Wind Turbine Start Sequencing for Peak Backup Power Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power backup systems for wind turbines are inadequately dimensioned to handle peak power consumption during activities like yawing, leading to potential faults or the need for oversized systems due to rare simultaneous high-demand scenarios.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method to control power consuming activities of wind turbines by inhibiting or deferring them based on a start sequence, ensuring non-overlapping transient high-power periods, and using a central controller to manage start requests and permissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the power backup system is dimensioned according to peak power consumption values during simultaneous yawing activities, then the system can handle worst-case scenarios, but the system becomes oversized and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle peak power consumptionVSAvoidsystem capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary sequencing of yawing activities before they occur. The central controller receives yawing requests from multiple wind turbines and pre-establishes a start sequence that staggers these activities, preventing simultaneous peak power consumption. This preliminary organization of events avoids the need for oversized backup systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements periodic staggering of yawing activities across different wind turbines. Instead of allowing continuous or simultaneous yawing operations, the control system distributes these activities over time periods, creating a periodic pattern that limits peak power demand while ensuring all necessary yawing activities are completed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If multiple wind turbines perform yawing activities simultaneously, then operational responsiveness is improved, but peak power consumption exceeds backup system capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational responsivenessVSAvoidpeak power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The control system pre-sequences yawing requests before they are executed. When multiple wind turbines require yawing adjustments, the central controller receives these requests and pre-establishes a staggered start sequence, assigning different start times to different turbines. This preliminary organization maintains operational responsiveness while preventing power overload.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the timing of yawing activities based on real-time conditions and power availability. The control method adapts the start sequence of yawing activities, allowing flexible scheduling that responds to changing operational needs while continuously managing peak power consumption within backup system limits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4409133B1Wind turbine power plant with peak power consumption control
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS AS
  • EP4409133B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4409133B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

The invention relates to method for controlling maximum power consumption of a power plant which comprises a plurality of power generating units including a plurality of wind turbines, wherein the wind turbines are disconnected from an electrical power grid and connected to a power backup system. The method comprises setting a power consumption restriction mode of the wind turbines so that a predetermined power consuming activity of each the wind turbines is inhibited from starting, determining a start sequence for a group of at least two of the wind turbines, wherein the start sequence comprises a sequence of different start times or non-overlapping starts periods, and operating the wind turbines of the group according to the start sequence so that the predetermined power consuming activity is started or allowed to start, only for one selection of a plurality of selections of wind turbines of the group of wind turbines at one of the start times or within one of the start periods.