Distributed Fault-Tolerant Control for Wind Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind power facility control systems lack true fault-tolerance and safety features, particularly at the main controller level, as they do not have a reliable mechanism for replacing a failed main communication unit, leading to potential system failures and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A distributed fault-tolerant control system with modularized architecture, utilizing decentralized voting schemes and a deterministic fault-tolerant communication network, including redundant primary controllers and distributed control nodes that can select valid transmission packages and support functional safety, ensuring continuous operation even if primary controllers fail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a main communication unit is used to control prioritised control units, then system complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but fault-tolerance is lost because no replacement unit is available if the main communication unit fails
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple independent control units (first, second, third control units) that can operate autonomously. Each control unit has its own communication capability, eliminating the single-point failure risk of a central main communication unit while maintaining operational simplicity through distributed decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures multiple control units with identical or complementary control logic before operation. When a control unit fails, a backup unit is already prepared and can immediately take over without requiring complex real-time selection or reconfiguration, ensuring both fault-tolerance and operational continuity.
2Reliability
If redundant control units are implemented for fault-tolerance, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple control units are designed with identical or highly similar functionalities, allowing any unit to perform any control task. This universality means that backup units are not specialized for specific functions but can handle any control unit failure scenario, reducing the overall system complexity compared to having dedicated backup units for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control units are made homogeneous in terms of hardware architecture and control logic, enabling seamless failover between units. This homogeneity simplifies the system design by using standardized components and eliminates the need for complex selection logic when switching between redundant units.
3Reliability
If decentralized voting schemes are implemented, then fault-tolerance and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The voting function is segmented and distributed to individual control units rather than being centralized in a single voting mechanism. Each control unit independently evaluates control set-points and participates in the voting process, which simplifies manufacturing by allowing independent testing and assembly of control units without requiring complex integrated voting hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
Each control unit autonomously performs voting operations on its own control set-points without requiring external voting infrastructure. This self-service capability enables control units to be manufactured, tested, and certified independently, significantly easing the manufacturing process while maintaining the fault-tolerance benefits of decentralized voting.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a distributed fault-tolerant control system for a modularized wind turbine or wind power plant system comprising sub-assemblies, the control system comprising 1) fault-tolerant control means adapted to generate control set-points and/or data values, said fault-tolerant control means being distributed in sub-assemblies in accordance with the modularization of the wind turbine or wind power plant system, and 2) fault-tolerant communication network for transmitting control set-points and/or data values at essentially the same time to a plurality of nodes in the distributed control system, said plurality of distributed nodes being capable of selecting a valid transmission package out of two or more transmission packages provided on the fault-tolerant communication network.