Open AccessMeeting modern grid codes with large direct‐drive permanent magnet generator‐based wind turbines—low‐voltage ride‐through
Author(s) -
BanhamHall D.D.,
Smith C.A.,
Taylor G.A.,
Irving M.R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
wind energy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1099-1824
pISSN - 1095-4244
DOI - 10.1002/we.506
Subject(s) - low voltage ride through , wind power , stator , automotive engineering , chopper , engineering , rotor (electric) , electrical engineering , permanent magnet synchronous generator , torque , turbine , voltage , low voltage , mechanical engineering , physics , thermodynamics
Ambitious offshore wind energy targets continue to drive technological innovation, with the latest direct‐drive permanent magnet generator‐based wind turbines promising higher efficiency and availability. However, these machines have fixed rotor flux, provided by the magnets, which means that their voltage rises with speed. Further, high machine stator reactance leads to significant magnetic energy storage in the stator windings. Both these aspects provide new challenges for the power converter when designing to meet modern low‐voltage ride‐through requirements. This paper therefore proposes a novel control strategy, using a minimally rated chopper and dynamic brake resistor (DBR) integrated with the wind turbine's power converter, to help these systems to meet the demands of modern grid codes. This control method may allow the chopper and DBR to be rated at only 40% of a fully rated version. Despite only partially rating the DBR system, the control method minimizes the torsional oscillations in the drive train, thereby protecting the mechanical system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.