Switched Reluctance Machine for Off-Grid Rural Applications: A Review

ABSTRACT

Switched reluctance machine (SR-machine) has emerged as an attractive option for variable speed drives due to its several advantages: simple and rugged construction, high efficiency, high torque-to-inertia ratio and thermal robustness. It is economical to use without the hassles of winding and permanent magnets on rotor. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive review of SR-machine drive, modelling, converter topologies, control and its suitability for off-grid small-scale rural (SSR) applications using alternative energy sources (AESs). In particular, SR-machine operations such as SR motor (SRM) for photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system (WPS) and SR generator (SRG) for variable speed wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) are presented. In addition, suitability of SRG-based hybrid PV-wind energy system has been analyzed and its advantages are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Hybrid PV-wind
• Off-Grid systems
• PV
• Rural applications
• Switched reluctance generator
• Switched reluctance motor
• Wind

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank MHRD, Govt. of India, and Director, NIT, Warangal, for funding support to this research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The funding was provided by MHRD, Govt. of India and NIT, Warangal.

Notes on contributors

K. Vijay Babu

K. Vijay Babu pursued his bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BVB College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli, Karnataka in the year 2008. Later in 2012, he has completed his master's of technology in Power Electronics from BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore. His areas of interests are in switched reluctance machine drives, renewable energy systems and power electronics. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Electrical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Warangal.

Email: [email protected]

B.L. Narasimharaju

B.L. Narasimharaju was born at Gowribidhanur, Karnataka, India on May 20, 1975. He received BE and ME degree in Electrical Engineering, from University Visveswaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore University, India, in 1999 and 2002, respectively. He obtained his PhD degree from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2012. He worked as Faculty at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University, India from 2003 to 2012. He is currently working as Faculty of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India. His research area includes power electronic converters and their applications.

Email: [email protected]

D.M. Vinod Kumar

D.M. Vinod Kumar obtained his BE (Electrical) and MTech (Power Systems) degrees from Osmania University, Hyderabad, during 1979 and 1981, respectively. He obtained his PhD degree from IIT Kanpur in the year 1996. The title of his thesis is “Artificial Neural Network based Power System State Estimation.” During 2002–2003, he was Post-Doctoral Fellow at Howard University, Washington, DC, USA. He has published more than 70 papers in International Journals and conferences. His areas of interest are power systems operation and control, power system stability and security, neural networks, fuzzy logic and evolutionary computing applications, FACTS, smart grid technologies and renewable energy systems. He joined at National Institute of Technology, Warangal in 1981 as a faculty member. At present, he is Professor of Electrical Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Warangal.

Email: [email protected]