Wind Turbine Generator Adaptive Power Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines and wind parks often underperform, particularly around the 'power curve knee' due to operational strategies that cap electrical output at nominal wind speeds, leading to reduced energy generation and increased loads, primarily caused by wind variability and turbulence.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to allow the generator to produce more than its rated output power for a limited period at wind speeds near the nominal speed, using adaptive output power limits based on wind speed, time, temperature, or load measurements, and incorporating model predictive control to optimize energy production while managing loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the generator output is capped at rated power at nominal wind speeds, then component loads are limited, but energy production is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static power cap to a dynamic adaptive power limit that changes with operating conditions. The output power limit is no longer fixed at the rated power but adapts in real-time based on wind speed, temperature, time, and accumulated load measurements, allowing the system to optimize between reliability and productivity continuously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the output power limit parameter based on multiple variables including wind speed, generator temperature, time of operation, and accumulated load. This allows the system to adjust the power cap dynamically, increasing it when conditions permit (reducing energy loss) and decreasing it when conditions require protection (maintaining reliability)
2Productivity
If the generator produces more than rated power for extended periods, then energy production increases, but component fatigue and damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring temperature, time, and accumulated load, and using this information to adjust the output power limit. The system measures the actual state of the generator and its components, compares it against safe operating thresholds, and adjusts the power cap accordingly to prevent excessive fatigue while maximizing energy production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by implementing predictive controls that anticipate potential overload conditions. The model predictive control component forecasts future operating states and adjusts the power limit in advance to prevent component fatigue before it occurs, rather than reacting after damage has been done
3Productivity
If adaptive power limits based on multiple parameters are implemented, then energy production is optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a control system that performs multiple functions through a unified approach. The same control architecture handles power limit adjustment, temperature monitoring, load management, and predictive control, rather than requiring separate dedicated systems for each function. This reduces overall system complexity while achieving multiple objectives
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of operating a variable speed wind turbine as a function of a wind speed, the wind turbine having a rotor with a plurality of blades, a generator having a rated output power, and one or more pitch mechanisms for rotating the blades around their longitudinal axis, and a system for varying a torque of the generator. The methods comprise a sub-nominal zone of operation for wind speeds below a nominal wind speed and a supra-nominal zone of operation for wind speeds at or above the nominal wind speed, wherein at wind speeds at or near the nominal wind speed, the generator is allowed to generate more than its rated output power for a limited period of time. Also disclosed are wind turbines and wind farms adapted to perform these methods.