Fan blade replacement method, device and equipment and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a fan blade replacement method, device and equipment and a computer readable storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: counting historical wind resource data of a wind power plant; wherein a plurality of fans are mounted in the wind power plant; selecting a specific fan from the plurality of fans according to the historical wind resource data; according to the parameters of the specific fan and the parameters of a target blade to be replaced, simulating load rechecking after the blade of the specific fan is replaced by the target blade; and judging whether the blade of the specific fan can be replaced by the target blade or not according to the simulated load recheck. In this way, the draught fans possibly suitable for blade replacement can be preliminarily screened based on the wind resource data, then whether the draught fans are suitable for blade replacement or not is determined again through load rechecking, and it is ensured that blade replacement is safe and effective.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of wind turbines, and more particularly to the field of wind turbine blade replacement technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, after nearly 30 years of rapid development, my country's wind power market boasts the world's largest total installed capacity. However, for some early wind farms, the utilization rate of wind energy resources has not been maximized, and there is still room for improvement in the wind capture efficiency of these turbines. Although the wind energy captured by wind turbines is largely influenced by wind conditions, the blades, as key components for absorbing wind energy, can increase the swept area of ​​the rotor by replacing them with longer blades, which is the most direct way to increase the power generation of the turbine. However, replacing the blades with longer ones will inevitably change the overall load of the wind turbine, potentially posing significant safety hazards. Therefore, how to safely and effectively replace the blades has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a method, apparatus, equipment, and storage medium for replacing wind turbine blades.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for replacing wind turbine blades is provided. The method includes:

[0005] Statistical analysis of historical wind resource data for wind farms; wherein, multiple wind turbines are installed within the wind farms;

[0006] Based on the historical wind resource data, a specific wind turbine is selected from the plurality of wind turbines;

[0007] Based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced, simulate the load verification after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced with the target blade;

[0008] Based on the simulated load verification, it is determined whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0009] In addition to the aspects and any possible implementations described above, a further implementation is provided in which the historical wind resource data includes: historical wind speed, historical wind direction, historical turbulence intensity, historical air density, historical topographic data, obstacle data, historical extreme wind speed, and historical extreme weather conditions at the location of each wind turbine in the wind farm.

[0010] In addition to the aspects and any possible implementations described above, a further implementation is provided in which the selection of a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data includes:

[0011] The historical wind resource data is analyzed to determine the wind resource conditions and wake effects at the location of each of the multiple wind turbines.

[0012] Obtain the installation conditions of each of the plurality of fans;

[0013] Obtain the economic conditions of each of the plurality of wind turbines;

[0014] Obtain the operating status and estimated remaining lifespan of each of the multiple wind turbines;

[0015] Based on the wind resource conditions at the location of each wind turbine, the wake effect, the installation conditions, economic conditions, operating status, and estimated remaining lifespan of each wind turbine, a specific wind turbine is selected from the plurality of wind turbines.

[0016] In addition to the aspects and any possible implementations described above, a further implementation is provided, wherein simulating the load verification after replacing the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blades, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blades to be replaced, includes:

[0017] Obtain historical wind resource data for the location of the specific wind turbine;

[0018] The historical wind resource data of the location of the specific wind turbine, the parameters of the specific wind turbine, and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced are input into the load simulation software to obtain the load verification of each component after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced with the target blade.

[0019] The step of determining whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades based on the simulated load verification includes:

[0020] The simulated load verification of each component is compared with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0021] In addition to the aspects and any possible implementations described above, an implementation is further provided in which the load verification of each component simulates includes the ultimate load and fatigue load of each component;

[0022] The step of comparing the simulated load verification of each component with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades includes:

[0023] Calculate the product of the simulated load verification and the safety factor for each component;

[0024] Determine whether the product is less than the design limit strength of each component;

[0025] Determine whether the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level;

[0026] If the product is less than the design limit strength of each component and the fatigue load of each component is less than the lowest fatigue level, then it is determined that the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0027] Otherwise, it is determined that the blades of the specific wind turbine cannot be replaced with the target blades.

