The goal of this Project is to study the application of Matrix Converters in Wind Turbines. The Matrix Converter is a new technology of great research interest. This topology can be used in various wind applications because it avoids the use of a DC bus and its capacitors which are a possible source of failure in the system. Other advantages of the Matrix Converter are the lower weight and volume and the possibility to work in hostile environments such us offshore applications. In this project the viability of the converter and different modulation, control and auxiliary circuits for the robustness in wind applications of the system are studied. The proposed algorithms are synthesized in a FPGA. Parallel connection of the Matrix Converter and failure tolerant structures are also studied.

This Project is integrated within the coordinated Project “Study of low-voltage energy converters for cost reduction and reliability improvement in wind energy systems (CEBATE)” developed by UPV/EHU, Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña and Robotiker-Tecnalia Research Center.