Digital Twin as a Virtual Sensor for Wind Turbine Applications

Mahmoud Ibrahim (), Anton Rassõlkin, Toomas Vaimann, Ants Kallaste, Janis Zakis, Hyunh Van Khang and Raimondas Pomarnacki
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Mahmoud Ibrahim: Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics Department, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Anton Rassõlkin: Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics Department, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Toomas Vaimann: Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics Department, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Ants Kallaste: Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics Department, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Janis Zakis: Institute of Industrial Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Riga Technical University, 12/1 Azenes Street, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
Hyunh Van Khang: Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder, Postboks 422, 4604 Kristiansand, Norway
Raimondas Pomarnacki: Department of Computer Science and Communications Technologies, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: Digital twins (DTs) have been implemented in various applications, including wind turbine generators (WTGs) . They are used to create virtual replicas of physical turbines, which can be used to monitor and optimize their performance. By simulating the behavior of physical turbines in real time, DTs enable operators to predict potential failures and optimize maintenance schedules, resulting in increased reliability, safety, and efficiency. WTGs rely on accurate wind speed measurements for safe and efficient operation. However, physical wind speed sensors are prone to inaccuracies and failures due to environmental factors or inherent issues, resulting in partial or missing measurements that can affect the turbine’s performance. This paper proposes a DT-based sensing methodology to overcome these limitations by augmenting the physical sensor platform with virtual sensor arrays. A test bench of a direct drive WTG based on a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) was prepared, and its mathematical model was derived. MATLAB/Simulink was used to develop the WTG virtual model based on its mathematical model. A data acquisition system (DAS) equipped with an ActiveX server was used to facilitate real-time data exchange between the virtual and physical models. The virtual sensor was then validated and tuned using real sensory data from the physical turbine model. The results from the developed DT model showed the power of the DT as a virtual sensor in estimating wind speed according to the generated power.

Keywords: wind turbine; digital twin; virtual sensor (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: 2023
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