Water Pumping with Autonomous Wind-Generated Electricity

Abstract

ABSTRACT THE interest in autonomous alternative energy systems is increasing as conventional fuels are depleted. Many agricultural stationary loads are located where electric utility power is not presently available and is not economically feasible to install. Irrigation water pumping is an example of a remote, high energy use that needs an autonomous power source. A wind turbine with a permanent-magnet alternator was used to produce variable-voltage, variable-frequency output to power a standard three-phase, induction motor in a stand-alone pumping system. The variable-speed alternator produced power with a frequency of 30 to 65 Hz and a voltage from 81 to 210 V, resulting in a voltage to frequency ratio that varied from 2.7 to 3.2. Combined pump and motor efficiencies varied from 37 to 54%, nearly equivalent to those obtained with utility power. The system operated in windspeeds above 3.5 m/s. We found this wind energy conversion system capable of providing power to satisfactorily pump water in a stand-alone system.