Advanced Control of Variable Speed Wind Energy

Conversion System with DFIG

Djilali Kairous

Ren Wamkeue, Member, IEEE

Bachir Belmadani

Dept. of Electrical Engineering

Chlef University UHBCChlef, 02002, Algeria
djilali.kairous@uqat.ca

Dept. of Applied Sciences

Universit du Qubec en AbitibiTmiscamingue-UQAT- QC, Canada
rene.wamkeue@uqat.ca

Dept. of Electrical Engineering

Chlef University UHBCChlef, 02002, Algeria
belmadani_dz@yahoo.fr

AbstractAs a result of the increasing wind power penetration

on modern power systems, the wind farms are today required to
participate actively in grid operation by an appropriate
generation control. This paper presents a comparative study of
two control strategies for doubly fed induction generator based
wind energy conversion system (DFIG-based WECS). The study
focuses on the regulation of the DFIG active and reactive powers
using the so-called sliding mode control and classical PI
controllers. Control strategies are developed in the dq coordinates.
The robustness and reliability of implemented controllers are
tested with large grid disturbances due to an overvoltage and
voltage sags. The DFIG control strategies are evaluated through
simulations using MATLAB/SIMULINK software.
Keywords-; Doubly Fed Induction Generator; Sliding Mode
Control; Variable Speed Wind Energy System

I.

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, the most widely used wind turbine in wind

farms is based on doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) due
to noticeable advantages: the variable speed generation, the
decoupled control of active and reactive powers, the reduction
of mechanical stresses and acoustic noise, and the
improvement of the power quality [1].
Different DFIG vector control schemes have been
proposed in literature developed. In [2] and [3] authors have
developed stator flux control of the DFIG using conventional
PI regulators, while in [4] and [5] direct power control of the
DFIG is outlined. Recently, L.M. Fernandez and all [6]
present a comparative performance study of three control
strategies for the active and reactive powers regulation.
However, the DFIG has to endure two types of
interference during system operation: (a) external interference,
which refers to load torque oscillations on the driving chain
due to random variation of the wind speed and direction; (b)
internal interference, which refers to the mismatch of
controllers and machine parameters caused by changes in the
generator temperature, magnetic saturation level and skin
effects [7]. These two kinds of interference affect the working
efficiency, dynamic performance, and robustness of the wind
power generation system. In such circumstances, conventional
controllers based on PI-regulators cannot follow the changes
in system parameters and are thus useless.

An efficient and more suitable control approach based on

sliding-mode control (SMC) is proposed in this paper for
power generation control. The SMC is a kind of nonlinear
control method based on a state space model of a DFIG.
Control characteristics of the SMC could force the controlled
variables to move along the scheduled track [8]. Compared to
PI control, the proposed approach offers a faster response and
characteristics insensitive to parameter variation and
interference [9].
II.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM

The basic configuration of the whole system is presented

in Fig.1. The rotor of the DFIG is connected to the grid
through two back-to-back bridge converters. The PWM grid
side converter (GSC) is used to control the DC-link voltage
and keep it constant regardless of the magnitude and direction
of the rotor power. The PWM rotor side converter (RSC) is
used to generate the optimal active power depending on the
wind speed and turbine characteristics. This converter will be
disconnected to the DFIG at transient state when the rotor
current reaches high value then the nominal value. In this case
the rotor will be short circuited at the additional resistance
called Crowbar
The magnetic saturation is not taken into account in this
study. The rotor side converter model reproduces the reference
voltages generated by the control scheme.
The DFIG model is associated with a turbine emulator which
is controlled with MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking)
strategy and pitch angel control [10].
Electrical equations of the wound rotor induction machine
in the (d-q) reference frame are presented in [2], [3], [11]
Grid
Gear

Crowba

DFIG

RSC

GSC

AC

DC

DC

AC

Control

Figure1. Schematic representation of DFIG-based wind turbine

III.

