WIND ENERGY

CONVERSION
UNIT III
Syllabus
• Wind Energy Conversion Systems: Basic principle of wind energy
conversion - nature of wind - Wind survey in India - Power in the wind
- Components of a wind energy conversion system - Performance of
Induction Generators for WECS –IG-SCIGPMSG - Classification of
WECS – Power electronics converter for variable speed wind turbines
–Matrix - Multilevel converters for very high power wind turbines –
Future trends Modeling of power generators like IG –SCIG-PMSG for
Wind Energy Conversion System(WECS) Modeling and simulation of
power converters –multilevel – matrix and other contemporary
topologies
WIND ENERGY
• Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the
atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of
the earth.
• "wind power" is the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical
power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into
mechanical power. This mechanical power is converted into electricity
• A 'wind' is simply the flow of a huge amount of air, usually from a high
pressure-area to a low-pressure area
• India has attained the fourth position globally in installed wind power
capacity after China, US and Germany
Read more
at:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/india-ranks-fourth-globally-in-wind-power-installation-economic-survey/articleshow/56899257.cms?utm_sour
ce=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
 Spatial features of declines in PE (potential electricity) generation. The 37-year mean
potential for electricity generation from the wind and declining rates inferred for western,
northern, southern, eastern, and northeastern India (A) and a summary of results (B) for
selected states with large wind power investments.
RESEARCH ARTICLEATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
Secular decrease of wind power potential in India associated with warming in the Indian Ocean
1.Meng Gao1,*, Yihui Ding2, Shaojie Song1, Xiao Lu1,3,
2.Xinyu Chen1,* and
3.Michael B. McElroy1,*
See all authors and affiliations
Science Advances 05 Dec 2018:
Vol. 4, no. 12, eaat5256
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat5256
Wind Energy Conversion System
Components of wind turbine
• Foundation: Foundation gives support
to wind turbine. It consist of solid
concrete assembly
• Tower: It connects rotor and
foundation and raise rotor so that it
can operate at required wind. Made
up of steel have tube like structure
• Rotor and rotor blades: It is rotating
part which converts wind energy to
rotation. It is made of glass-fibre,
carbon-fibre, reinforced plasicts
• Nacelle: Contains the key components of wind turbine including the
gearbox, yaw system and electric generator
• Low speed shaft: Connects the rotor hub to gear box
• High speed shaft: Drives electrical generator by rotating at high speed
• Gearbox: Converts the rotor motion of low rpm to high rpm
• Generator: Generates electricity from rotation of shaft
• Controller: It is self operating system used in controlsystem. It may be
sensor (mechanical /electrical), decision elements (relays, microprocessors)
and actuators (hydraulic,electric)
• Yaw mechanism: Turns the nacelle with the rotor into wind using motors
• Annemometer & wind vane: Measures the speed and the direction of the
wind while sending signals to the controller to start or stop the turbine
Wind turbine controls
• . The wind turbine power control system is used to control the power
output within allowable fluctuations.
• Pitch control
• pitch control system regulates the wind turbine's blade pitch angle to
enhance the efficiency of wind energy conversion and power
generation stability,
• serves as the security system in case of high wind speeds or
emergency situations. It requires that even in the event of grid power
failure, the rotor blades can be still driven into their feathered
positions by using either the power of backup batteries or capacitors
or mechanical energy storage devices
• Yaw control: In order to maximize the wind power output and
minimize the asymmetric loads acting on the rotor blades and the
tower, a horizontal-axis wind turbine must be oriented with rotor
against the wind by using an active yaw control system.
Types of Wind
1. Planetary Winds:
The winds blowing throughout the year from one
latitude to another in response to latitudinal
differences in air pressure are called “planetary or
prevailing winds”.

