Wind Turbine Power Control Under Mechanical Load Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines face mechanical stress and reduced service life due to rapid power changes required for network support, leading to energy wastage and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling wind turbines that adjusts electrical feed-in power based on network state and mechanical load limits, using active rectifiers and filters to manage generator torque and power changes, ensuring that mechanical load limits are maintained to prevent excessive stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wind turbines rapidly increase or decrease power feed-in to support the electrical grid, then grid support capability is improved, but mechanical stress on the wind turbine increases and service life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the power feed-in rate based on current operating conditions, allowing the wind turbine to adapt to grid support requirements while considering its current mechanical state and operational constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (power feed-in rate, rate of change limits) based on grid conditions and turbine state, optimizing the balance between grid support capability and mechanical stress reduction
2Speed
If wind turbines are operated in a deliberately throttled manner to enable rapid power increase, then grid support responsiveness is improved, but energy production is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously throttling power production, the system applies partial throttling only when grid support is needed, allowing full energy production during normal operation while maintaining the capability for rapid power increases when required
Solution Approach 2:
The control system periodically monitors grid conditions and alternates between normal operation and grid support mode, enabling rapid power changes only when grid support is actually needed rather than maintaining throttled operation continuously
3Power
If rapid power changes are implemented to meet grid requirements, then grid frequency stability is improved, but mechanical load on the wind turbine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system preemptively limits the rate of power change based on predicted mechanical stress, preventing excessive mechanical loads before they occur by constraining how quickly power can be increased or decreased
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors mechanical load conditions and uses this feedback to adjust power change rates, reducing power changes when mechanical stress is high and allowing greater power changes when the turbine can withstand the mechanical load
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind power plant (100) for supplying electrical power to an electrical supply grid (120), and the wind power plant (100) comprises a tower (102) having a gondola (104) rotatably arranged thereon; an aerodynamic rotor (106), which is drivable by wind; a generator (302), coupled to the aerodynamic rotor (106), for generating electrical power from wind; a power unit (310) for actuating the generator (302) for controlling an electrical power output from the generator (302) and/or for controlling a generator torque and a supply unit (101) for supplying the electrical power output from the generator (302) or part thereof to the electrical supply grid (120); and the method comprises the steps of controlling the wind power plant (100) such that, during normal operation, depending on the wind, an electrical supply power is supplied to the electrical supply grid (120), modifying the electrical supply power according to a grid state (fN) and/or a grid demand (ΔPS) of the electrical supply grid (120), wherein the modifying of the electrical supply power is guided such that a definable, mechanical, in particular instantaneous load limit of the wind power plant (100) is maintained.