Analysis of the dynamics of a wind-turbine water-pumping system

Abstract

We analyzed a wind-turbine water-pumping system, which consists of a wind turbine with a permanent magnet generator electrically coupled with a water pump via a motor-generator configuration. Beginning with a short summary of the system's steady-state analysis, we show how the success of the start-up process and how the system's performance depends on the proper choice of water pump characteristics. We studied the dependence of the water pump start-up process on the kinetic energy stored in the wind turbine rotor. In this analysis, we also discuss the cut-in and cut-off process in the wind-turbine water-pumping system. We support our analysis with the simulation results obtained for a water-pumping system, which consists of a Bergey Windpower Company, Inc. (BWC), EXCEL wind turbine system and a water pump driven by the Franklin 7.5 horsepower (hp) induction motor (Model 234318). The simulations were performed using the RPM-Sim simulator (Renewable-energy Power-system Modular Simulator), which was developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center.