Generators are widely used across the world as portable power units in case of power outages, used for emergency services and are also used in rural areas without access to electricity. The majority of commercially available generators use internal combustion engines designed as automobile engines with little or no optimization for use in generators. With operating conditions vastly different than that of automobile engines, they can be re-designed to operate much more efficiently as generator engines. The development objective here was to design a low cost, 1.6L, lean burn, internal combustion engine which minimizes heat losses, time losses and frictional losses to improve thermal efficiency. Various high swirl, high squish, easily CNC’d combustion chambers were created in the re-design process. A computer model was used to provide insight into the trade-off between time losses and heat losses. A maximum brake thermal efficiency of 37.2% was achieved.

In Scania’s single speed engines for industrial and marine use, the engine speed is controlled by a PI-controller. This controller is tuned independent of engine type and application. This brings certain disadvantages since the engines are used in a wide range of applications where the dynamics may differ. In this thesis, the possibility to tune the controller automatically for a specific engine installation has been investigated. The work shows that automatic tuning is possible. By performing an identification experiment on the engine, the parameters in a first order model describing the dynamics of the engine and the load aggregate are determined. The control parameters are then determined as functions of the model parameters. Measurements on a generator set show that the proposed method provides a controller which is able to follow changes in the reference value, and to compensate for load disturbances. / I Scania’s envarvsmotorer för industri- och marin-bruk regleras varvtalet av en PI-regulator. Denna regulator är inställd oberoende av motortyp och applikation. Detta medför vissa nackdelar då motorerna används i flera olika typer av applikationer där dynamiken kan variera. I detta arbete har det undersökts huruvida det är möjligt att automatiskt ställa in parametrarna i en PID-regulator för en enskild motorinstallation. Arbetet visar att automatisk inställning är möjlig. Genom att göra ett identifieringsexperiment på motorn bestäms parametrarna i en första ordningens modell som beskriver dynamiken för den aktuella konfigurationen av motor och belastande aggregat. Därefter bestäms regulatorparametrarna som funktion av modellparametrarna. Mätningar på ett generatoraggregat visar att man med hjälp av den föreslagna metoden erhåller en inställning av regulatorn som både klarar av att följa börvärdesförändringar och kompensera för laststörningar.

Les préoccupations environnementales grandissantes nous ont conduits à faire des efforts pour réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre, notamment dans le domaine de la production de l’énergie électrique. C’est dans ce contexte que Leroy Somer a lancé des recherches sur les groupes électrogènes hybrides afin de minimiser la consommation de carburant et les coûts d’exploitations. Pour aborder les questions du dimensionnement des ressources matérielles et de leur utilisation optimale, une méthodologie est développée dans cette thèse. La recherche de la stratégie de gestion de l’énergie optimale est basée sur l’algorithme de programmation dynamique de Bellman. Elle sera associée à un algorithme d’optimisation à évolution différentielle pour optimiser le dimensionnement de la structure hybride. Les fonctions de coûts des optimisations sont obtenues par le développement de modèles énergétiques et économiques. Grâce à cette méthode, nous montrons que les gains d’un groupe électrogène hybride sont fortement liés à l’utilisation que l’on aura de celui-ci. Dans les cas où le groupe électrogène est utilisé sur des profils avec de faibles facteurs de charge, les gains pourront être conséquents. Il sera donc primordial de bien connaitre les profils de charge de l’application avant de dimensionner la structure tout entière du groupe électrogène hybride. Les travaux ont également débouché sur une mise en œuvre expérimentale qui a pu valider les premiers résultats obtenu lors des simulations. / Growing environmental issues and concerns have led to efforts to reduce CO2 and greenhouse effect pollutant emissions in the field of electric power generation. This has led Leroy Somer to investigate systems based on hybrid technologies to reduce genset fuel consumption and operating costs. A methodology is developed in this thesis to address issues of sizing hardware resources and their optimal use. The optimum energy management strategy is based on the dynamic programming algorithm of Bellman. It will be associated to a differential evolution optimization algorithm to optimize the design of the hybrid structure. The objective functions are obtained by developing energetic and economic models. Through this method, we show that the benefits of a hybrid generator are strongly related to its use. In cases where the generator is used on profiles with low load factors, the benefits will be significant. It will be very important to have good knowledge of load profiles applications before sizing the whole structure of the hybrid generator. A prototype of this system has been developed and has confirmed simulation results.

