DC-link voltage selection for a multi-MW wind turbine
ISSN: 0332-1649
Article publication date: 26 August 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the dc-link voltage for the converter of a wind generator should be selected, i.e. to determine the losses in the generator and the converter when using various dc-link voltage levels.
Design/methodology/approach
To presents the efficiency evaluation of 5 MW wind turbine generating systems, two 5 MW surface mounted permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) with medium and low rated voltage is designed. A two-level transistor converter is considered for ac/dc conversion. Three different dc-link voltage levels are used. By using these voltage levels the PMSG is utilized in slightly different ways.
Findings
It is found that the system with the lower voltage machine has slightly higher annual energy efficiency compare to the higher voltage system. Furthermore, it is shown that the best choice for the dc-link voltage level is a voltage between the minimum voltage which gives the desired torque and the voltage which gives Maximum Torque Per Ampere.
Originality/value
A procedure as well as investigations with quantified results on how to find the highest complete drive system efficiency for a wind turbine application. Based on two given PMSG, the most energy-efficient dc-link voltage has been established.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The financial support given by the Swedish National Energy Administration is gratefully acknowledged.
Citation
Roshanfekr, P., Thiringer, T., Lundmark, S. and Alatalo, M. (2014), "DC-link voltage selection for a multi-MW wind turbine", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 33 No. 5, pp. 1722-1740. https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-09-2013-0301
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited