A Micro-hydro Electronic

Load Controller (ELC) for

the Developing World
Shoan Mbabazi
 Overview
• Aims and Objectives
• Electronic Load Controllers (ELCs)
• Existing ELC Designs
• Proposed Design
• Simulation Results
• Conclusion
• Continuing the Project
 Project Outline
Mini-project 1
Mini- Mini-project 2
Mini-
Jon and Shoan Shoan

Micro-hydro Background Research

Micro-hydro System Analysis

Analysis of Existing ELC Designs

Alternative ELC Design Proposal

Proposed ELC Design Simulations

Circuit Design

0 4 8 12 16
Week
 Aims and Objectives
• To design and construct an alternative
Electronic Load Controller (ELC) for use in
developing countries, with particular
emphasis on:
– Simplicity of Design
– Ease of Manufacture
– Robustness
– Ease of Maintenance
– Affordability
What is an ELC?

(RENERCONSYS, 2010)
 What does an ELC do?
Power in = Power out
{(VinIincosθin)ηin} ={(VoutIoutcosθout)ηout}
V – Voltage, I – Current, Cosθ – Power Factor, η - Efficiency

(Ludens, 2010)
Existing ELC Designs
 Existing ELC Design
• Binary load regulation.

• Phase angle regulation.

• Pulse width regulation.

• Controlled bridge rectifier.

• Uncontrolled rectifier with a chopper.

 Binary Load Regulation
– Advantages
• Minimal harmonics

(Henderson, 1998)
– Disadvantages
• Fixed dump load sizes
• Requires large
number of dump
loads

(Portegijs, 2000)
• Effectiveness limited
by number of dump
loads
 Phase Angle Regulation

(Portegijs, 2000)
– Advantages
• Can use any
number/size
combination of
dump loads
– Disadvantages
• Harmonics
• Effectiveness limited

(Portegijs, 2000)
by timing accuracy
of trigger pulse
 Proposed ELC Design
• The proposed ELC uses the combination of
binary load and phase angle regulation
methods.
– Minimising the disadvantages presented by each
used on its own
Proposed ELC Operation Principle
 Advantages of the Proposed ELC
• Less Dump loads can be used to cover a large
spectrum on load variations.

• Generator runs at a desired speed at all times.

• Minimal harmonics are injected into the system at

steady state

• Minimal power distortion at transient switching

periods
 Simulations
• The simulations have been undertaken using a
computer simulation package MATLAB Simulink.

• A standalone micro-hydro system rated at 25kw,

230V 50Hz with,

• an ELC comprising of five binary dump loads (1kw,

2kw, 4kw, 8kw, 16kw) and a single 1kw variable
dump load
Simulink Model
 Example 1
User Load Pwr System Frequency
12000 62
• User Load power
10000
60
10kW + Binary Load
8000
58
power 15kW=

Frequency (Hz)
6000
Pwr (kW)

4000
56
Generated Power
2000
54
25kw
52
0

50
-2000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Time (s/10000)
7000 8000 9000 10000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Time (s/10000)
7000 8000 9000 10000
• Variable Load power =
2.5
x 10
4 Binary Dump Load Power
0.08
Variable Load Power 0W
0.07
2

0.06

1.5
0.05
• System frequency =
50Hz
Pwr (kW)

Pwr (W)

1 0.04

0.03
0.5

0.02

0
0.01 • Binary Load selection
-0.5
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Time (s/10000)
7000 8000 9000 10000
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Time s/10000
12000 14000 16000 18000 of 8kW, 4kW, 2kW,
1kW
 Example 2
User Load Power
12000
• User Load power
10000
10.4kW + Binary Load
8000
power 14kW= 24.4kW
6000
Pwr (W)

4000 System Frequency

62

2000
60
• Surplus Power 600W
0

58

Frequency (Hz)
-2000
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

4
Time 4
x 10 56 • System frequency =
x 10 Binary Load Dump Power

1.8
2
54 61Hz
1.6
52
1.4

1.2 50
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Pwr (kW)

Time 4
1 x 10

0.8
• Binary Load selection
0.6

0.4
of 8kW, 4kW, 2kW
0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Time 4
x 10
 Example 3
User Load Power System Frequency
12000 62
• User Load power
10000
60
10.4kW + Binary Load
8000
58
power 14kW= 24.4kW

Frequency (Hz)
6000
Pwr (W)

4000
56
• Surplus Power 600W
54
2000

52
0

50
• Variable Load power =
-2000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Time
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
4
x 10
2
Time (s/10000)
600W
4 Binary Load Dump Power Variable Load Power
x 10
2 700

1.8
600
1.6

1.4
500
• System frequency =
1.2 400 50Hz
Pwr (W)
Pwr (kW)

1
300
0.8

0.6 200

0.4
100
0.2
0
• Binary Load selection
0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Time
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
x 10
2
4
Time 4
x 10 of 8kW, 4kW, 2kW
Proposed ELC Design Specification
– Maintains constant frequency/Voltage.
– Robust and Affordable.
– Digital

Minimal components

Easy to install

Synchronous/asynchronous

50/60 Hz

Single/3-phase
 Conclusion
• The proposed ELC is:
– Simple
– Reliable
– Injects fewer harmonics than phase angle alone.
– Less dump loads are required compared to Binary
regulation alone.
– Improves system efficiency.
Higher the efficiency reduces energy prices.
Continuing the Project
Questions....?
 References
[1] A. Harvey, Micro-hydro Design Manual. Rugby: Intermediate Technology
Publications, 2006.
[2] H. Ludens. (2010, Electronic Load Controller for microhydro system.
Available: http://ludens.cl/
[3] J. Portegijs. (2000, 6 December ). The `Humming Bird' Electronic Load
Controller / Induction Generator Controller.
[4] Renerconsys, "Digital Load Controller for Synchronous Generator: Manual
Instruction," 2010.
[5] D. Henderson, "An Advanced Electronic Load Governor for Control of
Micro Hydroelectric Generation”, 1998
[6] Spirax Sarco, “Basic Control Theory”, 2010. Available:
www.spiraxsarco.com