Wind Power Plant Control System Using Virtual Modeling to Reduce Communication Delays
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wind power plant control systems face challenges in achieving fast and precise control due to delays in gathering and transmitting information from individual wind turbine generators to the central controller, leading to slower response times and potential power oscillations.
Innovation Solution
A wind power plant control system that includes a power plant controller and a modeling unit, where the modeling unit calculates estimated electrical output parameters and sends them to the power plant controller to determine reference signals for dispatch to wind turbine generators, thereby reducing signal conditioning and communication delays, and allows for a faster control loop with higher sampling rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If information is gathered and transmitted from individual wind turbine generators to the central controller, then control functionality is achieved, but control loop delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual model that copies the electrical output parameters of wind turbine generators. This virtual model allows the central controller to access parameter estimates without waiting for actual measurements to be transmitted from each generator, thereby eliminating communication delays while maintaining control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual model continuously calculates and updates parameter estimates in advance before actual measurements are needed for control decisions. This preliminary calculation of electrical output parameters ensures that the controller always has current data available, eliminating the time loss associated with waiting for measurement transmission.
2Measurement precision
If measurements are transmitted from wind turbine generators to the central controller, then accurate control data is obtained, but response time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of waiting for actual measurements to be transmitted from wind turbine generators, the system creates a virtual model that continuously calculates and copies the electrical output parameters. This provides the central controller with accurate parameter estimates immediately, without the delay of actual measurement transmission, thus improving response time while maintaining control data quality.
3Extent of automation
If a central controller manages multiple wind turbine generators, then centralized control is achieved, but control loop speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual model creates copies of electrical output parameters for all wind turbine generators in the wind power plant. This allows the central controller to access parameter estimates from all generators simultaneously without sequential communication delays, maintaining centralized control while significantly improving control loop speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual model continuously pre-calculates and updates parameter estimates for all generators before they are needed for control decisions. This preliminary action ensures that the central controller always has current data from all generators immediately available, eliminating the time loss associated with gathering measurements from multiple sources.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wind power plant control system arranged for controlling one or more wind turbine generators in a wind power plant, wherein the wind power plant control system comprises a power plant controller and a modeling unit, the modeling unit being operatively coupled to the power plant controller. The modeling unit is arranged to calculate estimated values of electrical output parameters from the one or more wind turbine generators, and to output said estimated values to the power plant controller. The power plant controller is arranged for determining reference signals for dispatching to the one or more wind turbine generators, wherein the estimated values of said electrical output parameters are used by the power plant controller in the determination of said reference signals. The invention also relates to a corresponding method of controlling a wind power plant.