The 30th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial ElectronicsSociety, November 2 6,2004, Busan, Korea

Efficient Performances of Induction Generator for Wind Energy Utilization

Mohamed Orabi South Valley University Aswan, Egypt ombiaieee.org

T a r e k b e d , Mutsuo Nakaoka
Yamaguchi University Yamaguchi,Japan tareke-news1 .eee.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp

M. Z. Youssef Queens University Kingsfun, Cmudu

mohamed.youssef@ece.queensu.ca

Abstract- This paper highlights the induction generator emciency as a basic lector for operating the wind turbine connected to utility grid, through AC/DC/AC converter, at its maximum power trackha T o have maximum power r o m the wind turbine through the induction extracted f generator, the loading parameters have to be controlled in the dlreetion of martmum efllciency of the induction generator. To anatye the effect of the generator efficiency, a simple equivalent circuit is proposed to represent the ACIDCIAC converter-grid combination as reen by the induction generator to simplify the analysis. The steady state performance of the induction generator is invesaated An accurate range of operation for the load parmetem is developed. T h i s analysis is baaed on the condition of operating the system not only on the m-um power extracted of the wind turbine but also on the maximum iudoction generator efficiency.

I. INTRODUCTION Wind energy is one of the most economical and environmental friendly reusable sources. It can be effectively tapped using wind electric generators. Most of wind power plants are using a fairly straightforward power conversion technique with squirrelcage induction generator. It is a common choice for its superior than other kinds with wide range speed applications. Also, it has rugged construction, simple, reliable, less expensive, and required very little maintenance [1-5]. An induction generator connected directly to the utility grid would allow the speed to vary in a very narrow range, as the slip being nominally of the order of 5%. Although this system is simple and reliable, it severely l i m i t s the turbine utilization and feeds power with poor power factor to the grid. On the other hand, variable speed wind turbines are b o w to provide more effective power capture than their fixed-speed counterparts. In general, the optimum power capture increases with increasing the wind speed [5]. To generate electrical power over a wide range of speeds, operation allows an increase in energy captured and reduces both the torque peaks in the drive train and the power fluctuations sent to the utility. Therefore, a power electronic interface (AC/DC/AC converter) is needed to connect w i n d turbine to the utility grid. T h i s interface allows the turbine speed to vary over a wide range to an optimum tip-speed value, which enable maximum power tacking. Also, it converts the variable generated voltage to fured voltage and fkequency. Moreover, such system keeps the power factor of the total system almost unity at all wind speed condition.

A lot of techniques have been developed to control the turbine to optimize its output power for a given wind speed. Some of these variable speed techniques require methods of estimating wind speed [6] which is difficult to do with highly variable wind conditions. Also, the controls employed usually require sophisticated field oriented controI techniques [7, g]. With field orientation additional sensors such as current sensors or position encoders are required. These sensors increase the cost and reduce the reliability o f the overall s y s t e m .To achieve optimal power out of the turbiie, many controls use search methods that vary the speed until optimal power is obtained [9,10]. With highly variable winds, these techniques have difficulty tracking the wind which w i l l cause additional stress on the shaft. Other schemes use V/Hz control with the hquency selected to be the controller parameters [ 113. However, all these techniques have missed the induction generator efficiency as a contributed parameter in the power conml and use only the output power as a fixed signal for the input power [12, 131. This ignorance results in an inaccurate detection for the maximum power tracking, because they detect the output power and deal with it directly for the torque-speedmachine w e s to detect the proper operating point. In this paper, the operating points are chosen depending on the condition of not only maximum power extracted but also maximum generator efficiency as a highly performance operation. Therefore, the paper is organized as: first, a simple equivalent circuit for the overall system is introduced. Second, using this circuit, the importance of the generator efficiency is highlighted as the generator parameters are changed. Also, the proper operating range for the induction generator has been made clear.
1 1 .
WIND TURBINE CHARACTERISTICS

