Wind Turbine Fatigue Life Control via Lifetime Usage Estimator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines experience premature ageing and fatigue damage when operating in over-rated modes, especially during severe weather conditions, leading to increased wear and potential early failure of components.
Innovation Solution
A method and controller that utilize Lifetime Usage Estimator (LUE) algorithms to monitor and reduce over-rating power based on the rate of fatigue life consumption of turbine components, allowing for real-time adjustments to prevent excessive fatigue damage by entering a 'Safe Mode' or reducing power output during severe conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the wind turbine operates in over-rated mode to increase power output above rated power, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to increased fatigue damage and premature ageing of components
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the over-rating level based on real-time monitoring of component fatigue life and environmental conditions. The system transitions between different operational states (normal operation, reduced over-rating, and shutdown) to optimize the balance between power output and component protection, making the over-rating capability adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors fatigue life consumption rates and environmental conditions, then adjusts the over-rating power level accordingly. When fatigue consumption exceeds thresholds or severe conditions are detected, the system reduces or eliminates over-rating to protect components, creating a closed-loop control system
2Productivity
If the wind turbine operates during severe weather conditions to maintain power output, then productivity is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to high turbulence and extreme temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively detects severe environmental conditions (high turbulence, extreme temperatures) before they cause critical damage and preemptively reduces or shuts down the turbine. This preliminary protective action prevents the harmful effects of severe weather from accumulating to damaging levels, rather than waiting for damage to occur
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically responds to changing environmental conditions by adjusting operational status in real-time. When severe conditions are detected, the control system adapts by reducing power output or shutting down, making the turbine's response flexible and condition-dependent rather than fixed
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
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AI summary
A method is provided of controlling a wind turbine that is operating according to a control signal causing the wind turbine to be over-rated above the wind turbine's rated power. The method comprises: obtaining one or more signals, or values of variables, that indicate the fatigue lifetime of one or more of the wind turbine's components from turbine sensors; applying a lifetime usage estimator algorithm to the signals or values to determine measures of the fatigue life consumed by each of the turbine components; calculating, for each of the turbine components, a rate of consumption of fatigue life based on the measures of the fatigue life consumed by each of the turbine components; and controlling the turbine to reduce the amount of power by which the wind turbine is over-rated based on the rate of consumption of fatigue life for at least one of the turbine components.