Wind Turbine Blade Controller Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wind turbines face challenges in managing extreme loading scenarios, such as asymmetric forces due to faulty pitch systems or loss of generator torque, which can lead to structural over-design and increased costs, as existing control systems lack effective isolation and fault-handling mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A distributed control system for wind turbines featuring blade controllers with functionally isolated power supplies, ensuring independence between blade controllers and reducing the risk of simultaneous loss of pitch control and drive train torque, allowing for reduced structural strength and cost-efficient design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the turbine is built strong enough to withstand worst case loading situations, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into independent blade controllers, each with functionally isolated power supplies. This segmentation ensures that faults are contained to individual blades rather than affecting the entire turbine, allowing the turbine to maintain reliability with reduced structural strength requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Functionally isolated power supplies act as intermediaries between the electrical system and blade controllers. These isolations prevent fault propagation across blades, serving as a protective barrier that reduces the need for over-engineered structural components.
2Device complexity
If a common power supply is used for all blade controllers, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to potential simultaneous failures
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into functionally isolated power supplies for each blade controller. While this increases device complexity, it dramatically improves reliability by preventing simultaneous failures across all blades, ensuring that at least some blades remain operational during fault conditions.
3Reliability
If structural strength is increased to handle extreme loading, then reliability is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control system into independent blade controllers with isolated power supplies, the turbine can maintain reliability with less structurally robust components. The segmentation allows the system to tolerate individual blade failures without compromising overall turbine integrity, reducing the need for excessive structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The functionally isolated power supplies provide beforehand cushioning against fault propagation. By preventing simultaneous failures before they can occur, the system compensates for reduced structural strength, allowing lighter components while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to control of a wind turbine, and in particular it relates to a distributed control system including a blade controller for each blade of the wind turbine. The electrical connection between each blade controller and the power supply of the blade controller is arranged to be functionally isolated from the electrical connection of each other blade controller and the power supply of the respective blade controllers.