Wind Turbine Control Device for Damping Grid Oscillations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for damping electrical oscillations in utility grids often inadvertently excite mechanical resonances in power generator devices, leading to unintended vibrations and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A control device that generates first and second reference signals with active and passive parts, separated in time, to damp grid oscillations without continuously exciting resonances, by distributing these signals among multiple power generator units to maximize the decay of excited resonances and minimize vibration excitation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If continuous damping reference signal is applied to power generator units, then grid oscillations are effectively damped, but mechanical resonances in power generator components are excited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrid oscillation damping effectivenessVSAvoidmechanical resonance excitation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damping reference signal is divided into multiple active parts separated by passive parts. Each active part applies damping control to counteract grid oscillations, while passive parts allow mechanical resonances to decay. This periodic on-off control pattern prevents continuous excitation of mechanical resonances while maintaining effective grid oscillation damping through cumulative active parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The continuous damping reference signal is segmented into discrete active parts distributed across multiple power generator units and time intervals. By dividing the signal into segments rather than applying it continuously to all units, the system achieves grid oscillation damping while allowing mechanical resonances to decay during passive intervals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If damping control is applied to multiple power generator units simultaneously, then grid oscillation damping capability is enhanced, but mechanical resonance excitation is amplified

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrid oscillation damping capabilityVSAvoidmechanical vibrations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Active damping parts are distributed across multiple power generator units in a periodic sequence rather than being applied simultaneously. Each unit receives damping control at different time intervals, allowing mechanical resonances to decay between activations. This temporal distribution maintains cumulative damping capability while reducing peak mechanical vibration excitation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The damping control is segmented both spatially (across multiple generator units) and temporally (active and passive parts). By distributing active damping applications across different units and time intervals separated by passive parts, the system achieves enhanced grid oscillation damping capability while preventing amplification of mechanical resonances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2761713B1Control device for damping electrical grid oscillations
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS AS
  • EP2761713B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2761713B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2761713B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for damping grid oscillations. The oscillations may be damped by controlling e.g. wind turbine generators to inject power to the grid in anti-phase with the grid oscillations. Instead of controlling one or more wind turbine generators to generate the same anti-phase power signal, a plurality of wind turbine generators are controlled so that each of them only generates a part of the anti-phase power signal, but so that all of the wind turbine generators in combination generates the entire anti-phase power signal.