Equipment

This is a mobile wind turbine simulator. It has various sensors, including has strain gauges in a blade root and at the tower base, as well as accelerometers at several location for vibration measurement. It has a gearbox with gear ratio of 14.3:1, and is currently equipped with a dc generator. We are in the process of designing a controller to regulate power output; this will enable studies requiring specific tip-speed ratios and generator torque.

A table-top version of the wind turbine simulator enables work specifically focused on the drive-train. This system is especially useful for generator and gearbox studies. Sensors on the gearbox, main bearing, and other structures have been useful in balance detection, gear health, and other monitoring functions. The “clear-box” nature of this system allows deep component manipulation and targeted investigation. Bearings with known failure modes can be inserted in the system, allowing the study of specific failure signatures.

We have a 11 HP permanent magnet dynamometer. It is currently configured to drive a 7.5 kW DFIG. A new operating configuration was developed using this test stand, leading to increased DFIG efficiency. In the new configuration, the grid is connected directly to the rotor, with the power electronics connected to the stator. This system can facilitate additional studies using both the classic and new configurations.

A 400 W permanent magnet synchronous machine motor-generator set emulates direct drive wind turbines and can be used to study machine models, system dynamics, and power converter topologies.

Power electronic converters are a key component of modern wind turbine systems. Featured here is a grid-tied 2.5 kW back-to-back converter capable of reactive power injection/absorbtion. It is useful in machine control, power electronic performance, and grid-integration studies.

Various measurement and analysis tools are available, including a 10 kHz signal analyzer, a 6-channel power analyser, several oscilloscopes, and some data acquisition tools.

We have a 400 V 30 A programmable dc power supply, as well as an 8 kVA, programmable, three-phase, four-quadrant power supply. The electronic load is quite useful, and can be configured for R, L, C or any combination of load types; it is also programmable and can withstand short-circuit test events. These sources and loads, along with other lab equipment, are being configured to realize a synchronous network which will enable smart-grid and distributed-generation experiments.