[0028] In addition to the aspects and any possible implementations described above, a further implementation is provided, wherein the method further includes:

[0029] After replacing the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blades, evaluate the actual power generation increment and actual power curve of the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement;

[0030] Based on the actual power generation increment and the actual power curve, optimization measures for a specific wind turbine after blade replacement are determined.

[0031] In addition to the aspects described above and any possible implementations, a further implementation is provided in which the length difference between the target blade and the blade of the specific wind turbine is less than a preset threshold.

[0032] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a wind turbine blade replacement device is provided. The device includes:

[0033] The statistics module is used to collect historical wind resource data for the wind farm; wherein, the wind farm is equipped with multiple wind turbines;

[0034] The selection module is used to select a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data;

[0035] The simulation module is used to simulate the load verification after the blades of the specific wind turbine are replaced with the target blades, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blades to be replaced.

[0036] The judgment module is used to determine, based on the simulated load verification, whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0037] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the program to implement the method described above.

[0038] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0039] In this disclosure, by statistically analyzing historical wind resource data of wind farms, specific wind turbines with replaceable blades can be initially screened from a plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data. Then, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced, a load verification is simulated after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced with the target blade. Based on the simulated load verification, it is determined whether the blade of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blade. In this way, wind turbines that may be suitable for blade replacement can be initially screened based on wind resource data, and then the load verification is used to confirm whether the wind turbine is suitable for blade replacement, ensuring that blade replacement is safe and effective.

[0040] It should be understood that the description in the Summary of the Invention is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. The drawings are provided for a better understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0042] Figure 1 A flowchart of a wind turbine blade replacement method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 2 A flowchart of another wind turbine blade replacement method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0044] Figure 3 A block diagram of a wind turbine blade replacement device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 4 A block diagram of an exemplary electronic device capable of implementing embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0047] Furthermore, the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0048] Figure 1 A flowchart of a wind turbine blade replacement method 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Method 100 may include:

[0049] Step 110: Compile historical wind resource data for the wind farm; wherein, the wind farm is equipped with multiple wind turbines;

[0050] Step 120: Select a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data;

[0051] A specific wind turbine can be one or more wind turbines.

[0052] Step 130: Based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced, simulate the load verification after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced with the target blade; the length of the target blade is increased by no more than 10 meters compared to the original blade of the specific wind turbine.

[0053] Step 140: Based on the simulated load verification, determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0054] By statistically analyzing historical wind resource data from wind farms, specific wind turbines with replaceable blades can be initially selected from a pool of turbines based on this data. Then, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced, a load check is simulated after replacing the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blade. Based on the simulated load check, it is determined whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blade. In this way, wind turbines that may be suitable for blade replacement can be initially selected based on wind resource data, and then the suitability of the wind turbine for blade replacement is confirmed again through load check, ensuring that blade replacement is safe and effective.

[0055] In some embodiments, the historical wind resource data includes: historical wind speed, historical wind direction, historical turbulence intensity, historical air density, historical topographic data, obstacle data, historical extreme wind speed, and historical extreme weather conditions at the location of each wind turbine in the wind farm.

[0056] Analyze the average wind speed at different heights (10 meters, 50 meters, 80 meters, 100 meters, and 120 meters).

[0057] The frequency distribution of wind speed is described using two parameters of the Weibull distribution (shape parameter k and scale parameter c).

[0058] Create a wind rose diagram to show the frequency distribution of wind direction, determine the prevailing wind direction, and assess the impact of the wake.

[0059] The intensity of turbulence is analyzed, as it directly affects the load and fatigue of the fan.

[0060] Air density is a direct factor affecting wind power.

[0061] Precise terrain elevation data is used to analyze the acceleration or deceleration effects of terrain features such as valleys and ridges on wind.

[0062] The location and height of buildings, trees, and other structures can also affect the wake.

[0063] Extreme wind speeds and extreme weather conditions are crucial for the safe operation of wind turbines. Using extreme wind speeds to verify the adequacy of the turbine's wind resistance design is essential. For specific regions, the impacts of typhoons, icing, lightning, and temperature must be assessed. Icing will affect the aerodynamic performance and safety of the blades. Lightning will affect the wind turbine's lightning protection strategy. Temperature will directly affect the turbine's mechanical performance.

