New strategy of pitch angle control for energy management of a wind farm

In this paper, we are interested in a Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) based on a Permanent Magnetic Synchronous Generator (PMSG). The studied WECS is made by the association of three aerogenerators. The objective of this work is to investigate a new strategy of pitch angle control to ensure a balance between the produced energy and the demanded one by the loads. The control strategy of the wind farm is composed of two parts: a local control according to the characteristics of each wind turbine « Pitch control » to protect the turbines against mechanical failure in the event of wind gust and a global control according to the total power demand and the available wind power. This strategy leads to achieving power objectives (active and reactive power targets) and system constraints.     

Analysis and synthesis of sliding mode control for large scale variable speed wind turbine for power optimization

The problem of designing a nonlinear feedback control scheme for variable speed wind turbines, without wind speed measurements, in below rated wind conditions was addressed. The objective is to operate the wind turbines in order to have maximum wind power extraction while also the mechanical loads are reduced. Two control strategies were proposed seeking a better performance. The first strategy uses a tracking controller that ensures the optimal angular velocity for the rotor. The second strategy uses a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm while a non-homogeneous quasi-continuous high-order sliding mode controller is applied to ensure the power tracking. Two algorithms were developed to solve the tracking control problem for the first strategy. The first one is a sliding mode output feedback torque controller combined with a wind speed estimator. The second algorithm is a quasi-continuous high-order sliding mode controller to ensure the speed tracking. The proposed controllers are compared with existing control strategies and their performance is validated using a FAST model based on the Controls Advanced Research Turbine (CART). The controllers show a good performance in terms of energy extraction and load reduction.     

Performance of a 3 kW wind turbine generator with variable pitch control system

A prototype 3 kW horizontal upwind type wind turbine generator of 4 m in diameter has been designed and examined under real wind conditions. The machine was designed based on the concept that even small wind turbines should have a variable pitch control system just as large wind turbines, especially in Japan where typhoons occur at least once a year. A characteristic of the machine is the use of a worm and gear system with a stepping motor installed in the center of the hub, and the rotational main shaft. The machine is constructed with no mechanical breaking system so as to avoid damage from strong winds. In a storm, the wind turbine is slowed down by adjusting the pitch angle and the maximum electrical load. Usually the machine is controlled at several stages depending on the rotational speed of the blades. Two control methods have been applied: the variable pitch angle, and regulation of the generator field current. The characteristics of the generator under each rotational speed and field current are first investigated in the laboratory. This paper describes the performances of the wind turbine in terms of the functions of wind turbine rotational speed, generated outputs, and its stability for wind speed changes. The expected performances of the machine have been confirmed under real wind conditions and compared with numerical simulation results. The wind turbine showed a power coefficient of 0.257 under the average wind speed of 7.3 m/s.     

Multivariable control strategy for variable speed, variable pitch wind turbines

Reliable and powerful control strategies are needed for wind energy conversion systems to achieve maximum performance. A new control strategy for a variable speed, variable pitch wind turbine is proposed in this paper for the above-rated power operating condition. This multivariable control strategy is realized by combining a nonlinear dynamic state feedback torque control strategy with a linear control strategy for blade pitch angle. A comparison with existing strategies, PID and LQG controllers, is performed. The proposed approach results in better power regulation. The new control strategy has been validated using an aeroelastic wind turbine simulator developed by NREL for a high turbulence wind condition.     

Autonomous BDFIG-wind generator with torque and pitch control for maximum efficiency in a water pumping system

This paper presents and analyzes the operation strategy for an autonomous wind energy conversion system oriented to water pumping. It consists of a wind turbine with a Brushless Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (BDFIG), electrically coupled with a squirrel cage induction machine moving a centrifugal type water pump. Because of no brushes and slip rings, the BDFIG is suitable for autonomous systems, which often work in hard conditions. Additionally, the power flow on the BDFIG principal stator could be driven from a fractional power converter connected on the auxiliary stator winding. This Turbine-BDFIG and Motor-Pump configuration provides a high robustness and reliability, reducing the operational and maintenance costs. The operation strategy proposes, for wind speeds smaller than the rated, to maximize the volume of water pumped based on the optimization of the wind energy capture. To do that, a sliding mode control tracks the optimal turbine torque by means of a torque control. Meanwhile, for wind speeds greater than the rated, a pitch control keeps the water pump within the safe operation area by adjusting the speed and power of the turbine in their rated values. To assess and corroborate the proposed strategy, simulations with different wind profiles are made.     

