Ice shedding risk early warning system and method for wind farms in heavy ice areas

Abstract

The present invention discloses an ice shedding risk early warning system and method for wind farms in heavy ice areas. The central controller calculates the ice shedding risk distribution cloud map of the area near the wind turbine in real time. The risk cloud map defines the probability of the area near the wind turbine being hit by ice shedding by color and / or contour lines; a virtual fence is generated according to a predetermined risk threshold; a video monitoring system and / or a mobile terminal positioning system is used to monitor the activities of people / animals around the wind turbine. When a person / animal is detected to intrude the virtual fence, an alarm is activated to alert the person to leave, or the animal is driven out of the dangerous area. The present invention can keep the wind turbine running even during the icing period, without passive shutdown due to external reasons to reduce production capacity; at the same time, it can also provide safe path planning to help it evacuate safely and minimize the risk of being hit by ice shedding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of wind farm engineering design, and in particular relates to an ice shedding risk early warning system and method for a wind farm in a heavy ice area. Background Art

[0002] The rapid development of the world's wind power industry has greatly promoted the transformation of the world's energy structure and has become one of the important ways to cope with climate warming. The development of wind power is also an important means to promote my country's energy revolution, change the energy structure, prevent and control air pollution, and build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system.

[0003] my country's wind energy resources are mainly concentrated in the three northern regions (Northeast, Northwest, and North China) with cold climates and the southeastern coastal regions with high humidity. Among them, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang are the regions where my country's wind power is developing rapidly. In low temperature and humid environments, wind turbines in these regions have serious freezing problems. The freezing problem of wind turbine blades will affect the aerodynamic efficiency of the blades, reduce the power generation of wind farms, and even cause additional loads and additional vibrations of wind turbines, reducing the service life of blades and units. When the weather warms up or the thermal deicing system is turned on, the adhesion of the ice decreases, and it can be thrown out under the action of centrifugal force when the wind turbine is started or running. People, animals, and facilities near wind turbines have to face the risk of being hit by ice. In order to cope with these risks, many wind farms have to passively shut down during the icing period, which not only causes a waste of wind energy resources, but also has a certain impact on the dispatching and safety of the power system.

[0004] At present, there are relatively few studies on ice throwing risk warning systems for wind farms in heavy ice areas, and most of them are still in the exploratory stage. U.S. Patent US2017058871 provides a system and method for reducing ice throwing from one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during operation. The method includes monitoring one or more ice-related parameters of the wind turbine, and when ice accumulation is detected, changing the yaw position, power or operating speed of the wind turbine, etc., but the method does not involve ice throwing risk warning. European Patent WO2018113877A1 provides a method for advantageously determining the ice throwing risk area of ​​a wind turbine. When the determined ice throwing risk area infringes on one or more exclusion areas, a change to one or more operating parameters of the wind turbine is determined to change the ice throwing risk area. The method changes its ice throwing risk area by adjusting the operating state of the wind turbine to avoid the pre-set exclusion area, and does not involve ice throwing risk warning. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention proposes an ice shedding risk warning system and method for wind farms in heavy ice areas in order to solve the above technical problems.

[0006] The present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] The ice shedding risk warning system for wind farms in heavy ice areas includes multiple wind turbines, central controllers, sensors, video monitors, alarms and mobile terminals;

[0008] The wind turbine generator set is composed of a hub, a nacelle, one or more blades and a tower; the nacelle and the hub are connected by a transmission shaft, and the blades are fixed to the hub by bolts; the high tower lifts up the nacelle, providing a wide operating space for the rotation of the impeller, the yaw of the nacelle and the pitch change of the blades;

[0009] The central controller is arranged at the wind farm booster station or the centralized control center; the sensor is externally mounted on the wind turbine to collect data and parameters; the central controller is communicatively connected to the sensor externally mounted on the wind turbine; the video monitor is mounted on the tower to monitor the activity tracks of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically; the alarm is mounted on the tower, and the alarm is communicatively connected to the central controller; a positioning device is provided on the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal is carried by people entering the ice shedding risk area; the video monitor and the mobile terminal are communicatively connected to the central controller; the central controller monitors the activity tracks of the wind farm operation and maintenance personnel through the video monitor and the mobile terminal positioning system.

