Turbine Control Parameters Using Virtual Temperature Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The operation of wind turbines and gas turbines is challenged by the difficulty in monitoring temperatures of sensitive components, leading to reduced annual energy production (AEP) and increased costs due to the need for complex and costly sensors or over-engineering.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that uses a validated physical turbine model to predict and estimate virtual temperatures and parameters at components without sensors, based on measurement values from a limited number of sensors, allowing for the derivation of control parameters for optimal operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex sensor systems or wireless telemetry are installed to monitor component temperatures, then temperature monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (digital twin) of the physical turbine system that replicates temperature behavior through simulation. Instead of installing physical sensors throughout the system, a virtual model is created that mirrors the actual system's thermal characteristics, allowing temperature monitoring without additional hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical sensor installation approach with a computational/software-based solution. The virtual model uses software simulations and available operational data to estimate temperatures, substituting physical measurement infrastructure with computational modeling
2Reliability
If safety margins are increased to protect against unknown temperatures, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced annual energy production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the virtual model continuously receives operational data from the actual turbine and updates temperature estimates in real-time. This continuous feedback loop allows the system to adapt to changing conditions and provide accurate temperature information, enabling safer operation at higher power levels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary thermal modeling and simulation during the design phase to establish the virtual twin before the turbine operates. This preliminary action creates a predictive capability that allows operators to understand thermal behavior patterns before actual operation begins
3Reliability
If over-engineering is applied to account for temperature uncertainty, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from static over-engineering to dynamic parameter estimation. Instead of designing for worst-case scenarios with fixed safety margins, the system dynamically estimates actual temperature parameters through the virtual model, allowing optimal utilization of component capabilities without excessive design margins
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining control parameters of a turbine by consideration of component-relevant temperature limits is provided. The method considers the impact of individual turbine manufacturing tolerances on the turbine performance in a turbine model to determine control parameters for the turbine without damaging it. The method includes the steps of: receiving, by an interface, one or more measurement values of turbine sensors; determining, by a processing unit, at components or turbine places being equipped or not with turbine sensors, one or more virtual parameters and/or temperatures by a simulation of the operation of the turbine, the simulation being made with a given turbine model in which the one or more measurement values and one or more characteristic values of the wind turbine are used as input parameters; and deriving, by the processing unit, the control parameters for the wind turbine from the one or more virtual parameters and/or temperatures.