2. Fault diagnosis for wind turbines

The aim of a fault diagnosis module is to keep the wind turbine running in conditions that maximize electricity generation at minimum cost, while ensuring its safety. To achieve this, a number of difficulties and challenges need to be overcome, such as :

• the non-linearity, instability and complexity of wind turbine aerodynamics;

• the effect of the park due to wind shear (variation in wind speed) ;

• the random and turbulent nature of wind ;

• measurement noise and disturbances due to climatic conditions ;

• the effect of control, which can counteract, and therefore mask, the consequences of a defect.

These factors cause significant fluctuations in the power generated by the wind...