Browsing by Author "Irechukwu, Michael Enyinnaya"

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    Feasibility analysis of using SWER for Homboza village electrification
    (6th International Conference in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE' 2020), 2020-09) Irechukwu, Michael Enyinnaya; Mushi, Aviti Thadei
    The level of electrification in Homboza village, one of the many rural areas in Tanzania, is very low. Homboza village is the case study in this paper has a population of 5,565. Out of thoseless than 10 percent accessofelectricityenergy. This study attributed these threemajor barrierstolow electrification rate. The first barrier is the high investment costs which yield too high average costs of providing electricity services to rural areas. The second barrier is high costs of extending the grid to rural areas. The third barrier is the small and dispersed nature of electricity demand, arising from a population of low density and low income levels. To overcome these and extend the power distribution this village, this paper proposes Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) electrification scheme. This is because SWER’s installation costs are about one third of equivalent three-phase three-wire system and one half of the single-phase systems. This paper presents a Carson line model of SWER for Homboza village and is simulated in MATLAB 2013b, and as a comparison, a single phase two-wire system is simulated too. The simulation results show that the earth potential between the ground electrodes is 18.15 Vfor the SWER. Further, theSWER shows 10.07% voltage drop and 10.34% power loss over 20 kilometers of distribution line. While single phase two-wire system shows18.89% voltage drop and 19.58% power loss over the 20 kilometers of distribution line. There is a possibility of supplying Homboza using SWER technology.
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    Potential for increased rural electrification rate in sub-Saharan Africa using SWER power distribution networks
    (Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2020-12) Irechukwu, Michael Enyinnaya; Mushi, Aviti Thadei
    Rural electrification rate (RER) in Africa is still low to date. Several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have tried to address this problem using conventional single- phase two-wire or three-phase three-wire systems, however at large costs due to the nature of dispersed rural load centres, low load demand, and low population density. Another solution of off-grid generation creates associated health problems. Therefore, this paper undertakes a review of a single wire earth return (SWER) network as a RER improvement solution. The paper undertakes intensive literature review to elucidate challenges and solutions to the implementation of SWER technology. Advantages of SWER technology discussed make it the choice for RER improvement in Sub-Saharan African countries. After that, a case study is selected in rural Tanzania, and a preliminary SWER network design is undertaken.
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    Proposal for Single Wire Earth Return Distribution System for Homboza Village Electrification
    (International Journal of Mechatronics, Electrical and Computer Technology (IJMEC), 2021-01) Irechukwu, Michael Enyinnaya; Mushi, Aviti Thadei
    Rural Electrification Rate (RER) in Tanzania is still low. This is because of huge costs to install conventional three-phase or single-phase power supply to dispersed rural loads. However, there are great efforts done to address this by the Rural Energy Agency and the National utility: Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO). To this end, this paper proposes a Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) electrification scheme to electrify one chosen village called Homboza. Field data are collected and are used to design the possible SWER distribution network. Mathematical model is developed, representing the SWER for Homboza, and simulations are carried out to establish the earth potential and earth resistance. These two are important whenever a SWER line is to be installed. Further, a techno-economic comparison is carried out to establish the low costs of proposed SWER against those of existing Single Phase Two-Wire (SPTW) system. The simulations are performed using MATLAB/Simulink 2013b. Simulation results give SWER earth potential around 18.15 V, and earth resistance of j0.0017 Ω/km. The techno-economic analysis shows that the proposed SWER system can realize a cost savings of 36.9% as opposed to installing SPTW system for Homboza electrification.