Design of a wind turbine pitch angle controller for power system stabilisation

The design of a PID pitch angle controller for a fixed speed active-stall wind turbine, using the root locus method is described in this paper. The purpose of this controller is to enable an active-stall wind turbine to perform power system stabilisation. For the purpose of controller design, the transfer function of the wind turbine is derived from the wind turbine's step response. The performance of this controller is tested by simulation, where the wind turbine model with its pitch angle controller is connected to a power system model. The power system model employed here is a realistic model of the North European power system. A short circuit fault on a busbar close to the wind turbine generator is simulated, and the dynamic responses of the system with and without the power system stabilisation of the wind turbines are presented. Simulations show that in most operating points the pitch controller can effectively contribute to power system stabilisation.     

An improved reduced-order model of an electric pitch drive system for wind turbine control system design and simulation

To obtain satisfactory dynamic characteristics and enhance numerical simulation efficiency, an improved reduced-order transfer-function model of an electric pitch drive system (EPDS) for a wind turbine is proposed. First, a detailed transfer-function model of an EPDS is developed on the basis of its mathematical model. Thereafter, the improved reduced-order transfer-function model for an EPDS is derived from the detailed model by transfer-function approximation, sensitivity analysis, and block diagram reduction. The frequency-domain characteristics of the proposed model and their effects on the stability of the pitch angle control system are also analyzed and compared with that of a first-order transfer-function model. Finally, the dynamic characteristics of an EDPS using the improved model are analyzed and verified by a practical EPDS test platform. Furthermore, based on the FAST–MATLAB/Simulink co-simulation tool, simulation comparisons are performed on the loading characteristics of a wind turbine to further validate its availability in it. Results show that the improved model is superior to the first-order model for the performance analysis of a wind turbine pitch angle controller, and it also can meet the requirements of large-scale loading simulations for wind turbines both in terms of the precision and the time efficiency.     

An integrated control method for a wind farm to reduce frequency deviations in a small power system

Output power of wind turbine generator (WTG) is not constant and fluctuates due to wind speed changes. To reduce the adverse effects of the power system introducing WTGs, there are several published reports on output power control of WTGs detailing various researches based on pitch angle control, variable speed wind turbines, energy storage systems, and so on. In this context, this paper presents an integrated control method for a WF to reduce frequency deviations in a small power system. In this study, the WF achieves the frequency control with two control schemes: load estimation and short-term ahead wind speed prediction. For load estimation in the small power system, a minimal-order observer is used as disturbance observer. The estimated load is utilized to determine the output power command of the WF. To regulate the output power command of the WF according to wind speed changing, short-term ahead wind speed is predicted by using least-squares method. The predicted wind speed adjusts the output power command of the WF as a multiplying factor with fuzzy reasoning. By means of the proposed method, the WF can operate according to the wind and load conditions. In the WF system, each output power of the WTGs is controlled by regulating each pitch angle. For increasing acquisition power of the WF, a dispatch control method also is proposed. In the pitch angle control system of each WTG, generalized predictive control (GPC) is applied to enhance the control performance. Effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the numerical simulations.     

Multivariable 2-sliding mode control for a wind energy system based on a double fed induction generator

The purpose of this paper is to present a control strategy using Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO) Second Order Sliding Modes (SOSM) for a grid-connected variable-speed Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). The latter is based on a Double Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) in a bidirectional configuration with slip power recovery. Its points of operation can be electronically controlled and, with them, two independent control objectives can be stated. Thus, a control is designed to maximize the energy captured from the wind and to regulate the stator reactive power, contributing to the compensation of the power factor according to grid requirements.     

