A Simple Flexible and Robust Control Strategy for Wind Energy Conversion Systems Connected to a Utility Grid

Abstract

This paper presents a simple and robust control strategy for a variable speed wind turbine conversion system using a squirrel-cage induction generator and a three-phase voltage source (AC/DC/AC) Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) converter connected to the utility grid through an LCL filter. The control strategy integrates for the generator side an adaptive radial basis function (RBF) neurosliding mode controller associated with the rotor flux oriented vector control which is used to regulate the turbine rotation speed, rotor flux, and the DC bus voltage. For the grid side, the inverter current and voltage regulation as well as the current injected into the grid are regulated by PI controllers for two modes of operation, namely, the stand-alone mode and grid connected mode. The main contribution of this article is the introduction of a new and simple control algorithm allowing automatic mode switching method based on wind speed. The proposed scheme is very efficient and can be easily implemented in practice. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm.