Induction generator driven by internal combustion engine with voltage and frequency regulation

Internal combustion engine driven generators are commonly used to produce electricity. Environmental concerns and the ever-increasing energy demand intensifies the search for alternative energy sources. The engines with renewable fuel, such as methanol or vegetable oil, can be considered in this case. This paper presents an investigation of a self-excited induction generator driven by internal combustion engine with adjustable speed. The system uses a PWM inverter connected at the generator output and is able to maintain constant three-phase voltage and frequency, eliminating the drawbacks of the induction generator isolated systems. The operating principles, theoretical analysis, computer simulations and experimental results are included in the paper. Both simulated and experimental results demonstrate that the system presents satisfactory behavior at steady state and under load transients.