Temperature estimation in a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11920562-B2
Application number	US-202118008363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2021
Priority date	Jun 4, 2020
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A method of estimating a temperature of a component of a wind turbine is provided, comprising, during a calibration period, receiving measurements of the temperature of the component and of one or more corresponding operational parameter; and calculating, using the measurements coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component. The model relates temperature at a current time to a temperature a preceding time, Tn−1. The model is segregated into separate bins based on wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine. The method further comprises using the model to estimate a temperature of the wind turbine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of estimating a temperature of a component of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
during a calibration period:
receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine;
receiving measurements of one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine corresponding to the measurements of the temperature, the one or more operational parameters comprising at least measurements of wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine;
calculating, using the measurements of temperature and of the one or more operational parameters, coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component, wherein:
the model relates a temperature of the component at a current time (T_n) to a value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to a temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
the model is segregated into separate bins based on the wind speed or the power generated by the wind turbine, such that the model comprises, for each bin, respective coefficients relating the temperature of the wind turbine at the current time (T_n) to the value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to the temperature of the component at the preceding time (T_n−1); and
wherein calculating the coefficients of the model comprises assigning each measurement of the temperature and the one or more operational parameters to one or more bins of the model, and fitting the coefficients of each bin to the measurements assigned to that bin; and

estimating the temperature of the component of the wind turbine using the model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the model to estimate a temperature of the component of the wind turbine comprises:
during an operational period:
receiving a measurement of the one or more operational parameters taken at a first time;
assigning the measurement of the one or more operational parameters to a bin of the model based on the wind speed or power generated at the first time; and
inputting the measurement of the one or more operational parameters into the model to estimate the temperature of the component at the first time (T_x) using the coefficient of the bin to which the measurement is assigned and an estimate of the temperature at a time preceding the first time (T_x−1).

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising estimating an uncertainty in the temperature of the component at the first time, wherein the uncertainty is based on a statistical uncertainty of the estimate of the temperature at the first time, and on an uncertainty at the time preceding the first time.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, during the operational period:
receiving a measurement of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine at the first time; and
comparing the measurement to the estimate of the temperature at the first time to validate the measurement.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining that a difference between the measurement of temperature and the estimate of the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
determining that the measurement from the temperature sensor is invalid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the model to estimate the temperature of the component of the wind turbine comprises calculating a steady state temperature of the component from the model.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
comparing the steady state temperature of the component of the wind turbine to corresponding steady state temperatures from one or more other wind turbines.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising identifying an anomaly in the wind turbine based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
comparing the steady state temperature to an expected steady state temperature of the wind turbine.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is at least one of: a generator; a generator winding; a transformer; a transformer winding; a gearbox; gearbox oil; hydraulic oil; a converter; one or more bearings; and a cooling-water system.

11. The method of claim 1 , where the component is a generator or generator winding, and wherein the one or more operational parameters further comprise at least one of generator rotor speed; generator voltage; and reactive power.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the model relates a temperature of the generator or generator winding at the current time to:
a square of a current power generated by the wind turbine;
a current generator rotor speed; and
a temperature of the generator or generator winding at the preceding time.

13. A non-transitory memory device comprising a computer program comprising instructions which, when the computer program is executed by one or more processors, performs an operation of estimating a temperature of a component of a wind turbine, the operation comprising:
during a calibration period:
receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine;
receiving measurements of one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine corresponding to the measurements of the temperature, the one or more operational parameters comprising at least measurements of wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine;
calculating, using the measurements of temperature and of the one or more operational parameters, coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component, wherein:
the model relates a temperature of the component at a current time (T_n) to a value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to a temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
the model is segregated into separate bins based on the wind speed or the power generated by the wind turbine, such that the model comprises, for each bin, respective coefficients relating the temperature of the wind turbine at the current time (T_n) to the value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to the temperature of the component at the preceding time (T_n−1); and
wherein calculating the coefficients of the model comprises assigning each measurement of the temperature and the one or more operational parameters to one or more bins of the model, and fitting the coefficients of each bin to the measurements assigned to that bin; and

estimating the temperature of the component of the wind turbine using the model.

14. The non-transitory memory device of claim 13 , wherein using the model to estimate the temperature of the component of the wind turbine comprises:
during an operational period:
receiving a measurement of the one or more operational parameters taken at a first time;
assigning the measurement of the one or more operational parameters to a bin of the model based on the wind speed or power generated at the first time; and
inputting the measurement of the one or more operational parameters into the model to estimate the temperature of the component at the first time (T_x) using the coefficient of the bin to which the measurement is assigned and an estimate of the temperature at a time preceding the first time (T_x−1).

15. A controller for a wind turbine, comprising:
a memory containing instructions; and
a processor which, when programmed by the instructions, performs an operation of estimating a temperature of a component of the wind turbine, the operation comprising:
during a calibration period:
receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the w

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Berra Asier
• Hayden Steven John

Classifications

• F03D17/032

  Bearings · CPC title

• F03D17/033

  Gearboxes · CPC title

• F03D17/036

  Generators · CPC title

• F03D17/025

  for calibrating · CPC title

• F03D17/018

  for monitoring temperature · CPC title