The amount of power extracted fiom wind turbine (PT)is dependent on the power coefficient (Cp) for the given turbine operating conditions and is given by:
PT = 0.5 ApCpv3
(1)

Where, C p , p ,A, and v are the power coefficient, the air density, the cross section area of the turbine, and the wind speed. Although this equation seem simple, C, is dependent on the ratio between the turbines angular velocity 0 , and

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F i g . I. Power coefficient versus tip speed ratio

output Power,
p,

induction generator. For the first circuit, the proposed equivalent circuit depends on the power flow between the induction generator and the A O C t A C converter-grid combination. The active power is delivered from the induction generator to the utility grid through the ACIDCIAC converter while the induction generator needs a reactive power supplied h o m the grid-converter combination to build up its output voltage. Therefore, the equivalent circuit of the ACIDCIAC converter-grid system (with or without any type of capacitaace) refmed to the induction generator can be represented by its per-phase equivalent circuit that shown in Fig. 4. Where, the variable resistance R, representing the equivalent real power delivered to the converter-gridsystem fromthe induction

Converter
I

U t i i i i Grid

b
Turbine Angular Velocity,Wt
Fig. 2. Typical turbine power relationship for various wind speed.

Fig. 3. Schematicdiagram ofwind hubme connectad utility grid.

the wind speed v. This ratio, cdIed the tip speed ratio A , is given by:

a=-

RT
V

(2)

Where, Rr is the radius of the turbine. A typical relationship between Cpand is shown in Fig. 1. It is clear h m the figure that there is a value of A for which Cp is maximized, thus maximizing the power for a given wind speed. Every wind speed has a variable turbine speed value that gives a maxi" output power as shown in Fig. 3 for various wind speeds. As seen in the figure the peak power for each wind speed occurs at the point where Cp is maximized. To maximize the power generated from the wind turbine, it is therefore daimble for the generator to have a power characteristic that will follow the maximum C , line in Fig. 2. Then, the available optimum values at every turbine speed are the output turbine power data.
1 1 1 .
SruDIED SYSYTEM MODELING

m
x

-flc

Fig. 4. Overall system equivalent circuit

As shown in Fig.3, the u t i l i t y grid with the ACIDCIAC converter is utilized for the purpose of both excitation

control of induction generator and energy storage. The equivalent circuit of this system is divided into two parts. The fmt is the equivalent circuit of the AC/DC/AC converter-grid combination referred to the induction generator. The second is the equivalent circuit of the

Fig. 5. Circuit model converted t o rated frequency.

generator (wind turbine), and the variable capacitance C representing the equivalent capacitance needed to feed the reactive power required by the induction generator. For the

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second part, the steady state equivalent circuit of the induction generator is used. The components of the induction generator a x dependent on the operating frequency. Therefore, the equivalent circuit has been referred to the stator hquency using these formulas:
(3)
Where, a,,+ LB,and f,are the actual rotor speed, the synchronous speed corresponding to rated frequency, the rated frequency, and the actual generated frequency. Then, a and b are the per-unit values of the frequency of the applied voltage and the rotor speed. Fig. 5 shows the total studied s y s t e m after converting to rated frequency model. It is noticed that the equivalent circuit of the variable resist;tnce R, and the variable capacitive reactance X, acting as a load connected to an isolated induction generator. Based on this simple proposed equivalent circuit, a 5 order polynomial, for the induction generator equivalent circuit is obtained, compared to prior 6 order polynomial 114-161. The proposed m o d e l is:
a5

per-phase, and any other q u a n t i v of interest can be solved. As a highlighted result, the generator efficiency is discussed here to explain its affect that w a s ignored in prior researches. The generator efficiency can be calculated as:
2

(7) E ir2bR I It is ctear for (7), the dependence on the generator parameters, stator and rotor parameters, the loaded parameters, R, and C, and the input speed and generated frequency, b and a. This assures that the generator efficiency must be considered as a variable and it bas its influence on maximum tracking point as the detected parameter to be controued is the output power not the input power.

