Front.
Energy
DOI 10.1007/s11708-014-0330-x
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Youcef BEKAKRA, Djilani BEN ATTOUS
DFIG sliding mode control fed by back-to-back PWM
converter with DC-link voltage control for variable speed
wind turbine
© Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
Abstract This paper proposes an indirect power control
of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) with the rotor
connected to the electric grid through a back-to-back pulse
width modulation (PWM) converter for variable speed
wind power generation. Appropriate state space model of
the DFIG is deduced. An original control strategy based on
a variable structure control theory, also called sliding mode
control, is applied to achieve the control of the active and
reactive power exchanged between the stator of the DFIG
and the grid. A proportional-integral-(PI) controller is used
to keep the DC-link voltage constant for a back-to-back
PWM converter. Simulations are conducted for validation
of the digital controller operation using Matlab/Simulink
software.
Keywords doubly fed induction generator (DFIG), wind
turbine, back-to-back pulse width modulation (PWM), DC-
link voltage, sliding mode control
1 Introduction
The wind energy systems using a doubly fed induction
generator (DFIG) have some advantages due to variable
speed operation and four quadrants active and reactive
power capabilities compared with fixed speed induction
generators. The stator of DFIG is connected direct to the
Received August 6, 2013; accepted October 27, 2013
Youcef BEKAKRA ( ) ✉
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Biskra, Biskra
07000, Algeria
E-mail: youcef1984@gmail.com
Djilani BEN ATTOUS
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of El Oued, El Oued
39000, Algeria
grid and the rotor links the grid by a bi-directional
converter. The rotor converter aims at the active and
reactive power control between the stator and AC supply
of the DFIG [1].
DFIG-based wind generation is the state-of-the-art wind
generator technology. The stator of a DFIG is connected
directly to the grid while the rotor of a DFIG is connected
through the rotor-side converter (RSC), the DC-link and
the grid-side converter (GSC) to the grid [2].
Vector control technology is used to control the
generator, and the rotor of DFIG is connected to an AC
excitation of which the frequency, phase, and magnitude
can be adjusted. Therefore, constant operating frequency
can be achieved at variable wind speeds [3].
This paper adopts the vector transformation control
method of stator-oriented magnetic field to realize the
decoupling control of the stator active and reactive power
using sliding mode control (SMC).
Sliding mode theory, stemmed from the variable
structure control family, has been used for the induction
motor drive for a long time. It has for long been known for
its capabilities in accounting for modeling imprecision and
bounded disturbances. It achieves robust control by adding
a discontinuous control signal across the sliding surface,
satisfying the sliding condition [4].
The power converter connected to the line is usually
used for both last drive cases as the well known three phase
diode bridge rectifier. In this converter, the power can only
flow from the utility AC side to the DC side and the line
current is not continuous. Because this type of AC-DC
conversion does not control line current harmonics, the
displacement power factor is poor and the DC side voltage
is not constant [5].
To remedy these disadvantages, a reversible converter is
used to replace the diode-bridge rectifier and to permit a
reversible power line flow which allows the energy
2 Front. Energy

recovered from the rotor-side of DFIG to be fed back to the

grid. To maintain constant the DC-link voltage, it can be
regulated by the proportional-integral-(PI) controller.
In this paper, the SMC method is applied to control the
active and reactive power of the DFIG based on wind
energy using a back-to-back PWM converter with DC-link
voltage control.

2 Wind turbine model

The aerodynamic power, which is converted by a wind
turbine, Pt is dependent on the power coefficient Cp . It is
given by Ref. [6]. As
1
Pt ¼ πCp
R2 v3 , (1)
2 Fig. 1 Aerodynamic power coefficient variation Cp against tip
speed ratio l and pitch angle β
where
is the air density, R is the blade length, and v is the
wind speed. The turbine torque is the ratio of the output
power to the shaft speed Ωt : of l for which Cp is maximum and that maximize the
power for a given wind speed. The peak power for each
Pt wind speed occurs at the point where Cp is maximized. To
Ct ¼ : (2)
Ωt maximize the generated power, it is, therefore, desirable
The turbine is normally coupled to the generator shaft for the generator to have a power characteristic that will
through a gearbox whose gear ratio G is chosen in order to follow the maximum Cp_max line.
set the generator shaft speed within a desired speed range. The maximum value of Cp (Cp_max ¼0:5) is achieved for
Neglecting the transmission losses, the torque and shaft β ¼2° and for lopt ¼9:2. The reference mechanical power
speed of the wind turbine, referred to the generator side of value must be set, as in Ref. [8], to
the gear box, are given by
5 Ωmec
3
1 Cp_max
Ω Pm_ref ¼
πR : (6)
Cg ¼
Ct
and  Ωt ¼ mec , (3) 2 l3opt G3
G G
The electromagnetic torque reference value also must be
where Ωmec is the generator shaft speed. set to
A wind turbine can only convert just a certain percentage
5 Ωmec
Pm_ref 1 Cp_max 2
of the captured wind power. This percentage is represented
by Cp ðβ,lÞ which is a function of the wind speed, the Cem_ref ¼ ¼
πR : (7)
Ωt 2 l3opt G2
turbine speed and the pith angle of specific wind turbine
blades.
Although this equation seems simple, Cp is dependent
on the ratio l between the turbine angular velocity Ωt and 3 DFIG model
the wind speed v. This ratio is called the tip speed ratio:
The general electrical state model of the induction machine
ΩR obtained using Park transformation is given in Ref. [9].
l¼ t : (4)
v Stator and rotor voltages
Cp can be described in Ref. [7]. As 8
>
> d

