Wind Farm Cable Layout With Parallel Turbine Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind power plants face high costs in design, materials, commissioning, and maintenance, while also experiencing reduced energy production due to the inefficiencies of serial cable array configurations.
Innovation Solution
A wind power plant design featuring a connection station with switchgear devices connected to a substation via a distribution line, with power cables directly connecting each switchgear device to a wind turbine, allowing for a parallel configuration that reduces material usage and enhances maintenance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If wind turbines are connected in a serial cable array configuration, then the power plant can be designed with simpler cable routing, but the cost of materials and equipment increases and power production decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wind power plant into multiple independent parallel connections between switchgear devices and wind turbines, rather than using a single serial cable array. Each switchgear device connects to individual wind turbines through separate power cables, segmenting the power distribution system to eliminate the bottleneck effects of serial configuration and enable independent operation of each turbine connection.
2Device complexity
If wind turbines are connected in a serial cable array configuration, then the internal grid layout can be simplified, but the cost of materials and equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power distribution system is segmented into multiple independent parallel paths, with each switchgear device having its own dedicated power cables connecting to individual wind turbines. This segmentation eliminates the need for oversized cables required in serial configurations to handle cumulative power loads, reducing material costs while maintaining grid functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If wind turbines are connected in a serial cable array configuration, then the design can be more conventional, but the cost of commissioning and maintaining the wind power plant increases
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel connection architecture segments the power distribution system into independent units, where each switchgear device and its associated power cables form a separate controllable module. This segmentation enables isolated commissioning and maintenance activities, allowing technicians to work on individual connections without affecting the entire power plant, thereby reducing commissioning and maintenance costs.
4Quantity of substance
If a connection station with multiple switchgear devices is implemented, then the cost of materials and equipment decreases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple switchgear devices are merged into a single connection station, consolidating what would otherwise be distributed switching equipment across the wind power plant. This merging reduces the total number of individual components while maintaining the parallel connection benefits, as the switchgear devices work together as an integrated unit to manage power distribution to multiple wind turbines.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a wind power plant comprising a plurality of wind turbines connected to a distribution line; a connection station comprising a plurality of switchgear devices connected to a substation via the distribution line; and, a plurality of power cables connecting the plurality of switchgear devices and the plurality of wind turbines. The plurality of power cables are respectively arranged to connect a single switchgear device of the plurality of switchgear devices and a single wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines.