The 3Mh Annual Conferenceof the IEEE Industrial Eleclronics Society, November 2 6,2004, Busan, Korea

An Modular-type Axial-flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator

for Gearless Wind Power Systems
Don-Ha HWangf, Member, IEEE, Ki-Chmg Lee2,DO-Hyul Kang3, Member, IEEE, Yong-Joo b m4 , Member, IEEE,

Kyeong-Ho Choi', and Doh-Young Park6, Member, iEEE

Industry Applications Research Laboratory, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KEN), P.O. Box 20, Changwon, Gyeongnam, 641-600, KOREA, e-mail : dhhwang@keri.re.kr 'Dept. of Digital Electric Design, Kyungbuk College, Youngju, Kyungbuk, KOREA, e-mail : ckh@kbc.ac.kr Parker and Associates, Inc. (PAl), Kingston, Ontario, K7L2Y8, CANADA, e-mail :dyparkaparker-inc.com
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Abstract-In

this paper, the design and characteristics analysis

of dual axial-flux permanent magnet synchronous generator, 60 [Hzl, 10 IkVAJ,300 [rpml for wind energy system application are

In order to analyze the characteristics of proposed generator, an equivalent model of two-dimension (2-D) is developed and
finite-element (FE) analysis is applied. Three-dimensional

presented. The dual axial-flux generator bas inherently desirable features such as; (I) by employing two air gapa, the rotor-stator attractive forces are balanced and no net axial or thrust load is applied on the generator bearings; (2) heat produced by the stator windings appears on the outside of the generator, and it i s easy to remove the heat. This paper describes characteristics of a dual axial-flux type permanent-magnet generator for a geariess wind energy system, which aims to satisfy the variable operating conditions. Finiteelement method (FEW is applied to analyze generator performance at variable loads. The results of FE analysis show this generator has a promising future for wind turbine applications.
Index Terms-Axial-flux machines, finite-element analysis, permanent magnet synchronous generator, wiud power system

(3-D) FE analysis takes long time to calculate transient state.

Both steady state and transient analysis is performed. Resistive and inductive loads as variable load are applied in order to analyze driving characteristics. Experimental tests are conducted to verify the driving characteristics of the generator. A comparison between FE analysis and testing results is presented. The results are very similar to predicted performance of design.
11. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

I. INTRODUCTION
Recently, permanent-magnet (PM) generators have become attractive because of the significant improvements in permanent magnets over the past decade, similar improvements in power electronic devices, and the ever increasing need to develop smaller, cheaper, and more energy-efficient generators. Especially, PM axial-flux generators are attractive candidate for wind power generation because they have higher efficiency, power factor, output power per mass and better dynamic performance than other electrical machines [ I]-[5]. Conventional generators are installed at the top of the towers and require step-up gearbox so that the type of generator for this application is required to be compact and light. The gearbox of a wind generator is expensive, subject to vibration, noise and fatigue, and needs lubrication as well as maintenance at appreciable cost [2]-18]. In this paper, a gearless wind energy system coupled directly to a PM synchronous generator, 10 [LVA], 300 [rpm], is introduced. A modular concept is proposed to reduce manufacturing costs as well.

The basic specification of the PM generator is shown in Table 1. One unit module of this generator with axial-flux, double-side and disc-type, shown in Fig. 1, has rating of 10 [kVA]. Unit modules can be combined into multi unit generators to increase power rating. The 10 EVA] generator consists of a rotor between two stators. The stator windings are connected in series so that induced voltages from the stators are united together. The disc type rotor consists of 24-pole and one permanent magnet per a pole, is shown Fig. 2 (a). The rotor is made of stainless steel and it is designed to reduce the leakage flux. Single-layer lap winding is used in two stators for economical construction and reduced volume as shown in Fig. The material of core is S-18, and silicon iron whose thickness is 0.5 [mm] is used. In order to reduce eddy current, the core is laminated in the radial direction. The number of slot is 72 and the number of conductor is one per phase per pole.
TABLE

2 @I*

I. BASIC SPECIFICATlON OF THE GENERATOR

Rated power Rated speed Rated voltage Number of poles Number of phase

10000 [VA] 300 [rpm3

380 [VI
24

3
Axial-flux

Type
Phase connection

0-7803-8730-9/04/$20.00 Q2004 IEEE

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The basic equations of motion are mechanical acceleration as shown in (1).

V = -dx dt
where

m is the mass, 'F is the velocity, x

is position,

/z is

the damping coefficient, 'F

is the electromagnetic force, and

F,,

is the extemalfy-applied mechanical force (load).

The electromagnetic force, 'F

,may be written in terms of

magnetic field equations for the magnetic vector potential (A). The magnetic force is proportional to square of flux density as shown in (2).
(a) the sbucture

@) uoss section

Fig. 1. Axial-flux type pennanenl-magnet generator.

The transient equations coupled by magnetic field, circuit, and motion are summarized as follows;

VXVVXA=O--G-+&XVXA
at

Y ,

dA

(3)

where

L T

is the electrical conductivity, 1 is the iron length,

&

is the applied voltage, v is the reluctivity, V is the velocity of the conductor with respect to flux.
E. FEAnalysis
(a) rotor
@)stator

Fig. 2. Rotor and stator of10 [ W A ] unit module.

The configuration of permanent magnet i s similar to a fan shape. By using NdFeB magnets, volume and weight can be reduced.

