Fault tolerant wind farm control — A benchmark model

In the recent years the wind turbine industry has focused on optimizing the cost of energy. One of the important factors in this is to increase reliability of the wind turbines. Advanced fault detection, isolation and accommodation are important tools in this process. Clearly most faults are dealt with best at a wind turbine control level. However, some faults are better dealt with at the wind farm control level. In this paper a benchmark model for fault detection and isolation, and fault tolerant control of wind turbines implemented at the wind farm control level is presented. The benchmark model includes a small wind farm of nine wind turbines, based on a simple model of a wind turbine as well as the wind and interactions between wind turbines in the wind farm. The model includes wind and power references scenarios as well as three relevant fault scenarios. This benchmark model is used in an international competition dealing with Wind Farm fault detection and isolation and fault tolerant control.