Study and simulation of an energy recovery process for a textile machinery

In this project I will analyze various possible solutions to recover the energy generated by the electric motors present on a textile machinery during the braking phases. To perform this function, after a previous design and simulation phase through the Simpack software, the powers absorbed and generated by each single motor during the operating cycle were estimated. In a subsequent phase, four different solutions were identified to allow the operation of the machine. Three of them provide the recovery of the energy produced during the braking phases of the operating cycle. The first solution does not provide energy recovery and consists in dissipating the energy generated in the form of heat through the braking resistor present on the field bus. The second solution involves the reintroduction of the energy generated into the electricity grid. The third solution uses the capacitors present on the inverters to store the energy and make it available to the motors during the subsequent absorption phases. In the discussion we will see how it may be necessary to insert external capacitors to be able to effectively store all the energy produced by the machine. The last group of solutions involves the insertion of an additional electric motor. This motor will be connected to a flywheel, this mechanical organ will be used to store energy under the form of kinetic energy. The working principle of this device can be summarized as the acceleration of a flywheel during the braking phases of the cycle by using the energy produced by the motors and its braking during the absorption phases. In this way the machine is able to store energy in the flywheel during the breaking phases of the cycle and regenerate energy during the absorption phases of the cyle. In the discussion all the solutions will be described and their respective strengths and weaknesses will be analyzed