• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.766-772
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• 2009

Generally, wind industry has been oriented to large power systems which require large windy areas and often need to overcome environment restrictions. However, small-scale wind turbines are closer to the consumers and have a large market potential, and much more efforts are required to become economically attractive. In this paper, a prototype of a small-scale urban wind generation system for battery charging application is described and a neural network based MPPT(Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm which can be effectively applied to urban wind turbine system is proposed. Through Matlab based simulation studies and actual implementation of the proposed algorithm, the feasibility of the proposed scheme is verified.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.1820-1827
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• 2012

This paper is to present a new method of cogging torque reduction for axial flux PM machines of multiple rotor surface mounted magnets. In order to start softly and to run a power generator even the case of weak wind power, reduction of cogging torque is one of the most important issues for a small wind turbine, Cogging torque is an inherent characteristic of PM machines and is caused by the geometry shape of the machine. Several methods have been already applied for reducing the cogging torque of conventional radial flux PM machines. Even though some of these techniques can be also applied to axial flux machines, manufacturing cost is especially higher due to the unique construction of the axial flux machine stator. Consequently, a simpler and low cost method is proposed to apply on axial flux PM machines. This new method is actually applied to a generator of 1.0kW, 16-poles axial flux surface magnet disc type machine with double-rotor-single-stator for small wind turbine. Design optimization of the adjacent magnet pole-arc which results in minimum cogging torque as well as assessment of the effect on the maximum available torque using 3D Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is investigated in this design. Although the design improvement is intended for small wind turbines, it is also applicable to larger wind turbines.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.176-185
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• 2015

We present the design optimization of the magnetic pole and slot design options that minimize the cogging torque of permanent-magnet (PM) brushless generators for small wind turbine generators. Most small wind-turbines use direct-driven PM generators which have the characteristics of low speed and high efficiency. Small wind-turbines are usually self-starting and require very simple controls. The cogging torque is an inherent characteristic of PM generators, and is mainly caused by the generator's geometry. The inherent the cogging torque can cause problems during turbine start-up and cut-in in order to start softly and to run a power generator even when there is little wind power during turbine start-up. Thus, to improve the operation of small turbines, it is important to minimize the cogging torque. To determine the effects of the cogging torque reductions, we adjust the slot opening width, slot skewing, mounting method of magnets, magnet shape, and the opening and combinations of different numbers of slots per pole. Of these different methods, we combine the methods and optimized the design variables for the most significant design options affecting the cogging torque. Finally, we apply to the target design model and compare FEA simulation and measured results to validate the design optimization.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.498-500
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• 2009

When we urgently need to develop and supply an alternative energy, wind power is growing with much interest because it has relative low cost for generating power and small area for wind turbine. To estimate the wind power resource, it is necessary to make an observation first. Although the large wind farm and resources are near coast and mountain area, the wind energy in urban area has the strong thing of direct access to power generator. In this study, we estimate the probability of wind energy in urban mountain area using A2C (Atmospheric to CFD) model, which is used for horizontally urban scale phenomena. In the steady state results, the site C is most suitable for wind power in the point of the only wind speed. But, estimating the TKE and vertical wind shear, the site B is showing the better results than the site C.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.60.2-60.2
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• 2011

This study is to develop a 1kW-class small wind turbine blade which will be applicable to relatively low speed regions. For this blade, a high efficiency wind turbine blade is designed and a light and low cost composite structure blade is adopted considering fatigue life. In this study, shape design of 1kW-class small wind turbine blade for hybrid power generation system is carried out by BEMT(blade element momentum theory). X-FOIL open software was used to acquire lift and drag coefficients of the 2D airfoils used in power prediction procedure. Moreover, pressure and velocity distributions are investigated according to TSR by CFD analysis.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.25 no.B
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• pp.149-157
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• 2005

The power performance monitoring system for a small class of wind turbine is established. The wind turbine power performance characteristics are determined by measured power curve and the estimated annual energy production (AEP). The measured power curve is determined by collecting simultaneous measurements of wind speed and power output at the test site under varying wind conditions. In order to determine the power performance characteristics of the wind turbine accurately, the data are of sufficient quantity and quality shall be corrected according to defined criteria. In this study, the 6kW wind turbine made by Germany Inventus GmbH is examined.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.663-667
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• 2017

Fuel depletion and environmental problems due to the use of fossil fuels have been worsening of late, and the development of alternative energy sources is urgently required to address these problems. Among the alternative energy sources, wind energy is attracting much attention as a clean energy source, because it can be used unlimitedly without any pollutant emissions. In wind power generation, wind energy is converted to kinetic energy through rotor blades and this kinetic energy is converted to electric energy through generators. The design and manufacturing of the blades, which are the major parts of wind power generators, are very important, but South Korea still lacks the requisite basic data and key technologies and, therefore, has to import the blades from overseas. In this study, multi-layered blades capable of generating power at low wind speeds were applied to a small wind power generator and the output characteristics of the generator according to the wind speed and the number of blades were analyzed. As a result, at the maximum wind speed of 8m/s, the application of three blades achieved up to 33% and 18% higher generator output voltage, up to 33% and 15% higher generator output current, and up to 23% and 13% higher generator RPM than the application of one or two blades, respectively. In this study, the application of multi-layered blades to a small wind power generator was shown to improve the output characteristics of the generator and make the collection of electric energy possible even at low wind speeds.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.497-505
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• 2016

Operating wind turbine generators at maximum power point requires maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control methods. However, conventional methods cannot track the appropriate maximum power point in situations involving wind turbine systems based on a series operation strategy. These systems comprise one or more local maximum power points, and conventional methods can detect only one local maximum power point closed by a current operation point. This study proposes an advanced MPPT method for the series operation strategy of a small, grid-connected wind turbine system. In determining the appropriate maximum point, operations at certain local maximum power points are analyzed. The results show one appropriate point, which is tracked by the proposed MPPT method. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the experimental results.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2015

This paper proposes an analysis and operation strategy of a grid-connected wind turbine system using a diode rectifier. The currents of generators are the same as that of a small wind turbine system. Therefore, the analysis of generator torque is required as opposed to an analysis of blade speed. In this paper, the appropriate MPPT control method is proposed to control generator torque. Usefulness of the proposed operation strategy is verified by simulations and experiments.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2023

This paper proposes a three-phase single-stage AC-DC converter for the small wind generation system. Input power factor improvement and insulated output can be implemented with the proposed three-phase single-stage AC-DC converter under the wide power generation voltage (80-260 V_ac) and frequency (10-42 Hz) in a small wind power generation (WPG) system. The proposed converter is also capable of zero-voltage switching in the primary-side switches and zero-current switching in the secondary-side diodes by phase-shift control at a fixed switching frequency. In addition, it is possible to control a wide output voltage (V_o: 39 V_DC-60 V_DC) by varying the link voltage and improving the input power factor (PF) and the total harmonic distortion factor (THD_i). Simulation and experimental results verified the validity of the proposed converter.