TM

Windformer
Wind power goes large-scale
Mikael Dahlgren, Harry Frank, Mats Leijon, Fredrik Owman, Lars Walfridsson

Spurred by new technologies, the harnessing of wind power to generate electric energy has
exceeded all forecasts, with about 13.4 gigawatts of plant capacity – the equivalent of more than
20 large fossil-fuelled power stations – currently in place. Now an even newer technology promises
more: an integrated system named WindformerTM, designed to generate wind power offshore and
in coastal areas and to transmit the power to the utility grid. Windformer increases the power
output by up to 20 percent and cuts lifetime maintenance costs in half. Using advanced cable
technology originally developed for ABB’s PowerformerTM generator, ABB engineers have created a
wind generator that requires neither a gearbox nor a transformer, making wind farms more reliable
and reducing electrical losses.

ABB Review 3/2000 31

Transmission and Distribution

1 Mean wind speeds offshore translate into higher energy

production and reduce the impact on the local environment

years. World market turnover was US$3

billion in 1999, and is growing by
approximately 20% per annum [1].
The growth potential for wind power
is considerable. Much of the generating
capacity is placed offshore 1 , where
high mean wind speeds translate into
higher energy production. Offshore
locations also reduce the impact on the
local environment, since the turbines are
largely out of sight and out of hearing
range. Development work continues to
produce larger units and wind power can
now be seen as a major source of energy,
with large wind farms capable of delivering
hundreds of MW. Accompanying this is
the realization that the wind power
industry has now reached a stage where
the equipment vendor has to look beyond

W
ind power is the fastest growing is expected to be up to 10,000 TWh or the straightforward supply of small,
energy source in the world, thereabouts by the year 2020 [2]. individual wind turbine generators (WTGs)
having registered an annual 40 percent If the influence of ecological issues on to the supply of total solutions that span
increase over the last five years. New newly installed production capacity the complete wind power system. To be
installations in 1999, at almost 4 gigawatts, remains strong, demand for renewable successful in this market, suppliers must
were up 51 percent compared with the energy sources can be expected to grow understand the energy chain in its entirety,
previous year. By the end of 1999, the faster than if economics were the sole and demonstrate that its expertise and
total installed wind power had reached factor. The Kyoto Protocol, with its focus know-how extend from the energy source
13,932 MW, with approximately 30 TWh on CO2 and other greenhouse gases, right through to the end-consumer.
of electrical power generated during the serves to underline worldwide WindformerTM is a new wind power
year [1]. environmental concern and emphasizes system, developed by ABB for wind farms
It is predicted that world electricity the importance of renewable energy. situated offshore and in coastal areas.
demand will increase from 13,000 TWh to Those areas of the world in which WTGs with Windformer have a high
23,000 TWh between 2000 and 2020. This environmental aspects exert the strongest output of typically 3 to 5 MW. This
extra electricity will be required primarily influence on energy markets, eg North generator power rating has a number of
in the developing countries, while in the America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia advantages. In the first place it reduces
industrialized nations growth is estimated and New Zealand [1], are expected to see the required site area, since fewer
at 1.8 percent per annum, equating to the fastest growth in renewable energy. machines are needed for a given station
about 3,500 TWh over the same period. 3922 MW of new wind power capacity output. This in turn diminishes the visual
Demand for new production capacity to was installed in 1999, and trends point to impact 2 and noise emissions of the
cover the world’s electricity requirement this figure doubling within three to four WTGs. Based on PowerformerTM

32 ABB Review 3/2000

 ponsibility for the electric power system
will also grow. Complete systems have
to be optimized, not only individual
components. This calls for a comprehen-
sive approach, with solutions that cover
everything from the system converting
the wind’s energy into electrical power
to its transmission to the utility grid.
2 Because of the higher power rating of WindformerTM, fewer wind turbine ABB’s Windformer electric power
generators are needed (left) than for a comparable wind farm with conventional system is based on a total wind farm
WTGs (right). (Photomontage)
solution in which the best systems for the
prevailing conditions are chosen.

technology [3, 4, 5], the Windformer and low losses. Its simplicity can be Clusters for wind power farms
generator has a variable-speed rotor with summed up as follows: 4 shows a Windformer cluster,
permanent magnets and is connected comprising multiple WTGs, capable of
directly to the turbine. The voltage (over Primary energy Wind, freely available
supplying up to 40 MW.
Rotor Iron, permanent magnets
20 kV) produced by the generator is The cluster is connected to a high-
Stator Iron, cables
converted to DC by means of diodes. voltage utility grid through an inverter
Rectifier Diodes
The WTGs are connected in groups, the located in a network station. Offshore
Transmission Cables
power being transmitted by cable to a wind farms use land-based network
Inverter Transistors
network station with inverter, linked stations, which are easily accessible for
directly to the utility grid 3 . maintenance and service work. The net-
Windformer electric power work station controls the real and reactive
The ‘simple’ technology system power output individually, making it
Windformer was conceived as a ‘simple’ As the development of commercial wind possible to connect the wind farms to
technology, incorporating stable systems farms gets under way, the need for even a weak network. With Windformer
that supply energy with high reliability equipment suppliers to take overall res- technology, variations in wind speed or

3 Schematic of the Windformer system. DC power from the wind farm is transmitted by cable to a network station with
inverter, which is connected directly to the utility grid.

