On Electrodynamic Braking for Small Wind Turbines

McMahon, Niall; Burton, P R; Sharman, David

doi:10.1260/0309-524x.39.5.549

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Both options have proven to be prohibitively expensive in the DWT space thus far, and more economical solutions for avoiding overspeed that have been widely adopted include stall regulation and/or rotating the rotor out of the wind direction via a furling mechanism. An attractive option for smaller SWTs is "electromagnetic braking" by shorting the generator output (McMahon et al, 2015). This obviates the need for a mechanical brake.…”

Section: Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current status and grand challenges for small wind turbine technology

et al. 2022

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Abstract. While modern wind turbines have become by far the largest rotating machines on Earth with further upscaling planned for the future, a renewed interest in small wind turbines (SWTs) is fostering energy transition and smart grid development. Small machines have traditionally not received the same level of aerodynamic refinement as their larger counterparts, resulting in lower efficiency, lower capacity factors, and therefore a higher cost of energy. In an effort to reduce this gap, research programs are developing worldwide. With this background, the scope of the present study is 2-fold. In the first part of this paper, an overview of the current status of the technology is presented in terms of technical maturity, diffusion, and cost. The second part of the study proposes five grand challenges that are thought to be key to fostering the development of small wind turbine technology in the near future, i.e. (1) improving energy conversion of modern SWTs through better design and control, especially in the case of turbulent wind; (2) better predicting long-term turbine performance with limited resource measurements and proving reliability; (3) improving the economic viability of small wind energy; (4) facilitating the contribution of SWTs to the energy demand and electrical system integration; (5) fostering engagement, social acceptance, and deployment for global distributed wind markets. To tackle these challenges, a series of unknowns and gaps are first identified and discussed. Based on them, improvement areas are suggested, for which 10 key enabling actions are finally proposed.

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Section: Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current status and grand challenges for small wind turbine technology

et al. 2022

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“…The lack of active pitch control is often referred to as one of the main reasons why DWTs are characterized by low performance below rated wind speeds [4]. Overspeed protection is achieved through generator dynamic braking [5], aerodynamic brakes (e.g., blade tip-brakes or full-span pitch), or, more often, high-speed shaft (HSS) electrical or mechanical brakes [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering a Reduction of the Levelized Cost of Energy of Distributed Wind Turbines via Rotor and Control Enhancements

Damiani

Davis

2022

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Distributed wind turbines (DWTs), with rated capacity less than 100 kW, are penalized by high balance-of-system costs that lead to a high levelized cost of energy (LCOE). As a result, to contain the capital expenditure and thus LCOE, traditional designs have avoided active control systems that are standard in larger machines, e.g., active yaw and pitch control. In this paper, we present the key results of a trade-off study between larger rotor diameter, loads abatement, and simplicity in the pitch design for a typical mid-sized DWT with the overarching goal of increasing performance and decreasing LCOE. We focused on the upgrade potential for a generic downwind, passive-yaw, stall-controlled turbine model with high-speed shaft (HSS) brake and rated capacity of ∼ 60kW. A rotor and control redesign proved successful in increasing power capture through the deployment of a blade-root extender and an innovative, low-cost, independent pitch system for overspeed protection. The improvements remove the need for a mechanical brake and yield a significant decrease in LCOE. The loads in all components were kept under the target threshold by a combination of optimum blade extender length and rotor rotational velocity. The failsafe and redundant aerodynamic braking system is economical and can lend itself to retrofit applications to other turbine models.

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Small Wind Turbines

Wood¹

2022

Comprehensive Renewable Energy

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On Electrodynamic Braking for Small Wind Turbines

Cited by 9 publications

References 3 publications

Current status and grand challenges for small wind turbine technology

Current status and grand challenges for small wind turbine technology

Engineering a Reduction of the Levelized Cost of Energy of Distributed Wind Turbines via Rotor and Control Enhancements

Small Wind Turbines

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