Wind Turbine Temperature Margin Control for Downtime Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines experience downtime and reduced profitability due to the need to shut down when any component exceeds its maximum operating temperature, and existing control strategies are complex and not universally applicable across all components.
Innovation Solution
A method that measures operating temperatures, calculates temperature margins, and adjusts wind turbine parameters to maintain all components within safe limits, minimizing downtime and increasing power production by setting parameters based on the minimum temperature margin, with optional low-pass filtering to smooth out fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wind turbine is shut down when a component exceeds maximum operating temperature, then component damage is prevented, but turbine downtime increases and profitability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control algorithm calculates temperature margins (difference between current and maximum allowable temperature) for all monitored components and proactively adjusts operating parameters before any component reaches its maximum temperature. This preliminary action prevents the need for emergency shutdowns by maintaining safe operating temperatures through anticipatory control, thus avoiding turbine downtime while ensuring component safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors operating temperatures of multiple components, calculates their respective temperature margins, and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust operating parameters. The control algorithm selectively adjusts parameters based on which component has the smallest temperature margin, creating a closed-loop feedback system that maintains all components within safe temperature ranges while maximizing power production
2Measurement precision
If dedicated control algorithms are provided for each component, then temperature control precision is improved, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal control algorithm that monitors multiple components simultaneously and applies a unified control strategy based on temperature margins. Instead of requiring separate dedicated algorithms for each component, this single multi-functional algorithm calculates margins for all components and adjusts operating parameters based on the most critical component (smallest margin), thereby achieving precise temperature control for all components while significantly reducing implementation complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control algorithm merges the monitoring and control of multiple components into a single integrated process. By combining temperature margin calculations for all components and using a unified control logic that adjusts operating parameters based on the minimum margin across all components, the system achieves coordinated temperature control without the complexity of multiple separate control systems
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a wind turbine and a wind turbine employing this method are provided. The method includes measuring an operating temperature in a plurality of components of the wind turbine yielding a plurality of measured operating temperatures. Each measured operating temperature is subtracted from a predefined maximum allowable operating temperature for the corresponding component of the wind turbine thereby yielding a plurality of operating temperature margins. A minimum operating temperature margin among the plurality of operating temperature margins is determined and at least one operating parameter of the wind turbine is set in accordance with the minimum operating temperature margin.