Error Evaluation for Models of RealTime Wind Turbine Simulators A.D. Diop 1 , C. Nichita 1 , J.J. Belhache 1 , B. Dakyo 1 and E. Ceanga 2 1 Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Automatique du Havre (GREAH-LEPII), Université du Havre, B.P. 5 40 , Le Havre, France, E-mail: diop@univ-lehavre.fr. 2 Universitatea Dunarea de Jos din Galati, Bd. Domneasca, N°47 Galati, Romania. ABSTRACT This paper deals with errors inherent in modelling wind turbine simulators. Firstly, different wind turbine simulators are categorised. The work concerns simulators having a real-time soft simulator and an electromechanical tracking system, using any type of servomotor1 5-17 . Having presented the wind turbine linearised models, with respect to types of servomotor control (in speed or in torque), an analysis is made of simulator mathematical models and simulation performance evaluation, according to the dynamical behaviour of the electromechanical tracking systems. Next, the simulator performances calculation is presented, followed by a simulation error analysis for some particular cases, in order to highlight the differences between the speed and torque control structures. Finally, a servomotor choice principle is established, illustrated by numerical results obtained with the servomotor of a real time wind turbine simulator. 1. INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM FORMULATION Development of wind power systems frequently use wind turbine simulators, which become necessary tools for the research laboratory. 1,2,3,4,5 An important category is simulators for hybrid wind-diesel systems and their control. 6,7,8,18 A brief review of the literature shows three categories of wind turbines simulator according to intended use. 1.1 Simulators with particular structures, adapted for specific operating situations Enslin and Van Wyk [9] describe a simulator on the basis of a DC machine, which uses the machine electromechanical torque equation, . The armature and excitation circuits are according to Figure 1, where T T , C T , l, W, and v are respectively the wind torque, the torque coefficient, the tip speed ratio, the angular speed rotation and the wind speed. Evidently, this simulator cannot reproduce the wind turbine dynamic behaviour. A simple solution for reproducing the wind turbine dynamics, is to attach an inertial mass to the shaft. 10 This system is not flexible and does not allow complex dynamical effects. 1.2 Simulators, based on current control of a DC machine, which allow dynamic behaviour emulation Figure 2 is illustrates the simulator principle, in conformity with [11], where the model describes the wind turbine dynamic characteristics W IND E NGINEERING V OLUME 24, NO . 3, 2000 PP 203-221 203