2. Trade Winds: (also known as tropical easterlies)

These are extremely steady winds blowing from
sub-tropical high pressure areas (30°N and S)
towards the equatorial low pressure belt. These
winds should have blown from the north to south in
Northern Hemisphere and south to north in
Southern Hemisphere, but, they get deflected to the
right in Northern Hemisphere and to the left in
Southern Hemisphere due to Coriolis effect and
Ferrel’s law. Thus, they blow as north eastern trades
in Northern Hemisphere and south eastern trades in
Southern Hemisphere.
3. The Westerlies:
These winds blow from sub tropical high pressure
belts towards sub-polar low pressure belts. The
westerlies of Southern Hemisphere are more
stronger and constant in direction than Northern
Hemisphere. These winds develop between 40°
and 65°S latitudes and these latitudes are known
as Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties and Shrieking
Sixties
Polar Easterlies:
This belt covers from 60° latitudes to the north and
south poles.
4. Periodic Winds:
• Periodic winds change their direction
periodically with the change in season, e.g.,
Monsoons, Land and Sea Breezes, Mountain and
Valley Breezes.
 a. Monsoon Winds:
• These winds are seasonal winds and refer to wind systems that have a pronounced, seasonal reversal of
direction.
• Summer monsoon is called South Westerly Wind and is characterized by highly variable weather with frequent
spells of drought and heavy rains.
• The winter monsoon is a gentle drift of air in which winds blow from the north-east and is known as North
Easterly Wind.
b. Land Breeze:
• At night, land masses cool quicker than sea due to rapid radiation which results in high pressure over land and
low pressure over sea. And in calm, cloudless weather, air blows from land to sea. This breeze carries no
moisture and is little warm and dry.

c. Sea Breeze:
• In day time, the land being hotter than the sea develops low air pressure and the sea being cool develops high
pressure. The air over land rises and is replaced by a cool breeze known as Sea Breeze from the sea, carrying
some moisture.
d. Mountain and Valley Breezes:
• A diurnal wind occurs in mountainous regions which are similar to Land and Sea Breezes. During the day the
slopes of mountains are hot and air from valley flows up the slopes. This is known as “Valley Breeze”. After
sunset the pattern is reversed and cold air slides from mountain to valley and is called “mountain breeze”.
5. Local Winds:
The local difference in temperature and pressure causes local winds. It is of four types: hot, cold,
convectional and slope.
• As the winds blow from the north and south towards the equator,
their flow path is deflected by the earth’s rotation. When moving
objects are viewed in a reference frame, their path looks curved. This
is the Coriolis effect, and it is simply caused the earth’s rotation. This
effect makes wind systems on the southern side of the equator
(southern hemisphere) spin clockwise and wind systems on the
northern side (north hemisphere) spin counter-clockwise.
Types of turbines
• Horizontal-axis and vertical-axis wind turbines
• Upwind and downwind wind turbines
• Wind turbine capacity
• Direct drive and geared drive wind turbines
• On-grid and off-grid wind turbines
• Onshore and offshore wind turbines
Horizontal-axis and vertical-axis wind
turbines
• Horizontal-axis : The rotating axis of blades is parallel to the wind stream. The
advantages of this type of wind turbines include the high turbine efficiency, high
power density, low cut-in wind speeds, and low cost per unit power output.
• Vertical-axis wind turbines: The blades rotate with respect to their vertical axes
that are perpendicular to the ground. A significant advantage of vertical-axis wind
turbine is that the turbine can accept wind from any direction and thus no yaw
control is needed. Since the wind generator, gearbox, and other main turbine
components can be set up on the ground, it greatly simplifies the wind tower
design and construction, and consequently reduces the turbine cost. However,
the vertical-axis wind turbines must use an external energy source to rotate the
blades during initialization.
Upwind and downwind wind turbines
• upwind turbines: The wind rotors face the wind.
• downwind turbine: wind blows first through the nacelle and tower and
then the rotor blades.
Wind turbine capacity
• micro, small, medium, large, and ultra-large wind turbines.
• Micro: a turbine with the rated power less than several kilowatts. Micro
wind turbines are especially suitable in locations where the electrical grid is
unavailable.
• Small wind turbines usually refer to the turbines with the output power less
than 100 kW. Small wind turbines have been extensively used at residential
houses, farms, and other individual remote applications such as water
pumping stations, telecom sites, etc., in rural regions.
• medium sizes with power ratings from 100 kW to 1 MW. This type of wind
turbines can be used either on-grid or off-grid systems for village power, hybrid
systems, distributed power, wind power plants, etc.
• Megawatt wind turbines up to 10 MW may be classified as large wind turbines
• Ultra-large wind turbines are referred to wind turbines with the capacity more
than 10 MW
Direct drive and geared drive wind turbines
• Geared drive wind turbines : To increase the generator rotor rotating speed to
gain a higher power output, a regular geared drive wind turbine typically uses a
multi-stage gearbox to take the rotational speed from the low-speed shaft of the
blade rotor and transform it into a fast rotation on the high-speed shaft of the
generator rotor. The advantages of geared generator systems include lower cost
and smaller size and weight. However, utilization of a gearbox can significantly
lower wind turbine reliability and increase turbine noise level and mechanical
losses.
• Direct drive: By eliminating the multi-stage gearbox from a generator system, the
generator shaft is directly connected to the blade rotor. Therefore, the
direct-drive concept is more superior in terms of energy efficiency, reliability, and
design simplicity.
On-grid and off-grid wind turbines
• Most medium-size and almost all large-size wind turbines are used in
grid tied applications. Adv: for on-grid wind turbine system has no
energy storage problem.
• small wind turbines are off-grid for residential homes, farms,
telecommunications, and other applications. However, as an
intermittent power source, wind power produced from off-grid wind
turbines may change dramatically over a short period of time with
little warning. Consequently, off-grid wind turbines are usually used in
connection with batteries, diesel generators, and photovoltaic
systems for improving the stability of wind power supply.
Onshore and offshore wind turbines
• Onshore wind power refers to turbines that are located on land and
use wind to generate electricity.
• advantages of onshore turbines, including lower cost of foundations, easier
integration with the electrical-grid network, lower cost in tower building and
turbine installation, and more convenient access for operation and
maintenance
• Offshore wind power is when wind over open water (typically the
ocean) is used to generate electricity
• Adv: excellent offshore wind resource, in terms of wind power intensity and
continuity. A wind turbine installed offshore can make higher power output
and operate more hours each year compared with the same turbine installed
onshore.
 • The speed at which the turbine first starts to rotate
and generate power is called the cut-in speed and is
typically between 3 and 4 metres per second.
• As the wind speed rises above the cut-in speed, the
level of electrical ouput power rises rapidly as shown.
However, typically somewhere between 12 and 17
metres per second, the power output reaches the
limit that the electrical generator is capable of. This
limit to the generator output is called the rated
power output and the wind speed at which it is
reached is called the rated output wind speed.

