SUMMARYIn the current wind turbine generation system, there are substantial problems such as the fact that the maximum power of the wind turbine cannot be obtained in the presence of fluctuating wind speed, as well as high cost and low annual net electricity production (due to mismatch between generators and wind turbines). A new wind turbine generator optimized for the wind turbine output is presented in order to solve such problems. This wind turbine generator consists of a permanent magnet generator, a reactor, and a rectifier, and uses neither a control circuit which requires standby electricity nor a PWM converter having a switching element. By selecting the most appropriate combination of a permanent magnet generator with multiple windings and a reactor connected in series with each winding, the maximum output of the wind turbine can be obtained without using a control circuit. The new wind turbine generator was directly coupled with a straight-wing nonarticulated vertical-axis wind turbine (SW-VAWT), and matching of the generator with the wind turbine was examined in field tests. The test results and review confirm that the new wind turbine generator is highly matched with the wind turbine in the presence of fluctuating wind speed.

No abstract

The performance of a permanent magnet, variable speed generator charging a battery via a PWM converter or rectifier is considered. It is found that in neither case can the system be configured to generate electricity at low wind speeds while maintaining optimum efficiency at rated wind speed. Accordingly, an alternative system which permits operation at close to optimum efficiency over the full range of wind speeds below rated is proposed. This uses two separate generator windings, one of which begins to charge the battery at a much lower wind speed than the other. Experimental results are presented which confirm the theoretical analysis.

No abstract

No abstract