator terminals to supply reactive power to the machine as well as to the load. When the rotor is rotated at an enough speed, a small voltage is generated across the stator terminals due to residual magnetism. Due to this small generated voltage, capacitor current is produced which provides further reactive power for magnetization.
Applications of induction generators: Induction generators produce useful power even at varying rotor speeds. Hence, they are suitable in wind turbines.
Advantages: Induction or asynchronous generators are more rugged and require no commutator and brush arrangement (as it is needed in case of synchronous generators).
One of the major disadvantage of induction generators is that they take quite large amount of reactive power.
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