Simulation tool to assess mechanical and electrical stresses on wind turbine generators

Wind turbine generators (WTGs) consist of many different components to convert kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy for end users. Wind energy is accessed to provide mechanical torque for driving the shaft of the electrical generator. The conversion from wind power to mechanical power is governed by the aerodynamic conversion. The aerodynamic-electrical-conversion efficiency of a WTG is influenced by the efficiency of the blades, the gearbox, the generator, and the power converter. This paper describes the use of MATLAB/Simulink to simulate the electrical and grid-related aspects of a WTG coupled with the FAST aeroelastic wind turbine computer-aided engineering tool to simulate the aerodynamic and mechanical aspects of a WTG. The combination of the two enables studies involving both electrical and mechanical aspects of a WTG. For example, mechanical engineers can formulate generator control that may preserve the life of the gearbox or mitigate the impact of transient events occurring on the transmission lines (faults, voltage and frequency dips, unbalanced voltages, etc.). Similarly, electrical engineers can study the impact of high-ramping wind speeds on power systems, as well as the impact of turbulence on the voltage and frequency of a small balancing authority area. This digest includes some examples of the capabilities of the FAST and MATLAB coupling, namely the effects of electrical faults on the blade moments.