Configurations in WECS

• There are two basic configurations in WECSs, depending on the electrical machine type.
• Fixed-speed WECS

• Variable-speed WECS

• Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy present in the wind into mechanical energy by means of producing
torque.
• Large scale wind power projects are an attractive alternative to conventional capacity expansion.
• In the present scenario , most wind turbine manufacturers now equip power generating units by induction
generators.
• They are operated either at fixed speed or variable speed.
• Generators driven by fixed speed turbines can directly be connected to grid.
• Variable speed generators need a power electronic converter interface for interconnection with the grid.
• Variable speed generation is preferred over fixed speed generation.

Fixed-speed WECS

• This wind power system operates at a constant rotor speed regardless of the wind speed variations. The
rotor speed is controlled according to the grid frequency.
• The electrical machine equipped with such wind turbines is squirrel-cage induction generator. Sometimes a
permanent-magnetic synchronous generator can be used.
• Fixed-speed WECSs have advantage of being simple, robust, and reliable with a low-cost generator and
easy control. However, such wind power systems also have drawbacks due to limited control when wind
speed changes continuously.
• In early prototypes of fixed-speed wind turbines synchronous generators have been used, but the
induction machine appeared to be more widely adopted because of its lower cost, better environmental
durability and superior mechanical compatibility with rapid wind changes.
• That is why in fixed-speed wind turbines the generator used is the induction generator type,
directly connected to the grid.
• In the majority of wind turbines designs the generator is connected with the hub with blades via a gearbox.
They are placed in a nacelle on the top of the turbine tower.
• The gearbox is needed to change the low rotational speed of the turbine to a high rotational speed on the
generator. The induction generators rotational speed is typically 1000 or 1500 rpm.
• The speed of the turbine is dependent on its rotor diameter. For example a 330 kW turbine has a rotational
speed of approximately 18 - 45 rpm, while the rotational speed of a 1670 kW turbine is approximately 10
- 19 rpm.
• A fixed-speed wind turbine is designed to obtain maximum efficiency at one wind speed that will give the
optimum tip speed to wind speed ratio for the rotor airfoil. In order to be able to capture more wind energy,
some fixed-speed wind turbines have two different rotational speeds.
• This can be achieved either by placing two generators in the nacelle or by one generator having two
separate windings.
 Variable-speed WECS

• Comparing with fixed-speed wind turbines, variable-speed WECSs based on a doubly-fed induction
generator (DFIG) offer a number of merits such as simple control, four-quadrant active and reactive power
regulation, and low cost converter.
• With a DFIG-based wind system, the stator side is directly connected to the grid, whereas the rotor side is
connected to a back-to-back voltage source inverter. The stator outputs power into the grid.
• The rotor is capable of delivering or absorbing power to/from the grid, depending on the rotor speed.
• With a PMSG-based wind system, the generator output voltage and frequency are proportional to the rotor
speed and the current is proportional to the torque on the shaft.
• The output is rectified and fed through a buck-boost regulator to an inverter which generates the required
fixed amplitude and frequency AC voltage.

• There are many similarities in major components construction of fixed- speed wind turbines and wind
turbines operating within a narrow variable- speed range.
• Fixed-speed wind turbines operating within a narrow speed range usually use a double-fed induction
generator and have a converter connected to the rotor circuit.
• The rotational speed of the double-fed induction generator equally 1000 or
1500 rpm, so a gearbox implementation is required.
• To simplify the nacelle design a direct-driven generator is used. A direct- driven generator using a large
turbine blades diameter can operate at a very low speeds and does not need a gearbox installed to increase
to speed.
• The usage of frequency converter is needed to use a direct-driven generator, so wind turbines operating
within a broad variable-speed range are equipped with a frequency converter.
• In an conventional fixed-speed wind turbine, the gearbox and the generator have to be mounted on a stiff
bed plate and aligned precisely in respect to each other.
• A direct driven generator can be integrated with the nacelle, so the generator housing and support structure
are also the main parts of the nacelle construction.
Wind Energy System Configurations
 Synchronous Generator with In-Line Frequency Control
• Rather than controlling the turbine rotation speed to obtain a fixed frequency synchronised with the grid
from a synchronous generator, the rotor and turbine can be run at a variable speed corresponding to the
prevailing wind conditions.
• This will produce a varying frequency output from the generator synchronised with the drive shaft rotation
speed. This output can then be rectified in the generator side of an AC-DC-AC converter and the converted
back to AC in an inverter in grid side of the converter which is synchronised with the grid frequency.
• The grid side converter can also be used to provide reactive power (VArs) to the grid for power factor
control and voltage regulation by varying the firing angle of the thyristor switching in the inverter and thus
the phase of the output current with respect to the voltage.

• The range of wind speeds over which the system can be operated can be extended and mechanical safety
controls can be incorporated by means of an optional speed control system based on pitch control of the
 rotor vanes as used in the fixed speed system described above.
• One major drawback of this system is that the components and the electronic control circuits in the
frequency converter must be dimensioned to carry the full generator power.

