Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

New medium speed wind power generators from ABB

By Steven Bushong | June 21, 2012

A turbine manufacturer has a new design for multi-MW offshore wind turbines, the medium speed permanent magnet generator (MS PNG) for the full converter concept. As a semi-integrated medium-speed generator, ABB’s new generator produces up to 8 MW or more. The generator and medium-speed gearbox are joined by a flange in a modular design. Using separate drivetrain components means low lifting weights that allow dismounting for service.

ABB MS PMG

Medium-speed generators deliver benefits such as slower-speed design that is more reliable for large offshore turbines, also MS PMGs are compact enough to offer relatively low top-head mass.

A PM generator is a synchronous electrical machine in which rotor windings have been replaced with permanent magnets. The main benefits are high power output from a small size, high efficiency at all speeds, and durable construction. The FC concept used with this system decouples the generator from the grid and offers total control and advanced grid compliance. For OEM’s, the new semi-integrated design offers a fast route to serial production of large offshore turbines.

Medium-speed generators deliver many benefits, the company says. A slower-speed design is more reliable for large offshore turbines while MS PMGs are also compact enough to offer relatively low top-head mass. Low weight means easier logistics as well as lower tower and foundation cost. MS PMGs are also said to offer the highest efficiency (>98%) of any commercial wind generator design. Efficiency is also high at partial loads in low winds and thus allows the largest annual power production.

ABB
www.abb.com

 


Filed Under: Generators

 

Related Articles Read More >

The ELF not welcome in the wind industry
PM generator manufacturer The Switch becomes Yaskawa Environmental energy Division
Large offshore turbines have reached remarkable outputs & will likely get larger
Generator circuit breakers have special requirements for generator protection

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight: Looking back at a year of Thrive with ZF Wind Power
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Windpower Engineering & Development and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading wind power engineering magazine today.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe