Lightweight design of direct-drive wind turbine electrical generators: A comparison between steel and composite material structures

Jaen Sola, Pablo; McDonald, Alasdair; Oterkus, Erkan

Abstract

Direct-drive generators for wind turbines are high torque, low speed machines which require a heavy robust structure to maintain the air-gap clearance open and stable. The mass of the structural material can be assessed at the early stages of the design process for radial-flux generators. By using low density materials, such as composites, the entire mass of the machine can be significantly reduced. A comparison between steel structures and structures made with composite materials working under the same loading conditions is made using small scale (100 kW) and large scale (3 MW) generator models. Potential improvements to the lightweight proposed structures are also suggested.

Citation

Jaen Sola, P., McDonald, A., & Oterkus, E. (2019). Lightweight design of direct-drive wind turbine electrical generators: A comparison between steel and composite material structures. Ocean Engineering, 181, 330-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.03.053

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 30, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Apr 23, 2019
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 30, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 24, 2020
• Journal: Ocean Engineering
• Print ISSN: 0029-8018
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 181
• Pages: 330-341
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.03.053
• Keywords: Direct-Drive Wind Turbine, Lightweight, Generator Structure, Steel, Composite Materials
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1770442
• Contract Date: May 30, 2019