Wind Turbine Control Device Performance Identifier Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wind energy systems face reduced reliability and operability due to the arbitrary selection of wind turbines for power reduction, leading to unnecessary deactivation of more reliable turbines and potential turbine failure.

Innovation Solution

A wind energy system with a control device that determines performance identifiers for each turbine based on operating and historical parameters, allowing for the selective deactivation of turbines with lower performance, ensuring that more reliable turbines continue to operate during power reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wind turbines are arbitrarily selected for power reduction, then the power grid specification can be met, but the reliability and operability of the wind energy system decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperability of wind energy systemVSAvoidpower output of wind energy system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection criterion from arbitrary or simple power-based selection to a comprehensive performance identifier that includes multiple parameters such as availability, capacity factor, and operational status. This parameter transformation enables differentiated selection of wind turbines for deactivation, prioritizing those with lower performance metrics to maintain system reliability while meeting power reduction requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If wind turbines with lower operability are deactivated, then the reliability of remaining turbines is maintained, but the complexity of selection and control increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of activated wind turbinesVSAvoidcomplexity of control device
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device pre-calculates and stores performance identifiers for all wind turbines based on their historical and current operational data. This preliminary action enables rapid decision-making during power reduction events, as the selection criteria are already established and ready for immediate application without requiring complex real-time calculations during the deactivation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical assessment and manual selection processes with an automated electronic control system that calculates performance identifiers and automatically selects turbines for deactivation. This substitution of mechanical/manual systems with electronic automation reduces operational complexity while improving selection accuracy and reliability.

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

3Productivity

If only actual power values are considered for turbine selection, then the power reduction target can be achieved quickly, but the long-term operability of the system deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of power adjustmentVSAvoidlong-term operability of wind turbines
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device pre-calculates and stores performance identifiers for all wind turbines based on their historical and current operational data. This preliminary action enables rapid decision-making during power reduction events, as the selection criteria are already established and ready for immediate application without requiring complex real-time calculations during the deactivation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2667023B1Control of a wind energy system
Publication Date: 2018.06.06 INNOGY SE
  • EP2667023B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2667023B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2667023B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4b

AI summary

The invention relates to a wind energy system (2, 2.1, 2.2) comprising a first wind turbine (6, 6.1) and at least one further wind turbine (6, 6.2), wherein the wind turbines (6, 6.1, 6.2) each have a power measurement device (7) for recording the actual value of the output power, and at least one control device (4) connected to the wind turbines (6, 6.1, 6.2) via a communication network (8), wherein the first wind turbine (6, 6.1) has at least one operating status measurement device (16a, 16b, 16c, 18a, 20a) for recording at least one operating parameter of the first wind turbine (6, 6.1), and the further wind turbine (6, 6.2) has at least one operating status measurement device (16a, 16b, 16c, 18a, 20a) for recording at least one operating parameters of the second wind turbine (6, 6.2) and the control unit (4) is set up, a power identifier for the first wind turbine (6, 6.1) to determine, at least as a function of the operating parameter of the first wind turbine (6, 6.1), a power characteristic for the further wind turbine (6, 6.2) is set up, at least as a function of the operating parameter of the further wind turbine (6, 6.1), and the control device (4) is set up, to deactivate at least one wind turbine (6, 6.1, 6.2) as a function of the power characteristics when a power reduction is required.