基于模糊控制的风电机组独立变桨距控制

在额定风速以上时,通常采用变桨距控制技术调节大型风电机组来稳定其输出功率.由于风力发电系统的数学模型具有高度非线性、多变量、强耦合的特点,风速又具有多变性,因此文章在分析传统的PID变桨距控制技术优缺点的基础上,提出了基于三维模糊自适应PID控制的独立变桨距控制技术,并且引入风速的模糊前馈控制技术.对1 MW风电机组进行仿真,结果表明,在额定风速以上时,该方法不仅能稳定风电机组的输出功率,而且可以减小桨叶的拍打振动.     

Transient analysis of variable-speed wind turbines at wind speed disturbances and a pitch control malfunction

As wind power generation undergoes rapid growth, new technical challenges emerge: dynamic stability and power quality. The influence of wind speed disturbances and a pitch control malfunction on the quality of the energy injected into the electric grid is studied for variable-speed wind turbines with different power-electronic converter topologies. Additionally, a new control strategy is proposed for the variable-speed operation of wind turbines with permanent magnet synchronous generators. The performance of disturbance attenuation and system robustness is ascertained. Simulation results are presented and conclusions are duly drawn.     

Power regulation in pitch-controlled variable-speed WECS above rated wind speed

In medium to large scale wind energy conversion systems (WECS), the control of the pitch angle of the blades is an usual method for power regulation above rated wind speed. However, limitations of the pitch actuator have a marked influence on the regulation performance. In variable-speed mode, the control of the generator torque is able to reduce the effects of the pitch actuator limitations. Nevertheless, in this case the system is multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and then the control design results more complex. In this situation advance control techniques, such as optimal control, are an interesting option for a systematic controller design. This work analyzes variable-pitch power regulation above rated wind speed in the context of optimal control. The analysis is approached from a new point of view in order to establish a clear connection between the choice of the optimization criteria and the compromise between power regulation and pitch actuator limitations.     

Maximization of generated power from wind energy conversion system using a new evolutionary algorithm

In this paper, a grid-connected Doubly Fed Induction Generator controlled by a Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) is used to maximize the Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) output power. A SMC is implemented using a PID controller that is tuned using a new algorithm based on hybrid Differential Evolution with a Linearized Biogeography-Based Optimization (LBBO-DE). Biogeography-Based Optimization (BBO) is an evolutionary optimization algorithm based on a mathematical model of organism distribution. BBO permits a recombination of the solutions features by migration. A new migration model based on the sigmoid function is proposed. An analysis of the LBBO-DE is conducted using six different models, including the sigmoid model. Their performance were tested with 23 benchmark functions. The comparison reveals that the sigmoid model has the best performance. Therefore, the LBBO-DE with a sigmoid model is used to optimize the controller parameters to maximize the WECS output power. The LBBO-DE with the sigmoid model is compared with the Tyreus-Luyben tuning method, Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Linearized BBO (LBBO). The results showed that the LBBO-DE has the best performance. The proposed algorithm is verified using an experimental setup for the maximization of the generated power from the WECS and reducing power loss.     

Blade pitch control malfunction simulation in a wind energy conversion system with MPC five-level converter

This paper is on a wind energy conversion system simulation of a transient analysis due to a blade pitch control malfunction. The aim of the transient analysis is the study of the behavior of a back-to-back multiple point clamped five-level full-power converter implemented in a wind energy conversion system equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous generator. An alternate current link connects the system to the grid. The drive train is modeled by a three-mass model in order to simulate the dynamic effect of the wind on the tower. The control strategy is based on fractional-order control. Unbalance voltages in the DC-link capacitors are lessen due to the control strategy, balancing the capacitor banks voltages by a selection of the output voltage vectors. Simulation studies are carried out to evaluate not only the system behavior, but also the quality of the energy injected into the electric grid.     

Wind turbine aerodynamics and loads control in wind shear flow

Wind turbine is subjected to some asymmetrical effects like wind shear, which will lead to unsteady blade airloads and performance. Fatigue loads can lead to damage of turbine components and eventually to failures. It is evident that the variation of the velocity over the rotor disc has an influence on the blade and introduces both flap-wise and edge-wise fatigue damage on the blade as a result of moment fluctuations in the two directions. The flap-wise moments on the blade are the origin of the rotor yaw and tilt moments which transmit to the turbine structure through the drive train to the yaw system and the tower. A lifting surface method with time marching free wake model is used to investigate the periodic unsteady nature in the wind shear. Individual pitch control (IPC) that is applied nowadays is the most advanced active control to reduce the fatigue. The blade airloads and performance of the turbine are also predicted under IPC control. It is found that IPC of the fluctuating blade root flap-wise moment can reduce the flap-wise fatigue damage remarkably while the blade root edge-wise moments are less sensitive to the varying blade pitch than the blade root flap-wise moments.     

