The performance analysis of the low‐speed direct‐drive generators for harvesting current energy

Abstract

The simulations and experiments for two 400 W low-speed direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) installed in a Floating Kuroshio Turbine (FKT) were implemented. The towing tank experiments were carried out at National Taiwan University. A generator can start to harvest current energy at the rotation speed of 30 rpm (corresponding to the current flow rate of 0.36 m/s), and produce the rated power of 400 W at 150 rpm. The speed is very low compared with the published reports. The energy conversion efficiency of the FKT is up to 0.85. The results show that the generated direct current (DC) power is more than 800 W at a flow rate of 1.5 m/s. The power coefficient for the FKT is about 0.4. The energy loss at each stage and the power difference between the testing platform and the towing tank experiment were also analyzed. Moreover, the shape of the FKT is a new design. Compared with other structures, the proposed FKT can easily follow the direction of the ocean current and the depth of the FKT can be adjustable; when it doesn’t operate, it will float on the surface so that it is easy for maintenance.