DISIN OF SLIDING MODE CONTROL (SMC)

The basic idea behind the SMC theory is the specification

of sliding surface. It is chosen in a way that the control feature
in to maintain a system within the surface and hence, assuming
desired system behavior. Unlike state feedback, where the
control doesn't change during system operation, variable
structure control can switch at any time from one structure to
another. The problem of this control is to determinate the
parameters of each structure and the commutation functions.
Switching from one structure to another permits to have the
benefits of each structure. The system can then have interesting
properties as becoming stable while it is elaborated with
unstable structures.
In general, four basic steps are required when designing the
SMC: (a) the selection of a sliding surface; (b) the design of a
test to verify the sliding mode existence; (c) the stability
analysis within the surface; (d) the determination of the control
input U n with the objective that every state which is outside the
commutation surface should be joined in a finite time. Thus,
the system will take the dynamics of the selected surface, and
moves to the equilibrium point.
In an aim to decouple the active and reactive power, the
stator flux vector will be aligned with the d-axis. So, by
neglecting the stator resistance and assuming that the stator
flux is maintained constant, the DFIG model must be written
under state form as:
.
X = f (x , t ) + g ( x , t ) U

(1)

The desired control vectors force the trajectory of the

system to converge towards the surface defined by:
dq ( x) = 0

(2)

So we define the sliding surface in the Park reference as

follows:

( x ) = ( I dqr _ ref I dqr _ mes )

dq

(3)

x = ( f ( x, t ) + g ( x, t ) U ) (5)
dq ( x, t ) =

eq
x t x
From (4), Ueq can be written as:
T

g ( x, t )

x x

U eq = f ( x , t )

measured rotor current vectors respectively. The choice of

parameter guarantees the stability of the system in a given
time. In order to guarantee the attraction of the system
throughout the surface the following condition must be
fulfilled:
(4)

The equivalent command (in the equation (1)

corresponding to the ideal sliding regime is obtained by
*
imposing dq ( x, t ) = 0

(6)

expressed by:

U eq

Vqs
Rr b Lr I dr +
Ls s

+ Rr c + r Lr I qr +
Vds

ds

Ls s

=
(7)

Vds
Rr b Lr I qr +

s s

+ Rr c + r Lr I dr +
Vqs

qs
Ls s

Subscripts d and q refer to the d- and q-axes respectively

and subscripts s and r to the stator and rotor of the DFIG
respectively; s and r (in rad/s) are the stator and rotor
,
variable pulsations respectively; Vdq , I dq and dq are voltage
current and flux vectors respectively in the d-q reference
frame; R s and R r are stator and rotor resistances; L s and

L r are the stator and the rotor leakage inductance and M is

the magnetizing inductance. The constants defined as:
qmes

I q*
+
Ls

P ref

DFIG

K Sign( )

M Vs

Vqr

U eqq
SMC

Q ref +

Ls

Vs

With ( x , t ) = 0 , the equivalent control vector U eq can

Where I dqr _ ref and I dqr _ mes are the reference and the

dq dq < 0

U eqd

M Vs I * d
I

RSC

K Sign( )

Vdr
+
DC bus

dmes

Figure 2. Global diagram of simulation and control of DFIG the by SMC

 = (1

Ls Lr

) ,a =

,b=
s

, c=
r

L L

(8)

This fault will be more dangerous in the instances of high

generator speed.

s r

In order to obtain good dynamic performances and

commutation around the surface, the control vector is
modified as shown below:

U = U eq + U n

(9)

U n is the Signum function defined by:

U n = K sign(

Figure.3. Wind speed

dq

(10)

U eq is valid only in the sliding surface and U n ensures the

sliding modes existence. The DFIG global sliding-mode

control are illustrated in detail in Fig.2
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
To demonstrate the pertinence of the proposed DFIG
sliding-control approach, simulations have been performed
using MATLAB/ SIMULINK software on a 20 kW, 380-V,
50-Hz wound-induction machine with the following
parameters:
M = 0.034 H , Rs = 0.0455 Rr = 0.19 , Ls = 0.07 H ,
Lr = 0.0213H , Ff = 0.0024 , Js = 0.53 kg.m

Figure.4. Generator speed

Two simulation contingencies are considered: first

dynamic behaviour of the system with variation of the wind
speed and secondly, transient states at of symmetric dip
voltage and overvoltage in the grid. It assumed that the voltage
sag reduce the voltage at 10% of their nominal value during
300ms. The three-phase fault occurs between t =2.8s t=3.1s
and t=9s -9.3s (in both regions low and high speed
respectively). It assumed, also, the Overvoltage increase the
voltage at 125% of the nominal value, between t = 15s and t =
15.3 s.
The reactive power reference is fixed at 0VAR. The results
(Fig3-Fig10) show the behaviour of the DFIG-based WECS
with SMC and PI regulators. Fig.3 shows the variation of the
speed between high and low value, 8.7 and 13.5m/s witch
enhance the generator speed at 1150 and 1850tr/mn
respectively (Fig4).The the pitch angel have a dynamic depend
to the power variation (Fig.5).Stator and rotor currents (Fig.6
and Fig7 respectively) chow, clearly, the different reaction at
transient stats by the SMC and PI regulator.
As chow Fig8 and Fig.9 The torque and the active power
have constant value for the sufficient wind speed, this values
depend to the variation of the wind in low speed regions.. At
transient state the active power and the torque reach high
instantaneous values. These values became much higher at
high speed values then low speed as chows the figures. The
reactive power dynamic is presented in Fig10. The peaks
reach very high values with PI regulators then SMC. This
transient stat can disturb system and result disturbances in the
grid also, especially for the high penetration wind turbine.

