Wind Plant Voltage Compensation for Remote PCC Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wind power plants face challenges in controlling electrical parameters at the point of common coupling due to impedance in the internal power grid, leading to voltage drops and reactive power absorption, which complicates the measurement and control of wind turbine generators when sensors are remotely located.

Innovation Solution

A power plant controller that estimates voltage differences using a delta value calculated based on reactance between the point of measurement and the point of common coupling, modifying proportional gain and incorporating a compensation value to provide precise control of reactive power references, allowing for accurate control at the point of common coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If voltage control is performed at a remotely located measurement point, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to impedance effects in the internal power grid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontroller structureVSAvoidvoltage measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary calculation mechanism (delta value estimation algorithm) that bridges the measurement point and the point of common coupling. The controller estimates the voltage difference caused by line reactance and uses this intermediate value to compensate the measured voltage, thereby obtaining an accurate representation of the voltage at the point of common coupling without physically placing sensors there.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the physical/mechanical approach of placing voltage sensors directly at the point of common coupling with a computational/electrical approach. Instead of using additional measurement hardware, the system uses mathematical estimation and compensation algorithms to achieve the same measurement objective, substituting physical measurement with computational calculation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If sensors are placed at the point of common coupling, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor deployment
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the voltage measurement function from the physical location of the point of common coupling and relocates it to the remotely located measurement point. By separating the measurement function from the critical location, the system avoids the complexity of sensor deployment at the point of common coupling while maintaining control accuracy through computational compensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If higher voltage level is generated to compensate for voltage drops, then voltage stability at point of common coupling is improved, but energy loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage stabilityVSAvoidenergy loss in internal cables
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control mechanism where the estimated voltage at the point of common coupling is continuously monitored and used to adjust the voltage generation. The controller calculates the voltage difference (delta value) and feeds this information back to modulate the output voltage, creating a closed-loop system that maintains voltage stability while minimizing energy waste through precise control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2904684B1Controller and method for line reactance compensation
Publication Date: 2024.06.12 VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS AS
  • EP2904684B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2904684B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2904684B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a power plant controller (23), controlling at least one electrical parameter of a wind power plant at a first point (201), the power plant controller receiving at least one measured electrical parameter at a point of measurement (204a, b), the point of measurement being different from the first point, and estimating a delta value of a difference of the at least one electrical parameter between the first point and the point of measurement, wherein estimating of the delta value is calculated based on an impedance between the point of measurement and the first point, and at least one reference value of the power plant controller, and the power plant controller controls the at least one electrical parameter on the basis of the at least one measured electrical parameter and the delta value.