Wind Energy Conversion

WITH SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS

Induction generator vs synchronous generator
Synchronous generator vs PMSG

A synchronous generator is essentially the same machine as a synchronous motor. The magnetic field of the rotor is
supplied by direct current or permanent magnets. If it is supplied by permanent magnet, it is called PMSG. If the field is
supplied by a dc supply it is called a synchronous generator. Brushes are required in synchronous generator to supply
DC voltage to the rotor( field) for excitation. In both cases it is a synchronous generator because the waveform of
generated voltage is synchronized with (directly corresponds to) the rotor speed. The frequency of output can be given
as f = N * P / 120 Hz. where N is speed of the rotor in rpm and P is number of poles.

The synchronous generator can be constructed with a large number of poles and operate at a speed that directly
matches the turbine blade speed. Such a direct-drive system does not need a gearbox. This results a reduction in
installation and maintenance costs and provides an advantage over induction generator (IG) based turbines where use
of a gearbox is a must. The SG wind energy system is normally controlled by full capacity power converters for variable-
speed operation, ensuring maximum wind energy conversion efficiency throughout its operating range. With full-
capacity converters, the system is able to meet various grid codes, including leading/lagging reactive power control and
fault ride-through operation, without the need for additional equipment.
Variable Speed WECS with Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG):
Use of PMSG as a means to convert the mechanical energy captured by the wind turbine into electrical energy is
normally preferred in smaller WECSs. The PMSG allows for higher efficiency & smaller wind turbine blade diameter.
The PMSGs have received large consideration in wind energy applications because of their property of self-excitation,
which allows an operation at a high power factor and high efficiency.
Also, the PMSGs have shown inherent economic and technical advantages, such as better thermal characteristics due
to absence of field losses, higher reliability, solid field structure, high power to weight ratio and improved dynamic
stability.
The gearbox can be omitted due to low rotational speed of PMSG, thereby resulting in lower outlay.
However, PM machines have some disadvantages like high cost of PM material, difficulties to handle in manufacture,
demagnetization of PM at high temperature.
Synchronous Generator
The system consists of a wind turbine, a gearbox, a synchronous generator, power converters, and a
transformer for grid connection. The rated speed of the wind turbine depends on its power rating and
the number of blades. For three-blade horizontal-axis turbines, the rated speed of the turbine is
approximately in the range of 20 to 300 rpm for small/medium size and 8 to 30 rpm for large megawatt
turbines. On the other hand, the rated speed of the synchronous generator is dependent on its rated
stator frequency and number of poles.
A generator can be constructed with a few to around one hundred poles. For instance, with a rated
stator frequency of 13.2 Hz, the rated speed of the generator is 22 rpm for a 72-pole generator. A
gearbox with a high gear ratio is often required to match the low turbine speed to the high generator
speed.
The gearbox can be eliminated in direct-drive systems, in which a low-speed generator is used to match
the turbine speed. The elimination of the gearbox, however, requires use of a generator with high
number of poles. Such a generator is more expensive and heavier than one with a small number of
poles for a given power rating. A cost study is often required to evaluate the solution.
The control of a wind energy system includes generator-side
active power control with maximum power point tracking
(MPPT), grid-side reactive power control, and DC voltage
control for voltage source converters.
In contrast to the DFIG wind energy system, the converters
here process full power from the generator to the grid. The
use of full-capacity converters allows the control for the
generator- and grid-side converters to be decoupled, which
facilities the system design and increases the operating range
of the generator.

The operating voltage for commercial wind generators is from

a few hundred volts (typically 690 V) to a few thousands volts
(e.g., 3000 V), whereas a high-voltage (e.g., 35 kV) system
voltage is commonly used within a large-sized wind farm.
Therefore, a transformer is normally required. The
transformer also provides an electrical isolation between the
individual wind turbines and the grid.
In the SG WECS, three system variables
should be tightly controlled:
(1) the maximum active power that can be
produced by the wind turbine at a given
wind speed,
(2) the reactive power injected to the grid as
dispatched by the supervisory controller or
grid operator, and
(3) the DC link voltage of the power
converters.
In most cases, the generator-side converter
controls the active power of the generator
with maximum power point tracking while
the grid-side converter controls the DC
voltage and reactive power to the grid.
DC/DC BOOST CONVERTER INTERFACED SG WIND ENERGY SYSTEM
A DC/DC boost converter with a three-phase diode rectifier can be used to replace the PWM converter. This could
simplify the control and potentially reduce the cost of the system. There are two distinctive characteristics of this type
of wind energy system:
1. The rotor flux of the synchronous generator is produced by permanent magnets or rotor field winding, and,
therefore, the generator does not require the rectifier to provide magnetization as it does for the induction generators.
2. The output DC voltage of the boost converter can be regulated (increased) to a level required by the inverter. This is
especially important at low wind speeds, when the output voltage of the diode rectifier is too low for the inverter to
operate properly.
DC/DC BOOST CONVERTER INTERFACED SG WIND ENERGY SYSTEM (contd…)
Similar to the other wind energy systems, three variables need to be tightly controlled: the DC voltage, the generator
active power, and the grid reactive power. The DC voltage Vdc1 produced by the diode rectifier varies with the
generator speed. The DC voltage Vdc2, however, is maintained at a constant value. Due to the boost nature of the
converter, the DC voltage Vdc2 is normally higher than Vdc1. The active power of the generator is controlled by
adjusting the duty cycle D of the boost converter through a PI controller, whereas the reactive power is adjusted by the
inverter in the same manner as before.
Due to the harmonics in the stator current, the generator torque waveform contains ripples. This is one of the main
drawbacks of the diode-rectifier-based wind energy system. The torque ripples may also cause additional mechanical
vibrations and torsional resonances in large wind energy systems.
It is noted that due to the use of a diode rectifier, the PMSG operates with a power factor close to unity.
An MPPT controller for variable speed WECS
An MPPT controller for variable speed WECS

