The Open Renewable Energy Journal

2009, 2 : 59-69
Published online 2009 May 13. DOI: 10.2174/1876387100902010059
Publisher ID: TOREJ-2-59

Analysis of Conversion Losses in Grid Connected Small Wind Turbine Systems

Md. Arifujjaman , M. T. Iqbal and J. E. Quaicoe
Graduate Student, PO Box- 100, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1B3X5, Canada.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a comprehensive conversion loss analysis of the Power Conditioning System (PCS) for a grid connected Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) and a Wound Rotor Induction Generator (WRIG) based small wind turbine system. The main focus of the loss analysis is the conduction and switching losses in the semiconductor devices and PCS. The analysis reveals that the WRIG based system with a slip variation up to 15% could provide higher efficiency than the PMG based system. In particular, a significant improvement is observed at the low wind speed regime in case of the WRIG based system than the PMG based system. Finally, this paper concludes that the WRIG based system could be an optimum alternative system for the small wind turbine industry.