Wind Turbine Power Saving Control With Staggered Group Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine power plants face challenges in managing peak power consumption during low wind conditions or when turbines are paused, as activities like yawing require grid power supply, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that sets different time delays for groups of wind turbines to enter and exit power saving modes, deferring non-critical power-consuming activities, thereby reducing peak power consumption by staggering their operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If yawing activities are performed during low wind conditions or paused operations, then wind turbines can face the wind for future energy production, but power consumption from the grid increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic power saving modes where wind turbines alternately perform yawing activities and remain in pause mode. By cycling between active yawing periods and inactive periods, the system ensures that not all turbines consume power simultaneously, reducing peak grid power demand while maintaining overall fleet readiness for energy production
2Reliability
If multiple wind turbines perform power consuming activities simultaneously during paused operations, then individual turbines can maintain operational readiness, but peak power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wind turbine fleet into multiple groups that operate independently with different time delays. Each group alternates between power-saving pause mode and active yawing mode, ensuring that power-consuming activities are segmented across different time periods rather than occurring simultaneously across all turbines
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic cycles where groups of turbines switch between active and inactive states. By coordinating these periodic actions across multiple groups with staggered timing, the system maintains operational readiness while preventing simultaneous power consumption peaks
3Speed
If wind turbines remain in continuous operation during low wind conditions, then they can respond quickly to wind changes, but unnecessary power consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary yawing actions during periodic active phases, where turbines perform orientation adjustments in advance during designated time windows. This allows turbines to be pre-positioned for future wind conditions without requiring continuous operation, reducing energy consumption while maintaining response capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic activation cycles where turbines switch between pause mode and active mode. During active periods, turbines perform necessary yawing and positioning activities, then return to pause mode. This periodic operation reduces continuous power consumption while maintaining the ability to respond to wind changes during active phases
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for reducing peak power consumption of a grid connected power plant which comprises a plurality of wind turbines. In response to determining that a power production value of the power plant is below a power threshold the following steps are performed: after a first time delay of a first group (TD11) of one or more wind turbines, control the first group (WTG1) to initiate and operate in a power saving mode (201) for a predefined first power saving period of the first group (Tin11), and after a first time delay of a second group (TD21) of one or more other wind turbines, control the second group (WTG2) to initiate and operate in the power saving mode for a predefined first power saving period of the second-group (Tin21). The first time delay of the first group (TD11) is less than the first time delay of the second-group (TD21) and the power saving mode inhibits a power consuming activity for the wind turbines operating in the power saving mode.