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Brushless DFIG
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Demonstration prototypes
Demonstration prototypes
Several Brushless DFIGs have been built including 7, 20, 250 kW and 2 MW machines. All our machines are comprehensively tested and independent test reports are available upon request.
World's first wind turbine incorporating a Brushless DFIG
The new generator technology has been successfully incorporated into a 20 kW wind turbine installed in Cambridge, UK. The generator's synchronous speed is 500 rpm and is coupled to a two-stage gearbox. The wind turbine is grid connected and has been in operation since March 2009. All the electrical systems including the generator, power electronics converter and the control, monitoring and protection systems were developed by our engineering team. The control system adjusts the generator speed and power factor to achieve maximum output power whilst satisfying grid requirements. The project shows that a Brushless DFIG-based wind turbine is practical and the design, operation and dynamics of the system are understood and predictable.
World's largest Brushless DFIG system
A 250 kW Brushless DFIG and its accompanying frequency converter and control system were built in summer 2011. The generator was built by a subsidiary of one of the world's largest electrical machine manufacturers, ATB Motors. The frequency converter comprises a grid-side Control Techniques and a machine-side Semikron inverters. The frequency converter and the control, instrumentation and monitoring systems have been designed and developed by our engineering team.
Test results have confirmed the correct operation of the Brushless DFIG, with current and flux densities close to expected values. The 250 kW Brushless DFIG is, to the best of our belief, the largest machine of this type ever constructed. Testing the 250 kW Brushless DFIG shows that the expected performance is achieved and the machine can be controlled stably. The most important conclusion is that a large scale Brushless DFIG is practical and is scalable upwards.
Multi-megawatt drivetrain development
A multi-megawatt medium-speed drivetrain was designed and built by our engineering team and is being retrofitted into a wind turbine for testing in a test field. The drivetrain includes a medium-speed Brushless DFIG and its associated frequency converter and control system, coupled to a simplified 2-stage gearbox. Further information about this project will be posted on our website in a due course.