Observer-based scheme for tuning the control of variable speed wind turbines operating in hostile environments

Abstract

The rapid growth rate of wind energy coupled with the increasing sizes of individual wind turbines strengthens the need for optimised wind energy capture. This study utilises the unknown input observer to track the variation of the maximal value of wind turbines’ power coefficient to tune the control law. The proposed observer identifies variations in the power coefficient surface over time due to the effect of the environment on the rotor blades. Simulations for both open- and closed-loop operations are shown. The proposed technique shows the potential to alleviate the performance degradation during the lifetime of wind turbines operating in hostile environments.