Doubly Fed Induction Generator

• Wind turbines use a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) consisting of a wound rotor , induction
generator and an AC/DC/AC IGBT-based PWM converter.
• The stator winding is connected directly to the grid while the rotor is fed at
variable frequency through the AC/DC/AC converter.
• Vr is the rotor voltage and Vgc is grid side voltage.
• The AC/DC/AC converter is basically a PWM converter which uses sinusoidal PWM technique to reduce
the harmonics present in the wind turbine driven DFIG system.
• Crotor is rotor side converter and Cgrid is grid side converter.
• To control the speed of wind turbine gear boxes or electronic control can be used.
Operating Principal of DFIG
 Operating Principal of DFIG

• Below the synchronous speed in the motoring mode and above the synchronous speed in the generating
mode, rotor-side converter operates as a rectifier and stator-side converter as an inverter and where slip
power is returned to the stator.
• Below the synchronous speed in the generating mode and above the synchronous speed in the motoring
mode, rotor-side converter operates as an inverter and stator side converter as a rectifier, where slip power
is supplied to the rotor.
• For super synchronous speed operation, Pr is transmitted to DC bus capacitor and tends to rise the DC
voltage. For sub-synchronous speed operation, Pr is taken out of DC bus capacitor and tends to decrease the
DC voltage.
• Cgrid is used to generate or absorb the power Pgc in order to keep the DC voltage constant.
• In steady-state for a lossless AC/DC/AC converter Pgc is equal to Pr and the speed of the wind turbine is
determined by the power Pr absorbed or generated by Crotor.
• The phase-sequence of the AC voltage generated by Crotor is positive for
sub synchronous speed and negative for super synchronous speed.
• Crotor and Cgrid have the capability for generating or absorbing reactive power and could be used to
control the reactive power or the voltage at the grid terminals.

Wound-Rotor Induction Generator (WRIG) with External Rotor Resistances

• The system configuration is the same as that of the fixed-speed wind energy system except that the SCIG
is replaced with the WRIG. The external rotor resistance, is made adjustable by a converter composed of a
diode bridge and an IGBT chopper. The equivalent value of Rex, seen by
the rotor varies with the duty cycle of the chopper.

• Slip rings and brushes of the WRIG can be avoided in some practical WECS by mounting the external
rotor resistance circuit on the rotor shaft. This reduces maintenance needs, but introduces additional heat
dissipation inside the generator.

• The main advantage of this configuration compared to the variable- speed WECS is the low cost and
simplicity.

• The major drawbacks include limited speed range, inability to control grid-side reactive power, and
reduced efficiency due to the resistive losses.

SCIG Wind Energy Systems with Full-Capacity Power Converters

With Two-Level Voltage Source Converters.

• The two converters are identical in topology and linked by a DC-link capacitive filter. The
generator and converters are typically rated for 690 V, and each converter can handle up to 0.75 MW.
• For wind turbines larger than 0.75 MW, the power rating of the converter can be increased by paralleling
IGBT modules. Measures should be taken to ensure minimum circulating current among the parallel
modules.
• To minimize the circulating current, issues such as dynamic and static characteristics of IGBTs, design and
arrangement of gate driver circuits, and physical layout of IGBT modules and DC bus should be
considered.
• Some semiconductor manufacturers provide IGBT modules for parallel operation to achieve a power rating
of several megawatts.

Summary of WECS configurations

 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FIXED & LIMITED SPEED SYSTEM
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Fixed-speed a. Simple construction a. Not optimal operation, thus low efficiency

system and robust b. Easy power fluctuation caused by wind speed and tower
b. Low cost and pressure
maintenance c. External reactive power compensation is needed
c. Easy control d. Weak capability of Fault Ride Through (FRT)
Limited-speed a. Limited speed variation a. Speed variation range depends on the size of the variable rotor
system is implemented resistance (<10%)
b. The slip ring may be b. The controlled rotor power must be dissipated by heat in the
replaced by optical resistor
coupling c. Still need reactive power compensation and cannot support the
grid alone

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIABLE SPEED SYSTEM

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Variable- a. Large range of speed variation a. Relatively complicated control system

speed b. Appropriate control enables optimal operation for b. Higher converters and control costs
system maximum power extraction c. May need a multistage gearbox and slip
c. No external power compensation is needed and is able ring in DFIG system
to support the grid d. May need expensive PM material and
d. High FRT capability large diameter design in direct drive
e. Suitable and commonly used for large-scale wind
farms
 POWER CONTROL
 All wind turbines are designed with some sort of power control.
 There are different ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor and thus to limit the power in
very high winds in order to avoid damage to the wind turbine.
 The simplest, most robust and cheapest control method is the stall control (passive control), where the
blades are bolted onto the hub at a fixed angle.
 All wind turbines are designed with some sort of power control.
 There are different ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor and thus to limit the power in
very high winds in order to avoid damage to the wind turbine.
 The simplest, most robust and cheapest control method is the stall control (passive control), where the
blades are bolted onto the hub at a fixed angle.
 All wind turbines are designed with some sort of power control.
 There are different ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor and thus to limit the power in
very high winds in order to avoid damage to the wind turbine.
 The simplest, most robust and cheapest control method is the stall control (passive control), where the
blades are bolted onto the hub at a fixed angle.
 All wind turbines are designed with some sort of power control.
 There are different ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor and thus to limit the power in
very high winds in order to avoid damage to the wind turbine.
 The simplest, most robust and cheapest control method is the stall control (passive control), where the
blades are bolted onto the hub at a fixed angle.
 All wind turbines are designed with some sort of power control.
 There are different ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor and thus to limit the power in
very high winds in order to avoid damage to the wind turbine.
 The simplest, most robust and cheapest control method is the stall control (passive control), where the
blades are bolted onto the hub at a fixed angle.
Power Curves for Different Control Strategies (Variable-speed variable-pitch, VS-VP, is the ideal
curve.)

