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NUMERICAL MODELING OF A WIND TURBINE BASED ON THE DOUBLY-FED

INDUCTION GENERATOR TOPOLOGY

Conference Paper · June 2017

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 NUMERICAL MODELING OF A WIND TURBINE BASED ON THE DOUBLY-FED
INDUCTION GENERATOR TOPOLOGY

I.Storozhenko, Q.Sun

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering,

University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
E-mails: iurii.storozhenko2@ucalgary.ca, q.sun@ucalgary.ca

Abstract: The objective of this research is to develop and design a numerical model of
wind turbines (WT) capable of simulating WT dynamic behavior under healthy and faulty states.
Existing mathematical models cannot be used for an accurate representation of the processes
occurring inside the WT doubly-fed induction generators (DFIG) and their influence on other
components of the WT. This paper provides a modeling methodology for simulating the WT
dynamic behavior by combing the aerodynamics and mechanical models by FAST (Fatigue,
Aerodynamics, Structures, and Turbulence) with the finite element model of the DFIG using
Matlab/Simulink. The adequacy of the developed DFIG Finite element model is validated by the
simulation of turn-to-turn fault of the generator stator phase winding.

Keywords: wind turbine, doubly fed induction generator, numerical modeling, finite
element modeling.

1. Introduction:
The development of WT technologies has experienced a tremendous growth during the last
three decades. A lot of different configurations of WT topologies were presented, however one of
the most popular topology on the market is the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) with DFIG.
Nearly 85% of WT under operation at present time are based on this topology [1]. This is due to
the high level of reliability, increased wind energy production, limited extent faults ride-through
capability and some other advantages.
Because of the continuous development in the wind energy field, the level of availability
of WT at present time has reached 98% [2]. Still, failures can occur during operation. Unexpected
failures of WT can result in: underproduction of electrical energy; instability of the power grid
system, injuries or fatal outcome for operational or maintenance personnel. To increase reliability
and reduce downtime, new intelligent diagnostic techniques and condition monitoring systems
should be developed. The key element to progress in this field is to develop accurate numerical
models of WT. Numerical models can be used for the simulation of WT dynamics behavior and
understanding transient loads and their couplings across the drivetrain components.
Numerical models can be used not only to study the nonlinear interactions between
different WT subsystems and parameters, and their influence on WT dynamic behavior, but also
for the investigation of WT operation under healthy and faulty states, which is very important for

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enhancing the reliability of existing turbines and developing new diagnostic methods and
algorithms.
This paper demonstrates a methodology for developing WT operational model that can
simulate the actual operation of WT under healthy and faulty states. The approach of this study is
to show the design and the construction of a numerical simulator of a WT by using three simulation
tools: Matlab/Simulink, Comsol Multiphysics and FAST (Fatigue, Aerodynamics, Structures and
Turbulence) an aeroelastic simulation code.

2. Wind turbine topology:

The overall structure of a WT based on the DFIG topology is presented in Fig.1. Wind
passes through blades and produces lift forces which generate the rotational torque on the low-
speed shaft. A gearbox is used to increase the rotational speed so that it is appropriate for the
generator. The electrical power is produced by the DFIG.

Fig.1. Operating principle of the WT DFIG [3].

A WT system is commonly composed of the following subsystems: Aerodynamic

subsystems, Mechanical subsystems, Control subsystems and Electrical subsystems.
For modeling purposes, interactions between WT subsystems can be represented by the
following framework as shown in Fig.2.

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 Fig.2. WT subsystems and their interactions [4].

In order to develop a WT model, we must clearly understand the physical nature of the
processes occurring inside each of the presented subsystems. The identification of the assumptions
and limitation for each subsystem is also very important.

