Wind Turbine Control Reserve Calculation via Power Curve Subtraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods lack a simple and effective way to estimate the control reserve of wind energy installations during throttled operation, which is crucial for regulating electrical power input into the grid as wind turbines and farms operate at reduced capacities.

Innovation Solution

A method using a control unit with a power curve that stores maximum electrical values based on wind values, allowing for the determination of a control reserve by subtracting the current electrical value from the maximum possible value, and transmitting this reserve to higher-level control units or external energy suppliers, considering wind speed and direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wind turbines operate at reduced power output during throttled operation, then electrical power feed-in regulation is achieved, but the ability to estimate control reserve becomes complex and less accurate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol reserve estimation accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit utilizes internally available data (actual electrical parameter values and stored power curve information) to calculate the control reserve autonomously, without requiring external measurement devices or complex additional control systems. The system serves itself by leveraging existing operational data and stored characteristic curves to determine available control reserve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The power curve with maximum electrical parameter values corresponding to different wind conditions is pre-stored in the control unit before operation. This preliminary storage of reference data enables rapid and accurate control reserve calculation during throttled operation, as the control unit only needs to compare current operating conditions against the pre-stored characteristics rather than performing complex real-time analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If simple means are used to estimate control reserve, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability of control reserve determination deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system simplicityVSAvoidcontrol reserve measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex physical measurement devices and external monitoring systems with a computational approach using stored power curve data and actual operational parameter comparisons. The control reserve is determined through data processing and calculation rather than additional mechanical or physical measurement infrastructure, achieving simplicity without sacrificing precision.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit directly calculates the control reserve by subtracting the actual electrical parameter value from the pre-stored maximum value corresponding to current wind conditions, bypassing intermediate measurement steps or complex analysis procedures. This direct calculation approach maintains accuracy while minimizing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentEP2020506B2Method for calculating a regulation reserve and wind energy facility with a control unit for same method
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 NORDEX ENERGY
  • EP2020506B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2020506B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method for determining a control reserve for one or more wind turbines, for which a setpoint for at least one electrical parameter is specified for operation and for which a control unit is provided that has a power curve which contains a maximum value of the electrical parameter depending on wind values, the method has the following steps: - The control unit determines a maximum value of the electrical parameter from the actual value of the wind using the power curve and subtracts a current value of the electrical parameter from this, - the control unit transmits the determined maximum value and/or the difference as a control reserve to a higher-level control unit and/or to an external energy supply company.