Fixed-speed fixed-pitch (FS-FP) is the one configuration where it is impossible to improve performance
with active control. In this design, the turbine’s generator is directly coupled to the power grid, causing the
generator speed to lock to the power line frequency and fix the rotational speed. These turbines are regulated
using passive stall methods at high wind speeds. The gearbox ratio selection becomes important for this
passive control because it ensures that the rated power is not exceeded. Figure 8 shows the power curve for
FS-FP operation.
From the figure, it is apparent that the actual power does not match the ideal power, implying that there is
lower energy capture. Notice that the turbine operates at maximum efficiency only at one wind speed in the
low-speed region. The rated power of the turbine is achieved only at one wind speed as well. This implies
poor power regulation as a result of constrained operations.
Fixed-speed variable-pitch (FS-VP) configuration operates at a fixed pitch angle below the rated wind speed
and continuously adjusts the angle above the rated wind speed. To clarify, fixed-speed operation implies a
maximum output power at one wind speed. You can use both feather and stall pitch control methods in this
configuration to limit power. Keep in mind that feathering takes a significant amount of control design and
stalling increases unwanted thrust force as stall increases. Figure 8 shows the power curve for FS-VP using
either feather or stall control.
Below the rated wind speed, the FS-VP turbine has a near optimum efficiency around Region II. Exceeding
the rated wind speed, the pitch angles are continuously changed, providing little to no loss in power.
Variable-speed fixed-pitch (VS-FP) configuration continuously adjusts the rotor speed relative to the wind
speed through power electronics controlling the synchronous speed of the generator. This type of control
assumes that the generator is from the grid so that the generator’s rotor and drive-train are free to rotate
independently of grid frequency. Fixed-pitch relies heavily on the blade design to limit power through
passive stalling. Figure shows the power curve for VS-FP.
In figure that power efficiency is maximized at low wind speeds, and you can achieve rated turbine power
only at one wind speed. Passive stall regulation plays a major role in not achieving the rated power and can
be attributed to poor power regulation above the rated wind speed. In lower wind speed cases, VS-FP can
capture more energy and improve power quality.
Variable-speed variable-pitch (VS-VP) configuration is a derivation of VS-FP and FS-VP. Operating below
the rated wind speed, variable speed and fixed pitch are used to maximize energy capture and increase
power quality. Operating above the rated wind speed, fixed speed and variable pitch permit efficient power
regulation at the rated power. VS-VP is the only control strategy that theoretically achieves the ideal power
curve

WIND SPEED
Wind speed describes how fast the air is moving past a certain point. This may be an averaged over a
given unit of time, such as miles per hour, or an instantaneous speed, which is reported as a peak wind
speed, wind gust or squall.
Wind Speed (or Wind Velocity) is an air moving from high to low pressure, usually due to changes in
temperature that is the horizontal movement of air specified by its speed and direction measured over the
land surface at a height of 10 m above ground level. The normal unit of wind speed is the knot, and the
wind direction is measured relative to true north (not magnetic north) reported from where the wind is
blowing. The Wind Speed is defined as the two-minute average speed in knots. The gust speed and
direction are defined by the maximum three second average wind speed occurring in any period. A gale
is defined as a surface wind of mean speed of 34-40 knots, averaged over a period of ten minutes.

How wind speed is measured?

The speed of that wind can be measured using a tool called an anemometer. An anemometer looks like a
weather vane, but instead of measuring which direction the wind is blowing with pointers, it has four
cups so that it can more accurately measure wind speed. ... The faster the wind, the faster the cups spin
the axis.

What is direct drive wind turbine?

Having all of those moving parts makes the gearbox one of the highest-maintenance parts of a wind
turbine. One alternative is to use a “direct drive” generator that can generate electricity at much lower
speeds. Direct drive systems do not require a gearbox and therefore have fewer moving parts.

What is advantage of direct drive wind turbines?

Besides simplifying the turbine's drivetrain, direct drive (DD) offers decreased system weight, potentially
higher reliability due to fewer parts, and reduced maintenance. A growing number of wind turbine
manufacturers produce DD machines, with current focus on higher power ratings and offshore
applications.

Which of the following is disadvantage of direct drive wind power plant?

The disadvantage of the direct drive design as it currently exists lies in the permanent magnets used to
generate the power. Permanent magnets depend on rare earth elements for their manufacture.