WIND ENERGY

MODULE -3 Syllabus:

Wind Energy: Sources and potentials, Evaluation of Wind Intensity, Topography, General
Classification of Wind Turbines-Rotor Turbines, Multiple-Blade Turbines, Drag Turbines, Lifting
Turbines, System Toroidal Rotor Amplifier Platform (TARP) –Wind amplified rotor platform
(WARP), Generators and speed control used in wind power energy:

Fixed speed with capacitor bank, Rotor resistance control, SCIG and DFIG, Synchronous Generator
external magnetized, Synchronous Generator-permanent magnets.

INTRODUCTION

The wind turbine captures the wind’s kinetic energy in a rotor consisting of two or more blades
mechanically coupled to an electrical generator. The turbine is mounted on a tall tower to enhance the
energy capture. Numerous wind turbines are installed at one site to build a wind farm of the desired
power generation capacity. Obviously, sites with steady high wind produce more energy over the
year.

Two distinctly different configurations are available for turbine design, the horizontal- axis
configuration and the vertical-axis configuration. The horizontal-axis machine has been the standard
in Denmark from the beginning of the wind power industry. Therefore, it is often called the Danish
wind turbine. The vertical-axis machine has the shape of an egg beater and is often called the
Darrieus rotor after its inventor. It has been used in the past because of its specific structural
advantage. However, most modern wind turbines use a horizontal axis design. Except for the rotor,
most other components are the same in both designs, with some differences in their placements.

TOPOGRAPHY
1. The analysis of topography is very important when choosing a site.
2. This is an important point when mountainous locations are under consideration.
3. For those areas, the wind speed increases on the front side of the mountain and
decreases on the opposite side.
4. In plane areas, the position of tree barriers should be observed with respect to the
wind, as their proximity to the place chosen for turbine installation is critical.
5. There should be a maximum of free space between tree barriers and the power plant,
to avoid any slowing down of the wind
6. With increased altitude, the movement of a wind draft takes a more complex form,
due to different land shapes.
7. Thus, it is necessary to have a reasonable knowledge of the characteristics of the soil
to be occupied
8. The roughness of the ground surface causes wind shear, which changes significantly
with altitude
POTENTIALS OF WIND ENERGY
India has a vast supply of renewable energy resources. India has one of the world’s largest
programs for deployment of renewable energy products and systems 3,700 MW from renewable
energy sources installed.

State Potential MW Installed MW

Andhra Pradesh 8285 93

Gujarat 9675 173

Karnataka 6620 124

Madhya Pradesh 5500 23

Maharashtra 3650 401

Orissa 1700 1

Rajasthan 5400 61

Tamil Nadu 3050 991

West Bangal 450 1

SPEED AND POWER RELATIONS

The kinetic energy in air of mass m moving with speed Vis given by the following in joules:

1
Kineti c Energy K . E= mV 2
2
The power in moving air is the flow rate of kinetic energy per second in watts:

1
Power= (mass flow /sec )V 2
2
If
P = mechanical power in the moving air (watts), ρ = air density (kg/m3),

A = area swept by the rotor blades (m2), and V= velocity of the air (m/sec),

Then the volumetric flow rate is AV, the mass flow rate of the air in kilograms per second is ρAV,
and the mechanical power coming in the upstream wind is given by the following in watts:
 1 1
P= ( ρ AV ) V 2= ρ AV 3
2 2

Horizontal-axis wind turbine showing major components

Two potential wind sites are compared in terms of the specific wind power expressed in watts per
square meter of area swept by the rotating blades. It is also referred to as the power density of the
site, and is given by the following expression in watts per square meter of the rotor-swept area:

1
Specific power of the site= ρV 3
2

This is the power in the upstream wind. It varies linearly with the density of the air sweeping the
blades and with the cube of the wind speed. The blades cannot extract all of the upstream wind
power, as some power is left in the downstream air that continues to move with reduced speed.

POWER EXTRACTED FROM THE WIND

The actual power extracted by the rotor blades is the difference between the upstream and
downstream wind powers. the following equation in units of watts:
1
{
P0 = ( massflow /sec ) V 2−V 2
2 0 }
Where Po = mechanical power extracted by the rotor, i.e., the turbine output power,

V = upstream wind velocity at the entrance of the rotor blades, and

Vo = down stream wind velocity at the exit of the rotor blades.

