Wind Turbine Pitch Predictive Control for Smoothing Power Generation

Abstract

Wind energy gains interest due to the diversification and decarbonization of the energy matrix to leave behind the use of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. Obtaining energy from the wind is complex, since wind energy has a variability that strongly affects the quality of the energy generated, in addition, the wind turbine has non-linear characteristics that make the control stage even more difficult. Various techniques address this issue, and acclimatization is required. This work presents the pitch control design methodology for a large capacity wind turbine. Linearized dynamics and MPC controller are used to manage the pitch angle of the wind turbine. The results are validated with real data from southern Chile and show acceptable results for power smoothing. The obtained results help to understand the effects of constraints on the control strategy and its performance in practical applications, thus emphasizing the need for appropriate methods for nonlinear systems control.