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DOI 10.5286/raltr.2017005
Persistent URL http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/33109876
Record Status Checked
Record Id 33109876
Title The feasibility of integrating supercapacitor energy storage in wind turbines
Contributors
Abstract The aim of the work is to investigate the feasibility of using supercapacitor energy storage in wind turbines, and to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. The report draws on information presented in a Supergen Wind Energy Technologies (Phase 2) deliverable report. Consideration of the Grid code requirement for fault ride through (FRT) in response to voltage dips resulted in an estimated energy storage capacity equivalent to rated power for up to one second. A Supercapacitor Energy Storage System (SCESS) using a stack of supercapacitor modules was specified and the equivalent circuit parameters were provided for inclusion in a simulation model. The gravimetric and volumetric densities for the SCESS were estimated. Inertial storage in a wind turbine rotor was also specified using a relationship for the inertia trend with wind turbine size, derived in Appendix D of this report. Experiments were conducted on a single supercapacitor module using battery test equipment and custom test plans. The performance of a supercapacitor module was investigated to confirm relevant specifications and to investigate dynamic performance in high-rate charge-discharge conditions. A time-series profile of SCESS operation from simulation results was used to confirm the supercapacitor module, as part of an SCESS, operated satisfactorily in the target application. The practical experiments were small-scale and low-cost; however they are representative of the overall performance of an SCESS stack. The results show that supercapacitor technology is suitable for the provision of several storage functions on an offshore wind turbine. A cost-benefit analysis of the storage options in wind turbines was completed, considering an SCESS and rotor inertial storage. This indicated that the cost of an SCESS is expected to be less than 3% of the cost of a complete wind turbine, and that investment in an SCESS is economically viable provided that the resulting energy yield increase is over 1%. The positive results suggest that the next stage of research is justified, and areas for further research are described.
Organisation TECH , STFC
Keywords
Funding Information EPSRC (EP/H018662/1)
Related Research Object(s):
Licence Information: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Language English (EN)
Type Details URI(s) Local file(s) Year
Report RAL Technical Reports RAL-TR-2017-005. 2017. RAL-TR-2017-005.pdf 2017