A new modular drivetrain for large wind turbines currently under development is presented. The electromechanical drivetrain has a direct-drive configuration with a modular flux-switching permanent-magnet generator. The full-power converter consists of 12 parallel back-to-back two-level voltage source converter modules. A novel method of modulation is used to improve harmonic quality while maintaining a low switching frequency. Benefits of the new design include simplified manufacturing and transport, increased system availability due to fault tolerance and redundance, and avoidance of an LCL filter. Measurement results are shown from a 500-kW test rig.
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