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I have a project where we have to design a wind turbine. I currently have two 5 kW generators (https://wxftgs.en.alibaba.com/product/60689557542-804881319/5kw_permanent_magnet_generator_price.html?spm=a2700.8304367.prewdfa4cf.2.73152c54UBoPer) that need to go to a single inverter (https://www.mecerpc.co.za/Mecer-SOL-I-AX-5M-p-123749.php).

I need to join the two AC outputs of the generators to a single input to the inverter. The generators will be producing different voltages due to the different wind speeds.

Is it possible to join the two or should I just have a separate inverters for each turbine and connect the inverters in parallel?

Peter Mortensen
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The_one
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    You need to draw a schematic. Although not impossible to combine AC voltages, but when you add wind on top of that, it's highly unlikely you will make it a viable solution. I would rectify both to DC, sum up of the DC bus and invert back to AC. – winny Oct 22 '17 at 11:50

2 Answers2

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You are paralleling two synchronous generators: as soon you connect them to a common AC network, they are phase-coupled, and this automatically means they have the same speed, too. Regardless of the wind speed. If the wind speed is lower at one turbine, that generator will work as a motor and make the turbine act as a fan.

So … don't do that. You have to use two separate inverters which can be coupled together so the DC voltages match.

Janka
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You have 2 possible solutions:

  1. Cycloconverter: convert both sources frequency to 50 or 60 Hz.
  2. Rectify both sources to DC, then combine them and use a single inverter.

Solution 2 is better. Solution 1 is costly and complex and need accurate switching. While solution 2 is simple and less expensive also the diode drop 0.7V is less than that of thyristors used in cycloconverter

Syed Ubaid
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