Self-Regenerative Motor System

Self-Regenerative Motor System has its beginning in initiative of four students (link) taking the Motors and Drive course (ENGR 320), in spring semester 2015, offered the first time in the Engineering Technology program at the UW Oshkosh (link). The main idea of this system is to demonstrate various methods of energy conversion, implemented in real application.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The system is working in a loop cycle, so it is hard to define its beginning. Starting from the lowest voltage, 12 VDC battery powers pure sine inverter having on its output 1-phase 110 VAC current. This inverter can be connected with the variable speed (frequency) drive with 3-phase 208 VAC output, powering 3-phase 1 HP motor. By the V-belt the motor runs alternator, which generates 12 VDC current charging the battery back.

There also other possibilities of the operation. One of them allows for powering the variable speed drive from external electricity source. The alternator can be shifted to be powered by the compressed air motor. Also there is set of bulbs making visible type of resistors (energy load) integrated with the cart.