Performance evaluation of automobile alternators as micro hydro generator.

Date

4-2010

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering

Major Course

Major in Agricultural Power and Machinery Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Rossana Marie C. Amongo

Committee Member

Arthur L. Fajardo, Marvin C. Petingco, Roderick L. Catriz

Abstract

The study generally aimed to determine the performance characteristics of two automobile alternators (Nippondenso and Yuki alternators) as micro hydro generator. Preliminary test was conducted to establish their performance characteristics and to determine their workability as micro hydro generators. Each alternator was tested consecutively using a variable speed electric motor as source of mechanical rotation.Electrical parameters such as alternator voltage (DC voltage), alternator current (DC current),inverter voltage (AC voltage), and inverter current (AC current) were measured for every 50 interval increase in rpm for each load setting (no load without inverter, no load with inverter, 50 W load, 100 W load, 150 W load). The preliminary test data of the two automobile alternators were subjected to statistical analysis. Results showed that the responses (DC voltage, DC current, AC voltage, and AC current) are significantly affected by the independent variables (load and alternator rpm) with 95% test of significant except for the DC voltage in the Yuki alternator.The optimum conditions from which the two alternators could work best ere also determined. It was found out that the Nippondenso alternator could work at optimum condition if the load setting is 150 W and with an alternator rpm of 1900. This conditionhas a desirability of 68.43%. On the other hand, the Yuki alternator could took at optimum condition if the load setting is 200w and the alternator rpm is 1250. This condition would give a desirability of 96.79%. The optimum power for Nippondenso (96.741W) and Yuki alternators (250.898 W) was computed using the predicted values of DC current and DC voltage at optimum conditions. Results showed Yuki alternator has higher power generating capacity than Nippondenso alternator. The two automobile alternators were subjected to actual test on the micro hydro test set up. The micro hydro test set up was operated on its rated capacity (flow velocity, V=0.54m/s and Hchannel=0.2m) during the performance of the actual test. Parameters such as turbine RPM, alternator RPM, Htank, Hchannel , floe velocity, DC voltage, DC current, AC current voltage, and AC current were measured. These actual test data were subjected to simple analyses. The percent belt slippage was also computed. It was incorporated in the computation of the conversion efficiency to account for the losses in the belt and pulley transmission system. It was found out that the percent belt slippage for both alternators ranges from 6-7%. Results showed that the two automobile alternators could not work well on the rated capacity of the micro hydro test set up since3 it cannot provide the rpm requirement of the two alternators for optimum operating condition (1250-1900rpm). The highest system was obtained by the Nippondenso alternator (4.58%) at 200W load setting. Yuki alternator, on the other hand, obtained a system efficiency of 3.43% at the same load setting. Further modifications can be made to increase the conversion efficiency of the micro hydro test set up using automobile alternators as micro hydro generator.

Language

English

LC Subject

Automobiles--Electric generators, Hydroelectric generators

Location

UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology

Call Number

LG 993.5 2010 A2 P78

Document Type

Thesis

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