+ ( a = y; a-6

-b ) X j

+ JJda + JJ3a3 + JJ2n2 + JJla + JJo

JJ5
= -br2M
t

(4)

Where;
fJo
JJI = r2M

D<rz + b 2 X ! )

J J , = -2bX;D - br2J
JJ3 = r2J

+ ( r l + R x ) ( -x 2
R,

+ K[(&)
x 2

tb]

X , <1.4 1.4 5 X , < 1.861 E+ =e1.9773-0.5O87Xm 1.861 SX,,, <2.193 2.4155- o.aoa6xm 2.193 5 x , c 2.987 0 2.987 5 X,
1.2053 -O.1649Xm 1.3710 - O.2830Xm

(8)

(5)

The magnetizing reactance of the induction generator inductance is derived and defined as:

x,

-[rf+(a-b)Xf][R,Xz -k(a2RZ+X:)q] a ( a - b ) r 2 [ R E X , -(aR: + X : )XIJ

(6)
+(o-b)X2[R,Xf

+(oZRi + X 2 ) r l J

X , must be less than the unsaturated value (given for every

machine) to allow for the generator to build its voltage. The value of the per-unit frequency a is obtained h m (5). Using the value of the magnetizing reactance, the phase generated voltage Y], the phase generated current 4, the output power

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maximum value and then it will begin to decrease. Figures 10 & 11 show the effect of the variable parametem (the perunit speed b, the capacitance C, and the resistance R,) on the induction generator input power. It is clear form the figure that controlling the s y s t e m for a given input power is not u l t i solutions,for different proper solution, because there a m load parameters R, and C, can give the same input power value. However the output power will be different value in each of them based on the efficiency value at these points. The generator efficiency is cleared as a variable parameter to the input and load parameters as shown in Figs. 12 & 13. It is shown h m these two figures that the efficiency is varying inversely the per-unit speed b, the capacitance C and the resistance R, with fixing the other two parameters. Then, lower values of these parameters achieve the high efficiency. Therefore, the high performance operating points must be chosen in the direction of achieving higher efficiency and maximum extracted power h m the wind turbine. This can be done by programming any control m e t h o d to divide the detected output power by the efficiency value to predict the optimum rotor speed value that achieves maximum C,. However, the operation must be inside the proper operating ranges for the excitation as it is explained in the next section.

per-unit speed value on the minimum capacitance is shown also on these figure.

25

c=an P.U

0.5

Per-Uril$aed, b

Fig. 6. Per-unit &equency versus p - u n i t sped for different values of resistancea t constant capacitancevalue.

15

I\
1

k=l p .U

v.

PARAMETERS OPERATING R4NGE

To obtain a successful voltage build-up, the resistancecapacitance combination should result- in a value of the , which is less than the unsaturated magnetizing reactance X value. Hence the condition X , =X , , (where X,, i s the unsaturated magnetizing reactance ) yields the minimum or the maxivalue of the excitation capacitancethat below this minimum or above this maximum, the induction generator can not initiate voltage. The minimum and maximum capacitances can be obtained for different values of per-unit speed. Here only two example points are shown for limited space. To indicate the margin points of operation (Cmhand C-) for each value of resistance and per-unit speed, Figs. 14 & 15 show these values at per-unit speed value (b = 0.2 P.u.) and (b = 1 P.u.), respectively. The intersect points between the curves with the unsaturated magnetizing reactance line gives the maximum and the minimum capacitance. For the per-unit speed & 1 as shown in Fig 15 the values of the minimum capacitance and the maximum capacitance are decreased (compared to Fig. 14) with increasing the per-unit s p e d b, especially, for the maximum capacitance value. As shown in these figures, as the resistance value increases, the value of minimum capacitancewill decrease and the maximum capacitance will increase. Therefore, the wide range of choosing the terminal capacitance is obtained in higher load equivalent resistance. The effects of resistance R, on the minimum capacitance C,, and the maximum capacitance C,, for different values of per-unit speed are depicted i n Fig. 16 and Fig. 17 respectively. The minimum capacitance decreases rapidly to its saturation value with increasing the resistance value at constant per-unit speed. While the effect of increasing the

I
0.5 I 1.5

2.5

Per-Unlt Speed, b

Fig. 7. Magnetizingreaciance versus pcr-unit speed for diffkrmt values of

resistauceat constant capacitancevalue.

