Control and performance of a doubly-fed induction machine intended for a flywheel energy storage system

A large-capacity low-speed flywheel energy storage system based on a doubly-fed induction machine basically consists of a wound-rotor induction machine, and a cycloconverter or a voltage-source pulse width modulation (PWM) rectifier-inverter which is used as an AC exciter. Adjusting the rotor speed makes the machine either release the kinetic energy to the power system or absorb it from the utility grid. Thus, the machine has the capability of achieving not only reactive-power control, but also active-power control based on the flywheel effect of the rotating parts. This paper proposes a new control strategy for a doubly-fed induction machine intended as a flywheel energy storage system, which is characterized by the combination of vector control and decoupling control. The control strategy enables the induction machine to perform active-power control independent of reactive-power control even in transient states. The validity of the theory developed in this paper, along with the effectiveness and viability of the control strategy, is confirmed by computer simulation. In addition, this paper discusses a transient behavior of a magnetizing current in the induction machine.