The MPPT controller generates at its output the optimum speed command for speed control loop of rotor flux oriented
vector controlled machine side converter control system using only the instantaneous active power as its input.
The optimum speed commands, which enable the WECS to track peak power points, are generated in accordance with
the variation of the active power output due to the change in the command speed generated by the controller. Vector
control of the grid side converter was realized in the grid voltage vector reference frame. The complete WECS control
system is shown in Fig. The MPPT controller computes the optimum speed for maximum power point using information
on magnitude and direction of change in power output due to the change in command speed.
The operation of the controller is explained below:
The active power Po(k) is measured, and if the difference between its values at present and previous sampling
instants ΔPo(k) is within a specified lower and upper power limits PL and PM respectively then, no action is
taken; however, if the difference is outside this range, then certain necessary control action is taken. The control
action taken depends upon the magnitude and direction of change in the active power due to the change in
command speed.
 WECS using Current Source Converter

Compared with VSC-based configurations, PWM CSCs provide a

simple topology solution and excellent grid integration performance,
such as sinusoidal current and fully controlled power factor.
 A typical three-phase PWM current source inverter (CSI)
circuit is shown. The inverter is composed of six IGCT
devices of symmetrical type or reverse blocking IGBTs.

The inverter requires a DC current source idc at its DC

input and produces a defined PWM output current iaw.

The current source inverter normally requires a three-phase

capacitor C, at its output to assist in the commutation of the
switching devices. For instance, at the turn-off of switch S1
the inverter PWM current iaw falls to zero within a very
short period of time. The capacitor provides a current path
for the energy trapped in the phase-a load inductance.

Otherwise, a high-voltage spike would be induced, causing

damages to the switching devices. The capacitor also acts as
a harmonic filter, improving the load current and voltage
waveforms.
A portion of the needed DC link inductance is realized by exploiting the cable length and, if necessary, a
proper cable layout, which can be possible if the generator with the first converter is located in the nacelle
and the grid-side CSI is located at the tower base.
Moreover, in the case of a wind-park a DC grid can be adopted and the consequent DC cables can be long
enough to provide the needed inductance.

• The DC link reactor provides natural protection against short-circuit faults and therefore the fault ride-
through strategy required by the grid code can be integrated easily into the system.
• A small filter is required on the AC side to cope with the standards in terms of harmonic requirements.
Two-level back-to-back PWM-CSI
High-Power WECS Converter
In case the power level increases over 2 MW, a multilevel (NPC) is a known technology that allows lower rating
for the semiconductor devices and lower harmonic distortion to the grid (or lower switching losses/smaller grid
filter).

However, the conduction losses are still high due to the number of devices in series through which the grid current
flows and a more complex control is needed to balance the DC link capacitors.
Multicell (Interleaved or Cascaded)
Another option to increase the overall power of the system is to use more power converter cells in
parallel or in cascade. In both cases the power-handling capability increases while the reliability if
computed in terms of the number of failures decreases and the number of system outages increases.

The power cells are connected in parallel on the grid side to allow interleaving operation. The PWM patterns are shifted in
order to cancel PWM side-band harmonics. In this way the size of the grid filter can be considerably reduced.
A back-to-back converter fed by a six-phase generator and connected in parallel and interleaved on the grid side
Figure shows an n-leg diode bridge fed by a synchronous generator producing a high
DC voltage shared among several grid/converters connected in parallel and interleaved
on the grid side.
Similar options can also be achieved with CSC topologies, forming the well-known 12-pulse converter in the case
where the CSC is phase-controlled. The DC/AC conversion can be performed by the two series-connected current-
source inverters (and) independently supplied by two equal secondaries of a Y–Y transformer.
Both inverters require components with a bidirectional voltage blocking capability whereas a unidirectional current-
carrying capability is sufficient because the DC link current does not reverse its sign.