Combining Model-Based and Extremum Seeking Control for Fast Tracking the Maximum Power Point of Lundell Alternator

Avoiding constructive changes in the Lundell alternator to avert manufacturing drawbacks and space limitations, the short-term alternative to increase power generation capabilities is to provide new degrees-of-freedom to the machine control system and take advantage of them. In order to achieve this, replacing only the passive rectifier with a semi-controlled switched-mode rectifier, a novel maximum power point tracking control strategy for a Lundell alternator is proposed. Using a detailed simulation model to act as the real alternator, it is shown that a model-based approach to maximum power point tracking is fast but may be inaccurate due to control project simplifications. It is then proposed a combination of the model-based tracking strategy with the Extremum Seeking Control real-time optimization technique - which by itself is accurate but slow - and both accurate and fast maximum power point tracking capabilities are observed, while still maintaining a simple control project. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the control strategy feasibility and how it compares to the other studies in the subject with regard of power generated and convergence time.