Wind Farm Controller High Wind Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
High wind conditions lead to excessive loads on wind turbine components, causing damage and reducing their lifetime, and existing solutions that shut down turbines during such conditions result in significant power production losses due to prolonged startup times and grid power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A wind farm controller detects high wind conditions and adjusts the parameter setpoints and cut-out wind speed thresholds of other turbines to reduce loads and allow them to operate during high winds, thereby minimizing shutdowns and maintaining power production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wind turbine is shut down during high wind condition to protect turbine components, then the safety and reliability of turbine components is improved, but the power production is significantly reduced due to shutdown and restart time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the wind turbine by reducing the rotor speed setpoint and increasing the cut-out wind speed threshold. This allows the turbine to operate in high wind conditions with modified parameters that reduce mechanical loads while maintaining power generation, thus resolving the contradiction between component safety and power production
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the turbine operational status dynamic rather than static. Instead of a simple on/off shutdown, the turbine transitions to a modified operational mode with adjusted parameters during high wind conditions, enabling continuous operation with reduced loads and maintaining productivity while ensuring component safety
2Productivity
If the wind turbine operates during high wind condition, then the power production is maintained, but the turbine components are subjected to excessive loads that may cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
By reducing the rotor speed setpoint and increasing the cut-out threshold, the invention changes operational parameters to reduce aero-dynamic loads on turbine components while maintaining operation during high wind conditions, thus preserving power production without excessive loading
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies preliminary protective action by pre-reducing the rotor speed setpoint and adjusting operational parameters before excessive loads can damage components. This preventive measure allows the turbine to withstand high wind conditions without suffering component damage
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect of the invention, a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes a plurality of wind turbines and a wind farm controller. The controller is configured to detect a high wind condition from at least one wind turbine in the wind farm, reduce a parameter setpoint of at least one other wind turbine, and increase a cut-out wind speed threshold of the at least one other wind turbine.