Higher Order Sliding Mode Control for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Based Wind Turbine for Maximum Power Tracking

Recently, wind energy has become increasingly popular as a sustainable energy source. Variable speed wind energy conversion systems (VS-WECSs), particularly those using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generators (PMSGs), are more prevalent to other generator systems due to their higher capacity for electricity generation and adaptability to fluctuating wind conditions. This research presents a new control algorithm that is based on Higher Order Sliding Mode Control (HOSMC) to enhance maximum power tracking (MPT) for PMSG-based wind turbines (WT) under variable wind conditions and system uncertainties. The research employs second order super-twisting sliding mode control (SO-STSMC) to the back-to-back converter that connected the PMSG to the grid. In the proposed controller, the machine side converter uses optimal power control to regulate the DC-link voltage, and the grid side converter provides maximum power tracking (MPT) for the turbine. The proposed HOSM controller mitigates chattering effect associated with conventional sliding mode control, thus improving system robustness, stability, and power efficiency. Simulation of the HOSMC-based system was performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the Maximum Power Tracking (MPT) of the proposed controller, the output power is compared with Proportional-Integral (PI) and First-Order Sliding Mode (FOSM) controllers while varying wind speed over time. Simulation results show that the designed Higher-Order Sliding Mode (HOSM) controller significantly reduces chattering and effectively maximizes the output power by 89% over a wide range of wind speeds compared to other controllers.