3. Numerical modeling of the wind turbine:

WT represents a complex equipment. The process of the mathematical modeling of WT
simply can be represented by the three major steps:
1. Identification and mathematical description of physical phenomena inside each
subsystem;
2. Identification of the assumptions and limitations for each WT subsystem based on the
desired accuracy;
3. Model construction and simulation.
Because of the system complexity, different types of simplifications should be made during
the modeling process. The implementation of these simplifications should not undermine the
possibility of the model to generate fault signatures and capable of predicting the performance of
WT. Each subsystem is supposed to have its own constraints and assumptions. Some of the
limitations and assumptions will be covered latter on.

3.1. Simulation software:

To be able to realize the proposed WT model, the following simulation software packages
will be used: Matlab/Simulink, Comsol Multiphysics and the aero-elastic simulator FAST.
Matlab is widely used for scientific simulations. Simulink is a toolbox within Matlab that
enables a block diagram model construction for multidomain simulation and Model-based design.
This is a very powerful tool for the dynamics modeling. The block representation allows one to
develop complicated dynamics models.
Comsol Multiphysics is a finite element simulation software, which can be characterized
by the following advantages: ease of use, seamless interface between physics fields, ability to
modify governing equations, flexibility in the solver selection.

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 FAST is an aero-elastic code developed initially by Oregon State University. It is one of
the most advanced design codes for a HAWT [5]. To simulate a turbine dynamic behavior the Fast
uses a combination of modal and multibody dynamics formulations [21].
Let us have a look on the modeling process of each subsystems of a WT in more details.
3.2. Aerodynamic and mechanical drivetrain subsystems:
A detailed representation of WT aerodynamics can be implemented by algorithms built-in
in FAST. The model of a WT in FAST mainly includes tower, blades, shaft, furl, and support
platform. The aerodynamic model is based on the unsteady blade-element momentum theory and
covers an implementation of rotational sampling, turbulent wind fields and a tower model for the
structural dynamics.
A mechanical drivetrain in FAST is represented by a two-mass model, which is usually
enough for the analysis of the dynamic behavior of WT. A two-mass model consists: the generator
(with gearbox) mass and the hub with blades (wind wheel) mass. The connections between masses
is represented by springs defined by damping and stiffness coefficients. The two-mass model of
the mechanical drivetrain is presented in Fig.3.

Fig.3. Two-mass mechanical drivetrain of WT.

Depending on the drive train dynamics to be analyzed, more detailed drivetrain models can
be developed in Matlab/Simulink. The detailed description of the existing mechanical drivetrain
models, and analysis of their influence on dynamics of WT can be found in [18].

3.3. Generator and Control subsystems:

DFIG dynamics can also be simulated by FAST. However, it does not allow the description
of different fault conditions. The generator model in FAST can be represented either by an
induction machine torque-speed curve or based on the induction machine single-phase equivalent
circuit. To be able to simulate the physical phenomenon presented inside the generator for different
operational conditions for faulty and healthy states, more detailed model of the DFIG should be
developed. The realization of a WT control subsystem must also be implemented in
Matlab/Simulink, because FAST does not have an integrated control module.

3.3.1. The Generator model development:

Despite seemingly simplicity, DFIG represents a very complex type of electrical
equipment. It has not only very complicated geometrical structure but also uses materials with

4
different electromagnetic properties. It makes the process of mathematical modeling of DFIG very
complicated and not straightforward.
During the last several decades, many different methods and techniques for the numerical
modeling of the rotating electrical machines have been developed [17]. Most methods can be
implemented for the dynamics analysis. Others can only be used for steady-state simulations. In
general, all modeling methods can be classified to four broad categories: circuit modeling, state-
space modeling, finite element modeling and methods based on the combination of mentioned
modeling methods. All methods have their limitations and assumptions, which greatly influence
the accuracy of the model generated output and the possibility to simulate fault conditions. The
comparison of different modeling techniques and their capability to simulate fault conditions can
be found in [17].
The analytical models of DFIG presented in the literature are based on the 5th or reduced
rd
3 order machine models. This simplified state-space models of DFIG usually does not consider
nonlinearities, for example, the magnetic saturation effect or skin effect presented in the generator.
Thus, the simulated DFIG quantities do not reflect the real processes accurately. As an example,
it was shown in [6] that using the 3rd order model may result in too low transient currents, which
may lead to inaccurate results. Another problem is that this model assumes constant lumped circuit
parameters. The simulation of a certain fault in such models is very difficult or even impossible.
One of the best way to study the electromagnetic phenomenon presented inside the DFIG,
considering aforementioned non-linearity’s, is to use the finite element method (FEM). The
detailed description of this method with it advantages and drawbacks with respect to the simulation
of DFIG modeling will be covered latter on.

