Publication Date

Fall 2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical Engineering

Advisor

Ping Hsu

Keywords

Control, Efficiency, Energy, Hydrostatic Transmission, Wind Turbine

Subject Areas

Electrical engineering; Engineering; Energy

Abstract

In this study, we proposed a control strategy for a wind turbine that employed a hydrostatic transmission system for transmitting power from the wind turbine rotor via a hydraulic transmission line to a ground level generator. Wind turbine power curve tracking was achieved by controlling the hydraulic pump displacement and, at the other end of the hydraulic line, the hydraulic motor displacement was controlled so that the overall transmission loss was minimized. Steady state response, dynamic response, and system stability were assessed. The maximum transmission efficiency obtained ranged from 79% to 84% at steady state when the proposed control strategy was implemented. The leakage and friction losses of the hydraulic components were the main factors that compromised the efficiency. The simulation results showed that the system was stable and had fast and well-damped transient response. Double wind turbine system sharing hydraulic pipes, a hydraulic motor, and a generator were also studied. The hydraulic pipe diameter used in the double-turbine system increased by 27% compared to the single-turbine system in order to make the transmission coefficient comparable between both systems. The simulation results suggested that the leakage losses were so significant that the efficiency of the system was worsened compared with the single-turbine system. Future studies of other behavioral aspects and practical issues such as fluid dynamics, structure strength, materials, and costs are needed.

Download

Share

COinS