• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.575-581
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• 2009

In this paper two modes of operating a wound rotor induction machine as a generator at sub-and super-synchronous speeds in wind energy conversion systems are investigated. In the first mode, known as double fed induction generator (DFIG), the rotor circuit is fed from the ac mains via a controlled rectifier and a forced commutated inverter. Adjusting the applied rotor voltage magnitude and phase leads to machine operation as a generator at sub-synchronous speeds. In the second mode, the machine is operated in a slip recovery scheme where the slip energy is fed back to the ac mains via a rectifier and line commutated inverter. This mode is described as double output induction generator (DOIG) leading to increase the efficiency of the wind-to electrical energy conversion system. Simulated results of both modes are presented. Experimental verification of the simulated results are presented for the DOIG mode of operation, showing larger amount of power captured and better power factor when compared to conventional induction generators.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2010

In this paper the operation of a double-fed wound-rotor induction machine, coupled to a wind turbine, as a generator at sub-synchronous speeds is investigated. A novel approach is used in the analysis, namely, the rotor power flow approach. The conditions necessary for operating the machine as a double-fed induction generator (DFIG) are deduced. Formulae describing the factors affecting the range of sub-synchronous speeds within which generation occurs are deduced. The variations in the magnitude and phase angle of the voltage injected to the rotor circuit as the speed of the machine changes to achieve generation at the widest possible sub-synchronous speed range is presented. Also, the effect of the rotor parameters on the generation range is presented. The analysis proved that the generation range could increase from sub-synchronous to super-synchronous speeds, which increases the amount of energy captured by the wind energy conversion system (WECS) as result of utilizing the power available in the wind at low wind speeds.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2002

In this paper a neural network controller for achieving maximum power tracking as well as output voltage regulation, for a wind energy conversion system (WECS) employing a permanent magnet synchronous generator is proposed. The permanent magnet generator (PMG) supplies a dc load via a bridge rectifier and two buck-boost converters. Adjusting the switching frequency of the first buck-boost converter achieves maximum power tracking. Adjusting the switching frequency of the second buck-boost converter allows output voltage regulation. The on-time of the switching devices of the two converters are supplied by the developed neural network (NN). The effect of sudden changes in wind speed and/ or in reference voltage on the performance of the NN controller are explored. Simulation results showed the possibility of achieving maximum power tracking and output voltage regulation simulation with the developed neural network controllers. The results proved also the fast response and robustness of the proposed control system.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.737-745
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• 2013

Offshore wind farms are rapidly growing owing to their comparatively more stable wind conditions than onshore and land-based wind farms. The power capacity of offshore wind turbines has been increased to 5MW in order to capture a larger amount of wind energy, which results in an increase of each component's size. Furthermore, the weight of the marine turbine components installed in the nacelle directly influences the total mechanical design, as well as the operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. A reduction in the weight of the nacelle allows for cost-effective tower and foundation structures. On the other hand, longer transmission distances from an offshore wind turbine to the load leads to higher energy losses. In this regard, DC transmission is more useful than AC transmission in terms of efficiency because no reactive power is generated/consumed by DC transmission cables. This paper describes some of the challenges and difficulties faced in designing high-power-density power conversion systems (HPDPCSs) for offshore wind turbines. A new approach for high gain/high voltage systems is introduced using transformerless power conversion technologies. Finally, the proposed converter is evaluated in terms of step-up conversion ratio, device number, modulation, and costs.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.396-402
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• 2010

In this paper the principles and structure of a WTS (Wind Turbine Simulator) are described. The proposed WTS is a versatile system specially designed for the purpose of developing and testing new control strategies for wind energy conversion systems. The simulator includes two sub-systems; a torque controller which controls a 3-phase induction motor in order to simulate the wind turbine and wind speed generator which can simulate an actual wind speed. In order to make the proposed system working in real-time, two sub-systems are incorporated into one simulink block by using Real-time workshop. The performance of the proposed system is verified by considering various wind speeds.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2013

This paper proposes an online adaptive fuzzy controller for a wind energy conversion system (WECS) that is intrinsically highly nonlinear plant. In real application, to obtain exact system parameters such as power coefficient, many measuring instruments and off-line implementations are required, which is very difficult to perform. This shortcoming can be avoided by introducing fuzzy system in the controller design in this paper. The proposed adaptive fuzzy control scheme using self-structuring algorithm requires no system parameters to meet control objectives. Even the structure of the fuzzy system is automatically grows on-line, which distinguishes our proposed algorithm over the previously proposed fuzzy control schemes. Combining derivative estimator for wind velocity, the whole closed-loop system is shown to be stable in the sense of Lyapunov.

• Solar Energy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.3-12
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• 1984

In this paper, how to design the wind power generation system is presented. It is shown that the wind system optimization can be achieved by consideration of the four factors; wind statistics, efficiency of conversion of wind energy to electrical energy, average annual energy extracted and load factor. The wind is characterized by a weibull probability function. The Weibull parameter is calculated for the characterizing wind and the primary design specification of ten different sites. Some graphs are presented, which can be used to design a wind system for maximum output of a specified load factor at given site. Two different systems, $V_c=0.4V_R$ and $V_c=0.5V_R$ are discussed, as samples, for investigation of the effects on the system through the variation of cut-in speed.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.538-547
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• 2010

This paper deals with a stand-alone wind energy conversion system (WECS) with an isolated asynchronous generator (IAG) and voltage and frequency (VF) control feeding three-phase four-wire loads. The reference generator currents are estimated using the instantaneous symmetrical component theory to control the voltage and frequency of an IAG system. A three-leg voltage source converter (VSC) with an isolated star/delta transformer is used as an integrated VSC. An integrated VSC with a battery energy storage system (BESS) is used to control the active and reactive powers of the WECS. The WECS is modeled and simulated in MATLAB using the Simulink and the Sim Power System (SPS) toolboxes. The proposed VF controller functions as a voltage and frequency regulator, a load leveler, a load balancer and a harmonic eliminator in the WECS. A comparison is made on the rating of the VSC with and without ac capacitors connected at the terminals of an IAG. Simulation and test results are presented to verify the control algorithm.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.1358-1360
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• 2002

This paper presents a modeling and simulation of a utility-connected wind energy conversion system with a link of a rectifier and an inverter. It discusses the maximum power control algorithm for the wind turbine and presents the relationship of wind turbine output, rotor speed, power coefficient, tip-speed ratio and wind speed when the wind turbine is operated under the maximum power control algorithm. The control objective is to extract maximum power from wind and transfer the power to the utility. This is achieved by controlling the pitch angle of the wind turbine blades. Pitch control method is mechanically complicated, but the control performance is better than that of the stall regulation method. The simulation results performed on MATLAB will show the variation of generator's rotor speed, pitch angle, and generator output.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.529-538
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• 2015

Due to the high efficiency and compact mechanical structure, direct drive variable speed generators are used for power conversion in wind turbines. The wind energy conversion system (WECS) considered in this paper consists of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), uncontrolled rectifier, dc-dc boost converter controlled with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and adaptive hysteresis controlled voltage source inverter (VSI). For high utilization of the converter's power capability and stabilizing voltage and power flow, constant DC-link voltage is essential. Step and search MPPT algorithm which senses the rectified voltage ($V_{DC}$) alone and controls the same is used to effectively maximize the output power. The adaptive hysteresis band current control is characterized by fast dynamic response and constant switching frequency. With MPPT and adaptive hysteresis band current control in VSI, the DC link voltage is maintained constant under variable wind speeds and transient grid currents respectively.