[0064] In some embodiments, selecting a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data includes:

[0065] The historical wind resource data is analyzed to determine the wind resource conditions and wake effects at the location of each of the multiple wind turbines.

[0066] Obtain the installation conditions of each of the plurality of fans;

[0067] Obtain the economic conditions of each of the plurality of wind turbines;

[0068] Obtain the operating status and estimated remaining lifespan of each of the multiple wind turbines;

[0069] Based on the wind resource conditions at the location of each wind turbine, the wake effect, the installation conditions, economic conditions, operating status, and estimated remaining lifespan of each wind turbine, a specific wind turbine is selected from the plurality of wind turbines.

[0070] Specific camera position selection criteria:

[0071] 1. Wind resource conditions

[0072] Moderate average wind speed: The historical average wind speed at the turbine site should not be too high or too low. Too low a wind speed: Even with longer blades, the captured wind energy is limited, resulting in a low return on investment. Too high a wind speed: The turbine site may already be operating at full capacity; extending the blades will only increase the load, as the excess captured energy cannot be utilized by the generator, leading to a net loss. A typical selection criterion is 50% ≤ recent average wind speed / initial design average wind speed ≤ 80%.

[0073] Wind energy distribution: Good wind frequency distribution, meaning that the operating time is relatively long within a certain wind speed range (below the rated wind speed).

[0074] Wind direction distribution: A relatively concentrated wind rose pattern indicates that the unit has good wind resistance performance.

[0075] 2. Site layout and wake impact:

[0076] Avoid choosing a location downwind where the wake duct is heavily affected. The site itself may already be affected by the wake duct of the upstream unit, limiting the effectiveness of replacing the blades with longer ones.

[0077] Conversely, if the blades of an upstream turbine are lengthened, it is necessary to assess the extent to which this will exacerbate the wake effect on downstream turbines in order to avoid reducing the overall profitability of the entire wind farm.

[0078] 3. Installation conditions (transportation and hoisting conditions):

[0079] The site must have sufficient lifting platforms and transport roads to accommodate the transport of large cranes and long blades. This condition is especially critical in mountainous or complex terrain sites.

[0080] 4. Economic conditions

[0081] Incremental investment return ratio: Accurately calculate the transformation costs (new blades, hoisting, design, performance upgrades, etc.) of each candidate turbine location and the benefits brought by the expected increase in annual power generation, and calculate the investment payback period and internal rate of return.

[0082] 5. Unit operating status and lifespan:

[0083] Choose units that are in good operating condition, have a low failure rate, and a long remaining lifespan. It is uneconomical to invest in the renovation of a unit that is about to be decommissioned or is prone to failure.

[0084] Priority ranking: Usually, all turbine locations are comprehensively evaluated based on the above conditions, and then those locations with good wind resources, large turbine capacity, low retrofit costs, and high expected returns are prioritized for retrofitting.

[0085] In some embodiments, the step of simulating the load verification after replacing the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blades, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blades to be replaced, includes:

[0086] Obtain historical wind resource data for the location of the specific wind turbine;

[0087] The historical wind resource data of the location of the specific wind turbine, the parameters of the specific wind turbine, and the parameters of the target blade to be replaced are input into the load simulation software to obtain the load verification of each component after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced with the target blade.

[0088] The step of determining whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades based on the simulated load verification includes:

[0089] The simulated load verification of each component is compared with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0090] By inputting the above parameters into the load simulation software, the load verification of each component after the blades of the specific wind turbine are replaced with the target blades is obtained. Then, the simulated load verification of each component is automatically compared with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades. That is, it can be determined whether the whole machine can meet the load requirements after the blades of the specific wind turbine are replaced with the target blades. If it can, it can be replaced; if it cannot, it cannot be replaced.

[0091] In some embodiments, the load verification of each component simulated includes the ultimate load and fatigue load of each component;

[0092] The step of comparing the simulated load verification of each component with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades includes:

[0093] Calculate the product of the simulated load verification and the safety factor for each component;

[0094] Determine whether the product is less than the design limit strength of each component;

[0095] Determine whether the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level;

[0096] If the product is less than the design limit strength of each component and the fatigue load of each component is less than the lowest fatigue level, then it is determined that the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0097] Otherwise, it is determined that the blades of the specific wind turbine are replaced with the target blades.