 >
> V sd ¼Rs isd þ fsd – ωs fsq ,
πðlþ0:1Þ >
> dt
Cp ðβ,lÞ ¼½0:5 – 0:0167ðβ – 2Þsin >
>
>
> d
18:5 – 0:3ðβ – 2Þ < V sq ¼Rs isq þ fsq þωs fsd ,
dt
– 0:00184ðl – 3Þðβ – 2Þ: (8)
>
> d
> V rd ¼Rr ird þ frd – ðωs – ωÞfrq ,
>
(5) >
> dt
>
>
>
> d
A typical relationship among Cp , β and l is shown in : V rq ¼Rr irq þ frq þðωs – ωÞfrd :
dt
Fig. 1.
It is observed apparently from Fig. 1 that there is a value Stator and rotor fluxes
 Youcef BEKAKRA et al. DFIG sliding mode control for variable speed wind turbine 3

8
> fsd ¼Ls isd þM ird , system with a back-to-back PWM converter, which is
>
>
>
< fsq ¼Ls isq þM irq , composed of a GSC, a RSC and a DC-link capacitor.
(9) Though a few schemes of control, the DC-link voltage of
>
> frd ¼Lr ird þM isd , the back-to-back PWM converter have been studied [10].
>
>
: In the back-to-back PWM converter of DFIG, the
frq ¼Lr irq þM isq :
bidirectional power is transferred between the grid-side
The electromagnetic torque is done as and the generator rotor-side.
M
Ce ¼P ðf i – f i Þ, (10) 4.1 GSC and DC-link voltage control
Ls sd rq sq rd
and its associated motion equation is Figure 3 presents the GSC configuration.
Then there are the following relations
dΩ 8
Ce – Cr ¼J : (11) > 1
dt >
> v1n ¼ ð2v1 – v2 – v3 Þ,
>
> 3
< 1
v2n ¼ ð – v1 þ2v2 – v3 Þ, (12)
>
> 3
4 Control of generator and its associated >
>
>
: v3n ¼ 1 ð – v1 – v2 þ2v3 Þ:
converters 3
Figure 2 demonstrates the main circuit topology of a DFIG According to the closing or the opening of the switches

Fig. 2 Main circuit topology of a back-to-back PWM converter for DFIG

Fig. 3 GSC configuration

4 Front. Energy

Kij , the voltages of branch vi can be equal to Uc or 0. Other intermediary of reference reactive current iq_ref . To
variables such as S11 , S12 and S13 are introduced which take guarantee a unity power factor at the grid-side, the
1 if the switch Kij is closed or 0 if it is blocked. Equation reference reactive current iq_ref. is maintained to zero.
(12) can be rewritten as
2 3 2 32 3
vln 2 –1 –1 S11 4.2 RSC control
6 7 Uc 6 76 7
4 v2n 5 ¼ 4 – 1 2 – 1 54 S21 5: (13)
The RSC is used to control the stator active and reactive
3
v3n –1 –1 2 S31 power of DFIG.
A d-q reference frame synchronized with the stator flux
The rectified current can be written as is employed. By setting the quadratic component of the
irec ¼S11 ia þS21 ib þS31 ic , (14) stator to the null value as in Ref. [6],

where Si1 presents a logical signal deduced from the fsd ¼fs   and  fsq ¼0: (16)
application of the control technique of PWM. In this paper,
The torque is simplified as
the moments of commutation are determined by a
comparison with hysteresis between the grid currents iabc M
Ce ¼P i f : (17)
and the reference currents iabc_ref . Ls rq sd
The terminal voltage of the capacitor is calculated by
By neglecting the stator resistance Rs , Eq. (8) gives
dU
Cf C ¼iC ¼irec – if ¼S11 ia þS21 ib þS31 ic – if : (15) V sd ¼0  and  Vsq ¼Vs : (18)
dt
Figure 4 depicts the control block diagram of a vector By choosing this reference frame, stator voltages and
control strategy for the GSC. fluxes can be rewritten as
The GSC is usually controlled with a vector control 8
> V ¼0; V sq ¼V s ¼ωs fsd ,
strategy with the grid voltage orientation [10]. This voltage < sd
frame corresponds to the axes d-q, which makes it possible fsd ¼fs ¼Ls isd þM ird ; frd ¼Lr ird þM isd , (19)
>
:
to decouple the expressions from the active and the fsq ¼0 ¼Ls isq þM irq ; frq ¼Lr irq þM isq :
reactive power exchanged between the grid and the rotor-
side. The control of active power and consequent control of The active and reactive power of the stator can be
the DC-link voltage are realized by the intermediary of written according to the rotor currents as
reference active current id_ref and the reactive power by the

