Wind Farm Grid Signaling for Turbine Islanding Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-grid forming wind turbines in a wind farm cannot reliably determine whether they are connected to a local grid or a utility grid when communication with the wind farm controller is lost, leading to potential unstable operation due to over-generation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where grid forming wind turbines generate electrical power with predetermined characteristics and deliver it to the wind farm grid, allowing non-grid forming turbines to detect these characteristics and determine the grid connection, thereby avoiding power injection into the wrong grid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If non-grid forming wind turbines operate without communication with the wind farm controller, then they can continue generating power, but they cannot reliably determine whether they are connected to a local grid or utility grid, leading to potential unstable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication-independent detection mechanism where grid-forming wind turbines inject test signals into the grid, and grid-following wind turbines detect these signals to determine grid connection status. This intermediary signal-based approach replaces the lost controller communication channel, enabling reliable grid status determination without communication infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wind turbines perform self-detection of grid connection status by monitoring electrical parameters (voltage, frequency, phase) and detecting test signals from other turbines. Each turbine becomes self-sufficient in determining grid status without external controller assistance, allowing continuous operation even when communication is lost.
2Measurement precision
If grid-forming wind turbines generate electrical power with predetermined characteristics, then non-grid forming turbines can detect these characteristics and determine grid connection, but this requires additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes changes in electrical parameters (voltage magnitude, frequency, phase angle) as detectable characteristics to encode grid connection information. Grid-forming turbines maintain specific parameter relationships that grid-following turbines can measure and interpret, enabling accurate grid status determination through standard electrical measurements without additional sensors or complex communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to methods (100, 200) for operating in wind farm grids (108) of wind farms (105) which are electrically disconnected from a utility grid (102), for example wherein communication with a wind farm controller (109) has been lost. The present disclosure further relates to wind farms (105), wind farm grids (108) and wind turbines (10). A method (100) comprises operating one or more first wind turbines (111) to generate electrical power with predetermined electrical characteristics when the wind farm (105) is disconnected from a utility grid (102), and delivering the electrical power with the predetermined electrical characteristics to the wind farm grid (108); and one or more second wind turbines (112) detecting (120) the electrical power delivered to the wind farm grid (108) and determining that the wind farm (105) is disconnected from the utility grid (102) by identifying the predetermined electrical characteristics.