[0098] By determining whether the product is less than the design limit strength of each component, it can be determined whether the ultimate load of each component meets the requirements after being replaced with the target blade. By determining whether the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level, it can be determined whether the fatigue load of each component meets the requirements after being replaced with the target blade. If the product is less than the design limit strength of each component and the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level, it is determined that the replacement of the blade of the specific wind turbine can meet the requirements of ultimate load and fatigue load, and therefore, it can support the replacement of the target blade. Otherwise, it cannot be replaced with the target blade.

[0099] A brief description of the load verification process:

[0100] Modeling: Input all the above parameters into professional aero-elasticity simulation software (such as Bladed) to build a digital model of the whole machine.

[0101] Simulation: The software will perform time-domain simulation under all preset DLCs to calculate the force, torque, displacement and acceleration of each component at each moment during the rotation of the wind turbine.

[0102] Post-processing:

[0103] Ultimate load: Extract the maximum force / moment value for each component from all simulation results.

[0104] Fatigue loading: Using Miner's rule and rainflow counting, all dynamic load sequences are converted into equivalent damage levels for evaluating component life.

[0105] Verification: Compare the calculated ultimate load and fatigue load with the design capacity of the components (such as the buckling strength of the tower, the preload of the bolts, and the flange strength of the main shaft). The following conditions must be met:

[0106] Calculated ultimate load × safety factor < component design ultimate strength

[0107] Calculate the cumulative damage level as <1 (i.e., the service life meets the requirements).

[0108] If the load check or clearance check fails, the long blades cannot be replaced on this unit.

[0109] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0110] After replacing the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blades, evaluate the actual power generation increment and actual power curve of the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement;

[0111] Based on the actual power generation increment and the actual power curve, optimization measures for a specific wind turbine after blade replacement are determined.

[0112] After replacing the blades of a specific wind turbine with the target blades, the actual power generation increment and actual power curve of the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement can be evaluated. Then, based on the actual power generation increment and the actual power curve, optimization measures for the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement can be determined to extend the service life of the components as much as possible and ensure improved power generation efficiency.

[0113] In some embodiments, the length difference between the target blade and the blade of the specific wind turbine is less than a preset threshold. The preset threshold may be 10 meters.

[0114] After the blade upgrade and installation are completed, the method of harmlessly disposing of the replaced old blades will be studied. The blade core material, fiberglass plate and other parts can be recycled through simple mechanical means and easily manufactured for reuse, maximizing the use of resources, reducing solid waste disposal costs, and forming a complete blade upgrade and replacement system that can be promoted and applied in the future large-scale upgrade of wind farms.

[0115] like Figure 2 As shown, the method for replacing wind turbine blades is as follows:

[0116] First step: Collecting wind resource data.

[0117] Statistical analysis of wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, air density, topographic data, obstacle data, extreme wind speeds, and extreme weather conditions.

[0118] The second step: Analyze the wind resource data to determine specific turbine locations.

[0119] Analyze the average wind speed at different heights (10 meters, 50 meters, 80 meters, 100 meters, and 120 meters).

[0120] The frequency distribution of wind speed is described using two parameters of the Weibull distribution (shape parameter k and scale parameter c).

[0121] Create a wind rose diagram to show the frequency distribution of wind direction, determine the prevailing wind direction, and assess the impact of the wake.

[0122] The intensity of turbulence is analyzed, as it directly affects the load and fatigue of the fan.

[0123] Air density is a direct factor affecting wind power.

[0124] Precise terrain elevation data is used to analyze the acceleration or deceleration effects of terrain features such as valleys and ridges on wind.

[0125] The location and height of buildings, trees, and other structures can also affect the wake.

[0126] Extreme wind speeds and extreme weather conditions are crucial for the safe operation of wind turbines. Using extreme wind speeds to verify the adequacy of the turbine's wind resistance design is essential. For specific regions, the impacts of typhoons, icing, lightning, and temperature must be assessed. Icing will affect the aerodynamic performance and safety of the blades. Lightning will affect the wind turbine's lightning protection strategy. Temperature will directly affect the turbine's mechanical performance.

