Wind Farm Power Network Simulator for Safe Control Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing and designing control systems for wind farms is challenging due to the high cost and space requirements of simulating SCADA systems, and the risks associated with working with high voltage components in a laboratory setting.
Innovation Solution
A real-time simulator for the electrical power distribution network of a wind farm, which includes an input unit, a processing unit, and an output unit, capable of receiving and transmitting data to mimic the behavior of a real wind farm, allowing for safe and cost-effective testing of power regulation systems without actual high voltage components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a real wind farm is built for testing SCADA systems and power regulation, then realistic testing conditions are achieved, but cost and space requirements become prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the wind farm including virtual wind turbines, electrical power distribution network, and SCADA systems that replicate the behavior and characteristics of a real wind farm. This virtual model allows comprehensive testing of power regulation and control systems without requiring physical hardware, thereby achieving realistic testing conditions while eliminating the prohibitive cost and space requirements of building an actual wind farm for testing purposes
2Reliability
If high voltage components are used in a testing environment, then realistic power distribution testing is achieved, but safety risks and expense increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual electrical power distribution network as an intermediary that mediates between the testing systems and the need for realistic power distribution conditions. This virtual network model allows testers to simulate high voltage power distribution scenarios and analyze power flow, voltage drops, and network behavior without physically handling dangerous high voltage components, thereby maintaining testing accuracy while eliminating safety risks and associated expenses
3Quantity of substance
If virtualization is applied to SCADA systems, then cost and space are reduced, but the electrical power distribution network still requires physical high voltage components for realistic testing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the virtualization approach for SCADA systems with a virtual model of the electrical power distribution network into a fully integrated virtual test environment. This combination allows comprehensive testing of both control systems and power distribution characteristics in a unified virtual space, eliminating the need for any physical high voltage components while maintaining complete testing versatility and realism across all system interactions
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a simulator (100, 300) for real time simulation of an electrical power distribution network of a wind farm (130), the wind farm comprising a plurality of interconnected wind turbines, the simulator comprising (a) an input unit for receiving input data from a wind farm controller, (b) an output unit (102, 302), and (c) a processing unit adapted to calculate output values based on the input data and a model of the electrical power distribution network, the output values representing calculated electrical parameter values at a predetermined point (136, 236) within the electrical power distribution network, wherein (d) the output unit is adapted to transmit output data based on the calculated output values. Further, a system for real time simulation of a wind farm and a method of real time simulation of an electrical power distribution network of a wind farm are described.