Annual Energy Production Design Optimization for PM Generators Considering Maximum Power Point Trajectory of Wind Turbines

Abstract

Efficiency optimization is an important goal in the design of permanent magnet generators. However, traditional design optimization methods only focus on improving the rated efficiency without considering the annual cycle for overall efficiency improvement. To overcome this drawback, this paper presents a design optimization method for improving annual energy production (AEP) of wind direct-drive permanent magnet generators. Unlike the conventional efficiency optimization method that only improves the rated point efficiency, the proposed method improves the overall efficiency of the generator during the operating cycle by matching the maximum power point trajectory of the wind turbine. The periodic loss model of the permanent magnet generator is established and further constituted as the objective function to perform the optimization search using a genetic algorithm. Through simulation and experimental verification, the proposed method can obtain a higher AEP compared with the conventional design optimization method, and the proposed method can be extended to other variable speed power generation fields.