Assessment of wind characteristics and wind turbine characteristics in Taiwan

Wind characteristics and wind turbine characteristics in Taiwan have been thoughtfully analyzed based on a long-term measured data source (1961–1999) of hourly mean wind speed at 25 meteorological stations across Taiwan. A two-stage procedure for estimating wind resource is proposed. The yearly wind speed distribution and wind power density for the entire Taiwan is firstly evaluated to provide annually spatial mean information of wind energy potential. A mathematical formulation using a two-parameter Weibull wind speed distribution is further established to estimate the wind energy generated by an ideal turbine and the monthly actual wind energy generated by a wind turbine operated at cubic relation of power between cut-in and rated wind speed and constant power between rated and cut-out wind speed. Three types of wind turbine characteristics (the availability factor, the capacity factor and the wind turbine efficiency) are emphasized. The monthly wind characteristics and monthly wind turbine characteristics for four meteorological stations with high winds are investigated and compared with each other as well. The results show the general availability of wind energy potential across Taiwan.     

Coordinated control of a hybrid type 3 wind turbine and hydrogen energy storage model to provide efficient frequency control

The growing share of generation from wind farms is becoming one of the challenges in maintaining the sustainability of electric power systems. System operators approve requirements for the participation of such plants in frequency and power regulation, but they do not contain requirements for specific technologies in the control of wind turbines. There are several methods of frequency and power control, which are implemented by additional control systems, the implementation of underload mode, extraction of hidden inertia, the use of energy storage devices, etc. Each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages. In this paper we consider the combined coordinated control of type 3 wind turbines using kinetic energy and energy from hydrogen storage to provide the best frequency response in order to minimize the negative factors. A digital-analog-physical model of type 3 wind turbine is used as a model, which allows to reproduce the whole range of transients most accurately and avoid the limitations of strictly numerical simulation.     

A novel control strategy approach to optimally design a wind farm layout

Recently wind energy has become one of the most important alternative energy sources and is growing at a rapid rate because of its renewability and abundancy. For the clustered wind turbines in a wind farm, significant wind power losses have been observed due to wake interactions of the air flow induced by the upstream turbines to the downstream turbines. One approach to reduce power losses caused by the wake interactions is through the optimization of wind farm layout, which determine the wind turbine positions and control strategy, which determine the wind turbine operations. In this paper, a new approach named simultaneous layout plus control optimization is developed. The effectiveness is studied by comparison to two other approaches (layout optimization and control optimization). The results of different optimizations, using both grid based and unrestricted coordinate wind farm design methods, are compared for both ideal and realistic wind conditions. Even though the simultaneous layout plus control optimization is theoretically superior to the others, it is prone to the local minima. Through the parametric study of crossover and mutation probabilities of the optimization algorithm, the results of the approach are generally satisfactory. For both simple and realistic wind conditions, the wind farm with the optimized control strategy yield 1–3 kW more power per turbine than that with the self-optimum control strategy, and the unrestricted coordinate method yield 1–2 kW more power per turbine than the grid based method.     

On-line designed hybrid controller with adaptive observer for variable-speed wind generation system

This paper presents a wind-driven induction generator system with a hybrid controller, which combines the advantages of the integral–proportional and the sliding mode controllers. The proposed controller is designed to adjust the turbine speed to extract maximum power from the wind. The integral–proportional speed controller can be designed on-line according to the estimated rotor parameters, and the observed disturbance torque is feed-forward to increase the robustness of the system. The designed integral switching surface with integral–proportional due to on-line tuning produced a new sliding surface to implement the control, and can ensure the robustness under noisy environment. The rotor inertia constant, friction constant, and the disturbed mechanical torque of the induction generator are estimated by a proposed adaptive observer, which is composed of the recursive least square algorithm and a torque observer.