Recognizing the critical need for sustainable energy solutions to combat environmental issues and depleting fossil fuels, IIT Kanpur has set up the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering. This novel department is poised to become a cornerstone of sustainable energy research and development in India and beyond.
Ecosense installed a Renewable Energy Lab: A Nexus of Learning and Innovation at the newly established department.
As part of its commitment to providing a holistic learning experience, IIT Kanpur has joined hands with Ecosense, to establish the Microgrid Lab. This cutting-edge lab is designed to bolster hands-on learning, experimentation, and research in renewable energy Microgrid with Wind Turbine Emulator, Solar PV emulator, Fuel Cell, Battery, Supercapacitor and Programmable DC Load.
Ecosense’s Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid Lab
The modular and scalable design of the system makes it easy to add more energy sources, while requiring very little space for installation. Ecosense's Microgrid lab is a grid-connected setup where the output of the DC Microgrid is connected to the main AC grid via a Voltage Source Converter (VSC). The system can also be configured to work as a standalone setup, providing researchers with the flexibility to conduct experiments according to their specific needs.
In this Microgrid we have different sources such as:
1. Wind Turbine Emulator
2. Solar PV Emulator
3. Fuel Cell
We have different storage options such as:
1. Lithium-ion battery
2. Super Capacitor
And load option such as:
1. Programmable DC Load
The Microgrid lab offers a variety of research options, from the ability to track the torque-speed and power-speed characteristics of a wind turbine at different wind speeds and pitch angles, to the comparative analysis of different PV panels using a PV emulator. The system allows for the continuous sensing of grid-side voltage and currents, providing an opportunity to implement advanced control algorithms to control the behaviour as per grid conditions.
One of the key advantages of the Ecosense Microgrid system is its modular and scalable design. This allows for the addition of more energy sources as needed, making it easy to expand the system to meet the changing needs of the campus over time. The system is also rigorously tested and can work continuously without switching off, providing a reliable source of research equipment for the university.
The Ecosense Microgrid system requires very little space for installation, making it an ideal solution for the limited space available on a university campus. In addition, the system is designed for easy maintenance and comes with an illustrated experiment manual detailing every wiring connection to be made. This makes it easy for university staff to perform routine maintenance and repairs without the need for extensive technical expertise.
Technical Characteristics of the system:
• Ability to track torque-speed and power-speed characteristics of a wind turbine at different wind speeds and pitch angle
• Plotting Cp-λ curve to show the turbine characteristics at a particular pitch angle Real time tracking of λ could be utilized to track the optimal λ of a turbine
• Maximum power point tracking opportunity based on the generated voltage and current feedback
• Ability to control DC link voltage using bidirectional converter in stand-alone mode
• Research on Microgrid possible as the DC link can accommodate other renewable sources such as PV
• Power flow and quality supplied to the grid can be controlled and analyzed
• Further exploration of control techniques for smart grid implementation possible
• Continuous sensing of grid side voltage and currents provide opportunity to implement advanced control algorithms to control the behaviour as per grid conditions
• Implementing different maximum power point algorithm in Wind Turbine Emulator system
• Maintaining minimum reactive power at inverter output to achieve unity power factor and maximize the usable power generation
• Using different differential equations to emulate different Wind Turbine models
• Implementing Anti-islanding protection using fault detection at different loads
• Comparative analysis of different PV panels using PV emulator
• Series-parallel behaviour of different PV panels could be analyzed for both stand-alone and grid connected systems
• Study the buck and boost mode of operation of bidirectional converter in the battery back-up system
• Study system performance with three renewable sources connected to form a DC micro grid with battery as the energy storage device
• Study integration of DC micro-grid to the main AC grid using a 3-phase inverter
• Study the operation of DC micro-grid under various load conditions by applying various DC and AC loads
Ecosense installed Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid Lab at SEE Department, IIT Kanpur
Demonstration and Training
After successful installation of system, Product Demonstration is conducted. The Product Demonstration was focused on how to efficiently utilize the system and explaining the different features of the system.