Effects of Turbulence on Power Generation for Variable-Speed Wind Turbines

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

One of the primary advantages of variable-speed wind turbines over fixed-speed turbines should be improved aerodynamic efficiency. With variable-speed generation, in order to maintain a constant ratio of wind speed to tip speed, the wind turbine changes rotor speed as the wind speed changes. In this paper we compare a stall-controlled, variable speed wind turbine to a fixed-speed turbine. Thefocus of this paper is to investigate the effects of variable speed on energy capture and its ability to control peak power. We also show the impact of turbulence on energy capture in moderate winds. In this report, we use a dynamic simulator to apply different win<ls to a wind turbine model. This model incorporates typical inertial and aerodynamic performance characteristics. From this study wefound a control strategy that makes it possible to operate a stall-controlled turbine using variable speed to optimize energy capture and to control peak power. We also found that turbulence does not have a significant impact on energy capture.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages11
StatePublished - 1996
Event1997 ASME/AIAA Wind Energy Symposium - Reno, Nevada
Duration: 6 Jan 19979 Jan 1997

Conference

Conference1997 ASME/AIAA Wind Energy Symposium
CityReno, Nevada
Period6/01/979/01/97

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-440-21670

Keywords

  • turbines
  • variable speed
  • wind

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