Wind Turbine Power Control with Adjustable Speed-Power Trajectory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines face challenges in efficiently controlling power production and load management, particularly in transitioning between high power production and curtailed operations, with existing controllers lacking flexibility in adjusting rotor speed and power ramp-up rates to optimize performance and reduce structural and acoustic loads.
Innovation Solution
A controller system for wind turbines that uses a power controller unit to adjust the operating trajectory in a power vs speed graph, allowing selection between vertical and inclined trajectories via a slider command, enabling flexible power ramp-up rates and load management by adjusting the angular position of the trajectory between 0° and 90°, allowing for either fast ramp-up or reduced speed operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the wind turbine operates at the highest possible power production with rotor speed kept at or near the optimal operating point, then fast ramp-up rates are achieved, but structural loads and tower fatigue loads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the operating trajectory angle based on real-time conditions. The trajectory angle is not fixed but can be changed to optimize between fast ramp-up and load reduction, making the system adaptive to varying operational requirements and environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters by introducing an adjustable trajectory angle in the power-speed graph. By varying this angle, the system can shift between operating modes: steeper angles for faster ramp-up and shallower angles for reduced loads, effectively using parameter adjustment to resolve the contradiction
2Stress or pressure
If the wind turbine operates at curtailed level with reduced rotor speed, then structural loads are reduced, but power ramp-up rates decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic control capability where the operating trajectory can be adjusted in real-time. This allows the turbine to transition between curtailed operation with load reduction and full-power operation with fast ramp-up capability, depending on grid requirements and operational priorities
Solution Approach 2:
The control system serves multiple functions through a single adjustable parameter (trajectory angle). It can provide both load reduction mode and fast ramp-up mode, making the system versatile for different operational scenarios including curtailment, frequency regulation, and maximum power extraction
3Stress or pressure
If the wind turbine is operated at curtailed level without fast ramp-up requirements, then load reduction is achieved, but flexibility in power production is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable operating trajectory provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the system to switch between different operational modes as needed. This maintains operational flexibility while enabling load reduction when required, as the controller can adjust the trajectory angle to match current operational priorities
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is controller for a wind turbine including a power controller unit for controlling a power output of an electric generator included in the wind turbine. The power controller unit operates the electric generator according to a speed reference value and a power reference value, the speed reference value and a power reference value being chosen along a linear operating trajectory in a power vs speed graph, the linear operating trajectory including a point corresponding to the nominal power and the nominal generator speed. The power controller unit includes a slider command for selecting the angular position of the linear operating trajectory in the power vs speed graph.