Dynamics and Control of a Shared Wind Turbine Drivetrain

Abstract

This paper presents the dynamics and control of a new wind power plant configuration where multiple turbines are connected to a shared drivetrain. A hydrostatic transmission system is utilized to collect and transfer the harvested mechanical energy of individual turbines to the generator. The interconnected wind turbines are controlled individually to achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) while regulating the generator speed. In the first control loop, the pump displacement is adjusted accordingly to satisfy the MPPT. In the second control loop, the electrical load on the generator is controlled to balance the torque and reach a stable frequency operation. Simulation results show the performance of the control system operation. It also demonstrates an increase and improved smoothness of a power generation profile.