A Multiple Model Predictive Control for Maximum Energy Extraction from Variable Speed Wind Power Systems

Due to concerns about the environment pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and its continually diminishing reserves, the use of wind power for generating electricity has been increasing over last few decades. Nowadays, controller design for a variable speed wind turbine is one of the most challenges for engineers. In this paper, a control strategy based on multiple model predictive control techniques for the control of variable speed wind turbines in the below rated wind speed regime is proposed. In this region control objectives are mainly to maximize energy capture, and to reduce dynamic loads. This has the effect of increasing the efficiency and the lifetime of the wind energy conversion system (WECS). Furthermore, in this control structure the constraints on the system variables in the controller design are considered and a multiple model structure to deal with the nonlinearities in the system is used. A 2MW wind turbine is considered to show the good performances brought by the proposed approach by presenting and discussing the simulation results.