[0127] Specific camera position selection criteria:

[0128] 1. Wind resource conditions

[0129] Moderate average wind speed: The historical average wind speed at the turbine site should not be too high or too low. Too low a wind speed: Even with longer blades, the captured wind energy is limited, resulting in a low return on investment. Too high a wind speed: The turbine site may already be operating at full capacity; extending the blades will only increase the load, as the excess captured energy cannot be utilized by the generator, leading to a net loss. A typical selection criterion is 50% ≤ recent average wind speed / initial design average wind speed ≤ 80%.

[0130] Wind energy distribution: Good wind frequency distribution, meaning that the operating time is relatively long within a certain wind speed range (below the rated wind speed).

[0131] Wind direction distribution: A relatively concentrated wind rose pattern indicates that the unit has good wind resistance performance.

[0132] 2. Site layout and wake impact:

[0133] Avoid choosing a location downwind where the wake duct is heavily affected. The site itself may already be affected by the wake duct of the upstream unit, limiting the effectiveness of replacing the blades with longer ones.

[0134] Conversely, if the blades of an upstream turbine are lengthened, it is necessary to assess the extent to which this will exacerbate the wake effect on downstream turbines in order to avoid reducing the overall profitability of the entire wind farm.

[0135] 3. Transportation and hoisting conditions:

[0136] The site must have sufficient lifting platforms and transport roads to accommodate the transport of large cranes and long blades. This condition is especially critical in mountainous or complex terrain sites.

[0137] 4. Economic conditions

[0138] Incremental investment return ratio: Accurately calculate the transformation costs (new blades, hoisting, design, performance upgrades, etc.) of each candidate turbine location and the benefits brought by the expected increase in annual power generation, and calculate the investment payback period and internal rate of return.

[0139] 5. Unit operating status and lifespan:

[0140] Choose units that are in good operating condition, have a low failure rate, and a long remaining lifespan. It is uneconomical to invest in the renovation of a unit that is about to be decommissioned or is prone to failure.

[0141] Priority ranking: Usually, all turbine locations are comprehensively evaluated based on the above conditions, and then those locations with good wind resources, large turbine capacity, low retrofit costs, and high expected returns are prioritized for retrofitting.

[0142] Third step: Perform load verification for each unit.

[0143] Specifically, the original unit's main shaft, gearbox, generator, yaw system, tower, foundation, bolts, braking system, and other structural components should be checked to ensure they have sufficient design safety margins to withstand the significantly increased loads due to the longer blades.

[0144] Clearance safety distance:

[0145] Blade tip to tower clearance: After replacing with longer blades, sufficient safety clearance between the blade tip and the tower must be ensured under all operating conditions (especially under extreme turbulence and shear wind) to prevent impact.

[0146] Leaf tip height from the ground: The minimum height from the ground must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure safety.

[0147] The main parameter categories used in load verification can be divided into environmental input parameters, unit geometric and physical parameters, control and operation parameters, and material and safety parameters.

[0148] Environmental and external condition parameters define the external forces that the wind turbine can withstand and are the boundary conditions for load input.

[0149] Wind condition parameters:

[0150] Average wind speed: Wind speed values ​​at different wheel hub heights.

[0151] Turbulence intensity: The severity of wind speed fluctuations, which is a major driving factor for fatigue loads. It is usually defined using IEC standards.

[0152] Wind shear: The pattern of wind speed variation with altitude.

[0153] Wind direction change: including steady-state yaw error angle and dynamic wind direction change.

[0154] Extreme wind conditions: such as the 50-year return period extreme wind speed (EWM), extreme turbulence model (ETM), extreme coherent gust (ECG), etc., are used to calculate the ultimate load.

[0155] Other environmental parameters:

[0156] Air density: A key parameter affecting aerodynamics, determined based on site elevation and temperature.

[0157] Seismic load: For wind fields located in seismic zones, seismic load must be considered.

[0158] 2. Unit geometry and physical parameters: These parameters describe the physical characteristics of the wind turbine itself and will change due to the long blades.

[0159] Blade parameters:

[0160] New mass distribution: the mass per unit length of the new blade and its distribution along the span.

