Integration of A Fixed-Carrier Planetary Gear Drive Train To Enhance the Efficiency of Wind Energy Systems

Abstract

Electricity generation is increasingly turning to renewable energy as a replacement for traditional fossil fuels, and wind energy is a crucial renewable energy source. However, wind energy has yet to be fully utilized due to a major challenge in generating electricity from the wind turbine rotor and the electric generator which operate at different speeds. A new method has been proposed to address this issue which integrates counter-rotor generators with planetary gears operating at fixed carrier operating conditions. This approach uses a synchronous machine with a counter-rotor generator connected to a planetary gear set, increasing the relative speed between the rotor and the stator. The proposed design has shown a significant increase in efficiency in the low-speed region, but its efficiency gain decreases when the operating speed exceeds 60% of the rated speed. Smaller gear set ratios result in higher relative speeds and more significant efficiency gains. However, while the proposed design improves efficiency at low speeds, the absolute value of the efficiency is still relatively low.