Wind Farm Wake Detection Using Turbine Load Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wake management strategies in wind farms face challenges such as inaccurate wind condition measurements, uncertainty in load estimation models, and failure to account for partial wake situations, leading to potential damage and reduced electricity production.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize load sensors on wind turbines to directly measure loads, creating a qualified layout that detects wake situations in real-time, allowing for adaptive and efficient wake management strategies independent of wind condition measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wind condition measurements are used to define wake management strategies, then wake loads can be reduced, but measurement accuracy and reliability deteriorate due to wake interference and model uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/wind measurement system with a load measurement system. Instead of measuring wind conditions (wind speed, direction) to infer loads, the invention directly measures actual loads on turbine components using sensors. This substitution eliminates the chain of uncertainties from wind measurement through wake models to load estimation, providing direct reliable data for wake management strategy validation and adaptation.
2Reliability
If wind speed and direction are measured in reference locations away from wakes, then measurement reliability improves, but the applicability to individual turbines deteriorates due to spatial variations in wind conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having each turbine measure its own actual loads directly on its components. This eliminates the need for reference measurements from other turbines or met masts, as each turbine independently monitors its own wake exposure and load conditions. The load measurements are inherently specific to each turbine's actual operating conditions, providing both reliability and turbine-specific adaptability simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If theoretical load simulations are used to define wake management strategies, then strategy definition becomes feasible, but accuracy deteriorates due to model uncertainties and deviations from actual conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using actual load measurements from sensors to validate and adapt wake management strategies. The measured loads provide real feedback on whether theoretical simulations accurately predict actual turbine behavior. This feedback loop enables continuous improvement of strategy accuracy by comparing predicted versus actual loads and adjusting the theoretical models or strategy parameters accordingly, maintaining both feasibility and accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If load sensors are installed on wind turbines to directly measure loads, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential load measurement capability needed for wake management validation. Rather than implementing comprehensive monitoring systems, the invention focuses on installing load sensors specifically on components most affected by wakes (such as blade root loads or tower base loads). This selective extraction of measurement functionality reduces system complexity while maintaining sufficient accuracy for the specific purpose of wake situation detection and strategy validation.
Data Source
AI summary
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting a wake situation in a wind farm comprising a plurality of wind turbines theoretically distributed according to a theoretical layout, one or more of the wind turbines having one or more load sensors. The method comprises obtaining, for one or more of the wind turbines with load sensors, load measurements from the load sensors during a predefined time interval. The method further comprises obtaining a qualified layout by qualifying in the layout each wind turbine for which load measurements have been obtained as overloaded or non-overloaded according to its load measurements. Finally, the obtained qualified layout is used to detect the wake situation.