[0010] The present invention also discloses an ice shedding risk warning method for a wind farm in a heavy ice area, and the method is as follows:

[0011] 1) The central controller located at the wind farm booster station or centralized control center collects data on wind speed and wind direction environmental parameters, wind turbine height and blade length structural parameters, impeller speed and yaw angle operating parameters, and terrain data around the wind turbine based on data collected by external sensors of the wind turbine;

[0012] 2) Calculate the ice shedding risk distribution cloud map of the area near the wind turbine using a random simulation algorithm, and use color distribution or contour lines to achieve visualization, and define the probability of the area near the wind turbine being hit by ice shedding;

[0013] 3) The video monitor installed on the tower monitors the activity trajectories of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically, and transmits the monitoring data to the central controller;

[0014] 4) The central controller generates a virtual fence around the wind turbine according to the pre-set risk threshold. The virtual fence is not fixed and will be updated in real time and dynamically according to environmental parameters;

[0015] 5) The operation and maintenance personnel carry mobile terminals with real-time positioning and wireless communication functions to enter the ice shedding risk area; the central controller monitors the activity trajectory of the wind farm operation and maintenance personnel through video monitoring and mobile terminal positioning system; the mobile terminal can display the ice shedding risk distribution map of the current area and the risk value of being hit by ice shedding at the current location in real time;

[0016] 6) When the maintenance personnel intrude into the virtual fence, the central controller will activate the alarm, and the mobile terminal will also remind the maintenance personnel to evacuate to a safe area by vibration and flashing lights;

[0017] 7) When the central controller detects through the video monitor that outsiders or wild animals have invaded the virtual fence, the alarm is activated to drive them out of the dangerous area.

[0018] Preferably, the present invention can record virtual fence intrusion events of each wind turbine in the wind farm, and plan physical fences for wind turbines with frequent intrusion events.

[0019] In the present invention, a central controller calculates in real time a cloud map of the risk distribution of ice shedding in the vicinity of a wind turbine, wherein the risk cloud map defines the probability of the vicinity of a wind turbine being hit by ice shedding by color and / or contour lines; a virtual fence is generated according to a predetermined risk threshold; a video monitoring system and / or a mobile terminal positioning system is used to monitor the activities of people / animals around the wind turbine, and when a person / animal is detected intruding into the virtual fence, an alarm is activated to alert the person to leave, or the animal is driven out of the dangerous area, so that the wind turbine can keep running during the icing period without passively shutting down due to external reasons to reduce production capacity.

[0020] The present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0021] 1) According to the environmental parameters of the wind turbines, the structural parameters and operating status of the wind turbines, and the surrounding topography, a random simulation algorithm is used to calculate the risk distribution of ice shedding around the wind turbines, and a visualization processing result is provided;

[0022] 2) Use video surveillance systems and / or mobile terminal positioning systems to conduct real-time dynamic monitoring of the activities of people / animals around wind turbines, rather than only considering pre-set sensitive areas;

[0023] 3) The risk warning system proposed by the present invention is not a simple alarm and expulsion system. For personnel using matching mobile terminals, it can also provide safe path planning to help them evacuate safely and minimize the risk of being hit by falling ice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of ice shedding risk warning for wind farms in heavy ice areas according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the safe path planning function in the ice shedding risk warning of a wind farm in a heavy ice area according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the following examples are only used to illustrate the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention. If no specific technology, connection relationship or condition is indicated in the embodiment, it is carried out according to the technology, connection relationship, condition described in the literature in this field or according to the product specification. If the manufacturer is not indicated in the materials, instruments or equipment used, they are all conventional products that can be purchased.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, the ice shedding risk warning system for wind farms in heavy ice areas includes multiple wind turbines, a central controller 201, sensors, a video monitor 203, an alarm 205 and a mobile terminal 206; wherein the wind turbine is composed of a hub 101, a nacelle 102, one or more blades 103 and a tower 104; the nacelle 102 and the hub 101 are connected by a transmission shaft, and the blades 102 are fixed to the hub 101 by bolts; the high tower lifts up the nacelle, providing a wide operating space for the rotation of the impeller, the yaw of the nacelle and the pitch change of the blades.

[0028] The central controller 201 is arranged in the wind farm booster station or the centralized control center; the sensor is externally mounted on the wind turbine to collect data and parameters; the central controller 201 is communicatively connected with the sensor externally mounted on the wind turbine; the video monitor 203 is mounted on the tower 104 to monitor the activity tracks of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically; the alarm 205 is mounted on the tower 104, and the alarm 205 is communicatively connected with the central controller 201; a positioning device is provided on the mobile terminal 206, and the mobile terminal 206 is carried by people entering the ice shedding risk area; the video monitor 203 and the mobile terminal 206 are communicatively connected with the central controller 201.

