Modelling of diesel generator operating modes on the basis of the engine speed characteristic in autonomous photovoltaic systems

Abstract

The article presents a universal diesel generator model based on the processing of the engine speed characteristic. Processing uses linear interpolation with a fixed discrete step. An autonomous photovoltaic system arbitrarily located in Eastern Siberia is used as a case study. Solar radiation modelling was based on multi-year meteorological data sets using the tandem of Iqbal-Kasten/Czeplak models. The photovoltaic system under investigation consists of two 400 kW diesel generators (totalling 800 kW) and one 375 kW solar power plant. In calculating the operating modes, the diesel power plant’s minimum limit load factor was taken into consideration. The resulting values of the diesel generator’s operating modes show the following patterns. As an example, the lesser the diesel generator’s load, the lesser engine speed and the higher specific fuel consumption. The suggested model can be used in comprehensive energy research, specifically in areas such as optimal equipment configuration, operational reliability and sustainability as well as cost-efficiency.