The effect of reduced power operation of faulty wind turbines on the total power generation for different wind speeds

Abstract

High failure rates have greatly limited the development of the wind power industry. Improving the operation and maintenance of wind turbines can help resolve this problem. Research in this area has thus far focused on the early detection of faults and the prediction of the remaining useful life of wind turbines and has rarely discussed remedies following failure. Currently, wind turbines are shut down for maintenance immediately after the occurrence of a failure, often resulting in large downtimes. However, this is not always necessary since turbines can continue to operate with a reduced power output to improve the total power generation. In this study, the continuous operation time after fault detection is calculated by principal component analysis, and its effectiveness is verified. The effect of reduced power operation on the continuous operation time and the total power generation of wind turbines is analyzed. Finally, the effect of wind speed on reduced power operation is analyzed. The results show that reduced power operation can prolong operational time and increase the total power generation of a wind turbine.