4. Finite element method:

The finite element method (FEM) is one of the most popular methods for modeling electro-
magnetic devices with complicated geometrical structure. One of the most important
characteristics of FEM is the ability to simulate accurately the magnetic field distribution in the
electric machine. This method is suitable for the stationary and dynamic simulations.
An accurate evaluation of the electromagnetic field distribution inside the DFIG is very
important for the study of processes occurring inside the rotating electrical machine. By knowing
of the electro-magnetic field distribution, all the electromagnetic parameters and the characteristics
of the generator can be estimated.
Two-dimensional and three-dimensional models of DFIG can be developed. As we can see
from [7, 8], the accuracy obtained from a 3D model does not increase in comparison to a 2D model,
but the computational time increased dramatically. It means that a 2D model can be a good
compromise between computing time and accuracy of results.
Due to the high level of accuracy, and the convenience of modeling fault states, which can
be incorporated by simply adjusting the parameters of the model, this method has been used for
the modeling of many fault scenarios: inter-turn fault, rotor broken bar, broken end rings, static
and dynamic eccentricity.

4.1. Finite element model of DFIG:

A 2D Finite element model of DFIG was developed by using the Comsol Multiphysics
[20], as shown in Fig.2. The finite element model of DFIG is given by the equation based on time-
space differential Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetic field:

5
   1 Az    1 Az  A
       z  J z (1)
x   x  y   y  t
Where   is a relative magnetic permeability, Az  axial component of magnetic vector
potential,   electrical conductivity of the materials, J z  exciting current density of the
windings.
The DFIG of interest i.e. the reference model is a 250 kW generator running of a 2300
Vrms line-to-line, 50 Hz, 3-phase supply. It is a 4-pole machine running at the synchronous speed
of o 1500 RPM. The stator winding configuration of the machine is shown in Fig. 5. There are 36
stator slots and 24 rotor slots.
The rating of the DFIG is presented in Table 1:

Table 1

The geometrical structure and finite element mesh description of the analyzed DFIG is
presented in Fig.4. The model was meshing with triangular elements. In case of symmetrical
structure of the machine, without faults, the computational time of the model can be reduced by
using the geometrical and magnetic symmetry. In this case one can model only one-fourth of the
machine by using anti-periodic boundary conditions [22].

Fig.4. Finite element mesh description of the model.

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 The structure of the windings of the stator and rotor have significant influence on the space
harmonics content of the air-gap magnetic permeance due to slotting effect, which results in torque
pulsations [19]. In order to minimize this effect, the stator and rotor windings have to be
distributed, and shortened. The stator winding layout for the 4-pole DFIG with two-layer stator
winding with shortening are presented in Fig.5.

4.2.Voltage excitation of the DFIG windings:

Usually during the simulation of the rotating electrical machines by FEM, current density
is chosen for the excitation of the windings. In this case the transient behavior of the machine
cannot be studied accurately, which is critically important in our case. The voltage excitation need
to be implemented into the model through modeling the end-winding effect. The end-winding
effect has a significant impact on the accuracy of the modeling process.
The 2D model of the DFIG does not consider the end-winding effect, however for the 2D
FEM, in order to make model more accurate, the end regions of the stator and rotor windings can
be modelled by means of lumped circuit elements - resistances and inductances. The
interconnection of the field and stator models are presented on the Fig.6:

Fig.6. Voltage source feeding the doubly-fed induction generator.

