Performance of a grid-connected wind generation system with a robust susceptance controller

Wind turbine driven induction generators are vulnerable to transient disturbances like wind gusts and low voltages on the system. The fixed capacitor at the generator terminal or the limited support from the grid may not be able to provide the requisite reactive power under these abnormal conditions. This paper presents a susceptance control strategy for a variable speed wound-rotor induction generator which can cater for the reactive power requirement. The susceptance is adjusted through a robust feedback controller included in the terminal voltage driven automatic excitation control circuit. The fixed parameter robust controller design is carried out in frequency domain using multiplicative uncertainty modeling and H-infinity norms. The robustness of the controller has been evaluated through optimally tuned PID controllers. Simulation results show that the robust controller can effectively restore normal operation following emergencies like sudden load changes, wind gusts and low voltage conditions. The proposed robust controller has been shown to have adequate fault ride through capabilities in order to be able to meet connection requirements defined by transmission system operators. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.