Fault tolerant generator systems for increasing availability of wind turbines

H Polinder, H Lendenmann, R Chin, WM Arshad

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientificpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This paper is a review of the possibilities of applying fault tolerance in generator systems for wind turbines. Fault-tolerance is the property that enables a system to continue operation in the event of the failure of one or some of its components. This is attractive for wind turbines at remote or offshore locations, because the reliability of wind turbines is lower than desired and maintenance is time consuming. Five different ways of achieving fault tolerance identified in the literature are discussed together with their applicability for wind turbines: (1) converters with redundant semiconductors, (2) fault tolerant converter topologies, (3) fault tolerance by increasing the number of phases, (4) fault tolerance of switched reluctance machines, and (5) design for fault tolerance of PM machines and converters. It is concluded that increasing the number of phases is a useful form of fault tolerance because it can be achieved without increasing the number of components and the cost significantly.
    Original languageUndefined/Unknown
    Title of host publicationProceedings European wind energy conference & exhibition, EWEC 2009
    Editors s.n.
    Place of PublicationBrussel
    PublisherThe European Wind Energy Association
    Pages1-6
    Number of pages6
    Publication statusPublished - 2009
    EventEuropean wind energy conference & exhibition, EWEC 2009, Marseille - Brussel
    Duration: 16 Mar 200919 Mar 2009

    Publication series

    Name
    PublisherThe European Wind Energy Association

    Conference

    ConferenceEuropean wind energy conference & exhibition, EWEC 2009, Marseille
    Period16/03/0919/03/09

    Keywords

    • conference contrib. refereed
    • Conf.proc. > 3 pag

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