Wind Turbine Hub Height Optimization via Wake Loss Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optimizing the arrangement of wind turbines in wind farms to maximize energy yield while minimizing increased costs associated with higher hub heights and complex manufacturing requirements, particularly in offshore installations where hub height deviations from the sea surface are greater than 1 to 2 meters.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves detecting geospatial information, determining arrangement positions, calculating wake loss, and optimizing structural elements to maximize electrical energy generation while using uniform structural elements across wind turbines, thereby reducing production and assembly costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hub heights of wind turbines are increased to capture more wind and generate additional electrical energy, then energy yield is improved, but structural costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy yieldVSAvoidstructural costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by determining different hub heights for different wind turbines within the wind farm based on their specific locations. The method calculates optimal hub heights individually for each turbine position, allowing some turbines to have higher hubs where wind conditions benefit from it while others maintain lower hubs, thus optimizing energy yield without uniformly increasing structural costs across all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by varying the hub height parameter for different wind turbines based on calculated wind conditions and wake effects. The method dynamically adjusts the hub height parameter for each turbine location to maximize energy capture while controlling overall structural costs, rather than using a fixed hub height for all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If hub heights of wind turbines are varied to optimize energy capture, then energy yield is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy yieldVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by determining different hub heights for different wind turbines within the wind farm based on their specific locations. The method calculates optimal hub heights individually for each turbine position, allowing some turbines to have higher hubs where wind conditions benefit from it while others maintain lower hubs, thus optimizing energy yield without uniformly increasing structural costs across all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by varying the hub height parameter for different wind turbines based on calculated wind conditions and wake effects. The method dynamically adjusts the hub height parameter for each turbine location to maximize energy capture while controlling overall structural costs, rather than using a fixed hub height for all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If hub height deviations from sea surface are greater than 1 to 2 meters, then wind capture is improved, but manufacturing and assembly costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind captureVSAvoidmanufacturing and assembly costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by determining different hub heights for different wind turbines within the wind farm based on their specific locations. The method calculates optimal hub heights individually for each turbine position, allowing some turbines to have higher hubs where wind conditions benefit from it while others maintain lower hubs, thus optimizing energy yield without uniformly increasing structural costs across all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by varying the hub height parameter for different wind turbines based on calculated wind conditions and wake effects. The method dynamically adjusts the hub height parameter for each turbine location to maximize energy capture while controlling overall structural costs, rather than using a fixed hub height for all turbines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method allows for the optimal arrangement of wind turbines with varying hub heights based on geospatial and structural considerations, minimizing wake losses and maximizing energy yield while reducing production and assembly costs by utilizing uniform structural elements.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of wind turbines (430) arranged on a site (140) to maximize an amount of electrical energy generated by the large number of wind turbines (430)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWind power: Wind Power

Implementation Method 2

determining wake loss information indicative of slipstream effects due to mutual shading of the plurality of wind turbines

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWake effect: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP3578809B1Optimisation of a plurality of wind turbines
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 RWE OFFSHORE WIND GMBH
  • EP3578809B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3578809B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3578809B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is, among other things, a method comprising: acquiring geospatial information; determining wake loss information; determining arrangement position information; determining structural information; and determining the arrangement of a plurality of wind turbines in an area. Also disclosed are a device for executing and/or controlling this method, a system comprising one or more devices for executing and/or controlling this method, and a computer program for executing and/or controlling this method by a processor.