Using a Wind Generator Magnet in Wind Turbines and Generators

A wind generator magnet, or induction magnet, is one of the key elements in converting motion from the blades of wind turbines into electricity. These powerful magnets are used to generate electricity in many wind farms around the world and are an integral part of green energy generation.

Using Magnetics in Wind Turbines and Generators

A lot of wind technology depends on powerful permanent magnets made from rare earth minerals. This is because permanent magnets retain their magnetism through their internal atomic structure rather than relying on an external source, as electromagnets do. This means that they can be produced in a much smaller and more efficient form, making them ideal for powering wind-turbine designs.

The most common type of permanent magnet used for wind-turbine design is neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets. The magnets are placed in a rotor assembly and then rotated relative to an assembly of coiled wire, which induces electricity.

Neodymium magnets are among the most powerful commercially available. They can generate electricity more efficiently than other types of magnets and are more durable, too.

NdFeB is the most commonly used type of magnetic material for wind-turbine design, but a number of other magnet types can also be employed to achieve desired performance in this application. Some types of magnets have more longevity than others, and are better suited to the high temperatures associated with powering wind-turbine generators.

Another type of magnet is samarium cobalt (SmCo). Samarium Cobalt is an oxide-based magnetic material that is not as strong as NdFeB but has a wider temperature range and is less susceptible to corrosion.

Several other types of magnets are used in wind-turbine design, including niobium-nitride (NbN) and samarium-cobalt-boron (ScB). These are relatively new technologies that have been designed specifically for wind-turbine applications.

These new wind-turbine magnets are designed to increase the output of a neodymium-based synchronous generator for generating electricity from wind. These neodymium-based PMs use an improved shape and a wind-turbine-specific electromagnetic design to increase the deliverable electric power by 30%.

Reducing the Need for Critical Raw Materials

Across the globe, there is an increasing demand for renewable energy. This is driven by a growing desire to reduce our carbon footprint, and by the escalating interest in wind and other green technologies. Unfortunately, the critical minerals that power these technologies--REEs and rare earth minerals--are often mined in China, which accounts for more than 85% of global REE production.

This situation has created challenges for the global supply chain of REEs and other minerals that are essential to renewables like wind and other green technologies. This is especially true for REEs and their derivatives, such as neodymium, which are crucial to many green technologies.

For these reasons, there is a need to develop more effective strategies to address this growing need for these critical minerals and other minerals needed to make wind and other green technologies work. Solutions to this need will accelerate the adoption of green technologies and help us move towards a sustainable future.