[0161] New stiffness distribution: flapping and oscillation stiffness distribution of the new blades.

[0162] New geometry: including chord length, twist angle, and thickness distribution along the span (i.e., aerodynamic shape).

[0163] New center of gravity and aerodynamic center.

[0164] Overall parameters:

[0165] Impeller diameter: The new diameter after replacement.

[0166] Wind turbine inertia: Larger blades will significantly increase the rotational inertia of the wind turbine.

[0167] Tower height and rigidity.

[0168] Nacelle mass and tower mass.

[0169] Transmission chain parameters: including the stiffness and damping characteristics of the main shaft, gearbox, and generator.

[0170] 3. Control and operating parameters: The fan's response to wind conditions directly determines the load size.

[0171] Power curve: new rated power, cut-in / cut-out wind speed, rated wind speed.

[0172] Thrust curve: After blade replacement, the thrust usually increases significantly at the same wind speed, which is the main source of the ultimate load and fatigue load of the tower foundation.

[0173] Control strategy:

[0174] Pitch control logic: The gain of the PID controller usually needs to be re-optimized to smooth the power and torque response and reduce the load.

[0175] Speed ​​control: The set speed value before the rated wind speed.

[0176] Operating conditions: Dozens of preset operating condition combinations are calculated according to standards such as IEC 61400-1, such as: power generation state + normal turbulence, power generation state + extreme turbulence, fault state (such as power grid failure), shutdown state, transportation and installation state, etc. Each DLC corresponds to a different combination of environment and control parameters.

[0177] 4. Material and safety parameters are used to convert the calculated original loads into design loads and to verify the strength of components.

[0178] Safety factor: Different local safety factors are applied based on the criticality of the component and the consequences of failure.

[0179] Material properties: such as the yield strength of flanges and bolts, fatigue strength curves (SN curves), allowable strain of composite materials, etc.

[0180] A brief description of the load verification process:

[0181] Modeling: Input all the above parameters into professional aero-elasticity simulation software (such as Bladed) to build a digital model of the whole machine.

[0182] Simulation: The software will perform time-domain simulation under all preset DLCs to calculate the force, torque, displacement and acceleration of each component at each moment during the rotation of the wind turbine.

[0183] Post-processing:

[0184] Ultimate load: Extract the maximum force / moment value for each component from all simulation results.

[0185] Fatigue loading: Using Miner's rule and rainflow counting, all dynamic load sequences are converted into equivalent damage levels for evaluating component life.

[0186] Verification: Compare the calculated ultimate load and fatigue load with the design capacity of the components (such as the buckling strength of the tower, the preload of the bolts, and the flange strength of the main shaft). The following conditions must be met:

[0187] Calculated ultimate load × safety factor < component design ultimate strength

[0188] Calculate the cumulative damage level as <1 (i.e., the service life meets the requirements).

[0189] If the load check or clearance check fails, the long blades cannot be replaced on this unit.

[0190] Step 4: Upgrade the wind turbine's safety performance and implement measures to improve power generation efficiency.

[0191] The renovation and optimization consisted of two parts. The first part focused on improving unit safety. After replacing the blades with longer ones, the unit's design margin was fully utilized, and some components approached or even reached their ultimate design strength. Under high-strength conditions, the lifespan of these components was consumed rapidly. Measures were taken to extend the service life of these components as much as possible. The second part focused on improving power generation efficiency. The principle behind replacing the blades was to increase the swept area to increase power generation efficiency. In addition to increasing the swept area, making fuller use of the incremental wind energy, while still allowing for some capacity reduction, also contributed to increased efficiency.

[0192] Considering both economic efficiency and reliability, typically only the blades and hubs of different models are replaced, while the nacelle and drive train remain unchanged, and the blade length is increased by no more than 10m. Furthermore, after simulation verification of the blades to be replaced, the design safety factor of the unit is checked, ensuring stable operation of the unit.

[0193] After selecting a replacement design scheme and performing calculations and verifications, upgrade work studies were conducted. Safety assurance and performance improvement technologies were developed. During the daily operation of wind turbines, continuous maintenance and upkeep of wind farm equipment are required through early warning systems, health assessments, preventative maintenance, and condition-based maintenance. Due to technological limitations in early wind farm construction, fully functional system platforms were not available, resulting in lower equipment reliability. Therefore, upgrades to the turbines were implemented through calculations and technical measures, providing construction plans adapted to the operating conditions of different turbine locations.

