An Improved Adaptive-Torque-Gain MPPT Control for Direct-Driven PMSG Wind Turbines Considering Wind Farm Turbulences

• Published in: Energies (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 11; p. 977
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xiaolian, Huang, Can, Hao, Sipeng, Chen, Fan, Zhai, Jingjing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.11.2016
• Subjects: adaptive torque gain control; Alternative energy sources; Computer engineering; Electric power; Electricity distribution; Feedback; Gain; Maximum power; maximum power point tracking (MPPT); Torque; Tracking; Turbines; Turbulence; turbulence intensity; wind energy conversion system (WECS); Wind farms; Wind power; Wind speed; wind turbine; Wind turbines
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en9110977

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) plays an important role in increasing the efficiency of a wind energy conversion system (WECS). In this paper, three conventional MPPT methods are reviewed: power signal feedback (PSF) control, decreased torque gain (DTG) control, and adaptive torque gain (ATG) control, and their potential challenges are investigated. It is found out that the conventional MPPT method ignores the effect of wind turbine inertia and wind speed fluctuations, which lowers WECS efficiency. Accordingly, an improved adaptive torque gain (IATG) method is proposed, which customizes adaptive torque gains and enhances MPPT performances. Specifically, the IATG control considers wind farm turbulences and works out the relationship between the optimal torque gains and the wind speed characteristics, which has not been reported in the literature. The IATG control is promising, especially under the ongoing trend of building wind farms with large-scale wind turbines and at low and medium wind speed sites.