Let us leave the aerodynamics of the blades to the many excellent books available on the subject, and
take a macroscopic view of the airflow around the blades. Macroscopically, the air velocity is
discontinuous from V to Vo at the “plane” of the rotor blades, with an “average” of ½(V + V o).
Multiplying the air density by the average velocity, therefore, gives the mass flow rate of air through
the rotating blades, which is as follows:
V +V 0
mas s flow rate=ρA =
2

The mechanical power extracted by the rotor, which drives the electrical generator, is therefore:

P0 =
1
2[ρA
2 ](
( V +V 0 ) 2
V −V 2
0 )

The preceding expression is algebraically rearranged in the following form:

1
P0 = ρ AV 3
(
1+
V0
V
1−)[ ( ) ]
V0 2
V
2 2

The power extracted by the blades is customarily expressed as a fraction of the upstream wind power
in watts as follows:

( )[ ( ) ]
2
V0 V0
1+ 1−
1 V V
P0 = ρ AV 3 C p C p=
2 where 2

Cp is the fraction of the upstream wind power that is extracted by the rotor blades and fed to the
electrical generator. The remaining power is dissipated in the downstream wind. The factor C p is
called the power coefficient of the rotor or the rotor efficiency.
 Energy derived from wind velocity is known as wind energy.

 Air - the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth,

 Wind - air in motion called wind.
 The difference in temperature gradient encourages the circulation of air from one place to
another place.
 The wind is a non-conventional type of energy.
 Wind energy is one of the major renewable energy sources. It plays an important role in
generating electricity. Wind energy provides around 1% of the world's electricity.
 This technology helps in the reduction of the greenhouse effect.
 Nowadays this technology is the fastest-growing renewable technology. India stood at 6th
position with an installed capacity of 47.7 TWh(Tetra Watt-Hours) in 2017. China is the
dominant country in wind energy production with a capacity of 305 TWh, followed
by America (257 TWh).
 In India, Tamil Nadu is the highest wind energy producer state with a capacity
of 9231.77 MW.
 The Minimum wind speed of 10 mph is considered to be useful for seed production.
What are the Type of Wind Energy

Based on the establishment. There are two types of wind energy

Onshore Wind Energy

The windmill-like structure is called a Wind turbine which is responsible for electricity generation.
They are located in a place that has a sufficient amount of air such as large steppes or coastal areas.
A group of high-power wind turbines is called wind farms.
Offshore Wind Energy
The principle of energy production is similar to onshore wind energy but the difference is that the
wind turbines are located in the middle of the Ocean to take advantage of the powerful offshore
wind.
In the middle of the Ocean, the wind is flowing very rapidly and uninterrupted. Hence offshore wind
is more productive than onshore wind.

WIND TURBINES
A wind turbine harnesses wind energy to produce electricity. Its key components include the tower,
blades, and nacelle. The tower supports the turbine, while the blades capture wind energy, rotating
and driving the nacelle's mechanical components like the gearbox and generator, which convert
wind energy into electrical power.
A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy, which is
then used to generate electricity. Efficiency of wind turbines correlated with the number of blades in
wind turbines. Efficiency increase as numbers of blades. It typically consists of three main
components: the tower, the blades, and the nacelle.
1. Tower: The tower is the tall structure that supports the wind turbine. It elevates the turbine to
capture stronger and more consistent winds at higher altitudes.
2. Blades: The blades are attached to a rotor at the top of the tower and are responsible for capturing
the wind. As the wind blows, it causes the blades to rotate.

3. Nacelle: The nacelle is the housing unit at the top of the tower where the mechanical components
of the wind turbine are located. This includes the gearbox, generator, and control systems. The rotor
shaft connects the blades to the gearbox, which increases the rotational speed of the blades and
transfers the mechanical energy to the generator. The generator then converts this mechanical energy
into electrical energy, which can be transmitted and used to power homes, businesses, and industries.

