Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Machines for Wind Energy Conversion

Competitive advantage

• Expertise in designing direct-drive PM generators with compact size and negligible cogging torque.
• One of the world’s first to develop fractional-slot concentrated wound interior PM machine for direct-drive wind energy conversion
• Advanced control techniques for the generator-side converters of Wind Energy Conversion
• Advanced techniques for on-line parameter identification with the possibility to use in remote condition monitoring of off-shore generators

Impact

• Direct-drive PM generators of compact size and with negligible cogging torque
• Cost-effective controller suitable for roof-top applications.

Successful applications

• Advanced control techniques for the direct-drive PM generators
• Patented Fractional-slot Concentrate Wound PM machine technology
• Pending patent application—design optimisation package for PM machine

Capabilities and facilities

• Finite-element packages, including Magsoft and ANSYS, with optimization tools developed in-house
• Simulation platforms (Matlab–Simulink, PSIM), FPGA and DSP systems with high-performance signal acquisition, estimation and switch gate-drive interfaces
• Two and three-level inverters
• Several machine drive set-ups complete with shaft position sensors, torque sensors and highly dynamic loads
• Four-quadrant dynamometer for testing direct-drive wind generators

Our partners

• CSIRO
• Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics
• Toshiba
• Regal Beloit