Control Strategies for Marine Current Energy Conversion Systems
Summary
Marine current energy conversion systems harness kinetic energy from tidal and ocean currents through devices such as marine current turbines and tidal stream turbines, typically coupled to generators via power electronics. The principal control objectives are maximum power point tracking (MPPT), stability under variable and harsh flow conditions, grid integration and fault resilience. Early approaches relied on classical proportional–integral (PI) or linear quadratic regulators to regulate generator torque and speed, but these can struggle with nonlinear dynamics, parameter drift and rapid fluctuations in current velocity. In response, recent work has shifted towards adaptive, robust and intelligent control frameworks. Fractional-order controllers improve dynamic response and robustness to parameter variations, while passivity-based and energy-shaping methods ensure system stability by treating nonlinear terms as damped disturbances rather than cancelling them. Sliding-mode and high-order sliding-mode controllers deliver fast convergence and chattering reduction, and when combined with fuzzy supervisors or genetic algorithms they can adjust control gains in real time to compensate for swell disturbances and uncertainties. Backstepping approaches with disturbance observers enhance anti-interference capability, and adaptive fault-tolerant schemes maintain MPPT and power quality in the event of actuator or sensor failures. Together, these strategies are accelerating the commercial viability of marine current energy by improving efficiency, reliability and grid compatibility on a global scale.
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Control Strategies for Marine Current Energy Conversion Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in control strategies for marine current energy conversion systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Fractional-order PI controller: A generalisation of the classical PI controller using fractional calculus to enhance robustness and dynamic performance.
Passivity-based control: A design technique that ensures system stability by shaping energy exchange, treating nonlinearities as passive disturbances rather than cancelling them.
Sliding-mode control: A variable-structure approach that forces the system trajectory to a predefined sliding surface, offering robustness to disturbances.
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT): An algorithmic strategy to operate the turbine at the optimal tip-speed ratio for maximum energy extraction.
Permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG): A generator type commonly used in marine turbines, valued for high power density and efficiency but presenting nonlinear control challenges.
Fault-tolerant control: Techniques that detect and accommodate component failures to maintain system operation and safety.
References
- Fractional-Order PI Control of DFIG-Based Tidal Stream Turbine. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (2020).
- Intelligent Energy-Based Modified Super Twisting Algorithm and Factional Order PID Control for Performance Improvement of PMSG Dedicated to Tidal Power System. IEEE Access (2021).
- Fuzzy Supervisory Passivity-Based High Order-Sliding Mode Control Approach for Tidal Turbine-Based Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Conversion System. Actuators (2021).
- A Fuzzy Adaptative Backstepping Control Strategy for Marine Current Turbine under Disturbances and Uncertainties. Energies (2020).
- Fault-Tolerant Control of Tidal Stream Turbines: Non-Singular Fast Terminal Sliding Mode and Adaptive Robust Method. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (2024).
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