Wind plant power maximization via extremum seeking yaw control: A wind tunnel experiment

Abstract

Abstract This work describes the results from wind tunnel experiments performed to maximize wind plant total power output using wake steering via closed loop yaw angle control. The experimental wind plant consists of nine turbines arranged in two different layouts; both are two dimensional arrays and differ in the positioning of the individual turbines. Two algorithms are implemented to maximize wind plant power: Log‐of‐Power Extremum Seeking Control (LP‐ESC) and Log‐of‐Power Proportional Integral Extremum Seeking Control (LP‐PIESC). These algorithms command the yaw angles of the turbines in the upstream row. The results demonstrate that the algorithms can find the optimal yaw angles that maximize total power output. The LP‐PIESC reached the optimal yaw angles much faster than the LP‐ESC. The sensitivity of the LP‐PIESC to variations in free stream wind speed and initial yaw angles is studied to demonstrate robustness to variations in wind speed and unknown yaw misalignment.

Keywords

• extremum seeking control
• log‐of‐power feedback
• model‐free wind farm power maximization
• wake steering
• wind tunnel experiment
• yaw control