Candidate: Eduardo Augusto Flesch
Program: UFSC / POSMEC
Date: November, 2012
Advisor: Victor Juliano De Negri
Abstract: The present dissertation presents a study on the design and the analysis of the behavior of a hydrostatic transmission to be incorporated into a horizontal axis wind turbine. In the pursuit for larger efficiency on wind energy extraction, wind turbines have seen a broad growth among different areas regarding its design and operation. Thus the growth in the overall efficiency of the wind turbine constitutes one of the most important requirements for the development of these machines. A hydrostatic transmission appears as a promising alternative for the transmission of the power extracted from the turbine#s rotor to the electric generator and for the regulation of the rotor speed. During the operation of horizontal axis wind turbines, the variation of the rotor speed allows for maximization of energy capture from the wind. On the other hand, synchronous electric generators require frequency converters to be able to operate with variable speed, causing a drop on the system´s overall efficiency. A way to get around this outcome consists of connecting the electric generator directly to the electrical grid, whereby the generator is required to continuously operate with synchronous speed in order to maintain the frequency of generated electric energy within the standards of the electrical grid. A hydrostatic transmission is able to solve this problem, because it allows the decoupling of the rotor speed from the electric generator speed. This enables the rotor to operate with a greater efficiency while maintaining the power quality supplied by the generator. Another favorable outcome from the use of a hydrostatic transmission is the possibility of installing most of the components of the wind turbine on the ground level. This reduces the weight of the tower and the nacelle of the wind turbine, which in turn reduces dynamic tensions over the wind turbine´s structure, along with construction costs. This dissertation presents a computational model through which it has been possible to analyze the various operational characteristics of the system. This study intends to contribute with the design of power transmission systems for wind turbines, providing information that allows for evaluation of the performance of the hydrostatic transmission and to present an alternative solution in order for future use in horizontal axis wind turbines.
FLESCH, E. A. Projeto de transmissão hidrostática para aerogeradores de eixo horizontal. 2012. Dissertação (Programa de Pós Graduação em Engenharia Mecânica). Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.