Simulation and Experiment of a Fuzzy Logic Based MPPT Controller for a Small Wind Turbine System

Diana Petrila, Nicolae Muntean

Politehnica University of Timisoara, Bd. Vasile Parvan, no. 2, 300223, Timisoara, Romania
Abstract. This paper describes the development of a fuzzy logic based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) strategy for a variable speed wind turbine system (VSWT). For this scope, a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) was described, simulated and tested on a real time hardware in the loop wind turbine emulator. Simulation and experimental results show that the controller is able to track the maximum power point for various wind conditions and validate the proposed control strategy. Keywords: Small wind turbine system, maximum power point tracking, hardware in the loop wind turbine emulator, fuzzy logic controller.

INTRODUCTION
Variable speed fixed-pitch wind turbine systems become very popular because generally, they are more efficient in small-scale applications, compared to constant speed, and less expensive than variable-pitch wind turbine systems. Usually, the main characteristics of the variable speed fixed-pitch wind turbine systems are: direct coupling with the electric generator and the possibility to use a maximum power point tracking strategy for optimum system operation, without an anemometer or other transducers [1] [3]. In this paper the structure of the studied wind turbine system, the designed control strategy, and finally digital simulation results are presented. The theoretical aspects are validated with real time experimental results obtained with the proposed controller [4].

SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The analyzed system (Fig. 1) consists of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) driven by fixed pitch wind turbine, a diode bridge rectifier (DB), a hybrid DC-DC converter (HDC) - the element that regulates the turbine speed through the controlled PMSG current, and the load. To test the designed FLC MPPT strategy, a hardware emulator was needed, which contains: a dSPACE control board, a voltage source inverter with direct torque control (DTC), a three phase induction machine with a gearbox (GB) the wind turbine equivalent, and a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG). The hybrid DC-DC converter (HDC) and the resistive load is added for the scope (Fig. 2) [5].

FIGURE 1. Wind turbine control system structure.

FIGURE 2. Hardware in the loop wind turbine emulator configuration.

The wind turbine output torque Twt and power Pwt varies with the wind speed:

Twt
where the tip-speed ratio is defined as:

1 CT ( ) v 2 AR 2

(1)

R v

(2)

and A: blade swept area [m2]; : specific density of air [kg/m3]; v: wind speed [m/s]; R: radius of the turbine blade [m]; : rotating speed [rad/s]; CT: wind turbine torque coefficient; expression (3) was obtained from the wind turbine test.

C T C T 0 a b 2 .5
where a, b, CT0 are the constants for the nominal tip-speed ratio 0. The dynamic equation of motion is:

(3)

Twt Tg J

d dt

(4)

where Twt: wind turbine torque [Nm]; Tg: PMSG torque [ Nm]; J: inertia of the wind turbine system (which is equal with the wind turbine inertia -Jwt, plus the PMSG inertia -Jg). The PMSG model includes also the rectifier model:
2 p p PM ( L s I fp ) 2 [ RI fp k v (V dc 2V don )] 0

(5)

where pp: pole pairs; PM: PM flux [Wb]; Rs: stator resistance []; Ls: stator inductance [H];Vdon: diode voltage drop [V]; Cf: filter capacitance [F]; kv=3/. A hybrid DC-DC converter is used to control the power delivered to the load [6]. The HDC input-to-output voltage ratio is:

Vout

D Vrect 2D

(6)

where Vout: output voltage [V]; Vrect: input (rectified PMSG) voltage [V]; D: duty cycle. To extract the maximum available power from the wind it must be obtained the optimum rotating speed of the wind turbine and the generator torque must be changed. HDC works as a current controller, i.e. the converter controls the PMSG output current through the DB, in order to change the PMSG torque Tg. In the steady state, if the operating point is on the left side of the maximum power point on the power versus rotating speed curve, to attain the optimum power operating point, the MPPT FLC has to decrease the reference

current and, as a result, the rotating speed increases. In this way the operating point will move to the right to a higher power point. In the other case, when the operating point is on the right side of the maximum power point, the reference current needs to be increased. In this way the speed will decrease and the operating point will move to the left, to a higher power point. For low power VSWT, working almost continuously in transient regimes, the energy stored by the rotor inertia is considerable and the controller must be able to account for it The input variables of the proposed MPPT FLC are: change in mechanical power (Pm), change in rotating speed () and the sign of Pm/. The output variable is the change in HDC reference current (I*). The considered mechanical power (Pm) it is composed by:

Pm Pg J

d dt

(7)

where Pg: PMSG mechanical (input) power [W]. These input and output variables are normalized in the range of [-1 1], according to the system behavior in order that the FLC block to be universal for other wind turbine systems. The FLC algorithm is characterized by if then rules. The fuzzy basic rules, which associates the fuzzy output to the fuzzy input, is derived from the desired system behavior and the designed control strategy. The rules are designed so that the controller always seeks a maximum power point, without stopping. More details regarding the controller parameters setting were presented in [4].

SIMULATION AND EXPERIMETAL RESULTS

A digital simulation of the wind turbine system, including the wind turbine mathematical model and electrical generator mathematical model, was implemented in Matlab/Simulink. The HDC was implemented as an ideal, fast current source (the measured current will always be equal with the reference current). Figure 3 shows the step response of the MPPT FLC for a wind speed step variation from 7 to 5 [m/s]. Figure 4 shows the power versus rotating speed characteristic for a wind speed step of 7-5-7 [m/s]. This figure also illustrates the proposed algorithm and that the maximum power point (MPP) is reached for every wind speed. Good similarities can be observed between simulation and experimental results, which validates the designed MPPT FLC.

v [m/s]

10 5 0 0 100 200 300 t [s] a. 400 500 600

10
I* [A]

5 0 0 100 200 300 t [s] b. 400 500 600

w [rad/s]

10 5 0 0 100 200 300 t [s] c. 400 500 600

Pg [W]

2000 1000 0 0 100 200 300 t [s] d. 400 500 600

Experimental results Simulation results

FIGURE 3. Simulation results compared with experimental results for a wind speed step between 7-5 [m/s]: a) Wind speed; b) Reference current; c) Rotating speed; d) PMSG mechanical power.

2000 Pg experiment 1800 1600 1400 1200

P [W]
(2) (3) (3) MPP v= 7 [m/s] (2)

Pg simulation Pm

(1) (5) (2)

1000 800 600 400

MPP (1) (1)

(4) v= 5 [m/s] (4) (3)

200 0

5 w [rad/s]

10

FIGURE 4. Mechanical power (Pm), simulation and experimental PMSG mechanical power versus rotating speed obtained for a wind speed step of 7-5-7 [m/s].

CONCLUSION
The paper presents a fuzzy logic MPPT control strategy implemented in a small-scale variable speed wind turbine system. The proposed strategy is validated by simulation and experimental results on real time hardware in the loop wind turbine emulator.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported by the strategic grant POSDRU/88/1.5/S/50783 (2009) of the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection, Romania co-financed by the European Social Fund - Investing in people.

REFERENCES
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