Investing in a wind turbine generator is an extremely beneficial way to save money on your power bill. However, you need to make sure that you know what to expect before buying one. If you don’t, you could end up wasting money.
Permanent magnets
Using permanent magnets for wind turbine generators is becoming increasingly common. They can help reduce the cost of construction, lower maintenance, and improve reliability. They also increase efficiency.
Magnets are used in many devices, including electric motors, smartphones, and hard drives. They can help improve the design of electric motors to match specific applications. They can also reduce the weight of electricity-generating components. They are noiseless, easy to use, and can be cooled.
Currently, neodymium is the most common permanent magnet used in wind industry. It is strong, reliable, and offers highly efficient electricity generation. It is especially useful for offshore and low-wind speed sites. Compared to rare earth magnets, it is relatively inexpensive.
Wound field windings
Compared to conventional three phase stator windings, wound field windings have several advantages. These include low resistance, which reduces power consumed by the field coil. They are also easier to wind and can be insulated without the need for carbon brushes. Additionally, they do not have large unreliable slip rings.
Although most residential wind turbine generators use permanent magnets, there are some that use electromagnetic coils. These can be used in a wide variety of applications. However, they must be properly stacked to ensure a smooth winding process.
In order to evaluate the performance of a cable wound synchronous generator, simulations are performed. The generator is modeled using the ACE finite element simulation program. The combined field and circuit equations are solved in this program. The simulated results show that small geometrical changes in the generator’s structure have a significant impact on its performance.
Rotor windings
During the operation of a wind turbine generator, it is important to monitor the rotor windings and their faults. Rotor faults cause asymmetrical windings and lead to electrical failure. They also affect the safety of the wind turbine. Using a DFIG, a new method to identify ITSC defects in rotor windings is proposed. This technique uses the energy of wavelets to locate asymmetry defects without slip estimation.
A DFIG, or doubly fed induction generator, is a type of power electronics device used in variable speed wind turbines. These devices reduce the overall size of the machine while improving response to the requirements of the grid.
Stator winding insulation failures
Several factors contribute to the development of stator winding insulation failures. The main one is temperature. The increased temperature increases the age of the insulation and deteriorates the bond between the insulation and the winding. In addition, the thermal agitation of the molecules results in the breakdown of the chemical bonds.
It is also believed that the generation of excessive voltage is a contributing factor. The highest voltage peak occurs near the neutral of the stator windings. The tangential forces are three times greater on the front turn of the coil leg. In addition, a poor connection at the motor terminal can be a result of a high resistance contact.
Variable speed
Among the various technologies for wind power generation, variable speed wind turbine generator systems have gained considerable attention. These systems are designed to recover the maximum power of wind. A variable-speed wind turbine generator system includes a wind turbine, a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) or a DFIG, a power converter and an excitation controller. It is also possible to include a voltage gradient limiting circuit.
This paper focuses on the dynamic properties of variable speed systems compared with synchronous systems. This is done using real wind speed data measured on Hokkaido Island, Japan. This has been achieved through simulation analyses in the time domain for steady-state and transient scenarios.
Drivetrain
During the forecast period, the wind turbine drivetrain market is projected to expand rapidly. The global market can be segmented into two main types: onshore wind power and offshore wind power. These markets are mainly driven by the global demand for electricity along with the rising prices of fossil fuels. The offshore wind power segment is expected to expand significantly during the forecast period.
There are several options available in the large wind turbine drivetrain market, including a geared or direct drive system. The geared drive system is a common solution. It uses a ring gear with a stationary pinion. It also reduces stress caused by rotation. Its advantages include higher reliability, smaller nacelles and no transformer.