I
2
n 2

1.5

0.5

n -

I . . : . I =.
1

- c=o.5
2

p.u G 0 . 8 P.U

0.8

1 . 2 1.4 1 . 6 1.8 Per-Unit Speed, b

2.2 2.4

Fig. 8. Output voftage versus p m - d t speed for different values of capacitanceat eonstant resistance.

841

1.2- b=l p.5'.

-.

c '

.-

- --

0.9)

1 -0.6
?

0.85

. . . . . . . . -'

p-'

.........................
-

0.6.

3
0

0.4 0.2

d
* * C=0.5 p.u Cx0.8 p.u =11 .

Resistance. Rx p.u
pip. 9. Output voltage versus load resistance for different values of capacitancesat constant per-unit speed

0.8

1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8

2 . 2 2.4 2 . 6

Per-UnnSpeed. b FiglZ. hduction generator efficiency versus per-unit speed for different values of capacitancesat constant resistance.

+ 10 I w
3

12

D.U

I
E 5

1
0.9

b=l p.u

0.8
0.7

z4

3 $
w

0.6

0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2 2 2 . 4 26

Per-Umt speedb
Figlo. Input rotor power versus per-rmit sped for different values of
capacitances at canstarrt resistanw.

0.3

Figl3. Induction generator efficiency versus load resistance for different values of capacitances at constant per-unit sped

1.4 I
S

6 1.2
s*

'1 1
I .

I
I

b=l

k e 3.5

8
5

0.8

a
0.4
c

t 3
2.5

$ 0.2

...................................
5

10 15 Resistance Rx,p.u

20

50

100

150

2M3

Capadtance C,p.u
Figl4. M a g n e t i z i n g tcactance versus capacitance for difikrent load resistance at constant per-unit speed b-o.2.

Fig11. Input rotor powm versus load resistance for different values of capacitances at constant per-unit s p e d

842

W.

CONCLUSION

6 8 1 0 Capacitance C,p.u

FiglS. MagneljZingreactance versus capacitance for m e r e n t load resistance at constant per-unit speed &1.

This paper has introduced an effective algorithm for the steady-state frequency domain analysis and operating performance evaluations based on a simple approximate equivalent circuit of the three-phase induction generator driven directly by a wind turbine and connected through ACIDCIAC converter to the utility grid. The speed variations have been applied to extract power from the wind turbine w i t h taking into consideration the effect of the generator efficiency as a variable parameter. The operating points were chosen on the condition of not only maximum power extracted but also maximum generator efficiency, In addition, the m i n i and maximum capacitances required for building up the induction generatorterminal voItage load have been determined at every wind speed.
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:~~?----?----] n
M.8Q.u
4
1 _

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I .

..............................
I
1.5
2 2.5

0.5

3.5

4.5

Resistance Rv p.u
FiglL. Mini capacitanceVKSUS resistance at variable 1.
.,

0.0121

.
d

- rc

J 0.01
d
0.008

I .

-*-*-*I

0.006

0.002
0

..............................
0 . 5
1

1.5

2 2.5 3 Resistance Ry p.u

3.5

4.5

Rgl7. Maximum capacitanceversus resistance at variable b.

The m i n i capacitance changes inversely with the per-unit speed value at constant resistance value. On the other hand, the maximum capacitance increases to its saturated value as the resistance increases at constant perunit speed value. Also, the maximum capacitance varies inversely with the per-unit speed value at constant resistance
value.

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