Wind turbines using self-excited three-phase induction generators: an innovative solution for voltage-frequency control

Laboratoire Systèmes Électrotechniques et Environnement, Université d'Artois, Faculté des Sciences Appliquées, Technoparc Futura, 62400 Béthune, France

Corresponding author: remus.pusca@univ-artois.fr

Received: 23 July 2007
Revised: 4 April 2008
Accepted: 9 April 2008
Published online: 19 July 2008

Abstract

A considerable number of communities throughout the world, most of them isolated, need hybrid energy solutions either for rural electrification or for the reduction of diesel use. Despite several research projects and demonstrations which have been conducted in recent years, wind-diesel technology remains complex and much too costly. Induction generators are the most robust and common for wind energy systems but this option is a serious challenge for electrical regulation. When a wind turbine is used in an off-grid configuration, either continuously or intermittently, precise and robust regulation is difficult to attain. The voltage parameter regulation option, as was experienced at several remote sites (on islands and in the arctic for example), is a safe, reliable and relatively simple technology, but does not optimize the wave quality and creates instabilities. These difficulties are due to the fact that no theory is available to describe the system, due to the inverse nature of the problem. In order to address and solve the problem of the unstable operation of this wind turbine generator, an innovative approach is described, based on a different induction generator single phase equivalent circuit.