How many Types of Wind Turbines

Vertical axis wind turbines -
 It's simple in design.
 The Axis of rotation of vertical axis wind turbines is vertical to the ground and almost
perpendicular to the wind direction. These turbines can receive wind from any direction.
 The generator of this type of turbine is located at ground level which makes its design simple
and more economical. As well as maintenance can be done at ground level.
 The disadvantage is that these turbines are not self-starting. An additional machine is required
to start the turbine, once it is stopped.
 It's 2 type
1. Savonius windmill
2. Darrieus windmill
 Horizontal-axis wind turbines
 The horizontal axis wind turbines have their axis of rotation horizontal to the ground and
almost parallel to the wind stream.
 The commercial wind turbines are under this category.
 In general, they show a high power coefficient.
 However, the generator and gearbox of wind turbines are placed over the tower which makes
its design more complex and expensive.
 According to their blades, horizontal axis wind turbines are 4 types – Single blade, two-blade,
three-blade, and multi-blade.
 Three-blade wind turbines are mostly used as commercial turbines.
 Horizontal Axis wind turbines have some distinct disadvantages such as low cut-in speed and
easy furling.

2. Basic Components of Wind Energy Conversion System

The main components of a wind energy conversion system for electricity (Fig 1) are

Aeroturbine Gearing
Coupling
Electrical generator Controller
 The wind turbine converts energy in the wind to rotary mechanical energy. This is capable with the
help of pitch control and yaw control for proper operation. The step up gear and a coupling
constitutes mechanical interface. This helps in transmission of rotary mechanical energy to an
electric generator and power output is connected to the load or power grid.

Yaw control is fixed in wind turbines in the areas where there is change in wind direction. A motor
rotates the turbine slowly about the vertical axis so as to face the blades into the wind. The controller
helps in sensing different parameters like wind speed, wind direction, shafts speed and torques at
various points, power generated and temperature in the generator. It also senses the control signals
for comparing electrical output to the wind energy input. This also protects the wind turbine system
from extreme conditions (like strong winds, electrical faults, etc.).

3. Wind turbine

A wind turbine is a system that converts the kinetic energy available in the windinto mechanical or
electrical energy.

Parts of a wind turbine system:

Foundation Tower
Nacelle Hub
Rotor
Drive -train Gearbox
Generator
Electronics & Controls Yaw
Pitch
Braking Cooling
General the parts of a wind turbine system are grouped into

Rotor: The two types of rotors are Horizontal axis rotor and Vertical axis rotor. The vertical axis
machines operate in all wind directions and no need of yaw adjustment.

Wind mill head or turbine consists of rotor, housing of the rotor bearings. It houses control
mechanism incorporated like changing the pitch of the blades for safety devices and tail vane to
orient the rotor to face the wind.

Transmission and control: The rate of rotation of large wind turbine generators operating at rated
capacity or below is controlled by varying pitch of rotor blades. The transmission options include
mechanical systems involving fixed ratio gears, belts and chains singly or in combinations or
hydraulic systems involving fluid pumps and motors. Fixed ratio gears are recommended for top
mounted equipment.
 Supporting structures The Fig gives the detailed diagram of different parts of wind turbine.

1 Rotor: The component of wind turbine that is rotating and helps in conversion of kinetic energy
to mechanical energy. It consists of blades and hubs.

2 Hub: The function of rotor hub is to connect rotor blades to the rotor shaft. This component
controls the power generation of the wind turbine.

3 Blades: This is a rotating component of the system. This component is based on the principle of
lift and drag (principle of aerodynamics). It converts kinetic energy first to mechanical energy and
then transferred through shaft to generator for converting into electrical energy.

Two or three blades are common in the wind turbines. The wind blown over the blades lift the
blades and rotate it. The two bladed wind turbines have lighter hub and so the whole structure is
lighter. But three bladed wind turbines are aerodynamically efficient and have low noise..

The length of the blade is the important parameter for estimation of wind power generation
potential of a wind turbine. The torque increases with more number of blades.
 The blades are commonly made from composites mainly fiberglass or glass reinforced plastics
(GRP) or carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). Wooden or epoxy laminates are also used for
making blades.

