Neural Network-Based Supplementary Frequency Controller for a DFIG Wind Farm

An artificial neural network (ANN)-based supplementary frequency controller is designed for a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind farm in a local power system. Since the optimal controller gain that gives highest the frequency nadir or lowest peak frequency is a complicated nonlinear function of load disturbance and system variables, it is not easy to use analytical methods to derive the optimal gain. The optimal gain can be reached through an exhaustive search method. However, the exhaustive search method is not suitable for online applications, since it takes a long time to perform a great number of simulations. In this work, an ANN that uses load disturbance, wind penetration, and wind speed as the inputs and the desired controller gain as the output is proposed. Once trained by a proper set of training patterns, the ANN can be employed to yield the desired gain in a very efficient manner, even when the operating condition is not included in the training set. Therefore, the proposed ANN-based controller can be used for real-time frequency control. Results from MATLAB/SIMULINK simulations performed on a local power system in Taiwan reveal that the proposed ANN can yield a better frequency response than the fixed-gain controller.