Improving the performance of a wind energy system

Main Speaker: Juan Pablo Echenique Subiabre, PhD (Edinburgh) Candidate

Abstract:

Small and Medium size Wind Turbines (SMWTs) can be used for the production of electricity in residential areas, or integrated into hybrid systems. However, many of the SMWTs are installed in locations with low wind speeds, reducing remarkably their annual energy output. Furthermore, SMWTs are typically operated in sub-optimal conditions because they are not completely understood in the real environment. In a design stage, typically a wind tunnel is used to determine the aerodynamic efficiency, but this research suggests that a turbine in the field behaves differently, especially when the wind is turbulent.

This presentation briefly summarises the research contained in my PhD thesis, obtained thanks to the collaboration with two SMWT manufacturers: QuietRevolution and Airborne-Energy.

Four topics that could greatly impact the performance of a wind turbine are covered:

• the wind resource, and how by the spectral modelling of its unsteadiness it is possible to design better turbines and control systems, to adequately react in gusty wind conditions in order to maximise energy harvesting,
• resource assessment using short-term measurements of wind, to reduce the uncertainty in annual energy production,
• loss modelling in the generator and power converter to optimise overall efficiency of a wind energy conversion system, and
• aerodynamic performance identification based on field measurements. 

On each of these fields, new methods are proposed and validated experimentally to improve the existing knowledge.

Short Bio:

Juan Pablo Echenique Subiabre (well known as JP) was born in Rankahua, Chile. He received the B.S. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the University Katolika of Chile, in 2008. From 2006 to 2008, he was a Student Researcher with the "Industrial Electronics and Mechatronics Nucleus".

He is currently working as a Research Associate with the IES, in the Electrical Power Conversion Group. Recently he submitted his doctoral thesis supervised by Markus Mueller and Ewen McPherson.

Before coming to the UK, JP worked as a consulting engineer designing technical specifications for six utility companies from South America; And also for research projects in power electronics, sensorless control of switched reluctance generators, electric vehicles with PV cells, and antiseismic instrumentation. His main interests include power electronics, machine control for renewable energy, music production & composition, and skiing.

Topic: "Sergio and the region of Mexico he hails from"

Special IES Social Speaker: Sergio Maldonado-Villanueva, PhD (Edinburgh) Candidate

Short Bio:

Sergio is starting the 4th year of his PhD supervised by Prof. Alistair Borthwick. Sergio arrived in the University of Edinburgh in October 2013 on a transfer from University College Cork, Ireland).

Sergio is originally from Mexico