Solidity is defined as the ratio of the projected area of the rotor blades on the rotor plane to the
swept area of the rotor. High- solidity rotors use force for rotation and these rotor turn slower. Low-
solidity rotors have slender aerofoil and these rotors use lift force for rotation and turn faster.
Chord: It is the width of the blade which is across distance from one edge of the blade to the other
edge.

4 Drive train: The drive train consists of low –speed shaft, gear box and a high speed shaft. It also
has support bearings, couplings, brake and rotating parts of generator.

5 Nacelle: The covered part of the wind turbine system over the top of tower is nacelle. It houses
gear box, low speed shaft and high-speed shaft, generator, controller, and brake. It has an important
role in protection of components of wind turbine from the various weather conditions. It also helps in
reduction of noise produced from the rotation of wind turbine.

6 Low-speed shaft: This shaft transfers torque from rotor to the drive train. It is a rotating part
present on the rotor side of the turbine. The connection of this low speed shaft increase rotations per
minute. The rotor weight is also supported by this shaft.

7 Gear box: The function of gear box is to step up the speed as per needed by the electric
generator. The low speed shaft is connected to the high speed shaft with gears. It increases the
rotational speed that is required for the generator to generate electricity. The increase in rotational
speeds is of the order 30-60 rpm to 1000-1800 rpm. This part is very costly. Some of the types of
gear boxes are Planetary Gear Boxes, Parallel shaft gear.

8 High-speed shaft: The speed and torque produced from the gear box are transmitted for driving
the generator with high speed shaft. This is present on the generator side of the turbine.

9 Brake: This part is meant to stop the running of wind turbines during extreme weather
conditions. The various types of brakes are Mechanical brake (Disc brake, clutch brake),
Aerodynamic brake (Tip brake and spoilers)

10 Generator: The conversion of rotational energy to electrical energy is carried out by generator.
In general the wind driven electric generator produces 50-cycle AC electricity. The types of
generators are

– Synchronous generator (Electrically excited, permanent magnet),

– Asynchronous generator (SQIG -Squirrel cage induction generators, Slip ring)

11 Controller: The grid quality electric current is controlled by the controller of the turbine system.
The controller starts up the machine at cut-in wind speed (generally 3 m/s) and shuts off the machine
at cut-out wind speed (generally 25 m/s) as per the design requirement. The controller measures and
 controls parameters like Voltage, current, frequency, Temperature inside nacelle, Wind direction,
Wind speed, The direction of yawing, shaft speed, Over-heating of the generator, Hydraulic pressure
level, Correct valve function, Vibration level, Twisting of the power cable, Emergency brake circuit,
Overheating of small electric motors for the yawing, hydraulic pumps, Brake caliper adjustment etc.

12 Anemometer: Anemometer is an instrument that measures wind speed. It gives the input to the
controller for power regulation and braking beyond the cut out & survival wind speed. Generally the
anemometer is fixed on top of wind turbine.

13 Pitch: The electricity production is controlled by pitch under different wind intensities. Blades
are turned or pitched, out of the wind to control the rotor speed and keep the rotor from turning in
winds that are too high or too low to produce electricity.

14 Tower: This helps to use the wind energy at sufficient heights above ground. This helps to
absorb and securely discharge static and dynamic stress exerted on the rotor, the power train and the
nacelle into the ground. The major types of towers used in wind turbine are Lattice tower, Tubular
tower, Guyed tower, Hybrid Tower.
The tubular towers are more popular among modern turbines because of their lower airflow
interference and downstream turbulence creation apart from its more aesthetic acceptability.
15 Wind vane: This measures the wind direction. It provides information to the controller for
orienting the turbine properly (yawing) with respect to the wind direction.

16 Yaw drive: The function of this is to keep the turbine aligned to the wind. It turns the nacelle
with rotor as per the wind direction using a rotary actuator engaging on a gear ring beneath the
nacelle. Two types of yaw drive systems are active yaw or free yaw systems. Active yaw drive
mechanism is with yaw motors and is controlled by automatic yaw control system with its wind
direction sensor mounted on nacelle in position when it is not in yawing. It is used commonly with
upwind wind turbines. Free yaw systems can self-aligned with the wind and commonly used on
downwind wind turbine systems.

