Low-cost Maximum Power Point Tracking structure of a grid connected wind conversion chain based on a PMSG

This paper provides a complet structure of Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) consisting of a variable speed wind turbine, a drive train, a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator PMSG, electronic power converters connected to the grid. To achieve the maximum of generated power the MPPT principle is essential, it is based on the Perturb & Observe (P&O) algorithm. To reduce cost of the structure by avoiding speed sensors, the adopted MPPT strategy is based on sensorless wind speed, air density and turbine parameters, and generates the output used to control the buck. Then a regulation is realised for the grid side in order to control the inverter and a PLL is used to synchronize the frequency of the inverter voltages with that of the grid voltages. At first, we show the complete chain and detail its components. Then we describe the speed estimator used and the chosen method to design a sensorless MPPT. Simulation results can be found at the end of this paper, confirming the performance of the proposed approach.