PhD Opportunity - Fault detection in direct-drive permanent magnet wind power generators

To meet the needs of growth in the low-carbon economy, achieve the UK CO2 emissions-targets and ensure resilient low-cost energy, offshore wind power permanent magnet generators offer an affordable and efficient technology to facilitate growth of offshore wind power to meet energy needs worldwide. As the power level of wind power permanent magnet generators increases, the fault detection during operation becomes more critical and will be the subject of this PhD project. This research will focus on analysis of various faults and corresponding detection techniques which is the most critical life-time issue for wind power permanent magnet generators. The most appropriate detection techniques will be identified and then experimentally validated, together with analytical and finite element method simulations. New detection techniques will be developed by accounting for the interaction of multi-faults on the effectiveness of fault detection. The experimental and simulation validation will be applied to the full-scale mega-watt wind power generators and supplemented by scalability study of tests and analyses based on a dSPACE platform. The targeted output of the research is a fault detection technique compatible for implementations in wind power turbines.

This project is sponsored by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) Ltd, and the PhD student will be working very closely with engineers at SGRE.

This PhD position is for UK fee paying applicants only. Any interested candidates, please contact Professor Z.Q. Zhu (Z.Q.Zhu@sheffield.ac.uk) with a copy of CV in the first instance.

The award will fund the full UK tuition fee and UKRI stipend (currently £18,622 per annum) plus an annual top up of £6,000 for 4 years, as well as a research grant to support costs associated with the project.

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