Fig. 4 Vector control block diagram of grid-side PWM converter

 Youcef BEKAKRA et al. DFIG sliding mode control for variable speed wind turbine 5

8
M > 1, if   φ >0,
Ps ¼ – Vs irq , (20) <
Ls sgnðφÞ ¼ 0, if   φ ¼0,   (29)
>
:
Vs2 M – 1, if   φ < 0:
Qs ¼ – Vs ird : (21)
ωs Ls Ls The controller described by Eq. (28) presents high
robustness, insensitive to parameter fluctuations and
The arrangement of the equations gives the expressions disturbances, but it has high-frequency switching (chatter-
of the rotor voltages according to the rotor currents ing phenomena) near the sliding surface due to sgn
function involved. These drastic changes of input can be
_ird ¼ – 1 ird þgωs irq þ 1 Vrd ,
Tr Lr
(22) avoided by introducing a boundary layer with width ε [11].
Thus replacing sgnðs ðx,tÞÞ by satðs ðx,tÞÞ (saturation

 function), in Eq. (28), Eq. (30) can be obtained.
_irq ¼ – 1 1 M2 1
þ irq – gωs ird þ V , (23)
 Tr L s T s L r Lr rq u ¼ueq – kf satðs ðx,tÞÞ, (30)
with where ε >0:
(
M2 L ω –ω L sgn if jφj³ε,
 ¼1 – ,T ¼ r ,g ¼ s ,Ts ¼ s : satðφÞ ¼ (31)
Ls Lr r R r ωs Rs φ if jφj< ε:

5 SMC theory 6 Application of SMC to DFIG

The design of the control system is demonstrated for a The rotor currents irq and ird are the images, respectively, of
nonlinear system as described in Ref. [11].
the Ps and the Qs , which must follow their references.
x_ ¼f ðx,tÞþBðx,tÞuðx,tÞ, (24)
6.1 Quadratic rotor current control with SMC
where x 2R is the state vector, f ðx,tÞ 2R , Bðx,tÞ 2Rnm
n n

and u 2Rm are the control vectors. From Eq. (24), it is The sliding surface representing the error between the
possible to define a set S of the state trajectories x such as measured and reference quadratic rotor current is given by
S ¼fxðtÞjs ðx,tÞ ¼0g, (25) s ðirq Þ ¼e ¼i*rq – irq , (32)
where
_ s ðirq Þ ¼_irq – _irq :
*
s ðx,tÞ ¼½s1 ðx,tÞ,s2 ðx,tÞ,:::,sm ðx,tÞT (26) (33)

and ½⋅T denotes the transposed vector, while S is called the Substituting the expression of i_rq Eq. (23) in Eq. (33),
sliding surface. Eqs. (34) and (35) can be obtained.
To bring the state variable to the sliding surfaces, the 
 
1 1 M2 1
_ rq Þ ¼_irq – –
*
following two conditions have to be satisfied: ði þ irq – gωs ird þ Vrq ,
 Tr L s T s L r Lr
s ðx,tÞ ¼0, _ s ðx,tÞ ¼0: (27) (34)
The control law satisfying the precedent conditions is and
presented as
( Vrq ¼Vrqeq þVrqn : (35)
u ¼ueq þun ,
(28) During the sliding mode and in permanent regime, there
un ¼ – kf sgnðs ðx,tÞÞ, is
where ueq can be obtained by considering the condition for s ðirq Þ ¼0, _ s ðirq Þ ¼0, Vrqn ¼0, (36)
the sliding regimen, s ðx,tÞ ¼0. The equivalent control
keeps the state variable on sliding surface, once they reach where the equivalent control is
it. 
 
The sgn function is defined, as shown in Refs. [11,12], _ * 1 1 M2
Vrq ¼ irq þ
eq
þ i þgωs ird Lr : (37)
by  Tr Ls Ts Lr rq
6 Front. Energy

Therefore, the correction factor is given by Therefore, the correction factor is given by
Vrqn ¼k Vrq satðs ðirq ÞÞ, (38) Vrdn ¼k Vrd satðs ðird ÞÞ, (45)
where k Vrq is positive constant. where k Vrd is positive constant.