• As the speed increases above the rate output wind speed, the forces on the turbine structure
continue to rise and, at some point, there is a risk of damage to the rotor. As a result, a braking
system is employed to bring the rotor to a standstill. This is called the cut-out speed and is usually
around 25 metres per second.

• There is a theoretical limit on the amount of power that can be extracted by a wind turbine from an
airstream. It is called the Betz limit. The limit is
μ=16/27≈ 59%
• tip speed ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the speed of the rotor
tip to the free stream wind speed.
• If a rotor rotates too slowly, it allows too much wind to pass through
undisturbed, and thus does not extract as much as energy as it could, within
the limits of the Betz Criterion
• if the rotor rotates too quickly, it appears to the wind as a large flat disc,
which creates a large amount of drag
Factors considered for wind installation
• WIND: Both the speed and force of the wind can be deciding factors.
The more wind speed and force you have got, the greater is the
amount of power your wind turbine generates. Different regions have
different wind speeds
• Height: Places of higher altitudes have more wind due to various
atmospheric factors. Besides, at higher places there is less obstruction
from the surrounding hills, trees and building.
• ROTOR: The amount of energy produced by your wind turbine is
proportional to the size of the rotor used, when all other factors have
been taken into consideration. A bigger rotor certainly generates
more power. Although it may cost more, in the long run, whenever
you are getting a wind turbine erected, go for a big a rotor as possible
• Air Density: Power output is related to the local air density, which is a
function of altitude, pressure, and temperature. Dense air exerts
more pressure on the rotors, which results in higher power output
• Turbine Design: Wind turbines are designed to maximize the rotor
blade radius to maximize power output. Larger blades allow the
turbine to capture more of the kinetic energy of the wind by moving
more air through the rotors. However, larger blades require more
space and higher wind speeds to operate. As a general rule, turbines
are spaced out at four times the rotor diameter
Components of WECS
Major Components of WECS
• Mechanical Components
• Tower
• Nacelle
• Rotor Hubs & Blades
• Electrical Components
• Squirrel-cage induction generator (SCIG)
• Wound rotor induction generator (WRIG)
• Doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG)
• Permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)
• Control System
• Power Converters
• Filters
Classification of WECS based on Generators

• Type A - Fixed-speed SCIG-based WECS

• Type B - Semi variable-speed WECS using WRIG
• Type C - Semi variable-speed WECS using DFIG
• Type D - WECS using PMSG, WRSG, and SCIG
• Type E - Direct grid-connected WRSG
Type A - Fixed-speed SCIG-based WECS
 Type A - Fixed-speed SCIG-based WECS

• A fixed-speed SCIG-based WECS without power converter

interface.
• Generator is connected to the grid through a soft starter
and step-up transformer.
• The generator speed varies within 1% around the
corresponding synchronous speed at different wind
speeds, and thus this configuration is called fixed-speed
WECS.
• This configuration features simplicity, low initial costs,
and reliable operation.
Type A - Fixed-speed SCIG-based WECS

