Abstract
This paper compares active and passive cooling systems in tidal turbine power electronic converters. The comparison is based on the lifetime of the IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) power modules, calculated from the accumulated fatigue due to thermal cycling. The lifetime analysis accounts for the influence of site conditions, namely turbulence and surface waves. Results indicate that active cooling results in a significant improvement in IGBT lifetime over passive cooling. However, since passive cooling systems are inherently more reliable than active systems, passive systems can present a better solution overall, provided adequate lifetime values are achieved. On another note, the influence of pitch control and active speed stall control on the IGBT lifetime was also investigated. It is shown that the IGBT modules in pitch-controlled turbines are likely to have longer lifetimes than their counterparts in active stall-controlled turbines for the same power rating. Overall, it is demonstrated that passive cooling systems can provide adequate cooling in tidal turbine converters to last longer than the typical lifetime of tidal turbines (>25 years), both for pitch-controlled and active speed stall-controlled turbines.
Highlights
This paper investigates the reliability of power electronic converters in different tidal stream turbines (TSTs) energy conversion systems
The TST systems in this paper are classified based on the cooling system in the power electronic converters and the power regulation scheme employed in the turbine
Active and passive cooling systems for TST converters were compared based on the useful lifetime
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. To minimize the cost of energy, improving reliability and/or minimizing maintenance expenses is necessary [1] In this regard, this paper investigates the reliability of power electronic converters in different TST energy conversion systems. The TST systems in this paper are classified based on the cooling system in the power electronic converters (passive and forced-water cooling) and the power regulation scheme employed in the turbine (pitch and stall control). Evaluating active and passive cooling systems in terms of the lifetime of IGBT modules in tidal turbine converters; Studying the impact of active speed stall and pitch control on the IGBT lifetime.
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