go to top scroll for more

Projects


Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/C51226X/1
Title Fault-Tolerant, Low-Cost Power Conversion And Control For Variable-Speed Generators
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy) 50%;
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electric power conversion) 50%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Professor L Ran
No email address given
School of Engineering
University of Warwick
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 25 April 2005
End Date 24 April 2008
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £226,473
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region West Midlands
Programme Materials, Mechanical and Medical Eng, Process Environment and Sustainability
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor L Ran , School of Engineering, University of Warwick (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Dr JR Bumby , Engineering, Durham University (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) (0.000%)
Project Contact , Evolving Generation Ltd (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Until recently, the vast majority of electrical generators were fixed-speed synchronous or occasionally induction machines. The benefits of variable speed operation for many types of prime movers and the availability of electronic frequency converters have created a new market for generating systems that can deliver power to the grid whilst turning at any speed. Gearless direct drive wind turbines have been at the leading edge of this development and continue to set the most demanding requirements. With the present drive to install large numbers of wind turbines offshore, new demands for reliability arise for every component including the frequency converter. While significant progress is being achieved in semiconductor devices, converter topologies and switching strategies, there is clearly a need also to consider the converter together with the generator to create an integrated design that combines good performance with low cost. The proposed project aims to provide a low-cost modular power conversion system with extensive fault tolerance features for variable speed generators with multiple isolated electrical output coils. It aims to develop the circuit topology needed for such a scheme and to develop appropriate control and protection algorithms. It is intended to take advantage of the unusual nature of multi-pole low-speed generators, which have a large number of winding coils that can easily be arranged to provide a number of electrically independent outputs. Thisfeature lends itself to a modular multi-level high-voltage converter configuration. It is intended to achieve a transformer-less configuration while providing the capability to ride through grid faults
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 01/01/07