Effect of Drive and Power System Faults on Wind Turbine Shutdown or Continued Operation

The performance and maintenance of wind turbines play a crucial role in reducing energy production costs and enhancing the competitiveness of wind energy, as these costs account for 25%–30% of the total energy generation expenses. This study focuses on a 4.8 MW onshore wind turbine model, representative of utility‐scale systems commonly deployed in modern wind farms. Failures and malfunctions in the drivetrain and power systems of WTs significantly impact maintenance costs and operational efficiency. This study examines the effects of various faults in the drivetrain and power systems of wind turbines. Using Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity analysis, the turbine's behavior in response to these faults including its ability to continue operation or the necessity for immediate shutdown is analyzed. The results indicate that certain faults, such as generator speed sensor or generator torque sensor failures, cause notable variations in the turbine's operational parameters. The severity of these effects depends on the turbine's operating region (full load or partial load). Furthermore, different strategies to mitigate the impact of these faults, including correcting measurement signals and implementing fault‐tolerant controllers, are proposed. The proposed strategies are estimated to reduce unplanned downtime by up to 12%, potentially lowering maintenance costs by approximately 8%–10%, thereby improving the overall cost‐effectiveness of wind energy production.