ABB Review 3/2000 33

 Transmission and Distribution

4 Windformer cluster comprising several WTGs. Capable of supplying up to

40 MW, the cluster is linked through an inverter to the HV grid.

tion, however, is to adjust the input

power to prevent turbine overspeed.
A permanent-magnet rotor converts the
kinetic energy to electrical power. The
generator is connected directly to the
turbine and operates at a frequency in the
range of 5 to 10 Hz. The choice of
voltage, which is at least 20 kV, depends
on the optimization of the Windformer
system. A diode rectifier converts the low-
frequency AC voltage to DC.
A Windformer wind farm comprises
several clusters. In the present configuration,
tower shadow due to other WTGs will By using an inverter to control the DC the clusters have a rating of up to 40 MW
not cause fluctuations in grid voltage, voltage, the generator speed is indirectly and are connected via DC cables to an
which could affect nearby consumers. regulated, optimizing the energy production inverter in a land-based network station.
This is an important consideration, in the process. The turbine blades are The voltage configuration for the wind
particularly for weak electrical networks. pitch-regulated; the main use of regula- farm is chosen on the basis of, among other

Table: Comparison of Windformer and a conventional wind farm based on an asynchronous generator

Windformer Wind farm based on asynchronous generator

Turbine Turbine
Gearbox
Powerformer generator Asynchronous generator
Permanent magnet rotor Power factor correction equipment
Diode rectifier Soft starter
Turbine transformer
DC cluster cable AC cluster cable
➜

<100 km <40 km >40 km

Offshore Transmission transformer Transmission transformer
HVDC Light station
Offshore platform for transmission Offshore platform for HVDC Light
transformer and transmission transformer
DC transmission cable AC transmission cable DC transmission cable

Onshore Inverter SVC station HVDC Light station

System transformer System transformer System transformer

34 ABB Review 3/2000

things, the existing network connection The ABB Windformer power system The participants in this pilot project are
and the local regulations which govern it, has several distinct advantages: it exhibits ABB, Scanwind, Vattenfall AB and the
the output of the wind farm, the maxi- low losses, the power electronics in each Swedish National Energy Administration.
mum energy output per surface unit, the WTG are reduced to a minimum, thereby Although an offshore version, it will be
distance to the network connection, and increasing availability, AC flicker in the land-based to facilitate the comprehen-
its environmental (especially visual) impact. network is reduced, and the real and sive evaluation and testing programs that
As an example, a conventional utility- reactive powers are controlled separately. are needed. The WTG has a rated output
scale wind farm currently consists of 10 to To sum up, the land-based regulating of 3.0 MW, which will be increased for
100 WTGs delivering 500 kW to 2 MW each system optimizes the energy output for an offshore applications. Able to work
with asynchronous generators rated at 0.7 kV. entire wind farm. This is in stark contrast within a wind speed range of 5 to 28 m/s
The generators are connected in series with to systems that regulate the power output at variable speed, the WTG’s rated output
a step-up transformer. In a large wind farm, of each individual WTG. is reached at a wind velocity of 13 m/s.
a substation transformer steps the voltage Below the rated turbine speed, the blade
level up to 130–230 kV. The differences Pilot installation due soon angle is kept in the most efficient
between Windformer and a conventional A pilot Windformer installation is to be position, whereas at rated speed the
wind farm are shown in the Table. installed soon at Näsudden in Sweden. blade is turned towards the ‘feathered’
pitch position to limit the power output.
5 Comparison of a Windformer WTG nacelle with the nacelle The output power is gradually reduced
of a conventional WTG from 3 MW to 500 kW for wind speeds
between 18 and 27 m/s. This has only a
marginal effect on the annual energy
Conventional nacelle production, but helps significantly to
optimize the lifetime of the WTG. Annual
Gearbox Gen. Transf.
energy production with the WTG placed
offshore is calculated to be around
11 GWh, based on an annual mean wind
speed of 8.0 m/s.
The turbine has three 90-meter diameter
blades made of glassfiber-epoxy. The hub
Stator height of the Näsudden plant is 70 meters.
Cable winding Windformer nacelle

