Wind Turbine Speed Control Decoupling Tower Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine speed control methods stimulate tower vibrations, leading to undesirable loads and interference with the structural integrity of wind turbines, as they fail to decouple the disturbance caused by tower vibrations from the speed control system.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines the aerodynamic tower oscillation performance by calculating the difference between apparent wind power and pure wind power, allowing for precise control of wind turbines and decoupling the disturbance variable, thereby reducing the stimulation of tower vibrations and minimizing the need for damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If speed control is used to optimize rotor performance, then rotor speed control is improved, but tower vibrations are excited and structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful disturbance component (tower vibration) from the speed control system by calculating apparent wind speed that compensates for tower head motion. This separates the useful speed control function from the harmful vibration excitation, allowing optimized rotor performance without tower vibration penalties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation step that determines apparent wind speed by combining measured wind speed with tower head speed compensation. This intermediary variable serves as a mediator between the speed control system and the actual aerodynamic conditions, preventing direct coupling that causes tower vibrations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If tower vibrations are damped by adjusting blade pitch, then tower vibration is reduced, but rotor performance and speed control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful tower vibration into a useful compensation signal. By measuring tower head speed and using it to calculate apparent wind speed, the system transforms the vibration disturbance into a corrective term that improves speed control accuracy without requiring additional pitch adjustments for damping.
3Strength
If blade pitch is adjusted to compensate for tower vibration, then tower load is reduced, but pitch control precision and response time deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating the apparent wind speed compensation based on tower head speed before pitch control is needed. This anticipatory approach provides accurate wind speed information in advance, allowing smooth pitch adjustments that reduce tower loads without sacrificing control precision or response time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables more precise and rapid control of wind turbines, reducing unnecessary pitch movements and loads, and effectively decouples the control system from tower vibrations, minimizing the importance of damping tower vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
an aerodynamic rotor with rotor blades adjustable in their pitch angle, which generates a rotor thrust
Implementation Method 2
As the tower swings forward, the relative wind speed increases by the component of the tower head speed (and vice versa)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method (600) for operating a wind turbine (100), the wind turbine (100) having a tower (102) with external tower loads acting thereon, and an aerodynamic rotor (106) having rotor blades (108) the pitch angle of which is adjustable, which rotor generates a rotor thrust, the method (600) comprising the following steps: determining (610) a speed of a tower head (v TK ) of the tower and/or of a nacelle of the wind turbine (100); determining (620) an absolute wind speed (v w ) in the area of the wind turbine (100); determining (630) a pure wind power (P wind ) on the rotor on the basis of the absolute wind speed (v w ); determining (640) an apparent wind power (P apparent ) on the rotor on the basis of the speed of the tower head and/or of the nacelle; determining (650) an aerodynamic tower vibration power (P AT ) on the basis of a difference between the apparent wind power (Papparent) and the pure wind power (P wind ); and controlling (660) the wind turbine using the aerodynamic tower vibration power (P AT ).