Hardware-in-the-Loop Validation of Reduced- Order Observer-Controller for Maximum Power Extraction in a Wind Turbine

Introduction: Hardware-in-the-loop testing is crucial for validating wind turbine control simulations, thereby ensuring the realistic verification of system effectiveness. This study aims to propose and validate a control scheme for a permanent magnet synchronous generator- based wind turbine, enhancing control accuracy and stability via feedback and observer techniques. Method: A linear feedback controller was applied to the non-linear wind turbine model with full-state feedback. To estimate system states, a reduced-order Luenberger observer was designed. The control scheme was initially simulated in MATLAB Simulink, then tested in a real-time environment using Hardware-in-the-Loop through Opal-RT. Results: The HIL results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. It achieved accurate state estimation and significantly improved system control performance under real-time conditions, confirming its robustness in a dynamic environment. Discussion: The successful HIL validation of the LFC and LO-integrated scheme highlights its practical applicability for wind turbine models. This approach effectively enhances control accuracy and stability by accurately estimating states. HIL testing in this study provided strong evidence of the scheme';s reliability, bridging the gap between simulation and real-world performance and minimizing deployment risks. Conclusion: The findings support the viability of the proposed control scheme for wind turbine models. Its effectiveness, validated through HIL testing, showcases its potential for real-time applications, contributing to more efficient and reliable wind energy systems.