Permanent magnet Based on Powerformer

Windformer
Rotor The Windformer concept includes a
cable-wound generator (Powerformer),
connected directly to the turbine. The
variable speed of around 18 rev/min
reduces stresses as well as noise
emissions at low wind speeds.
Windformer does not have a gearbox
5 , 6 , thereby reducing both losses and

ABB Review 3/2000 35

Transmission and Distribution

maintenance. It is worth noting that a

conventional gearbox-driven 1500 rev/min
fixed-speed generator rotates the same
number of times in one month as the
direct-driven Windformer WTG does in
ten years.
Windformer’s smaller number of
vulnerable components contributes to its
extremely high reliability and availability.
These characteristics and the reduced
maintenance are vital for offshore applica-
tions, where access to the WTGs is
limited.
Special measures have been taken to
ensure that the generator withstands severe
climatic conditions, such as constant
dampness and salt air.

Stator
6 Cutaway view of the Windformer generator, showing the rotor and cable- The stator is based on Powerformer
wound stator technology [3, 4, 5]. Therefore, round
cables 7 are used instead of square,
insulated copper conductors, as in a
conventional generator.
Since the electrical field is totally
confined within the cable, there are none
of the usual problems with discharges at
the end windings and connections, as in
conventional generators. Losses in the
windings are lower due to the higher
voltage level. The use of cables also
reduces the risk of phase-to-phase faults.
The concept in itself reduces the short-
circuit currents. And there are fewer
safety issues involving the generator
because of the smaller number of electrical
components. Summing up all of these
features, it can be said that a generator
7 Windformer WTG prototype during initial production tests. The cable-wound based on Powerformer technology offers
stator and the rotor with permanent magnets are clearly visible. higher availability, improved efficiency,

36 ABB Review 3/2000

8 Calculated magnetic flux generated in the
permanent magnets of the Windformer WTG

improved efficiency, the permanent- insulation, are not needed, eliminating the
magnet rotor offers other advantages, such risk of fire and high-risk oil handling.
as better availability, higher reliability, and Also, virtually all parts of the generator
reduced maintenance. can be recycled at the end of its useful
During development of the Windformer life. The use of permanent magnets also
generator special attention was given to has a positive effect on the environment.
optimization of the magnetic circuit. This
included dimensioning the circuit so as to Outlook
avoid demagnetization of the permanent Wind power is fully renewable and the
magnets. fastest growing source of electricity
The rotor is multipolar with a large production in the world. Continuing to
and, since fewer components are used in air-gap diameter of over 6 m, making it exceed all forecasts, installed capacity
the installation, lower operating and what is probably the largest permanently has grown from practically nothing in
maintenance costs. magnetized rotor ever to have been 1990 to about 13.4 gigawatts today, and
Further improvements were made to manufactured. it is estimated that the installation rate
Powerformer technology in the course of Windformer is adapted for offshore could reach 10 gigawatts per year by
developing Windformer. For example, the operation. For example, a corrosion- 2005. With its many advantages, primarily
entire Windformer generator winding is resistant material is used for the permanent its high output and efficiency and the
constructed without cable joints. magnets that will withstand the harsh envi- simplicity of its design, Windformer is
ronment and minimize maintenance. Also, destined to lead the way as wind power
Rotor the Powerformer stator cable windings are captures an even greater share of the
In all previous Powerformer applications designed to resist the harsh marine climate, renewable energy market.
the magnetic flux is induced in the rotor so there is no risk of electrical flashover.
by coils on the pole cores. The Life cycle assessments carried out for Authors
magnetizing current and the slip rings other installations using Powerformer show
Dr. Mikael Dahlgren
that are required are a direct cause of clear ecological advantages for the gener- Harry Frank
electrical losses. ator. These include its contribution to Dr. Mats Leijon
In Windformer, the stator’s magnetic reduced environmental impact through Dr. Fredrik Owman
Lars Walfridsson
field is produced by permanent magnets, improved overall efficiency, and the use ABB Corporate Research
and auxiliary equipment for inducing the of environmentally friendly materials. SE-721 78 Västerås
magnetic flux in the rotor circuit is not Sweden
The cables used for the stator windings
[email protected]
necessary 8 . A rotor with permanent are cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) Telefax: +46 21 32 30 66
magnets does not need to be cooled insulated and contain no oil. Distribution
since the losses are low. In addition to transformers, with their oil and epoxy

References
[1] International Wind Energy Development, World Market Update 1999. BTM Consultant ApS (2000).
[2] International Energy Outlook Report DOE/EIA-0484 (1999).
[3] M. Leijon: PowerformerTM – a radically new rotating machine. ABB Review 2/98, 21–26.
[4] M. Leijon et al: Breaking conventions in electrical power plants. CIGRE 1998, paper 11:1.1.
[5] ] R. Dettmer: The heart of a new machine. IEE Review 44, no 6, 1998.

ABB Review 3/2000 37