• Drawbacks
• lower wind energy conversion efficiency;
• changes in the wind speed are reflected to the grid;
• the grid faults cause severe stress on the mechanical
components of the wind turbine
Type B - Semi variable-speed WECS using
WRIG
Type B - Semi variable-speed WECS using WRIG

• The variable-speed operation

• Increases the energy conversion efficiency.
• Reduces mechanical stress caused by wind gusts.
• reduces the wear-and-tear of gearbox and bearings.
• reduces the maintenance.
• requirements, and thus increases the life cycle.
 Type B - Semi variable-speed WECS
using WRIG
• The change in the rotor resistance affects the torque/
speed characteristic of the generator,
• This enables variable speed operation of the turbine.
• This configuration is often called Opti slip control.
• The rotor resistance is normally made adjustable by a
power converter composed of a diode-rectifier and
chopper.
• The speed adjustment range is typically limited to about
10% of its rated speed.
• This configuration is also becoming less important among
the wind turbine manufacturers due to limited speed
range and low energy conversion efficiency
Type C - Semi variable-speed
WECS using DFIG
 Type C - Semi variable-speed
WECS using DFIG
• As the name implies, the power from the generator is
fed to the grid through both stator and rotor
windings.
• The use of the power converters allows bidirectional
power flow in the rotor circuit and increases the
speed range of the generator.
• A partial rated (30%) power converter is employed in
the rotor circuit to process the slip power, which is
approximately 30% of the rated generator power.
 Type C - Semi variable-speed WECS
using DFIG
• Advantages
• improved overall power conversion efficiency
• extended speed range (30%)
• enhanced dynamic performance and robustness against power system
disturbances compared to the Type A and B turbines.
• Disadvantages
• Increased Cost
• Demands Regular Maintanence.
Type D - WECS using PMSG, WRSG,
and SCIG
 Type D - WECS using PMSG, WRSG,
and SCIG
• The performance of WECS can be greatly enhanced with the use of
full-scale (100%) power converters
• The PMSG,WRSG, and SCIG have all found applications in this type of
configuration with a power rating of up to several megawatts.
• The power converters also enable the system to perform reactive
power compensation and smooth grid connection.
• The wind energy conversion efficiency is highest in these turbines
compared to other types of turbines.
Type D WECS – Distributed Drive Train
Concept
 Type D WECS – Distributed Drive Train Concept
• The gearbox drives multiple generators at higher speeds.
• Due to the distributed drive-train and multiple generators, a higher power
density can be achieved.
• The higher torque is distributed among the four drive trains.
• The power rating of the converters is one-fourth of the system rating.
• This configuration also offers effective fault tolerant operation.
• When one converter fails, the other three converters can still deliver the
power to the grid.
• To minimize the circulating currents, multi-winding transformer is used on
the grid-side.
• The main disadvantage with this configuration is complicated drive-train.
Type E - Direct grid-connected WRSG
 Type E - Direct grid-connected WRSG
• This is an old concept for wind turbines where the
variable speed operation is achieved by mechanical
converter rather than the electrical converter.
• The torque/speed converter, also known as variable
ratio transmission (VRT) converts variable speed of
wind turbine to constant speed.
• The generator operates at a fixed-speed and it is
directly connected to the grid through a synchronizing
circuit breaker.
 Type E - Direct grid-connected WRSG

• The overall system cost and space becomes lower

than Type D turbine as no power electronic converter
is needed.
• The generator can be directly connected to MV
collection point without any step-up transformer as
there is no restriction imposed by the power
electronic converter unlike in Type D turbine.
• Despite the advantages of this configuration, it is
rarely used in the wind energy industry due to the
limited knowledge, and issues related to the
mechanical converter.
Matrix Converter
• A matrix converter is defined as a converter with a single stage
of conversion. It utilizes bidirectional controlled switch to achieve
automatic conversion of power from AC to AC. It provides an
alternative to PWM voltage rectifier (double sided).
• The matrix converter has several advantages over traditional
rectifier-inverter type power frequency converters
1) It provides sinusoidal input and output waveforms, with minimal higher
order harmonics and no sub harmonics
2) It has inherent bi-directional energy flow capability
3) The input power factor can be fully controlled.
4) It has minimal energy storage requirements, which allows to get rid of bulky
and lifetime-limited energy-storing capacitors.
• The matrix converter has also some disadvantages.
1) It has a maximum input output voltage transfer ratio limited to @ 87 % for
sinusoidal input and output waveforms.
2) It requires more semiconductor devices than a conventional AC-AC indirect
power frequency converter, since no monolithic bi-directional switches exist
and consequently discrete unidirectional devices, variously arranged, have to be
used for each bi-directional switch.
3) It is particularly sensitive to the disturbances of the input voltage system.
• The matrix converter consists of 9
bi-directional switches that allow any
output phase to be connected to any input
phase.
• The input terminals of the converter are
connected to a three phase voltage-fed
system, usually the grid, while the output
terminal are connected to a three phase
current-fed system, like an induction motor
might be.
• The capacitive filter on the voltage-fed side
and the inductive filter on the current-fed
side represented.
Single phase matrix converter
Modes of operation

