Wind Turbine Operating Schedules for Coordinated Grid Feed-In

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wind turbine control systems face challenges in coordinating operations among multiple authorized users, leading to downtime and difficulty in determining available energy for grid feed-in due to uncoordinated service interventions and conflicting control accesses.

Innovation Solution

A centralized control center generates and updates operating schedules for wind turbines, coordinating control requests and ensuring deterministic operation even in the absence of continuous data connectivity, by integrating sensor-dependent and priority-based modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If control requests are processed by the wind turbine itself or wind farm controller, then the control system has simple structure, but coordination of multiple authorized users becomes difficult and deterministic operation cannot be ensured during data connection failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeterministic operation during data connection failuresVSAvoidcontrol system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control center generates and transmits an operating schedule to the wind turbine in advance, covering a predetermined future period (at least 8, 12, or 24 hours). This schedule pre-defines control actions for various operating modes, enabling the wind turbine to execute deterministic operations even when data connection fails. The preliminary action of schedule generation resolves the contradiction by providing reliability without requiring complex real-time coordination infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A control center is introduced as an intermediary between multiple authorized users and the wind turbine. The control center receives control requests, generates coordinated operating schedules, and transmits them to the wind turbine. This intermediary structure enables deterministic operation and coordination of multiple users while keeping the wind turbine's control structure relatively simple, as the turbine only needs to execute received schedules rather than manage complex multi-user coordination itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple authorized users access the wind turbine simultaneously, then operational flexibility is improved, but coordination of control requests becomes difficult leading to uncoordinated service interventions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidcoordination of control requests
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple control requests from different authorized users are merged into a single coordinated operating schedule by the control center. The control center receives various control requests (normal operation, bird/bat protection, maintenance, direct marketing) and combines them into one unified schedule that coordinates all interventions. This merging approach maintains operational flexibility by accommodating all user requests while resolving coordination difficulties through centralized schedule integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control center performs preliminary coordination of multiple control requests by generating an operating schedule in advance that covers a predetermined future period. Service interventions and operational changes are pre-coordinated in the schedule, allowing multiple authorized users to have their requests accommodated without conflicts during execution. This preliminary coordination resolves the ease of operation issue by eliminating the need for real-time negotiation among multiple users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If operating status is determined by reading the turbine's control system, then precise status information is obtained, but it is difficult to ascertain available energy for grid feed-in due to conflicting control accesses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating status determinationVSAvoidavailable energy information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The control center acts as an intermediary that maintains and provides access to the operating schedule, which contains precise information about the wind turbine's operating status and available energy for grid feed-in. Instead of requiring direct reading of the turbine's control system (which shows only current status affected by conflicting accesses), the control center's operating schedule provides a coordinated view of planned operations and energy availability. This intermediary approach resolves the information loss by providing a comprehensive schedule that accounts for all control requests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The operating schedule is generated in advance with knowledge of all planned control actions and their timing. This preliminary action allows the schedule to incorporate information about future operating states and energy availability that would otherwise be obscured by conflicting control accesses. By having the schedule prepared beforehand, precise operating status and energy availability information becomes accessible without needing to parse through conflicting real-time control requests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4080041B1Method for controlling a wind power system with a control point and control point and system for same
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
  • EP4080041B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4080041B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4080041B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention comprises a method for controlling a wind turbine (100) with a control center (18), comprising the steps of receiving (32) at least one control request (24) for the wind turbine (100) by a control center (18), generating or updating (46) an operating schedule (28) for the wind turbine (100) in the control center (18) depending on the received control request (24), sending (48) the operating schedule (24) to the wind turbine (100) or a wind farm control system (12) controlling the wind turbine by the control center (18), and executing (50) control of the wind turbine (100) depending on the sent operating schedule (28). The invention further comprises a control center (18) and a system with a control center (18).