The researchers designed, developed, manufactured a full-size superconducting generator for a 3.6 megawatt wind turbine, and field-tested it.
Permanent-magnet (PM) based direct-drive (DD) generators offer a solution in state-of-the-art multi-megawatt generators, but the feasibility of 10 megawatt PM-DD turbines requires significant weight reduction. Pseudo-magnetic direct-drive (PDD) machines, integrating magnetic gearing and generator functions are a possible solution to this, but they can be expensive and highly complex to produce.
To tackle this challenge, employed rare-earth barium copper oxide (ReBCO) high-temperature superconducting generators. Require a smaller amount of rare-earth materials than PM machines, resulting in a lower cost.
Superconductors can also carry high current densities, results in more power-dense coils and a lower weight.
The field test of the generator was extremely successful. When the generator installed at Thyborøn, the turbine achieved its targeted power range, including more than 650 hours of grid operation. This shows the compatibility of superconductive generator technology with all the elements of an operational environment such as variable speeds, grid faults, electromagnetic harmonics, and vibrations.
The project made several other substantial pieces of progress. It demonstrated that HTS coil production is not limited to specialised laboratories, and constitutes a successful technology transfer from science to industry. The HTS rotor was also assembled in an industrial setting, showing superconducting components can be deployed in a standard' manufacturing environment.
Now the concept has been proven, we hope to see superconducting generator technology begin to be widely applied on wind turbines.
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