Variable Speed Control of Wind Turbines: A Robust Backstepping Approach

Variable speed wind turbines maximize the energy capture by operating the turbine at the peak of the power coefficient, however parametric uncertainties and disturbances may limit the efficiency of a variable speed turbine. In this study, we present a robust backstepping approach for the variable speed control of wind turbines. Specifically, to overcome the undesirable effects of parametric uncertainties and disturbance effects a nonlinear robust controller have been proposed. The proposed method achieves globally uniformly ultimately bounded rotor speed tracking, despite the parametric uncertainty on both mechanical and electrical subsystems. Extensive simulation studies are presented to illustrate the feasibility and efficiency of the method proposed