Direct-drive　wind　turbine　is　an　important　type　of　wind　power　technology.　In　recent　years,　it　has　also　become　the　development　trend　of　large-capacity　wind　turbines.　It　is　difficult　and　expensive　to　establish　physical　simulation　for　wind　in　reality,　which　makes　the　real-time　simulation　model　necessary　in　the　study　its　power　generation　control　strategy　and　operation　characteristics.　Here,　the　structure　and　basic　principles　of　the　direct-drive　wind　power　system　was　studied,　mathematical　model　of　the　dq　generator　and　converter　using　coordinate　transformation　was　built,　and　control　methods　including　the　wind　turbine　pitch　angle　control,　maximum　power　tracking　control,　and　generator-side　variable　flow　control　were　simulated.　Furthermore,　a　control　strategy　of　generator-side　converters　and　grid-side　converters　was　proposed　and　studied　based　on　the　model　in　the　real-time　simulation　system　RTDS.　Different　working　conditions　as　grid-connected　normal　operation　and　operation　with　grid　fault　were　simulated　within　the　strategy.　Waveforms　of　current,　voltage,　power,　torque　were　obtained　and　analysed.　The　simulation　results　showed　that　the　simulation　model　reflected　the　operating　characteristics　of　the　direct-drive　wind　power　generation　system　well,　the　control　strategy　performed　successfully,　and　the　features　of　the　system　in　normal　and　faulted　operation　were　preliminarily　revealed.　©　2019　Institution　of　Engineering　and　Technology.　All　rights　reserved.