In the Fig.6, Va ,b ,c is the phase voltage, Ra ,b,c is the sum of coil side and end-winding
resistances, Lend is the end-winding inductance, Vemf is the induced electromotive force (EMF).
There are several possible ways to calculate the end-coil inductance [9]:
 it can be calculated with an approximated formula;
 it can be evaluated from the 3D model of the electrical machine windings;
 is can be measured on the real generator;
 it can be provided by the manufacturer.

7
 The resistance and inductance of the end-windings Rend and Lend respectively, can be
calculated with empirical formulas given by Boldea [10]:
N  2  lend  Cu
Rend 
  d 2Cu (2)

4
lend  2  y  0,02 (3)
2  0  N 2 (4)
Lend  0,34(lend  0,64  y)
p
Where y  coil pitch, p  number of pole pairs,   number of parallel wires, N  effective
turns per phase, dCu  copper wire diameter, 0  the permeability of free space, Cu  electrical
conductivity of copper, lend  length of the end winding.
We should mention that the evaluation of inductance will not take into account the mutual
inductance between the end-winding parts of windings coils.
From Fig.6 based on the Kirchhoff’s circuit law and Faraday’s law of induction we can
write the voltage equation per each phase:
dI d
Va  I a  Ra  Lend a  (5)
dt dt
Where I a  phase current,   flux linkage inductance, Lend  end winding inductance
outside the core region, which represents a part of flux linkage which is not included in  .
The third term of the right-hand side of eq. (5) represents the back-EMF, which can be
expressed [11]:
Nl dA
Vemf   m  z d slot (6)
As  s dt
Where As  cross sectional area of stator (rotor) slot, lm  an effective length of the coils in the
core region.
Equation (6) can be rewritten as:
 n N Az n
Nn Az 
Vemf  lm 
 n
 d   d (7)
 n 1 Asn  w t n 1 Asn  w t
 n n 
Where N n  number of turns in coil, n , n  number of the positively and negatively
oriented coil sides respectively,  nw and  nw are respectively, the cross-sectional areas of the
“go” and “return” side of the phase conductors.
By substituting (7) into (5) we will get the final equation:
dI  n N Az n
N Az 
Va  I a  Ra  Lend a  lm  n  d  n  d (8)
dt  n 1 Asn nw t n 1 Asn  w t 
 n 
Equation (8) describes the DFIG finite element model considering the voltage excitation
of the windings.

8
4.3. The mechanical equation for the DFIG:
The electromagnetic torque of the DFIG can be calculated by several methods: Maxwell
stress tensor method, Coulomb’s method, Magnetic co energy derivation and Arkkio’s method.
The most commonly used approach is to use the Maxwell stress tensor. However, this method is
very sensitive to the air-gap mesh quality. The electromagnetic torque developed by DFIG was
simulated using the Arkkio method [12]. This method is more stable and less sensitive to the type
and number of meshing elements, and represents the volume integration of the magnetic flux
densities product. The mathematical representation of this method is expressed by
lm
0 (rs  r0 ) S
Te  r  Br  Bt ds (9)

where, Te  electromagnetic torque, rs  the inner radius of the stator, r0  the outer radius
of the rotor, Br  radial component of the magnetic flux, Bt  tangential component of the flux,
S  surface of the enclosed area.
The movement in the DFIG is determined by the next equations
1
m   (Te  TL )dt (10)
J
   m dt (11)
where J  moment of inertia, TL  load torque, m  the angular speed of the generator,
  angular position of the rotor.

4.4. Air gap modeling:

A very small airgap of rotating electrical machines requires a special attention to obtain a
proper meshing of this region. A free triangular node was used to create unstructured triangular
meshes in domains. Modeling the airgap between stator and rotor was conducted through “Form
Assembly”. The original mesh after Form Assembly is disconnected. In that case, continuity across
the domains is assured via automatic generation of Identity Pairs on the interface boundaries. Form
Assembly is especially useful when objects need to be able to move in a simulation [13].

