Wind turbine manufacturer Nordex Group will soon be deploying a new power hardware-in-the-loop test bench for grid compliance testing of power electric drivetrains. The system engineered by R&D Test Systems will enable real-time monitoring and emulation of power grid behavior.

The inclusion of a grid emulator will support the simulation of a wide range of grid conditions, including voltage and frequency variations, power fluctuations, weak grid conditions and grid faults, without needing field testing. Use of this system, which complies with the new Technical Specification IEC 61400-21-4 for test bench-based compliance testing, will eliminate the need for field trials.

Source: R&D Test Systems

”Traditionally, grid compliance tests are carried out in the field with a wind turbine prototype, which can be time-consuming and challenging. The new test bench with grid emulator gives Nordex full control of the testing scenarios and timeline, allowing for more controlled and repeatable testing,” explained Gregor Krause, project director at R&D Test Systems.

The platform will also support the evaluation of electrical drive train variants of wind turbines or other grid loads such as batteries or electrolyzes, ensuring that they can be integrated with turbines and power grids. Under and over voltage ride throughs, various fault types and voltage jumps can be simulated.