A new axial flux permanent magnet synchronous alternator autonomously adapted to wind speeds

In this study, a new axial flux permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSA) design and prototyping procedures are presented. It is composed of a stack of rotor-stator blocks on the same shaft. In other words, it is made up of four alternators based on axial flux permanent magnets that can generate electrical energy within the limits of rotor rotational speed with varying wind speeds. A control system is also introduced to the generator. The control system connects or disconnects the stator blocks to the load according to the changing speeds of the wind. It produces electrical energy with stable voltage, frequency and variable power at the output. The efficiency of the generator is tested with different load and speed conditions. It is observed that the efficiency is high when the speed is low in case the load is connected only one stator. The efficiency is high when the speed is above 200 rpm for the case where several stators are connected to the load. It can be seen that the incremental structure of the generator is suitable for changing speeds of the wind. It can have high efficiency for both low and high speeds with changing the number of stator blocks connected to the load. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.