Les préoccupations environnementales grandissantes nous ont conduits à faire des efforts pour réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre, notamment dans le domaine de la production de l’énergie électrique. C’est dans ce contexte que Leroy Somer a lancé des recherches sur les groupes électrogènes hybrides afin de minimiser la consommation de carburant et les coûts d’exploitations. Pour aborder les questions du dimensionnement des ressources matérielles et de leur utilisation optimale, une méthodologie est développée dans cette thèse. La recherche de la stratégie de gestion de l’énergie optimale est basée sur l’algorithme de programmation dynamique de Bellman. Elle sera associée à un algorithme d’optimisation à évolution différentielle pour optimiser le dimensionnement de la structure hybride. Les fonctions de coûts des optimisations sont obtenues par le développement de modèles énergétiques et économiques. Grâce à cette méthode, nous montrons que les gains d’un groupe électrogène hybride sont fortement liés à l’utilisation que l’on aura de celui-ci. Dans les cas où le groupe électrogène est utilisé sur des profils avec de faibles facteurs de charge, les gains pourront être conséquents. Il sera donc primordial de bien connaitre les profils de charge de l’application avant de dimensionner la structure tout entière du groupe électrogène hybride. Les travaux ont également débouché sur une mise en œuvre expérimentale qui a pu valider les premiers résultats obtenu lors des simulations. / Growing environmental issues and concerns have led to efforts to reduce CO2 and greenhouse effect pollutant emissions in the field of electric power generation. This has led Leroy Somer to investigate systems based on hybrid technologies to reduce genset fuel consumption and operating costs. A methodology is developed in this thesis to address issues of sizing hardware resources and their optimal use. The optimum energy management strategy is based on the dynamic programming algorithm of Bellman. It will be associated to a differential evolution optimization algorithm to optimize the design of the hybrid structure. The objective functions are obtained by developing energetic and economic models. Through this method, we show that the benefits of a hybrid generator are strongly related to its use. In cases where the generator is used on profiles with low load factors, the benefits will be significant. It will be very important to have good knowledge of load profiles applications before sizing the whole structure of the hybrid generator. A prototype of this system has been developed and has confirmed simulation results.

Volcanic eruptions produce a range of hazards which can impact society. The most widespread of these hazards is volcanic ash fall which can impact a range of critical infrastructure. Power systems are particularly vulnerable to ash fall hazards and the resulting impacts may lead to power supply disruption. This can lead to cascading disruption of dependent systems, such as hospitals, water and wastewater treatment plants, telecommunications and emergency services. Typically, large emergency power generator sets are used to provide emergency power supply for essential services during electrical power outages. There has been little study of what impact ash fall exposure will have on generator performance. International experience suggests large generators can experience rapid performance reduction when exposed to high concentrations of suspended or falling ash due to obstruction of air filters and radiators, causing overheating of the engine and shut down of the generator system. However, it is not clear at what ash fall thresholds generators are likely to be disrupted. This research uses custom designed empirical laboratory experiments to investigate the performance of large generators subjected to a range of volcanic ash fall types and intensities, simulating both proximal and distal ash fall exposure from a range of eruptive styles. It also investigates the application of temporary external filters to minimise the ingestion of volcanic ash into generator housings. The results are used to inform recommendations on the likely impacts of ash to generators and the most effective type of mitigation, which maximises filtration whilst maintaining generator performance. Control tests recorded high particle concentrations (~0.006 mg/m3) which indicate substantial ash contamination is possible. Multiple factors were considered to determine the best mitigation measure including the lowest particle concentration, highest air speed and the ease with which the measure could be fitted. The study found material filtration to be the most effective measure; however as the quality of filtration increased, the air speed was reduced and thus so was the volume of air available to the generator engine. Therefore, the type of filtration required is dependent the ash fall intensity. The study also found that a deflection hood is an effective mitigation measure; maintaining airspeed while reducing particle concentrations within the generator. This research informs risk management strategies for critical infrastructure organisations to reduce the risk of generator disruption during volcanic ash falls.

In diesel-electric powertrains, the wheels are mechanically decoupled from the internal combustion engine (ICE). The conventional control approach for such a powertrain is to let the driver control the traction motor while the ICE realizes speed control, causing power to be pulled through the powertrain. An alternative approach is to push power forward by letting the driver control the ICE instead. In this thesis, a conceptual simulation model of a diesel-electric powertrain is compiled and the charcteristics of this novel approach investigated. It is concluded that the new approach makes full ICE power utilization possible even with engine performance reductions present, and also that it handles load prioritization in a natural way. However, takeoff from standstill and low-speed driving become difficult due to the effective gear ratio growing towards infinity for decreasing vehicle speed, causing high traction torques at low speed.

