Wind Turbine Nacelle Calibration for Terrain-Aware Wake Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for calibrating wind turbines in wind farms often require stopping the turbines and do not account for complex terrain, leading to inefficient wake steering control operations due to inaccurate nacelle position data.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for calibrating wind turbine nacelle positions using power ratio analysis between upstream and downstream turbines, incorporating terrain effects, involving two calibration steps: initial recalibration based on power ratio mismatches and subsequent sector-specific corrections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional calibration methods (stopping turbine and pointing to known locations or using compass) are used, then calibration can be performed, but the wind turbine must be stopped which reduces productivity and increases loss of time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical calibration methods (physical positioning and compass alignment) with a computational approach using power ratio analysis and wake steering control simulations. The system calculates nacelle position corrections by comparing actual power ratios with simulated power ratios, eliminating the need for mechanical stopping and positioning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration method uses the wind turbine's own operational data (power output, wind speed, wake effects on neighboring turbines) to self-calibrate its nacelle position. The system leverages the natural wake interactions between turbines during normal operation to extract calibration information without requiring external calibration equipment or stopping the turbine.
2Device complexity
If calibration is performed without accounting for complex terrain, then calibration process is simpler, but wake steering control operations become inefficient due to inaccurate nacelle position data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the calibration approach by introducing terrain-specific parameters and correction factors. The system accounts for orographic effects by adjusting the power ratio calculations and wake steering simulations to reflect actual terrain conditions, thereby maintaining calibration accuracy in complex environments without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration method incorporates local terrain characteristics specific to each wind farm location. By considering site-specific orographic effects and adjusting the calibration parameters accordingly, the system achieves accurate nacelle position data tailored to local conditions, improving wake steering control effectiveness for each specific location.
3Productivity
If wake steering control is implemented to reduce wake effects, then downstream turbine efficiency improves, but requires precise nacelle position data which is difficult to obtain accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors actual power ratios between upstream and downstream turbines and compares them with simulated values. The difference (error signal) is used to calculate and apply corrections to the nacelle position data, creating a closed-loop calibration system that improves measurement accuracy through iterative refinement.
Solution Approach 2:
The power ratio analysis serves as an intermediary measurement that indirectly determines nacelle position accuracy. Instead of directly measuring nacelle position (which is difficult), the system uses the observable power ratio relationship between turbines as a proxy indicator, which reflects wake interactions and provides a practical means to infer and correct position data.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method (100) for calibrating a nacelle position of at least one wind turbine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in a wind farm (10) having a plurality of spatially distributed wind turbines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), in which a first calibration step of recalibrating a precalibrated nacelle position of at least one wind turbine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) is followed by a second calibration step, in which a wind direction sector specific further recalibrating of the nacelle position of the at least one wind turbine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) to be calibrated is performed by applying a wind direction sector specific correction value for an identified wind direction sector to the previously obtained calibrated nacelle position.