Figure.5. Pitch Angle

Figure.6a. Phase stator current with PI regulator

Figure.6b. Phase stator current with SMC

CONCLUSION

Figure.7a. Phase rotor current with PI regulator

Figure.7b. Phase rotor current with SMC

The present paper presents a comparative study on the

performance of two control strategies; PI and SMC for DFIG
wind turbines when they operate with power regulation. Both
controls achieved by an appropriate control of the direct and
quadrature components of the rotor voltage, performed
through the rotor side power converter, in collaboration with
the blade pitch angle control. The performances of proposed
approach have been assessed through simulations in the cases
of overvoltage and voltage sag. As results proved, the SMC
gives a good powerful tool to enhance wind turbine
performances and it gives promising results in decoupled
power generation, and hence, improves the system stability of
the grid-connected DFIG system. It is observed that this
tuning is helpful in not only improving the damping of the
oscillatory modes but also in enhancing the fault ride-through
capability of the DFIG system.
With the increasing penetration of DFIG-based wind farms
into the grid, it is important to study the implications of large
scale DFIG systems on grid stability. Nevertheless, this paper
does provide a good initial study of the DFIG system with
controller. Computations with multi machine DFIG system
will be required to confirm the obtained results and determine
if its possible to quantify the impact of DFIGs on power
system stability.
REFERENCES
[1]

Figure.8. Electromagnetic torque

Figure.9. Active power

Figure 10 Reactive power

S. Muller, M. Deicke, RW. De Doncker, Doubly fed induction

generator systems for wind turbines, IEEE Ind. Appl. Mag. 2002. vol.8,
pp 2633.
[2] R. Pena, R.C. Clark, G.M. Asher, Doubly fed induction generator using
back-to-back PWM converters and its application to variable-speed
wind-energy generation, IEE Proc-Elect. Power Appl, vol.143,
N5.1996. pp. 380-387
[3] L. Mihet-popa, I. Boldea, Control strategies for large wind turbine
application, Journal of Electrical Engineering, vol. 7, Edition 3rd, ISSN
1582-4594. 2006
[4] Lie Xu P. Cartwright, Direct active and reactive power control of DFIG
for wind energy generation, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.
vol. 21, N 3, Sep. 2006. pp. 750758.
[5] D. Zhi and L. Xu, Direct power control of DFIG with constant
switching frequency and improved transient performance, IEEE Trans.
Energy Conversion, vol.22, N. 1, March 2007, pp. 110-118.
[6] L.M. Fernandez, C.A. Garcia, F. Jurado, Comparative study on the
performance of control systems for doubly fed induction generator
(DFIG) wind turbines operating with power regulation, Elsevier.
Energy 33.(2008) , pp1438 1452
[7] X. Xiaozeng, L. Yezeng, and Q. Yin, Effect of parameters variety on
vector-controlled induction motor, J. Huazhong Univ. Of Sci. & Tech.
(Nature Science Edition) , vol.30, N. 7,2003 pp. 43-45.
[8] V. Utkin, Variable structure systems with sliding mode, IEEE.Trans.
Automatic Control, 22(2). 1997. pp.212-222
[9] V.I. Utkin, Sliding mode control design principles and applications to
electrical drives, IEEE Trans. On industrial Electronics, vol.40, N 1,
Feb. 1993, pp. 41-49.
[10] E. Muljadi and C.P. Butterfield, Pitch-controlled variable-speed wind
turbine generation IEEE. Trans. Ind. Applicat. vol37, 2001, pp240-246.
[11] P.C. Krause, Analysis of Electrical Machinery, New york, McGraw-Hill.
1994
[12] K.Y. Chang, W.J. Wang, Robust covariance control for perturbed
stochastic multivariable system via variable structure control", Elsevier,
Systems & Control Letters 37, 1999, pp.323-328