Testing of an electrical system of a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12313697-B2
Application number	US-202118013982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2021
Priority date	Jul 10, 2020
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A method of testing an electrical system of a wind turbine that includes at least one power converter coupled to a generator. The power converter is operable in a power generating mode in which the power converter provides a conversion of electrical power generated by the generator and provides a controllable output of AC electrical power towards a power grid. The method includes operating the wind turbine in a testing mode. Operation in the testing mode includes decoupling the electrical system to be tested from the power grid, operating the power converter as a test condition generator, supplying electrical power to the test condition generator, converting, by the test condition generator, the received electrical power to generate predetermined electrical test conditions, and exposing the electrical system to be tested to the predetermined electrical test conditions. The test condition generator controls one or more electrical characteristics of the electrical test conditions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of testing an electrical system of a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one power converter coupled to a generator of the wind turbine, the at least one power converter is operable in a power generating mode in which the at least one power converter provides a conversion of electrical power generated by the generator and provides a controllable output of AC electrical power towards a power grid, the method comprising:
operating the wind turbine in a testing mode, wherein the operating in the testing mode comprises:
decoupling the electrical system to be tested from the power grid;
operating the at least one power converter as a test condition generator;
supplying electrical power to the test condition generator;
converting, by the test condition generator, the received electrical power to generate predetermined electrical test conditions, and
exposing the electrical system to be tested to the predetermined electrical test conditions,

wherein the test condition generator controls one or more electrical characteristics of the electrical test conditions.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the test condition generator converts the received electrical power into AC electrical power, wherein the test condition generator controls the one or more electrical characteristics of the electrical test conditions by operating as an AC power source and controlling one or more electrical characteristics of the converted AC electrical power, and/or by operating as an AC load and controlling one or more load characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrical characteristics of the electrical test conditions include one or a combination of an AC frequency, an AC voltage magnitude, an AC current magnitude, a phase angle of an AC voltage and/or AC current, a rate of change of the AC frequency, a magnitude of one or more harmonic distortions, and a phase angle of one or more harmonic distortions.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical power is supplied to the test condition generator by generating the electrical power using the generator of the wind turbine, or by a turbine energy support system, TESS, comprising an energy storage device, or by an external power system.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical power is supplied to the test condition generator by generating the electrical power using the generator of the wind turbine, wherein the generator is rotated by receiving rotational mechanical energy from a rotor of the wind turbine, or wherein the generator is rotated by electrical power received from the power grid via a further electrical power converter connected in parallel to the test condition generator to the generator of the wind turbine.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of decoupling the electrical system to be tested from the power grid comprises decoupling the test condition generator from the power grid, wherein the decoupling comprises opening a switch between a transformer of the wind turbine and the power grid.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising starting the wind turbine in the testing mode by:
obtaining electrical power from a power source, wherein the power source is at least one of the power grid, a turbine energy support system of the wind turbine or an external power source;
starting up the wind turbine by means of the obtained electrical power and controlling a rotational speed of a rotor of the wind turbine such that electrical power to operate the wind turbine is generated by the generator of the wind turbine;
if the wind turbine is coupled to the power grid, decoupling the wind turbine from the power grid, thereby decoupling the electrical system to be tested from the power grid; and
supplying the electrical power generated by the generator to the test condition generator.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical system to be tested comprises one or a combination of wind turbine components selected from the group consisting of: a wind turbine auxiliary system, a wind turbine transformer, circuit breakers or relays of the wind turbine electrical system, an electrical power converter, a turbine energy support system, a wind turbine protection system, a wind turbine auxiliary power supply, a wind turbine motor, and a wind turbine pump.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a response of the electrical system to be tested to the electrical test conditions.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical system of the wind turbine comprises two or more transformers coupled between the at least one power converter and the power grid, wherein a first transformer is coupled between a first of the at least one power converter and the power grid and a second transformer is coupled between a second of the at least one power converter and the power grid.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein exposing the electrical system to be tested to the predetermined electrical test conditions comprises performing:
a frequency range test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise an AC voltage the AC frequency of which is varied by the test condition generator around a nominal operating frequency of the electrical system to be tested;
a voltage range test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise an AC voltage the magnitude of which is varied by the test condition generator around a nominal operating voltage of the electrical system to be tested;
a phase jump test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise exposure to an AC voltage and/or AC current a phase angle of which is varied by the test condition generator by introducing a phase jump;
a frequency change rate test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise an AC voltage the rate of change of an AC frequency of which is varied by the test condition generator; or
a harmonic disturbance test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise harmonic distortions, wherein an amount of harmonic distortions is varied by the test condition generator.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one power converter comprises a first power converter and a second power converter coupled in parallel to the generator, which, in the respective power generating mode, provide a conversion of electrical power generated by the generator, wherein in the testing mode, at least the first electrical power converter is operated as the test condition generator.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein exposing the electrical system to be tested to the predetermined electrical test conditions comprises performing:
a harmonic emission test according to which the electrical test conditions comprise harmonic distortions, wherein an amount of harmonic distortions is varied by the test condition generator, wherein the second power converter is operated in a normal operating mode;
a current range test in which the second power converter is operated in the normal operating mode and the test condition generator is operated in a motor mode in which the test condition generator supplies electrical power to the generator to rotate the generator, and which comprises varying the load constituted by the test condition generator to generate varying current flows in the electrical system to be tested; or
a fault ride through test in which the second power converter is operated in the normal operating mode and the test condition generator is operated in the motor mode in which the test condition gene

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Goldenbaum Nikolaus
• Thisted Jan

Classifications

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• F03D17/00

  Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics (testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30) · CPC title

• F03D9/25

  the apparatus being an electrical generator (F03D9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J2101/28

  Wind energy · CPC title

• G01R31/42 Primary

  AC power supplies · CPC title