This work concerns a systematic study of IC engine operation with 100% biogas as fuel (as opposed to the dual-fuel mode) with particular emphasis on operational issues and the quest for high efficiency strategies. As a first step, a commercially available 1.2 kW genset engine is modified for biogas operation. The conventional premixing of air and biogas is compared with a new manifold injection strategy. The effect of biogas composition on engine performance is also studied. Results from the genset engine study indicate a very low overall efficiency of the system. This is mainly due to the very low compression ratio (4.5) of the engine. To gain further insight into factors that contribute to this low efficiency, thermodynamic engine simulations are conducted. Reasonable agreement with experiments is obtained after incorporating estimated combustion durations. Subsequently, the model is used as a tool to predict effect of different parameters such as compression ratio, spark timing and combustion durations on engine performance and efficiency. Simulations show that significant improvement in performance can be obtained at high compression ratios. As a step towards developing a more efficient system and based on insight obtained from simulations, a high compression ratio (9.2) engine is selected. This engine is coupled to a 3 kW alternator and operated on 100% biogas. Both strategies, i.e., premixing and manifold injection are implemented. The results show very high overall (chemical to electrical) efficiencies with a maximum value of 22% at 1.4 kW with the manifold injection strategy. The new manifold injection strategy proposed here is found to be clearly superior to the conventional premixing method. The main reasons are the higher volumetric efficiency (25% higher than that for the premixing mode of supply) and overall lean operation of the engine across the entire load range. Predictions show excellent agreement with measurements, enabling the model to be used as a tool for further study. Simulations suggest that a higher compression ratio (up to 13) and appropriate spark advance can lead to higher engine power output and efficiency.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-04-26T12:14:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gabrielazevedofogli.pdf: 13619054 bytes, checksum: d260cb2571f242e43eab89132a03d62c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-04-26T12:26:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gabrielazevedofogli.pdf: 13619054 bytes, checksum: d260cb2571f242e43eab89132a03d62c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-26T12:26:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gabrielazevedofogli.pdf: 13619054 bytes, checksum: d260cb2571f242e43eab89132a03d62c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-19 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo de conexão de um grupo gerador-diesel (GMG) trifásico em uma rede secundária de distribuição de energia elétrica. A integração do GMG é feita por uma unidade de processamento de energia (PPU) composta por um retificador trifásico não controlado conectado em série com um conversor fonte de tensão (VSC) modulado com uma estratégia de modulação por largura de pulso. O GMG pode operar de duas maneiras distintas: (i) modo standby (interligado) ou (ii) modo isolado. O conversor de saída da PPU pode ser controlado para injetar potência ativa na rede CA, ou como um filtro ativo de potência (FAP) compensando potência reativa e correntes harmônicas nos terminais das cargas. O VSC de interface é controlado no modo de corrente (CMC), sendo seus controladores projetados a partir de funções de transferência obtidas com o modelo matemático do sistema elétrico nas coordenadas dq0. Esses controladores são projetados com múltiplos integradores para garantir a qualidade da forma de onda da corrente injetada na rede CA. Dependendo do modo de operação é utilizada uma malha adicional para regular a tensão do barramento CC do conversor de interface. Para validar o modelo matemático e o algoritmo de controle são realizadas simulações digitais no programa PSIM. Resultados experimentais, obtidos com um protótipo de laboratório, cujos controladores foram implementados em um processador digital de sinais TMS320F28335 da Texas Instruments, são usados para validar as estratégias de controle propostas. / This dissertation presents a study about the connection of a three-phase Diesel Genset (DG) to a secondary distribution network. The integration of DG is done by a Power Processing Unit (PPU) composed of a three-phase rectifier connected in series with a Pulse Width Modulated Voltage Source Converter (VSC). The DG can operate in two distinct modes: (i) standby (interconnected) or (ii) islanding. The PPU’s output converter can be controlled to inject active power into AC electric grid, or as an Active Power Filter (APF), compensating the reactive power and harmonics currents at the load terminals. The VSC is controlled employing the current mode control (CMC), and its compensators are designed based on the electrical system transfer function in dq0 coordinates. Multiple rotating synchronous reference frame integrators (PI-MRI) are used to ensure the quality of the generated power. Depending on the operating mode, an additional loop is used to regulate the DC bus voltage. In order to validate the mathematical model and the control algorithm, digital simulations using PSIM are performed. Experimental results obtained with the prototype, which controllers were implemented in a TMS320F28335 of Texas Instruments are used to validate the proposed control strategies.