Abstract
Studies demonstrate that the power converter has one of the highest failure rates in a wind turbine, with a key failure driver being the power module junction temperature ( T j ). This paper details an experimental setup for simplified emulation of wind turbine conditions on a power converter with infra-red sensing of IGBT T j . Results are compared to previous simulation work for a PMSG wind turbine, with the same trend of increasing mean T j with wind speed found, and the need to use an equivalent generator reactance in highlighted. A commercial-scale prototype for more accurate wind turbine converter emulation is also detailed.
Highlights
Studies have shown that the power converter has one of the highest failure rates in a wind turbine [1]
Power module failure has been linked to power module thermal loading, where the variation of temperature in the insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) and diode cases causes fatigue through expansion and contraction between package layers [4]
A holistic approach to wind turbine power converter reliability is proposed. This includes a combination of effective drive train modelling, simulation, and physical emulation of the power converter and its junction temperature (Tj) response under realistic wind turbine operating conditions
Summary
Studies have shown that the power converter has one of the highest failure rates in a wind turbine [1]. A holistic approach to wind turbine power converter reliability is proposed. This includes a combination of effective drive train modelling, simulation, and physical emulation of the power converter and its junction temperature (Tj) response under realistic wind turbine operating conditions. This will allow for developments in either computational or experimental fields to inform the formulation of results of the other. This paper outlines the wind turbine power converter physical emulation and surrounding drive train to answer the following research questions (RQ):. (ii) How can wind turbine operating conditions be emulated in a scaled down test bench? (Section 3, 4) (iii) How do the results of simulation and physical testing compare? (Section 5) (iv) How can this experimental rig be implemented for commercial scale device testing and certification? (Section 6)
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