Power performance investigation and control system design of grid-connected small wind turbines

Alimuzzaman, Mohammed (2013) Power performance investigation and control system design of grid-connected small wind turbines. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

In this research, the power performance of three grid-connected small wind was investigated. Two small wind turbines were tested in a number of load conditions and test data were collected for approximately two months. Data was analyzed for active power, power factor and reactive power. Results indicate that the type of local load does not significantly affect the power curve of a small wind turbine. It was also observed that above 15% of rated power, the power factor of a grid-connected small wind turbine was almost constant. -- In the second stage of this research, another small vertical axis wind turbine was tested and data was analyzed. A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) table for optimal operation of a small vertical axis wind turbine was derived mathematically and verified by simulation model. The derived MPPT table was programmed in an inverter; the wind turbine was tested and data was logged for more than three months. The power curve from the logged data was produced and compared with the manufacturer’s power curves of the turbine. -- At the last stage of this research, a Matlab simulation model of a grid-connected 1.1 kW wind turbine system was developed along with active and reactive power control system. The supplied reactive power from the wind turbine was controlled by changing the phase angle of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) in the wind turbine inverter. A proportional controller was used to maintain the reactive power supplied by the wind turbine. On the other hand, a PI controller was used to maintain the wind turbine operation at an optimum tip speed ratio to extract maximum power from the wind. The simulation results confirm that the designed system is able to control the wind turbine and capable of providing the required reactive power.

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