Wind Turbine Rotor-Nacelle Assembly Service Operation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wind turbines experience operational and financial losses during maintenance services due to the need to shut down and reduce power production, posing safety risks to personnel and risking equipment overload.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for detecting maintenance activities and personnel presence, allowing for reduced operation levels of rotor-nacelle assemblies, including derating power and speed, and adjusting protection systems to ensure safety while minimizing downtime by selectively idling or immobilizing only necessary components during services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wind turbine is shut down completely during maintenance service, then safety of personnel is ensured, but power production is lost and financial losses occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of personnelVSAvoidpower production

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The wind turbine is divided into multiple rotor-nacelle assemblies that can be independently controlled. During maintenance on one assembly, other assemblies can continue operating at reduced levels, segmenting the shutdown requirement across individual components rather than the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The operating level of rotor-nacelle assemblies is dynamically adjusted based on real-time detection of maintenance activities and personnel presence. The system transitions from full operation to reduced operation levels selectively, allowing continuous but limited power production during maintenance periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the operating level of rotor-nacelle assemblies is reduced during service, then safety is improved and structural load imbalances are mitigated, but power production decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during maintenanceVSAvoidpower production

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The operating parameters (power level and speed) of rotor-nacelle assemblies are changed dynamically based on maintenance status detection. When maintenance is detected, the system changes operational parameters to reduced levels, optimizing the balance between safety requirements and power production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If detection systems and control mechanisms are implemented to monitor maintenance activities, then selective operation control is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol of selective operationVSAvoiddetection and control system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses self-service detection mechanisms where the rotor-nacelle assemblies and maintenance personnel themselves trigger the control response. The detection of maintenance activities and personnel presence automatically initiates the reduced operation mode without requiring complex external monitoring infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11746756B2Operating a wind turbine during service

Publication Date: 2023.09.05 VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS AS

AI summary

A method of operating a wind turbine during a service, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one rotor-nacelle assembly, the or each rotor-nacelle assembly comprising a rotor; the method comprising: detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine; and, on detecting that a service is to be or is being carried out on the wind turbine, reducing an operating level of the or each rotor-nacelle assembly.