17 Yaw motor: The yaw drive is powered by the yaw motor.

4. Classification of wind turbines

There are different types of turbine technology
Based on axis orientation:
 – Horizontal
 – Vertical
Based on Number of Blades
 – One
 – Two
 – Three
 – Multi-bladed. Based on Location
 – on-shore
 – Off-shore
Based on Power control
 – Stall
 – Variable Pitch
 – Controllable Aerodynamic
 Based on Surfaces / Yaw Control Yaw Orientation
 – Driven Yaw
 – Free Yaw
 – Fixed Yaw
Based on Rotor Position
 – Upwind
 – Downwind
Based on Transmission
-with gear
– without gear
Based on Type of Hub
 – Rigid
 – Teetered
 – Hinged blades
 – Gimbaled
Based on Generator Speed
 – Constant
 – Variable
The common classification is based on axis type.

Horizontal axis Wind turbine (HAWT) Vertical axis Wind turbine (VAWT)

4.1 Horizontal axis Wind turbine (HAWT)

The most common type of wind turbine is Horizontal axis Wind turbine (HAWT). The axis of the
rotation of this wind turbine is parallel to the ground. In HAWT, the axis of blade rotation is also
parallel to the wind flow. Commonly found horizontal axis wind mills are aero-turbine mill with
35% efficiency and farm mills with 15% efficiency. The main components in HAWT are.
 Rotor with blades for the conversion of wind energy to rotational energy. It costs 20% of the wind
turbine cost.

Generator component consists of electrical generator, the control systems and gearbox. It converts
low speed rotational energy to high speed rotational energy needed for electricity generation. It
contributes to 34 % of wind turbine cost.

Structural support includes tower and yaw mechanism and it costs 15% of the turbine cost. The fig
3 represents the main components of a HAWT.

Classification of HAWT are based on

Rotor orientation

 – Upwind of the tower

 – Downwind of the tower Hub design
 – Rigid
 -Teetering
 – Pitch -Stall
 – Two blades -Three blades
 – Free yaw -Active yaw

The advantages of HAWT are

More table due to position of blades of the HAWT to the side of the turbine’s center of gravity.
 Efficiency is more because of maximizing collection of wind energy by turbine by adjusting
angle of attack .During storm rotor blades are able to pitch and reduce the damage Accessibility
to strong wind is possible in HAWT (tall tower)

It is suitable for areas with wind shear and placement on uneven land or in offshore locations But
it has disadvantages like

Facing difficulty in operating near the ground

Difficulty in transporting heavy and tall towers and long blades Requires a special installation
procedure

It creates navigation problem at offshore sites

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT):

The axis is parallel to the ground. The VAWT do not take advantage of the higher wind speeds at
higher elevations above the ground. So it is less common than HAWT. The basic vertical axis
designs are the

 – Darrieus wind turbine (Fig 7), which has curved blades and efficiency of 35%,
 – Giromill wind turbine (Fig 8), which has straight blades, and efficiency of 35%, and
 – Savonius wind turbine (Fig 9), which uses scoops to catch the wind and the efficiency of 30%. The
fig . of Darrieus wind
turbine explains
how the VAWT works.
 The advantages of VAWT are
 – No need ofwind turbine to orient with respect to wind direction.
 – Lighter weight
 – Easy maintenance because the shaft is vertical, the transmission and generator can be mounted at
ground level.
 – Lower cost tower.
But VAWT is not as efficient at collecting energy from the wind in comparison to HAWT.

Designing of wind turbine

The design of wind turbine are based on

 – number of blades
 – rotor orientation
 – blade material, construction method
 – hub design
 – power control
 – rotor speed (fixed or variable)
 – orientation of turbine
 – type of generator
 – gear box or direct drive generator

The different parameters of wind turbine like solidity, blade tip speed ratio, rotational speed are also
important.

