Wind Speed Estimation Based Sensorless Output Maximization Control for a Wind Turbine Driving a DFIG

This paper proposes a wind speed estimation based sensorless maximum wind power tracking control for variable-speed wind turbine generators (WTGs). A specific design of the proposed control algorithm for a wind turbine equipped with a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) is presented. The aerodynamic characteristics of the wind turbine are approximated by a Gaussian radial basis function network based nonlinear input-output mapping. Based on this nonlinear mapping, the wind speed is estimated from the measured generator electrical output power while taking into account the power losses in the WTG and the dynamics of the WTG shaft system. The estimated wind speed is then used to determine the optimal DFIG rotor speed command for maximum wind power extraction. The DFIG speed controller is suitably designed to effectively damp the low-frequency torsional oscillations. The resulting WTG system delivers maximum electrical power to the grid with high efficiency and high reliability without mechanical anemometers. The validity of the proposed control algorithm is verified by simulation studies on a 3.6MW WTG system. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed wind speed estimation algorithm is demonstrated by experimental studies on a small emulational WTG system.