[0194] The standard design is as follows:

[0195] The fatigue load of the hub system after blade replacement / (original unit design fatigue load × 0.9) > 110%, so the axial force unloading modification technology of the main shaft is adopted.

[0196] The estimated power generation growth is greater than 6%, and in-depth maintenance of the frequency converter will be carried out during the renovation.

[0197] Statistical calculations yielded wind rose diagrams for the past three years. If the frequency change of any wind direction / original wind direction frequency is greater than 10% and the swept area increases by more than 10%, an upgrade to the yaw strategy will be implemented.

[0198] If the axial length of the leading edge damage to the blade before replacement is less than 25% and the total blade length is less than 50%, a leading edge protective film should be used; if it exceeds 50%, protective paint should be used.

[0199] The length of a single blade is increased by ≥2m, and a millimeter-wave airspace monitoring system is added.

[0200] For areas with an average of ≥20 days of thunderstorms per year, an online lightning monitoring system should be upgraded.

[0201] Efficiency improvement solutions encompass the design and installation of blade aerodynamic accessories, de-icing and anti-icing systems and methods, and upgrades to the unit's main control program and SCADA system. Generally, a combination of various accessories and technical measures is selected for modification, comprehensively considering: wind farm wind resource characteristics, blade aerodynamic characteristics, unit performance characteristics, production and installation costs, and actual efficiency gains. Customized designs and optimized combinations are employed to effectively improve the unit's power generation capacity while meeting the safety requirements of the overall unit's design load, strength, and frequency.

[0202] Since efficiency improvement schemes are often presented in combination, the decision-making criteria are as follows: Under the current average annual wind speed conditions in the area, the annual power generation that can be increased by adopting the efficiency improvement scheme, the 5-year power generation increase benefit / total cost of the improvement scheme ≥ 125%, the unit's ultimate load increase after the scheme is implemented < 8%, the fatigue load increase < 10%, and all of these conditions must be met simultaneously.

[0203] The fifth step is to assess the power generation and calculate the power curve. This is a continuous monitoring process after the renovation and replacement are completed. After the complete replacement plan is determined, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary assessment of the theoretical power generation growth and the power curve. After the renovation and operation, the actual power generation increment is compared with the actual power curve. Based on the results, it will be decided whether to return to the fourth step to consider taking other additional measures, thus forming a complete method.

[0204] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited to the described order of actions, because according to this disclosure, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this disclosure.

[0205] The above is an introduction to the method embodiments. The following describes the solution described in this disclosure further through device embodiments.

[0206] Figure 3 A block diagram of a wind turbine blade replacement device 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 As shown, the device 300 includes:

[0207] The statistics module 310 is used to collect historical wind resource data of the wind farm; wherein, multiple wind turbines are installed in the wind farm;

[0208] Selection module 320 is used to select a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines based on the historical wind resource data;

[0209] The simulation module 330 is used to simulate the load verification after the blades of the specific wind turbine are replaced with the target blades, based on the parameters of the specific wind turbine and the parameters of the target blades to be replaced.

[0210] The judgment module 340 is used to determine, based on the simulated load verification, whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

[0211] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the described module can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0212] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the present disclosure also provides an electronic device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions.

[0213] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device 800 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The electronic device may also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processors, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present disclosure described and / or claimed herein.

[0214] Device 800 includes a computing unit 801, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on a computer program stored in read-only memory (ROM) 802 or a computer program loaded from storage unit 808 into random access memory (RAM) 803. RAM 803 may also store various programs and data required for the operation of device 800. The computing unit 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are interconnected via bus 804. Input / output (I / O) interface 805 is also connected to bus 804.

