Stator Optimization of Wind Power Generators with High-Temperature Superconducting Armature Windings and Permanent Magnet Rotor

Electrical machines with high-temperature superconducting (HTS) armature windings can benefit from high power density and efficiency. Furthermore, by using permanent magnets (PM) on the rotor, the cryogenic system can be significantly simplified compared with the fully superconducting (SC) machines or the machines with SC field windings. Compared with the conventional electrical machines, the performance of machines with HTS armature windings can be more sensitive to the design parameters due to the interaction between the operating current and the flux density. In this article, the influence of stator geometry on the machine with HTS armature windings and PM rotor is investigated. By considering the interaction between the operating current and the flux density, an iteration procedure for calculating the operating current of the HTS armature windings is proposed. A 10-MW surface-mounted PM wind power generator with HTS armature windings is studied by the finite element analysis. It is found that machines with different coil angle have different behaviors when changing the tooth width and the dimensions of tooth tips, which is different from conventional electrical machines. A new design and optimization method is then developed. Finally, the optimal design is identified with global optimization.