Wind Farm Wake Control for Temporary Active Power Boost
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind power plants experience losses due to wake effects where up-wind turbines reduce wind speed for down-wind turbines, limiting overall power production and revenue potential, especially when trying to provide a primary power reserve for grid stabilization.
Innovation Solution
The method exploits the delay in wind speed propagation to create a temporary power boost by optimizing wake operations, allowing up-wind turbines to increase efficiency and injecting active power into the grid when needed, while down-wind turbines still operate at reduced efficiency, allowing for a higher overall power production without immediate loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wind power plant operates in optimized wake mode to maximize overall power production, then total energy production is improved, but ability to provide primary power reserve for grid stabilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between optimized wake mode and maximum power mode based on grid frequency conditions. During normal operation, the plant operates in optimized wake mode to maximize energy production. When grid frequency drops below 49.5 Hz, indicating a power deficit, the system automatically transitions to maximum power mode, allowing up-wind turbines to operate at full capacity and create a power boost that propagates to down-wind turbines, providing primary power reserve for grid stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of wind turbines based on grid conditions. By adjusting the power output of up-wind turbines from optimized levels to maximum levels when grid frequency drops, the system creates a temporary power boost that exceeds normal optimized production. This parameter change enables the plant to provide primary power reserve while maintaining the ability to return to optimized operation once grid stability is restored.
2Power
If up-wind wind turbine generator increases power production, then immediate power output is improved, but wind speed reduction propagates to down-wind turbines causing future power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by increasing power production at up-wind turbines before the wake effect propagates to down-wind turbines. When grid frequency drops, up-wind turbines immediately switch to maximum power mode, creating a power boost that is captured by down-wind turbines during the propagation delay period (typically a few seconds). This preliminary power increase provides grid support before the inevitable wake-induced power reduction occurs at downstream locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention exploits the time delay in wake propagation by rushing through the power boost phase before the wake effect reaches down-wind turbines. The system operates at maximum capacity for the brief period when down-wind turbines have not yet experienced the wind speed reduction, effectively skipping through the window of opportunity to maximize immediate power output before the harmful wake effect manifests at downstream locations.
3Reliability
If wind power plant withholds power to create primary reserve, then grid support capability is improved, but total power production and revenue deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously witholding power to maintain a static reserve, the system implements periodic action by switching to maximum power mode only when grid frequency drops below 49.5 Hz. This on-demand approach allows the plant to maintain full production during normal operation (providing economic benefit) while automatically providing grid support when needed (providing reliability). The periodic activation based on grid conditions eliminates the need for continuous curtailment, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for operating a wind power plant in a wake situation, said wind power plant being connected to a power grid, the method comprising the steps of operating the wind power plant in a predetermined power mode of operation, terminating said predetermined power mode of operation, and increasing power generation of the wind power plant to a power level that exceeds an optimized wake power level of the wind power plant, and injecting the increased amount of power into the power grid as a power boost. Thus, the present invention is capable of generating a power boost to an associated power grid, said power boost exceeding the power level normally being available in a wake situation. The present invention further relates to a system for carrying out the method.