Wind turbine control arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12276261-B2
Application number	US-202117924233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

A control arrangement for a variable-speed wind turbine includes a loading analysis module configured to analyse a number of environment values to establish whether the momentary wind turbine loading is lower than a loading threshold when the rotational speed of the aerodynamic rotor has reached its rated value; and a speed boost module configured to determine a speed increment for the rotational speed of the aerodynamic rotor if the wind turbine loading is lower than the loading threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control arrangement for a variable-speed wind turbine constructed to fulfil requirements of a wind class as defined by IEC 61400-1, the control arrangement comprising:
a controller configured to:
analyze a plurality of environment values to establish whether a momentary wind turbine loading is lower than a loading threshold when a rotational speed of an aerodynamic rotor has reached a rated value, wherein a rated speed is associated with a level of output power that is less than a rated output power for a class of wind turbine; and
apply a speed increment to the rotational speed of the aerodynamic rotor if the wind turbine loading is lower than the loading threshold, and wherein a power/speed relationship follows an ideal trajectory for the class of wind turbine.

2. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of environment values comprise any of: a blade load value, a turbulence intensity value, a tower acceleration value, and a yaw position value.

3. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a pitch position value, an active power value, and a rotor speed value.

4. The control arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to estimate a local turbulence intensity on a basis of the pitch position value, the active power value, and the rotor speed value.

5. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to process an environment value according to a relevant threshold.

6. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to compute a partial contribution of each environment value and to enable, on a basis of a sum of the partial contributions, an increase of rotational speed by the speed increment.

7. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a wake exposure of the wind turbine and to enable, on a basis of the wake exposure, an increase of rotational speed by the speed increment.

8. The control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a magnitude of a speed increment on a basis of an estimated turbulence level and/or an estimated load level.

9. A variable-speed wind turbine comprising the control arrangement according to claim 1 , which is configured to augment a speed reference by the speed increment.

10. The variable-speed wind turbine according to claim 9 , constructed to fulfil requirements of a turbulence class as defined by IEC 61400-1.

11. A method of operating a variable-speed wind turbine, the method comprising:
establishing whether a momentary wind turbine loading is lower than a loading threshold when a rotational speed of an aerodynamic rotor has reached a rated speed, wherein the rated speed is associated with a level of output power that is less than a rated output power for a class of wind turbine;
determining a speed increment for the rotational speed of the aerodynamic rotor on a basis of an ideal power/speed trajectory of the wind turbine if the wind turbine loading is lower than the loading threshold; and
increasing a rotor speed by the speed increment.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising augmenting a speed reference by the speed increment.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising identifying a wake exposure of the wind turbine.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the rotational speed of the aerodynamic rotor is increased only if the wind turbine is not in a wake of another wind turbine.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Alberts Johannes Gerhardes Wardjan
• Kallesøe Bjarne Skovmose

Classifications

• F03D17/011

  for monitoring mechanical loads or assessing fatigue; for monitoring structural integrity · CPC title

• F05B2270/332

  Maximum loads or fatigue criteria · CPC title

• F03D17/026

  for assessing power production capabilities · CPC title

• F05B2270/101

  to control rotational speed (n) · CPC title

• F05B2270/1011

  to prevent overspeed · CPC title