Rugged control circuit for efficient operation of a wind turbine

Stand-alone wind electric generation is an effective solution for many remote loads where connection to a power grid is not practical. Unfortunately, in many cases, the wind turbine is not operated efficiently at every wind speed. Research has demonstrated how changing the electrical load characteristics on a wind generator can be an effective method of improving efficiency. This paper presents a scheme for a simple and rugged wind energy controller which provides a relatively high system efficiency. The control method uses a fixed relationship between generator electrical frequency and generator terminal voltage to set the electrical loading characteristics. Simulation results are presented, demonstrating the control principle applied to a DC-DC converter with a fault tolerant topology.