Wind Turbine Yaw Control with Dynamic Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines face the challenge of excessive yaw angle in nacelles due to twisted cables and wires during yaw rotation, leading to reduced power output and economic inefficiencies, as existing solutions do not effectively manage yaw rotation in the rewind direction without interrupting power generation.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine system with a yaw control mechanism that operates in a rewind mode when the yaw angle exceeds a threshold adjusted by wind velocity parameters, allowing for staged and monotonic increases in thresholds to minimize excessive yaw angles and reduce the impact on power output, with software control prioritizing yaw angle management within predetermined ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the nacelle yaw-rotates to follow wind direction during operation, then the wind turbine can maintain optimal power generation, but the yaw angle increases excessively causing cables and wires to become twisted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of yaw angle threshold dynamically based on wind velocity. When wind velocity is low, a smaller threshold is applied to prevent excessive yaw rotation and cable twisting. When wind velocity is high, a larger threshold is allowed to maintain power generation efficiency. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adapting the yaw control strategy to operating conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the wind turbine stops to yaw-rotate the nacelle in rewind direction to keep yaw angle within appropriate range, then cable twisting is prevented, but power output is lost during the rewind process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic yaw angle thresholds that adjust based on wind velocity conditions. Instead of using a fixed threshold that requires stopping for rewind, the system dynamically modifies the threshold to allow continuous operation. This dynamic adjustment prevents cable twisting while maintaining power generation, resolving the contradiction between preventing harmful twisting and maintaining productivity.
3Device complexity
If a fixed yaw angle threshold is used for rewind control, then the control logic is simple, but the influence on power output cannot be minimized under varying wind conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wind velocity as a variable parameter that modifies the yaw angle threshold. This parameter change allows the control system to adapt to different operating conditions, minimizing the influence on power output while preventing cable twisting. The increased complexity in control logic is justified by the significant improvement in power generation efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A wind turbine includes: a wind turbine rotor; a nacelle supporting the wind turbine rotor rotatably; a yaw rotation part configured to rotate the nacelle; and a yaw control part configured to operate the yaw rotation part in a yaw rewind mode of rotating the nacelle in such a direction that a yaw angle changes toward zero, if an absolute value of the yaw angle exceeds a threshold which is variable in accordance with a wind-velocity parameter representing a magnitude of a wind velocity. The threshold increases with an increase in the wind-velocity parameter.