Impact of wind conditions on thermal loading of PMSG wind turbine power converters

Smith, C.J.; Crabtree, C.J.; Matthews, P.C.

Abstract

Power converter reliability is critical for permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbines. Converter failures are linked to power module thermal loading but studies often neglect turbine dynamics, control and the impact of wind speed sampling rate on lifetime estimation. This paper addresses this using a 2MW direct-drive PMSG wind turbine model with a 2-level converter, and simulating junction temperatures (Tj) using a power module thermal equivalent circuit under various synthetic wind speed conditions. These synthetic wind conditions include constant and square wave profiles representing stable and gusty wind conditions. Responses to square wave wind speeds showed that the lower the gust frequency, the higher ∆Tj becomes, demonstrating that low turbulence sites have greater thermal variation in the converter. In contrast, wind speed variations with frequencies greater than 0.25Hz deliver only small increases in ∆Tj . It is concluded that reasonable approximations of Tj profiles can be made with 0.25Hz wind speed data, but that lower data rate wind measurements miss essential, damaging characteristics.

Citation

Smith, C., Crabtree, C., & Matthews, P. (2017). Impact of wind conditions on thermal loading of PMSG wind turbine power converters. IET Power Electronics, 10(11), 1268-1278. https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-pel.2016.0802

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 24, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 10, 2017
• Publication Date: Sep 9, 2017
• Deposit Date: Aug 12, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2017
• Journal: IET Power Electronics
• Print ISSN: 1755-4535
• Electronic ISSN: 1755-4543
• Publisher: Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 1268-1278
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-pel.2016.0802
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1399280