System and method for optimizing wind turbine operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828971-B2
Application number	US-201414548570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

System and methods for optimizing operation of a wind turbine are disclosed. In one aspect, the method also includes determining, via a converter controller of a power converter, a tap position of a tap changer configured between the power grid and a primary winding of a transformer. Another step includes calculating, via the converter controller, a primary voltage of the primary winding as a function of the tap position. The method also includes implementing, via the converter controller, a control action if the primary voltage or a measured secondary voltage of a secondary winding of the transformer is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for optimizing operation of a wind turbine power system connected to a power grid, the method comprising:
receiving, via a converter controller of a power converter of the wind turbine power system, a tap position of a tap changer configured between the power grid and a primary winding of a transformer of the wind turbine power system;
associating the tap position with a corresponding transformer ratio correction via a look-up table;
calculating, via the converter controller, a grid-side primary voltage of the primary winding by multiplying the transformer ratio correction and a transformer impedance;
measuring a secondary voltage of a secondary winding of the transformer; and,
electrically disconnecting, via a disconnect device, the wind turbine power system from the power grid by opening the disconnect device if the calculated grid-side primary voltage or the measured secondary voltage is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating the grid-side primary voltage as a function of one or more of the following: a secondary winding voltage drop or one or more secondary winding currents.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disconnect device comprises at least one of a circuit breaker, a line contactor, or a synchronizing switch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tap changer comprises an on-load tap changer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine power system comprises a wind-driven doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transformer comprises a three-phase transformer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating the grid-side primary voltage as a function of one or more of the following: a secondary winding inductance, a converter inductance, a primary winding inductance, or a frequency.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disconnect device comprises a switchgear.

9. A method for optimizing operation of a wind turbine power system connected to a power grid, the method comprising:
providing a tap changer between the power grid and a primary winding of a transformer of the wind turbine power system;
in response to a monitored voltage of the wind turbine power system being outside of a predetermined voltage range, changing a tap position of the tap changer, wherein changing the tap position of the tap changer causes a change in a secondary voltage of a second winding of the transformer;
associating the tap position with a corresponding transformer ratio correction via a look-up table;
calculating, via a converter controller, a grid-side primary voltage of the primary winding by multiplying the transformer ratio correction and a transformer impedance; and,
controlling the wind turbine power system by opening a disconnect device if the calculated grid-side primary voltage or the secondary voltage is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising calculating the grid-side primary voltage as a function of one or more of the following: a secondary winding inductance, a converter inductance, a primary winding inductance, or a frequency.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tap changer comprises an on-load tap changer.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising calculating the grid-side primary voltage as a function of one or more of the following: a secondary winding inductance, a converter inductance, a primary winding inductance, or a frequency.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the switchgear comprises a medium-voltage switchgear.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tap changer comprises an on-load tap changer.

15. A system for optimizing operation of a wind turbine power system connected to a power grid, the system comprising:
a tap changer operatively coupled between the power grid and a primary winding of a transformer of the wind turbine power system, the tap changer being configured to automatically change tap positions; and,
a controller operatively coupled with the transformer and the tap changer, the controller configured to perform one or more operations, the one or more operations comprising:
receiving a tap position from the tap changer,
associating the tap position with a corresponding transformer ratio correction via a look-up table;
calculating a grid-side primary voltage of the primary winding by multiplying the transformer ratio correction and a transformer impedance,
measuring a secondary voltage of a secondary winding of the transformer, and
electrically disconnecting the wind turbine power system from the power grid if the calculated grid-side primary voltage or the secondary voltage is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising calculating the grid-side primary voltage as a function of one or more of the following: a secondary winding voltage drop, a secondary winding inductance, a converter inductance, one or more secondary winding currents, a primary winding inductance, or a frequency.

17. The method of claim 15 , further electrically disconnecting the wind turbine power system from the power grid if the calculated grid-side primary voltage or the secondary voltage is outside of a predetermined voltage range via at least one of a switchgear, a circuit breaker, a line contactor, or a synchronizing switch.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Berroteran Gil Igor
• Klodowski Anthony Michael
• Barton Werner Gerhard

Classifications

• Y02E10/76

  Power conversion electric or electronic aspects · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D9/255

  connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor · CPC title

• H02P13/06

  by tap-changing; by rearranging interconnections of windings · CPC title

• F03D7/0272

  by measures acting on the electrical generator · CPC title