• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1455-1468
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• 2016

This paper presents a grid-connected dual stator-winding induction generator (DWIG) wind power system suitable for wide wind speed ranges. The parallel connection via a unidirectional diode between dc buses of both stator-winding sides is employed in this DWIG system, which can output a high dc voltage over wide wind speed ranges. Grid-connected inverters (GCIs) do not require booster converters; hence, the efficiency of wind energy utilization increases, and the hardware topology and control strategy of GCIs are simplified. In view of the particularities of the parallel topology and the adopted generator control strategy, we propose a novel excitation-capacitor optimization solution to reduce the volume and weight of the static excitation controller. When this excitation-capacitor optimization is carried out, the maximum power tracking problem is also considered. All the problems are resolved with the combined control of the DWIG and GCI. Experimental results on the platform of a 37 kW/600 V prototype show that the proposed DWIG wind power system can output a constant dc voltage over wide rotor speed ranges for grid-connected operations and that the proposed excitation optimization scheme is effective.