Solidity = Projected area of blades/swept area

MODULE 3
ECT 468: RENEWABLE ENERGY
SOURCES
11
• VAWTs have lower wind startup
speeds than HAWTs. Typically,
they start creating electricity
ROTOR TURBINES
Based on the type of rotor, Depending on the number of blades, wind speed and nature of
applications, rotors have been developed in various types of shapes and sizes.
● These rotors are high-speed ones, mainly used for electrical power generation
● Large HAWTs have been manufactured with two and three blades
Single-blade rotor with a balancing counterweight is economical and has simple controls.

Single-blade rotor

• Single-blade rotor with a balancing counterweight is economical and has simple controls
• But it is noisier and produces unbalanced forces
• It is used for low-power applications

• But it is noisier and produces unbalanced forces

● It is used for low-power applications
TARP
Toroidal Accelerator Rotor Platform (TARP) is a new technology for the energy generation
from wind
TARP combines generation and transmission.
This concept of wind capture is based on the Wind Amplified Rotor Platform (WARP).
Small wind turbines are grouped and installed in modules, to conform to the needs of
distributed generation.
This entire platform consists of a determined number of TARPs piled up one on top of
another.
Toroidal form of aerodynamic turbine shelter characterizes the working principle of the
TARP
A twin rotor system of typical diameter 3 m or less are placed 180 apart
Wind accelerates around the shelter, amplifying the density of wind power energy available
Rotors are coupled directly to the generator through a system of brakes but without a speed
multiplication gearbox
If the wind changes from direction (a) to direction (b), a torque will form on the rotating
 wheel shelter that moves until it is balanced in the new wind direction.

Wind amplified rotor platform (WARP)

The Wind Amplified Rotor Platform (WARP) is a patented, modular wind energy system
by ENECO, using stacked aerodynamic modules on a central tower to amplify wind speed, allowing
smaller, more efficient turbines with less land use than traditional large turbines, featuring
distributed loads, built-in yawing, and structural benefits for utility-scale power generation.

Key Features & Concepts:

 Modular & Stacked Design: Instead of one giant rotor, WARP uses multiple smaller aerodynamic
modules (like toroidal accelerators) stacked on a core tower.
 Wind Amplification: The toroidal (doughnut-shaped) structure funnels and accelerates wind
towards smaller, high-efficiency rotors, boosting energy capture.
 Reduced Footprint & Risk: It avoids the huge, heavy blades and gearbox stresses of conventional
turbines, using smaller foundations and distributing loads along the tower.
 Passive Yawing: The design incorporates features for passive yawing, automatically turning the
turbines into the wind.
 Versatile: Designed for both small-scale and large utility-scale distributed power generation,
potentially integrating with solar.
 Developed by ENECO: Invented by aeronautical engineer Alfred L. Weisbrich, leveraging expertise
from aerospace rotor design.
Working:
 Wind Capture: Wind enters the aerodynamic frame of the module.
 Amplification: The toroidal shape channels and accelerates the wind.
 Energy Conversion: Smaller, efficient rotors within the modules capture this amplified wind
energy.
 Structural Benefits: The design offers inherent structural stability and lower center of
gravity compared to traditional turbines.

Advantages
● superior performance
● easy operation
● easy maintenance
● reliability
● needs little land area
● has less interference
Disadvantages
● high installation costs
● not economically feasible for small power applications

Generators and speed control used in wind power energy

Small wind turbines are equipped with DC generators of up to a few kilowatts in capacity
● Modern wind turbine systems use three phase AC generators
● The common types of AC generator are
● Squirrel-Cage Induction Generator (SCIG)
● Wound-Rotor Induction Generator (WRIG)
● Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG)
● Synchronous Generator (With external field excitation)
● Permanent Magnet Synchronous generator (PMSG)

Fixed speed with capacitor bank

 ● Fixed-Speed Induction Generator (FSIG) based wind turbines employ a squirrel-cage
induction generator (SCIG) directly connected to grid
● The rotor of a fixed-speed wind turbine rotates at fixed speed determined by the
frequency of the grid.
● SCIG always draws reactive power from the grid
● So a capacitor bank is used to provide reactive power compensation
● It is typically achieved by continuously switching capacitor banks (5-25 steps) according to
the active power generated.
● Smoother grid connection was achieved by a soft-starter
● In fixed speed, the wind fluctuations are converted into mechanical fluctuations and further
into electrical power fluctuations that lead to voltage fluctuations.
● Because of these voltage fluctuations, the fixed speed wind turbine draws fluctuating
reactive power from the utility grid (in the case of no use of capacitor bank), which increases
both the voltage fluctuations and the line losses
● Advantages: simplicity and low cost
● Disadvantages: the requirement of a stiff grid (fixed voltage and frequency), a robust
mechanical structure is required to support the high mechanical stress caused by wind gusts.