6.2 Direct rotor current control with SMC

7 Simulation results
The sliding surface representing the error between the
measured and reference direct rotor current is given by The complete control block diagram employing the SMC
for stator active and reactive power control with DC-link
s ðird Þ ¼e ¼i*rd – ird , (39) voltage control is illustrated in Fig. 5. The DFIG used in
this paper is a 4 kW, whose nominal parameters are
_ s ðird Þ ¼_irq – _ird :
*
(40) indicated in Appendix. The block ‘MPPT’ represents the
maximum power point tracking. The block ‘SMC’
Substituting the expression of _ird Eq. (22) in Eq. (40), represents the SMC of stator active and reactive power.
there is To verify the feasibility of the proposed control scheme,

 computer simulations were performed using Matlab/
_* 1 1 Simulink software. The block diagram was realized and
_ s ðird Þ ¼ird – – i þgωs irq þ V : (41)
Tr rd Lr rd executed on an Intel Celeron PC having 2.5 GHz CPU,
1GB DDR RAM. Figure 6 exhibits the random wind
and speed, Fig. 7 displays the turbine rotor speed, Fig. 8 shows
Vrd ¼Vrdeq þVrdn : (42) the power coefficient variation Cp which is kept around its
maximum value Cp ¼0:5, and Fig. 9 presents the stator
During the sliding mode and in permanent regime, Eq. (43) active power and its reference profile injected into the grid.
can be obtained. The stator reactive power and its reference profile are
s ðirq Þ ¼0, _ s ðird Þ ¼0, Vrdn ¼0, (43) presented in Fig. 10.
A very good decoupling is obtained between the stator
where the equivalent control is active and reactive power. It is apparent that the actual

 stator active power follows its desired values using the
eq _ * 1
Vrd ¼ ird þ i – gωs irq Lr : (44) proposed controller, and to guarantee a unity power factor
Tr rd at the stator side, the reactive power is maintained to zero.

Fig. 5 Block diagram of SMC applied in RSC and PI controller applied in GSC of the DFIG
 Youcef BEKAKRA et al. DFIG sliding mode control for variable speed wind turbine
Fig. 6 Wind speed profiles
Fig. 7 Turbine rotor speed
Fig. 8 Power coefficient Cp variation
Figure 11 presents the stator current versus the time of the
DFIG and its zoom. The amplitude of stator current
increases when wind speed increases. Figure 12 shows the
7
Fig. 9 Stator active power injected into the grid
Fig. 10 Stator reactive power
harmonic spectrum of output phase stator current obtained
by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique.
Figure 13 presents the DC-link voltage and its zoom in
startup. It can be observed from Fig. 13 that the DC voltage
follows its reference with no overshoot and the settling
time is very small. In addition, the DC-link voltage ripples
are very small.
8 Conclusions
In this paper, the SMC of a DFIG has been presented,
which has been used for reference tracking of active and
reactive power exchanged between the stator and the grid
by controlling the RSC. The RSC usually provides active
and reactive power control of the generator while the GSC
keeps the voltage of the DC-link voltage constant. The
simulation results obtained by using the Matlab/Simulink
tool show the effectiveness of the SMC in power control.
In addition, the results give a good DC-link voltage control
8 Front. Energy

Fig. 13 DC-link voltage and its zoom in startup

Fig. 11 Stator current versus the time of the DFIG and its zoom (a) DC-link voltage; (b) its zoom in start up
(a) Stator current; (b) its zoom
which indicates that this DC-link voltage remains constant
at all fluctuation of the wind speed.

Notations

Cem_ref Reference electromagnetic torque

Cg Generator torque
Cp Power coefficient
Cp_max Maximum power coefficient
Ct Turbine torque
G Gear box
Pm_ref Reference mechanical power
Pt Turbine aerodynamic power
R Blade length
Fig. 12 Spectrum of phase stator current harmonics
 Youcef BEKAKRA et al. DFIG sliding mode control for variable speed wind turbine 9

v Wind speed Appendix

β Pitch angle
l Tip speed ratio System parameters
lopt Optimum tip speed ratio DFIG data:
Ωmec Mechanical speed of the DFIG Rated values Mechanical constants
Ωt Turbine speed 4 kW, 220/380 V, 50 Hz, 15/8.6 A J = 0.2 kg$m2
DFIG Rated parameters
Ce Electromagnetic torque Rs = 1.2 Ω Lr = 0. 1568 H
Cr Load torque Rr = 1.8 Ω M = 0.15 H
g Slip coefficient Ls = 0.1554 H P= 2

isd , isq , ird , irq Stator and rotor d-q frame current Wind turbine data

J Moment of inertia R = 3 m, G = 5.4

Ls , Lr Stator and rotor inductance

M Mutual inductance References
P Number of pole pairs
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