Power hardware in the loop methodology applied in the integration of wind energy conversion system under fluctuations: a case study

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a power hardware in the loop (p-HIL) validation of a wind energy conversion system (WECS) interconnected into the balanced or unbalanced grid is presented. WECS power is obtained from wind fluctuations of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and transferred through the DC-AC power electronic converter (PEC). A robust control law based on a simple PI regulator and phasor analysis is proposed, having advantages, such as continuous power generation, operating both under balanced and unbalanced grid conditions; total harmonic distortion (THD) reduction less than 3%; power factor (PF) correction close to the unit; balanced grid currents; a simple mathematical analysis. The main objective is to keep the WECS connected to the electrical grid even in the presence of unbalanced three-phase voltages, including contributions such as: i) VDC ripple reduction; ii) Balanced currents; iii) Sinusoidal currents; iv) Free of Sequence calculation; v) Free of dq0 or $\mathit{\alpha \beta }$ Transforms; vi) Simple PI Loop control; and vii) Experimental Validation. The WECS efficiency and robustness are assessed by a complete mathematical examination, validated by the simulations in MATLAB-Simulink®, and support with experimental results through the real-time simulator Opal-RT Technologies®, a low-scale laboratory prototype, and p-HIL methodology. The results present a DC link voltage constant at 75 V and optimal and reliable power integration with an efficiency of 95%.

KEYWORDS:

• Wind energy conversion system
• power hardware in the loop
• unbalanced distribution electrical networks
• phasorial approach control
• power electronics converters
• Opal-RT Technologies®

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded in part by the Support Program for Research Projects and Technological Innovation PAPIIT-UNAM with code DGAPA-PAPIIT-IA104522, in part by PAPIIT-UNAM with code [DGAPA-PAPIIT-IT103923] and in part by the Support Program for the advancement of UNAM Academic Staff, PASPA-DGAPA-UNAM-2023.

Notes on contributors

Valery Rubí Rosales-Valladares

Valery Rubí Rosales-Valladares received her master in engineering degree with specialization in renewable energies from Instituto de Energías Renovables - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (IER-UNAM) in 2022. Her research focuses on Wind Energy Converter Systems. She is currently working as a developer of utility-scale renewable projects in Mexico.

Nadia Maria Salgado-Herrera

Dr. Nadia Maria Salgado-Herrera received her Ph.D degree in Electrical Engineering from the Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH) in 2016, the M.Sc. and B.eng degrees in Electrical Engineering and Engineering in Electronics from Tecnologico Nacional de México, campus Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, in 2011 and 2009, respectively. She has worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (2018). Currently, she is Associate Researcher at the Instituto de Energias Renovables - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (IER-UNAM). Her research areas include Power Electronics, Renewable Energy and Energy Quality.

Osvaldo Rodríguez-Hernández

Dr. Osvaldo Rodríguez-Hernández is a Physicist and holds a PhD in Energy Engineering from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He is a full-time Researcher at the Institute of Renewable Energies.

Juan Ramón Rodríguez-Rodríguez

Dr. Juan Ramón Rodríguez-Rodríguez obtained the degree of Engineering in Electronics in 2009 and the degree of Doctor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 2015, both with a specialty in power electronics at the Technological Institute of Morelia. From 2017 to date, he is a full-time professor at the UNAM Faculty of Engineering and a researcher in the postgraduate degree in electrical power systems (master’s and doctorate). His line of research is power electronics and its multiple applications.

David Granados-Lieberman

Dr. David Granados-Lieberman is full professor at the department of electromechanical engineering and master in electrical engineering at the National Technological Institute of México / Higher Technological Institute of Irapuato. He received his PHD in Electrical Engineering in 2019 from the Autonomous University of Queretaro. His primary research areas include monitoring and diagnostics of electrical machines, power quality, and applications of digital signal processing.

Olimpo Anaya-Lara

Prof. Olimpo Anaya-Lara has successfully conducted research on power electronic control and stability of power systems with increased wind energy penetration for nearly 20 years. Prof Anaya-Lara leads Strathclyde’s involvement and contribution to the EERA JP Wind. He was CoI of the EPSRC Supergen Wind Hub and PI in the EU FP7 projects EERA Design Tools for Offshore Clusters (DTOC) and Integrated Research Project Wind (IRPWIND), leading the research activity of power systems and grid integration. Prof Anaya-Lara is a member of the Management Core Team of the EPSRC CDT WAMSS and is currently Co-champion of the Wind Energy Theme in The Scottish Research Partnership for Energy (ETP). He was appointed Visiting Professor in Wind Energy at NTNU, Norway in 2011 funded by DNV.