5. Matlab-Simulink coupling to the FEM software:

The Comsol model can be incorporated into the Simulink model through a level-2 S-
function and Comsol LiveLinkTM mechanism. The DFIG Comsol model should be saved as a
Matlab script and after modification incorporated into the S-function. A S-function is a computer
language description of the Simulink block. It defines the sampling time, inputs, outputs and state
variables for continuous or discrete models. A detailed description of the S–function functionality
and the principle of operation can be found in the Matlab documentation [14].
The S-function on each iteration step calls Comsol solver which calculates the field
equations of electromagnetic field of the DFIG. Depending on the input voltage and the rotational
speed from Simulink, after each time step the values of current, voltage, electromagnetic torque
and generator power from Comsol are exported.
Because the sampling time in the Comsol model and in the Simulink model are different
the mathematical coupling between them is weak. The calculation of the model states is conducted
during the minor and major steps [15].
A flowchart of the interaction process among FAST, Simulink and Comsol Multiphysics
is presented on the Fig.7.

9
 Fig.7. Simplified representation of WT model.

The integration of FAST with Matlab/Simulink is also implemented though a S-function

[16]. Because the DFIG finite element model solver in Comsol Multyphisics is time-dependent,
we have to take into consideration the updating of the S-function’s discrete states on every iteration
step. The solution of the model on the first-time step has to be considered as an initial value for
the next simulation step. The realization of the finite element model and the procedure of the FEM
and circuit coupling through the S-function mechanism is described in [15].

6. Results and discussion:

The finite element model of a DFIG was developed in Comsol Multiphysics. The end effect
of the DFIG stator and rotor windings was considered using an Electric Circuit which is one of the
Comsol Physics interfaces. The interconnection between the circuit and field models was
conducted through the implementation of a voltage-controlled current source block.
The developed model represents the dynamic behavior of the DFIG with a higher level of
accuracy and allows to simulate different kinds of faults, for example, eccentricity faults, turn-to-
turn faults, unbalanced faults and some others. The higher level of accuracy is due to the finite
element model which considers electromagnetic effects often neglected by conventional methods.
The inclusion of faults into the finite element model now made easy, and can be done by the
parameter adjustment or simple modification of the model. For example, the static eccentricity can
be implemented by moving the center of the rotation of the rotor away from the center of the stator.
The turn-to-turn fault can be accommodated by connecting the resistance across the winding which
will reduce the amount of both resistance and reactance of the circuit.
As an example, the turn-to-turn fault in stator phase A was simulated by the developed
model. The stator currents under normal operation and during the faulty condition are presented in
Fig.8 and Fig.9 respectively.
As we can see from the figures, during the turn-to-turn fault in the stator phase A, the
resistance of the faulty phase decreased, and thus the current in the faulty phase increased.
The development of the time-stepping Comsol/Simulink working prototype in not
straightforward. However, it is evident that the realization of the proposed approach will
significantly improve the flexibility and functionality of a WT model. The combination of FAST,
Matlab and Comsol Multiphysics will lift the simulation of WT to the next level.
To be able to simulate the dynamic behavior of the overall WT system, control system
algorithm has to be implemented into the model.

10
 Fig.8. Stator currents of the DFIG model without faults.

Fig.9. Stator currents under turn-to-turn fault in Phase A of the DFIG model.

Conclusion:
In this paper the methodology for the dynamic modeling of a WT is presented. The
proposed combination of Comsol Multiphysics software with FAST is quite unique, and allows
the study of the dynamic behavior of a WT based on the DFIG topology with higher level of
accuracy. The advantages of using the finite element model of the DFIG for WT simulation was
covered. The development of the DFIG finite element model is presented in details. To make the

11
modeling result of the DFIG more consistent, skewing effect of the rotor slots can be incorporated
into the DFIG finite element model.
This is a study still under development and further conclusions for this work will be the
subject of another publication.

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