This paper presents a comprehensive study on the state-of-the-art and emerging wind energy technologies from the electrical engineering perspective. In an attempt to decrease cost of energy, increase the wind energy conversion efficiency, reliability, power density, and comply with the stringent grid codes, the electric generators and power electronic converters have emerged in a rigorous manner. From the market based survey, the most successful generator-converter configurations are addressed along with few promising topologies available in the literature. The back-to-back connected converters, passive generator-side converters, converters for multiphase generators, and converters without intermediate dc-link are investigated for high-power wind energy conversion systems (WECS), and presented in low and medium voltage category. The onshore and offshore wind farm configurations are analyzed with respect to the series/parallel connection of wind turbine ac/dc output terminals, and high voltage ac/dc transmission. The fault-ride through compliance methods used in the induction and synchronous generator based WECS are also discussed. The past, present and future trends in megawatt WECS are reviewed in terms of mechanical and electrical technologies, integration to power systems, and control theory. The important survey results, and technical merits and demerits of various WECS electrical systems are summarized by tables. The list of current and future wind turbines are also provided along with technical details.

High-Power Wind Energy Conversion Systems: State-of-the-Art and Emerging Technologies

Robust sliding-mode control of wind energy conversion systems for optimal power extraction via nonlinear perturbation observers

This paper presents a new E-type module for asymmetrical multilevel inverters (MLIs) with reduced components. Each module produces 13 levels with four unequal dc sources and 10 switches. The design of the proposed module makes some preferable features with a better quality than similar modules such as the low number of semiconductors and dc sources and low switching frequency. Also, this module is able to create a negative level without any additional circuit such as an H-bridge, which causes reduction of voltage stress on switches. Cascade connection of the proposed structure leads to a modular topology with more levels and higher voltages. Selective harmonics elimination pulse width modulation (SHE-PWM) scheme is used to achieve high-quality output voltage with lower harmonics. MATLAB simulations and practical results are presented to validate the proposed module good performance. Module output voltage satisfies harmonics standard (IEEE519) without any filter in output.

An Envelope Type (E-Type) Module: Asymmetric Multilevel Inverters With Reduced Components

This paper proposes a novel decoupling scheme for a bearingless permanent-magnet synchronous motor (BPMSM) to achieve fast-response and high precision performances and to guarantee the system robustness to the external disturbance and parameter uncertainty. The proposed control scheme incorporates the neural network inverse (NNI) method and 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) internal model controllers. By introducing the NNI systems into the original BPMSM system, a decoupled pseudo-linear system can be constituted. Additionally, based on the characteristics of the pseudo-linear system, the 2-DOF internal model control theory is utilized to design extra controllers to improve the robustness of the whole system. Consequently, the proposed control scheme can effectively improve the static and dynamic performances of the BPMSM system, as well as adjust the tracking and disturbance rejection performances independently. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme has been verified by both simulation and experimental results.

High-Performance Control for a Bearingless Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor Using Neural Network Inverse Scheme Plus Internal Model Controllers

To effectively enhance the control accuracy and dynamic performance of a bearingless permanent magnet synchronous motor (BPMSM), this paper presents a novel control scheme combining the inverse system method and the internal model control. By cascading the inverse model of the BPMSM with the original BPMSM system, a decoupling pseudo-linear system is constituted. Moreover, in order to improve the robustness of the whole system and reject the influence of the unmodeled dynamics and system noise to the decoupling control accuracy, the internal model control scheme is employed for the pseudo-linear system to design extra closed-loop controllers. Consequently, the proposed decoupling control scheme incorporates the advantages of both the inverse system method and the internal model control. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is verified by experimental results at various operations.

Internal Model Control for a Bearingless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Based on Inverse System Method

A novel two-degree-of-freedom internal model control (IMC) controller that improves the fault ride-through (FRT) capabilities and crowbar dynamics of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbines is presented. As opposed to other control strategies available in the open literature, the proposed IMC controller takes into account the power limit characteristic of the DFIG back-to-back converters and their dc-link voltage response in the event of a fault and consequent crowbar operation. Results from a digital model implemented in Matlab/Simulink and verified by a laboratory scale-down prototype demonstrate the improved DFIG FRT performance with the proposed controller.

