Wind Farm Auxiliary Mode Control for Low-Wind Power Draw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind farms face challenges in operating efficiently at low wind speeds, leading to excessive power draw from the grid and unsynchronized demand signals, which reduces the net value of power supplied and can exceed the farm's power production.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling wind farms by designating a subset of turbines to full auxiliary mode and others to reduced auxiliary mode during low wind speeds, using a farm controller to manage transitions based on wind profiles and grid demand signals to optimize power production and reduce power draw.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all wind turbines operate in full auxiliary mode during low wind speeds, then the wind farm can maintain readiness for power production, but the power draw from the grid exceeds the power produced by the wind farm
Solution Approach 1:
The wind farm is segmented into multiple groups of wind turbines, where each group can be independently controlled to operate in different modes (full auxiliary mode or reduced auxiliary mode). This segmentation allows the system to maintain some turbines in full auxiliary mode to ensure readiness while transitioning others to reduced auxiliary mode to minimize power consumption during low wind speed conditions.
2Productivity
If wind turbines increase power draw from the grid to facilitate power generation, then power production is enhanced, but the demand signal becomes unsynchronized with grid availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor grid availability conditions and use this information to control the transition of wind turbine groups between operational modes. This feedback loop ensures that the demand signal from the wind farm is synchronized with grid availability, optimizing both power generation and timing of power draw.
3Productivity
If wind turbines transition from reduced auxiliary mode to full auxiliary mode, then power production capability is restored, but peak power draw increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transition of wind turbine groups from reduced auxiliary mode to full auxiliary mode is performed in a periodic, staged manner rather than simultaneously. Multiple groups are transitioned sequentially over time, which distributes the peak power draw across different time intervals and prevents a single large demand signal that would strain the grid connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for controlling a wind farm during low wind speeds. Accordingly, the farm controller designates at least one of the plurality of wind turbines of the wind farm as a designated turbine. The designated turbine is operating in a full auxiliary mode when the speed of the wind acting on the wind farm is below a wind speed threshold. The remaining wind turbines are operated in a reduced auxiliary mode. The reduced auxiliary mode includes the disabling of at least one of pitching and yawing of the remaining wind turbines. When a power output for the designated wind turbine exceeds a power threshold, the farm controller directs at least one group of the remaining wind turbines to transition from the reduced auxiliary mode to the full auxiliary mode. During certain grid conditions, the transition between auxiliary modes may be delayed.