Modified firefly algorithm for improved maximum power extraction on wind energy conversion system

This paper presents a maximum power extraction and control system using modified firefly algorithm (MFA) to achieve high efficiency maximum power extraction from a grid-tied wind turbine using permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG). To get maximum power extraction from the PMSG, the MFA adjusts duty cycle of boost converter based on rectifier's output voltage and current. Simulation results show that MFA successfully achieves tracking capability under varying wind speed to acquire the maximum power during constant power coefficient operation of the wind turbine. The MFA also yields higher efficiency, faster response and lower integral of time and absolute error (ITAE) compared to the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the perturb and observe (P & O) counterparts. The proposed MFA was further tested empirically against P & O method to extract maximum power on a 500W lab-scale prototype of wind energy conversion system (WECS). The hardware test results demonstrate that MFA outperforms P & O method when used as an MPPT controller algorithm and yields greater efficiency. The efficiency of PMSG wind turbine with MFA is 93.63 %, while P & O produce 81.54 %.