[0215] Multiple components in device 800 are connected to I / O interface 805, including: input unit 806, such as keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 807, such as various types of monitors, speakers, etc.; storage unit 808, such as disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 809, such as network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. Communication unit 809 allows device 800 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0216] The computing unit 801 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the computing unit 801 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various computing units running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The computing unit 801 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as method 100. For example, in some embodiments, method 100 may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium, such as storage unit 808. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on device 800 via ROM 802 and / or communication unit 809. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 803 and executed by the computing unit 801, one or more steps of method 100 described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the computing unit 801 may be configured to perform method 100 by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0217] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload-programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0218] The program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0219] In the context of this disclosure, a machine-readable medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0220] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0221] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as a data server), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., an application server), or computing systems that include frontend components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with embodiments of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication of any form or medium (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.

[0222] Computing systems can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located far apart and typically interact via communication networks. Client-server relationships are created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. Servers can be cloud servers, servers in distributed systems, or servers incorporating blockchain technology.

[0223] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0224] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method of replacing a wind turbine blade, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: statistical wind resource data of a wind farm is obtained, wherein a plurality of wind turbines are installed in the wind farm; a specific wind turbine is selected from the plurality of wind turbines according to the historical wind resource data; load review of the specific wind turbine after the replacement of the blades of the specific wind turbine with target blades is simulated according to parameters of the specific wind turbine and the target blades; whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades is determined according to the simulated load review.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical wind resource data comprises historical wind speed, historical wind direction, historical turbulence intensity, historical air density, historical terrain data, obstacle data, historical extreme wind speed and historical extreme weather conditions at the locations of the wind turbines in the wind farm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific wind turbine is selected from the plurality of wind turbines according to the historical wind resource data, comprising: analyzing the historical wind resource data to determine wind resource conditions and wake effects at the locations of the wind turbines in the wind farm; obtaining installation conditions of the wind turbines in the wind farm; obtaining economic conditions of the wind turbines in the wind farm; obtaining operating states and estimated remaining service life of the wind turbines in the wind farm; selecting the specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines according to the wind resource conditions, wake effects, installation conditions, economic conditions, operating states and estimated remaining service life of the wind turbines in the wind farm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the load review of the specific wind turbine after the replacement of the blades of the specific wind turbine with target blades is simulated according to parameters of the specific wind turbine and the target blades, comprising: obtaining historical wind resource data at the location of the specific wind turbine; inputting the historical wind resource data at the location of the specific wind turbine, parameters of the specific wind turbine and the target blades to be replaced into load simulation software to obtain load review of each component of the specific wind turbine after the replacement of the blades of the specific wind turbine with the target blades; whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades is determined according to the simulated load review, comprising: comparing the simulated load review of each component with the design margin of each component to determine whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulated load review of each component comprises ultimate load and fatigue load of each component; whether the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades is determined according to the simulated load review, comprising: calculating the product of the simulated load review of each component and a safety factor; determining whether the product is less than the design ultimate strength of each component; determining whether the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level; if the product is less than the design ultimate strength of each component and the fatigue load of each component is less than the minimum fatigue level, it is determined that the blades of the specific wind turbine can be replaced with the target blades. ​ ​ ​ ​ Otherwise, it is determined that the blade of the specific wind turbine cannot be replaced by the target blade.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: After the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced by the target blade, an actual power generation increment and an actual power curve of the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement are evaluated; According to the actual power generation increment and the actual power curve, an optimization measure of the specific wind turbine after the blade replacement is determined.

7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The length difference between the target blade and the blade of the specific wind turbine is less than a preset threshold.

8. A wind turbine blade replacement device, characterized in that Comprise: a statistical module configured to count historical wind resource data of a wind farm; wherein a plurality of wind turbines are installed in the wind farm; a selection module configured to select a specific wind turbine from the plurality of wind turbines according to the historical wind resource data; a simulation module configured to simulate a load review of the specific wind turbine after the blade of the specific wind turbine is replaced by a target blade according to parameters of the specific wind turbine and parameters of the target blade to be replaced; a determination module configured to determine whether the blade of the specific wind turbine can be replaced by the target blade according to the simulated load review.

9. An electronic device, comprising: Comprise: a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the program to realize the method of any one of claims 1-7.

10. A computer readable storage medium, comprising: When the instructions in the storage medium are executed by the processor corresponding to the electronic device, the electronic device can realize the wind turbine blade replacement method of any one of claims 1-7.

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