Mode 1 (+ve half cycle) Mode 2 (-ve half cycle)

Mode 3 (+ve half cycle) Mode 4(-ve half cycle)

Mode 3(+ve half cycle) Mode 4(-ve half cycle)

MULTILEVEL INVERTER
• Preferred in industry for application in High voltage and high power
application

One phase leg of an inverter with (a) two levels, (b) three levels,
and (c) n levels.
Conventional VSI Vs MLI
ADVANTAGES:
• dv/dt stresses on the switching devices are reduced
• Operated at high voltage with smaller rating of
semiconductor devices
Conventional VSI Vs MLI
• Staircase waveform quality: generate the output voltages with very
low distortion also can reduce the dv/dt stresses
• Input current: draws input current with low distortion
• Switching frequency: operate at both fundamental switching
frequency and high switching frequency PWM. Lower switching
frequency means lower switching loss and higher efficiency
• Common-mode (CM) voltage VCM= (VAO+VBO+VCO)/3 : produce smaller
CM voltage; therefore, the stress in the bearings of a motor drive can
be reduced
Conventional VSI Vs MLI
DISADVANTAGES
• Requirement of greater number of power semiconductor switches.
• Each switch requires a related gate drive circuit. This may cause the
overall system to be more expensive and complex
MULTILEVEL CONVERTER TOPOLOGIES
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
• Each separate dc source (SDCS) is connected to a single-phase
full-bridge or H-bridge inverter
• Each inverter level can generate three different voltage outputs,
▪ +Vdc (S1 and S4 : ON)
▪ 0 (either S1 and S2 or S3 and S4 :ON)
▪ −Vdc (S2 and S3 : ON)
• The H-bridge inverters are connected in series so that synthesized
voltage waveform is the sum of each H-bridge inverter outputs
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
• The number of output phase voltage levels m, in a cascade inverter is
defined by m=2s+1, where s is the number of SDCS
• For 11-level cascaded H-bridge inverter
• five SDCSs and five full bridges
• The phase voltage van =va1 + va2 + va3 + va4 + va5
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
CASCADED H-BRIDGE INVERTER
Advantages
• The number of possible output voltage levels is more than twice the
number of dc sources (m = 2s + 1).
Disadvantages
• Separate dc sources are required for each of the H-bridges. This will
limit its application to that already have multiple SDCSs readily
available
Diode Clamped 3-LEVEL MLI
Diode Clamped 3-LEVEL MLI
Diode Clamped 3-LEVEL MLI
Diode Clamped 3-LEVEL MLI
• On the DC side of inverter, the DC bus capacitor is
split into two providing a neutral point Z
• When S2 & S3 are ON, the inverter output terminal A
is connected to neutral point through clamping diodes
• For a m-level diode-clamped inverter
▪ m-level output phase voltage
▪ (2m − 1)-level output line voltage
▪ The number of diodes required for each phase would be (m
− 1) × (m − 2).
Diode Clamped 3-LEVEL MLI
ADVANTAGES
• All the phases share a common dc bus
• The capacitors can be precharged as a group.
• Efficiency is high for fundamental frequency switching
DISADVANTAGES
• No. of clamping diodes required is quadratically related to the
number of levels, which can be cumbersome for units with a high
number of levels
FLYING CAPACITOR 3- LEVEL INVERTER
• Similar to that of the diode-clamped inverter except that instead of
using clamping diodes, the inverter uses capacitors
FLYING CAPACITOR 3- LEVEL INVERTER
FLYING CAPACITOR 3- LEVEL INVERTER
FLYING CAPACITOR 5- LEVEL INVERTER

• A m -level converter require (m-1)*(m-2)/2 clamping

capacitors per phase leg
• Addition to main dc-bus capacitors
DISADVANTAGES
• The large number of capacitors are both more expensive and bulky
than clamping diodes in multilevel diode clamped converters
• Precharging all of the capacitors to the same voltage level and
start-up are complex
ADVANTAGES
• Real and reactive power flow can be controlled.
• The large number of capacitors enables the inverter to ride through
short duration outages and deep voltage sags
THANK YOU