The magnetic flux density waveform in air gap is shown in Fig. 4. The calculated RMS value was 0.446 [TI, whereas the FE analysis result was 0.51 (TI.

111. FINITEELEMENT ANALYSIS

A. Equivalent 2-D Model

The wind-power generator consists of one rotor -which has

24 numbers of permanent magnet poles - and two stators. For the modeling purpose, the equivalent 2-dimensional model for FEM analysis, shown in Fig. 3, is used. In this model, only 2 poles among 24 poles o f rotor are modeled using the average value of circumferential length of the permanent. In order to
calculate induced EMF, extemal circuit is connected so that driving characteristics at no-load, resistive load, and resistiveinductive load are analyzed.

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Three-phase voltage and current for 2 poles portion are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The whole generated voltage and current, obtained from 24 poles, is 254 [VI and about 15.5 [A], respectively. The shape of phase voltage is almost sinusoidal. Fig. 7 shows voltage at variable speed for various loads. The vottage increases linearly to the speed. When the speed is at 300 [rpm], rated voltage is 226 [Vms]. The output power vs. current is shown in Fig. S. When current is 15.53 [A], the output power reaches 10 [kVA],

180-

,I
I ' I . I '

- ' I ' I :

50

io0

150

zoo

250

300

Speed [RPM]

Fig 7 Voltage vs speed at various loads

Fig. 4. Magnetic flux density in air-gap

:
1 2 3

.
4

.
5

:
6

:
7

:
B

:
W
1011

.
1

1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6

Current [AI

Fig. 8. The output power vs. current.

Iv.
Fig. 5. Voltage at resistive load (2 poles).

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

iapLl

cm

ran

r*q6Frcb

Fig 6 Current at resistive load (2 poles)

The tests are conducted to observe the performance of the generator. The generator is driven by a motor fed by a PWM variable-frequencydrive. The generator speed is driven to 300 [r/min]. The output frequency at this speed is 60 [Hz]. The tests are conducted for only a single unit generator. Fig. 9 shows the permanent-magnet generator manufactured for test. Axial direction length is very short compared with radial direction so that it can be expanded to two or more unit modules in axial direction, lnduced EMF with no load at different speeds is shown in Fig. 10. When the speed is 300 [rpm], the phase voltage is 399.16 [VI. These results clearly demonstrate the success ofthe PM generator specified in the original design. Fig. 1 1 shows line-to-line nns voltage at different load current. When the current is at the rated value of 15.5 [A], the rated voltage of 340 [VI is obtained. Induced EMF waveform with no load is shown in Fig. 12. The voltage waveform is almost sinusoidal in accordance with FEM analysis.

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Fig. 12. Induced EMF waveform with no load.

Fig. 9. The PM generator (axial-flux w),

V. CONCLUSION

In this paper, the design, analysis and test results of an axial-flux type PM synchronous generator, 10 [kVA], 300 [rpm], for direct-driven wind turbine applications are presented. In order to analyze the performance of the axial-flux PM generator, FE analysis is used with 2-D equivalent model. The steady state and transient characteristics are respectively analyzed at no-load and RL-load. The results of FE anafysis and test are very similar under both R-load and RL-load. It can be concluded that the proposed generator is very promising to use for a wind turbine.

REFERENCES

sP=f [CSmB
Fig. 10. Output voltages at no load for different speeds

W. S. Leung and J.C.C. Chan, A new design approach for axial-field electrical machines,IEEE Transactionson Power Apparutus System, vol.

-1

Fig. 1 I, Line-line rms voltages VS. current

PAS-99, pp. 1679-1685, July/Aug. 1980. D.H. Kang, P. Curiac, and J. Lee, An axial flux interior PM synchronous machine, in Pvaceedinzs ofthe ICEM ZOOO, Finland vol. 3, pp. 14751479, Aug. 28-30,2000. V. Cingoski, M. Mikami, and H. Yamashita, Computer simulation of a three-phase brushless self-excited synchronous generator, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics,vol. 35, no.3,pp. 1251- 1254, May 1999. G.Tsekouras, S. Kiartzis, A.G. Kladas, and J.A. Tegopoulos, Neural network approach compared to sensitivity analysis based on finite element technique for optimization of permanent magnet generators, IEEE Tmnsacfiunson Magnetics, vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 3618-3621, Sep. 2001. J. Ched, C.V. Nayar, and L. Xu, Design andfinite<lcment analysis ofan outer-rotor permanentmagnet generator for directly coupled wind turbines, IEEE Transactionson Mugrimcs,vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 3802- 3809, sep. 2000. B.I. Chalmers, W. Wu, and E. Spooner, An axial-flux permanentmagnet generaror for a gearlesswand energy system, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion,vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 251-257, June 1999. E. Muljadi, C.P. Butterfield, and Y.H. Wan, Axiat-flux modular permanenl-magnet generator with a toroidal winding for wind-turbine applications,IEEE Transacriom on Industiy Applicntionr, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 831-836,July/Aug- 1999. F. Caricchi, F. Crecimbini, 0. Honorati, G.L. Bianco, and E. Santini, PerFamance of coreless-winding axial-flux permanent-magnet generator with power output at 400 Hz, 3000 rimin, I Eonsocrionr on Indirstry Applications, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 1263-1269, Nov. 1998.

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