Full efficiency of energy conversion in small hydropower plants (SHP) can be achieved for power technology with generators working at a variable speed. This paper presents a concept of a energy conversion system dedicated for application in a prototype SHP which is based on a permanent magnet (PM) generators with a propeller turbine integrated with the generator rotors. These PM generators can work at a variable speed and therefore energy produced by the PM generators have to be converted by means of a power electronic unit to fit to the three-phase power grid parameters. The elements of such SHP like PM generator and power electronic unit are described in details.
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