Performance Enhancement of Small Wind Power Extraction Employing Self-Lift SEPIC Converter

A Small Wind Power System (SWPS) holds significant advantages for rural applications. However, it faces a critical challenge in terms of low-energy conversion. To address this, the implementation of MPPT technology, along with a DC-DC converter, provides a suitable solution for enhancing wind energy extraction in SWPS. A Self-Lift SEPIC converter is a modification of a conventional SEPIC converter, adopting the voltage lift (VL) technique. This study aims to evaluate the impact of employing a Self-Lift SEPIC converter on wind energy capture efficiency. The investigation was conducted through simulation using PSIM software, focusing on extraction performance and converter properties, including voltage gain, voltage stress, and overall efficiency. The results demonstrate that the Self-Lift SEPIC converter achieves 15% higher energy extraction and performs well under dynamic wind conditions compared to the conventional SEPIC converter. Additionally, this topology significantly improves MPPT efficiency, reaching up to 83.07%. Furthermore, for the converter comparison properties, the Self-Lift SEPIC converter exhibits superior voltage gain and lower voltage stress, even though the efficiency at different wind speeds is slightly below that of the conventional counterpart.