Leveraging Sharc processors, data converters and other advanced ADI components to ensure system operation, the Northwind 100’s Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) design eliminates the need for a gearbox in favor of a full power converter, the company said.
The Northwind 100 generator’s power flow is regulated by the power converter to compensate for variable wind speeds, which helps to maximize energy extraction. This capability ultimately enables a Northwind 100 wind turbine to provide a flow of clean power to a local grid, simplifying grid interconnect infrastructure and maintaining grid stability.
ADI’s 32-bit floating point SHARC 21363 digital signal processor hosts real-time closed-loop control algorithms to control the Northwind 100’s generator and power converter subsystems. Sharc 21363 processors employ a Single Instruction, Multiple-Data (SIMD) architecture to provide the real-time processing bandwidth and atomicity required to keep these subsystems running in coordination.
Tim Resker, product marketing manager of Analog Devices, said: “With high-performance Analog Devices components at the core of the Northwind 100 wind turbine, Northern Power Systems’ customers are assured ultra efficient power generation that reduces energy costs and minimizes the community’s environmental footprint.
“For utility-side and consumer-side applications, Analog Devices enables technology developers like Northern Power Systems to design intelligent systems that promote energy efficiency and maximize investments in clean, renewable power.”