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Fault Ride-Through Improvement of DFIG-WT by Integrating a Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Internal Model Control

The offshore wind sector’s trend towards larger turbines, bigger wind farm projects and greater distance to shore has a critical impact on grid connection requirements for offshore wind power plants. This important reference sets out the fundamentals and latest innovations in electrical systems and control strategies deployed in offshore electricity grids for wind power integration. Includes: All current and emerging technologies for offshore wind integration and trends in energy storage systems, fault limiters, superconducting cables and gas-insulated transformers Protection of offshore wind farms illustrating numerous system integration and protection challenges through case studies Modelling of doubly-fed induction generators (DFIG) and full-converter wind turbines structures together with an explanation of the smart grid concept in the context of wind farms Comprehensive material on power electronic equipment employed in wind turbines with emphasis on enabling technologies (HVDC, STATCOM) to facilitate the connection and compensation of large-scale onshore and offshore wind farms Worked examples and case studies to help understand the dynamic interaction between HVDC links and offshore wind generation Concise description of the voltage source converter topologies, control and operation for offshore wind farm applications Companion website containing simulation models of the cases discussed throughout Equipping electrical engineers for the engineering challenges in utility-scale offshore wind farms, this is an essential resource for power system and connection code designers and pratitioners dealing with integration of wind generation and the modelling and control of wind turbines. It will also provide high-level support to academic researchers and advanced students in power and renewable energy as well as technical and research staff in transmission and distribution system operators and in wind turbine and electrical equipment manufacturers.

Offshore Wind Energy Generation: Control, Protection, and Integration to Electrical Systems

This investigation presents the implementation and simulation of a Simulink-based controlled permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine in the dq0 reference frame. The model consists of a current control subsystem, a PMSG model, a mechanical subsystem, a pitch angle controller and a wind turbine model. The current control subsystem makes use of PI controllers governing the wind turbine speed, the direct and quadrature stator currents and the pitch angle of the turbine blades. The pitch angle controller measures the speed and the active power from the generator limiting both in case of high-speed wind conditions. In order to verify the functioning and the effectiveness of the proposed controllers, simulations- for different operation conditions- are presented and discussed.

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Modelling of a wind turbine with permanent magnet synchronous generator

Medium frequency transformers (MFTs) are a key component of DC–DC dual active bridge (DAB)-type converters. These technologies are becoming a quintessential part of renewable energy solutions, such as photovoltaic systems and wind energy power plants, as well as in modern power grid interfaces functioning as solid-state transformers in smart-grid environments. The weight and physical dimensions of an MFT are key data for the design of these devices. The size of an MFT is reduced by increasing its operating frequency. This reduction implicates higher power density through the transformer windings, as well as other design requirements distinct to those used for conventional 60/50 Hz transformers; therefore, new MFT design procedures are needed. This paper introduces a novel methodology for designing MFTs, using nanocrystalline cores, and tests it using an MFT–DAB lab prototype. Different to other MFT design procedures, this new design approach uses a modified version of the area-product technique, which consists of smartly modifying the core losses computation, and includes nanocrystalline cores. The core losses computation is supported by a full analysis of the dispersion inductance. For purposes of validation, a model MFT connected to a DAB converter is simulated in Matlab-Simulink (The MathWorks, v2014a, Mexico City, Mexico). In addition, a MFT–DAB lab prototype (1 kVA at 5 kHz) is implemented to experimentally probe further the validity of the methodology just proposed. These results demonstrate that the analytic calculations results match those obtained from simulations and lab experiments. In all cases, the efficiency of the MFT is greater than 99%.

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Edgar L. Moreno-Goytia

Papers

Fault Ride-Through Improvement of DFIG-WT by Integrating a Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Internal Model Control

Offshore Wind Energy Generation: Control, Protection, and Integration to Electrical Systems

Modelling of a wind turbine with permanent magnet synchronous generator

Design and Prototyping Medium-Frequency Transformers Featuring a Nanocrystalline Core for DC–DC Converters

An algorithm based on traveling waves for transmission line protection in a TCSC environment