Wind turbine with Rotor resistance control

● In Wind turbine with Rotor resistance control, wound rotor induction generator (WRIG)
with variable rotor resistance is used
● The rotor windings of the generator are connected in series with a controlled resistance,
whose size defines the range of the variable speed (typically 0-10% above the synchronous
speed).
● Rotor resistance can be changed by an optical controlled converter mounted on the rotor
shaft.
● A capacitor bank performs reactive power compensation and a smoother grid connection is
 obtained by including a soft starter.
● By varying the rotor resistance, the slip and thus the power output of the wind turbine can be
controlled.

Squirrel-Cage Induction Generator (SCIG)

● This type of generator can be a squirrel-cage induction or a synchronous or wound rotor

generator which is connected to the grid via a back-to-back voltage source converter bridges
● A synchronous generator is used to produce variable frequency AC power.
● The power converter connected in series with the wind turbine generator transforms this
variable frequency AC power into fixed-frequency AC power
● As the power converter has to convert all the stator power, the converter size depends on the
stator power rating
● Advantage : It make best use of available wind power and it eliminates the requirement of
the capacitor bank as it is capable to draw its required reactive power from the grid
● Disadvantage: High cost & losses of the full-scale converter, the efficiency of the total
system may be low
Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG)

A doubly fed induction machine (DFIM) is fundamentally a standard wound rotor induction
machine with its stator windings directly connected to grid & its rotor windings connected to the
grid through two back-to-back power electronics converter bridge

Synchronous Generator (With external field excitation)

The synchronous generator is a synchronous electro-mechanical machine used as a generator and

consists of a magnetic field on the rotor that rotates and a stationary stator containing multiple
windings that supplies the generated power. The rotors magnetic field system (excitation) is created
by using either permanent magnet mounted directly onto the rotor or energised electro-magnetically
by an external DC current flowing in the rotor field windings.
Main Components of a Synchronous Generator
● The Stator: – The stator carries the three separate ( 3-phase ) armature windings physically
and electrically displaced from each other by 120 degrees producing an AC voltage output.
● The Rotor: – The rotor carries the magnetic field either as permanent magnets or wound
field coils connected to an external DC power source via slip rings and carbon brushes.
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG)
This is also a variable speed generator.
Main components of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator :
1. Blade and turbine rotor assembly.
2. Permanent magnet synchronous generator.
3. Power converting unit rectifier and inverter.
4. 3-phase step-up transformer from which 3-phase A.C. power is fed to grid.
5. Blade turbine assembly (1) Is rotated by wind power. The rotation of steam turbine rotor
gives mechanical power to generator (2) for converting into electrical power.
WORKING:
Wind power rotates rotor of wind turbine, it rotates rotor of permanent magnet type synchronous
generator. The field of rotor rotates with rotor and stator stationary coils cut the flux of rotor magnet
and emf Is Induced in stator coils.
Rectifier/ Inverter unit converts variable voltage and variable frequency output into constant
frequency (50-60 Hz) and constant magnitude voltage. This stable voltage from stator goes to grid
circuit to connect the power from this wind power station to grid system.

Advantages of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator

1. Construction is simple.
2. It is robust.
3. Cheaper In cost.
4. No excitation system is required (as permanent magnets).
5. High frequency.
6. Low loss.
7. No gear box is needed.
8. Power converters regulate voltage and active and reactive power flow.
9. Power factor is controlled.
Disadvantages of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator
1. Difficulty of non-availability of large size permanent magnets, so useful for small/ medium
size wind power plants only.
2. Possibility of de-magnetisation permanent magnet.
3. Complicated structural dynamics.
4. Need cooling system to maintain temperatures within limits.