Wind Turbine Torque Control for 3P Drivetrain Load Variations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines experience cyclical loading due to varying wind conditions, leading to drivetrain fatigue and reduced operational lifetime, as the rotor transitions between maximum and minimum load orientations, causing 3P disturbances that propagate to the drivetrain.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling wind turbines that involves receiving signals indicative of generator speed and requested output power, filtering to isolate disturbance frequencies, phase shifting to match torque variations, and generating a modification signal to reduce torque variations between the rotor and generator, thereby reducing drivetrain fatigue exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional drivetrain damping routines are used to reduce drivetrain oscillations, then drivetrain fatigue is reduced, but the complexity of the control system increases and may not adequately address specific disturbance frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameters of the control signal by filtering it to isolate specific disturbance frequencies (3P and other cyclical loadings) and then phase-shifting the filtered signal to match the torque variations. This targeted parameter modification allows the system to address specific frequency components without requiring complex broadband damping mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical drivetrain damping mechanisms with an electrical control approach. By modifying the generator torque through filtered and phase-shifted control signals, the system achieves drivetrain oscillation reduction without mechanical dampers or complex mechanical control systems.
2Reliability
If the control signal is modified to reduce torque variations at disturbance frequencies, then drivetrain fatigue exposure is reduced, but output power disturbances increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the harmful frequency components (3P and other cyclical disturbances) from the total torque signal through filtering. By isolating and addressing only these specific disturbance frequencies rather than modifying the entire torque signal, the system reduces drivetrain fatigue while minimizing the impact on output power quality.
3Force
If broadband damping is applied to reduce all drivetrain oscillations, then overall vibration is reduced, but the system cannot target specific disturbance frequencies like 3P loading
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the frequency domain parameters of the control signal by applying filters tuned to specific disturbance frequencies (3P, 2P, and other cyclical loadings). This allows the system to selectively target and address specific frequency components while leaving other frequency ranges unaffected, providing both frequency-specific control and adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively reduces drivetrain fatigue by modifying torque variations at disturbance frequencies, allowing for increased output power while managing torque disturbances within the electrical system, without damping drivetrain resonant oscillations.
Implementation Method 1
The generator is electro-magnetically coupled to the to drive train to extract the rotational energy
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to control of a wind turbine to address varying drivetrain loading. This is obtained by determining a modification signal to be set as a control signal. A signal indicative of a speed of the electrical generator a signal indicative of a requested output power are received. The signal indicative of a speed is filtering to isolate frequencies in a selected disturbance frequency band to generate a disturbance signal. The disturbance signal is phase shifted and combined with a requested output power to obtain the modification signal.