[0029] The ice shedding risk warning method for a wind farm in a heavy ice area disclosed in the present invention is as follows:

[0030] 1) The central controller 201 located at the wind farm booster station or centralized control center collects data on wind speed and wind direction environmental parameters, wind turbine height and blade length structural parameters, impeller speed and yaw angle operating parameters, and terrain data around the wind turbine according to the wind turbine external sensors;

[0031] 2) calculating the ice shedding risk distribution cloud map of the area near the wind turbine using a random simulation algorithm, and using color distribution or contour lines 202 for visualization, thereby defining the probability of the area near the wind turbine being hit by ice shedding;

[0032] 3) The video monitor 203 installed on the tower 104 monitors the activity tracks of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically, and transmits the monitoring data to the central controller;

[0033] 4) The central controller 201 generates a virtual fence 204 around the wind turbine according to a preset risk threshold. The virtual fence is not fixed and will be updated in real time and dynamically according to environmental parameters;

[0034] 5) The operation and maintenance personnel carry a mobile terminal with real-time positioning and wireless communication functions to enter the ice shedding risk area (for reasons such as equipment maintenance); the central controller 201 monitors the activity trajectory of the wind farm operation and maintenance personnel through the video monitor and the mobile terminal 206 positioning system; the mobile terminal can display the ice shedding risk distribution map of the current area and the risk value of being hit by ice shedding at the current location in real time; the mobile terminal has real-time positioning and wireless communication functions, and can display the ice shedding risk distribution cloud map of the entire field and the risk value of the current location in real time;

[0035] 6) When the maintenance personnel intrude into the virtual fence, the central controller activates the alarm 205 to sound an alarm, and the mobile terminal also reminds the maintenance personnel to evacuate to a safe area by means of vibration and flashing lights;

[0036] 7) When the central controller detects through the video monitor 203 that an outsider or wild animal has invaded the virtual fence, the alarm is activated to send out an alarm and drive the outsider or wild animal away from the dangerous area.

[0037] See also Figure 2 As shown, multiple wind turbines form a typical wind farm. The central controller 201 generates a respective ice shedding risk distribution map in the surrounding area of ​​each wind turbine. When the operation and maintenance personnel need to evacuate, the central controller 201 can plan a safe path based on the current ice shedding risk distribution of the entire field to help personnel evacuate safely. It is worth noting that the ice shedding risk distribution map of the area between wind turbines that are close to each other may change due to the superposition effect of risks.

[0038] Those skilled in the art will easily understand that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. The ice shedding risk warning system for wind farms in heavy ice areas is characterized by: It includes multiple wind turbines, central controllers, sensors, video monitors, alarms and mobile terminals; among them, The wind turbine generator set is composed of a hub, a nacelle, one or more blades and a tower; the nacelle and the hub are connected by a transmission shaft, and the blades are fixed to the hub by bolts; The central controller is arranged at the wind farm booster station or the centralized control center; the sensor is externally mounted on the wind turbine to collect data and parameters; the central controller is in communication connection with the sensor externally mounted on the wind turbine; the video monitor is mounted on the tower to monitor the activity tracks of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically; the alarm is mounted on the tower, and the alarm is in communication connection with the central controller; a positioning device is arranged on the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal is carried by people entering the ice shedding risk area; the video monitor and the mobile terminal are in communication connection with the central controller; the central controller generates respective ice shedding risk distribution maps in the areas around each wind turbine; when the operation and maintenance personnel need to evacuate, the central controller can plan a safe path according to the current ice shedding risk distribution of the entire field to help the personnel evacuate safely; The method of using the ice shedding risk warning system for a wind farm in a heavy ice area specifically comprises: 1) The central controller located at the wind farm booster station or centralized control center calculates the ice shedding risk distribution map of the area near the wind turbine using a random simulation algorithm based on the wind speed and wind direction environmental parameters collected by the wind turbine external sensors, the structural parameters of the wind turbine height and blade length, the operating parameters of the impeller speed and yaw angle, and the data of the terrain and topography around the wind turbine. The map is visualized using color distribution or contour lines to define the probability of the area near the wind turbine being hit by ice shedding; 2) The video monitor installed on the tower monitors the activity trajectories of people or animals around the wind turbine in real time and dynamically, and transmits the monitoring data to the central controller; 3) The central controller generates a virtual fence around the wind turbine according to the pre-set risk threshold. The virtual fence is not fixed and will be updated in real time and dynamically according to environmental parameters; 4) The central controller monitors the activity trajectory of wind farm operation and maintenance personnel through video monitoring and mobile terminal positioning system; the mobile terminal can display the ice shedding risk distribution map of the current area and the risk value of being hit by ice shedding at the current location in real time; 5) When the maintenance personnel intrude into the virtual fence, the central controller will activate the alarm, and the mobile terminal will also remind the maintenance personnel to evacuate to a safe area by vibration and flashing lights; 6) When the central controller detects through the video monitor that outsiders or wild animals have invaded the virtual fence, the alarm is activated to drive them out of the dangerous area.

2. The ice shedding risk warning system for wind farms in heavy ice areas according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The system can record virtual fence intrusion events of each wind turbine in the wind farm and plan physical fences for wind turbines with frequent intrusion events.

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