Investigation of Dynamic Loads in Wind Turbine Drive Trains Due to Grid and Power Converter Faults

Julian Röder, Georg Jacobs, Tobias Duda, Dennis Bosse and Fabian Herzog
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Julian Röder: Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Georg Jacobs: Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Tobias Duda: Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Dennis Bosse: Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Fabian Herzog: Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-8

Abstract: Electrical faults can lead to transient and dynamic excitations of the electromagnetic generator torque in wind turbines. The fast changes in the generator torque lead to load oscillations and rapid changes in the speed of rotation. The combination of dynamic load reversals and changing rotational speeds can be detrimental to gearbox components. This paper shows, via simulation, that the smearing risk increases due to the electrical faults for cylindrical roller bearings on the high speed shaft of a wind turbine research nacelle. A grid fault was examined for the research nacelle with a doubly fed induction generator concept. Furthermore, a converter fault was analyzed for the full size converter concept. Both wind turbine grid connection concepts used the same mechanical drive train. Thus, the mechanical component loading was comparable. During the grid fault, the risk of smearing increased momentarily by a maximum of around 1.8 times. During the converter fault, the risk of smearing increased by around 4.9 times. Subsequently, electrical faults increased the risk of damage to the wind turbine gearbox bearings, especially on the high speed stage.

Keywords: wind turbine; drive train; dynamic loads; grid fault; converter fault (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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