Concept design of a test bench for wind energy conversion systems with PMSG considering electrical and mechanical interactions

Due to the rising share of Wind energy in the electric energy supply, growing grid code requirements and the objective of a competitive energy generation encourage the development of new and innovative control algorithms. Because of the need for experimental validation, this paper presents the design of a scaled laboratory test bench that emulates characteristics of WECS concerning their electrical and mechanical components. The concept of the test bench is described with special regard on the design of mechanical elements to emulate drivetrain characteristics of real WECs. Finally, simulation results for the transient behaviour of the drivetrain using a conventional field oriented control are presented that validate the concept design and clarify the urgent need for improved control algorithms.