Wind-Electric Icemaking Project: Analysis and Dynamometer Testing; Volume I

The wind/hybrid systems group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been researching the most practical and cost-effective methods for producing ice from off-grid wind-electric power systems. The first phase of the project, conducted in 1993-1994, included full-scale dynamometer and field testing of two different electric ice makers directly connected to a permanent magnet alternator.The results of that phase were encouraging and the second phase of the project was launched in which steady-state and dynamic numerical models of these systems were developed and experimentally validated. The third phase of the project was the dynamometer testing of the North Star ice maker, which is powered by a 12-kilowatt Bergey Windpower Company, Inc., alternator. This report describes boththe second and third project phases. Also included are detailed economic analyses and a discussion of the future prospects of wind-electric ice-making systems. The main report is contained in Volume I. Volume II consists of the report appendices, which include the actual computer programs used in the analysis and the detailed test results.