GE has announced the completion of the nationalization of its 3.15 MW Double Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) which integrates with onshore wind turbines of 3 MW power range.
Trends in wind-power generators
Wind-power generators fall into three primary types—induction, permanent magnet, and superconducting. Induction generators, sometimes referred to as asynchronous generators, have dominated the market for years due to their low manufacturing costs and extensive experience in the power-generation industry. However, in recent years generators implementing rare-earth, permanent magnets made from neodymium have gained some market share.…
A 3-MW drivetrain all in one package
A recent wind-turbine drive combines a two-stage gearbox, coupling, and permanent-magnet generator into one compact package. One design goal for the HybridDrive from manufacturer Winergy (winergy-ag.com) is to reduce drivetrain size. A direct connection between gearbox and generator allows shortening the drivetrain by about 35% and nearly eleminating alignment tasks. The company says it demonstrates…
Three generator designs serve many turbines
ABB says it has developed permanent magnet (PM) generators for applications that call for direct drives, and medium and high-speed. The electrical performance of individual generators can be tweaked for best performance in cooperation with the wind-turbine OEM. For a closer look: A low-speed gearless design works best in direct-drive applications. The turbine and generator…
Efficient generator stays cool and does not cog
Clean Energy Technologies, Calgary, Alberta, Canada is said to have developed a generator for wind turbines that is more efficient than existing designs. The company’s Axial Flux Permanent Magnet (AFPM) generators work at high efficiencies and produce more power at lower wind speeds due to a coreless design. The generators eliminate traditional cogging issues which…
Generators and services for wind turbines
Electrical design firm Potencia developed a 5 kW wind turbine in 1975 but has evolved as a designer and supplier of generators for the wind-turbine industry. The company has since developed 500 kW induction generators, and 750 kW doubly-fed wound-rotor generators in the 90’s. More recently, the Mexico-based company has developed permanent-magnet generators for multi-megawatt…
Gearbox, generator, and controls in one package
GE Drivetrain Technologies, a unit of GE Transportation, Erie, Pa, says the company has launched a wind generator and control systems division to serve wind turbine owners around the globe. The new company will immediately offer doubly-fed induction and permanent magnet generators in the 2 to 6 MW power range. The company produces more than…