WIND TURBINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A WIND TURBINE

• US 20110140423A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Menke, Detlef
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/10 using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/026 for starting-up
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0276 controlling rotor speed, e.g. variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0284 in relation to the state of the electric grid
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/042 by means of an electrical or electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/331 Mechanical loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/15 for wind-driven turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/008 wherein the generator is controlled by the requirements of the prime mover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor having at least one rotor blade and a generator connected to the wind rotor, wherein the generator is adapted to be connected to a grid, wherein the method comprises: adjusting at least one wind turbine parameter to increase the rotational speed of the wind rotor; increasing the rotational speed of the wind rotor; during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor determining if the wind turbine would exceed a predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed; and during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor connecting the wind turbine to the grid if determining that the wind turbine would exceed the predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid. Further, the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine comprising a wind rotor, wherein the wind rotor is mechanically connected to a generator for transmitting the rotational power of the wind rotor having at least one rotor blade to the rotor of the generator, wherein the output current of the generator is adapted to be selectively connected to a grid by a circuit breaker, the wind turbine further comprising a control device adapted to close or to trip the circuit breaker, wherein the control device is adapted to perform the method disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor having at least one rotor blade and a generator connected to the wind rotor, wherein the generator is adapted to be connected to a grid, wherein the method comprises:

adjusting at least one wind turbine parameter to increase the rotational speed of the wind rotor;

increasing the rotational speed of the wind rotor;

during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor determining if the wind turbine would exceed a predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed; and

during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor connecting the wind turbine to the grid if determining that the wind turbine would exceed the predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor, the rotational speed is less than 5 seconds substantially constant

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after the connection to the grid, adjusting the wind turbine parameters to drive the wind turbine in the optimal operating point, depending on environmental conditions and the wind turbine parameters.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising

operating the wind turbine in a spinning mode, wherein the at least one rotor blade of the wind rotor is operated with a substantial constant pitch angle and the generator of the wind turbine is not electrically connected to the grid.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the rotational speed of the wind rotor is increased from the spinning mode if at least one condition is fulfilled of the group consisting of:

the wind turbine has been a predetermined time in an idling mode, and the rotational speed is within a predetermined wind rotor rotational speed range.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

adjusting at least one wind turbine parameter for changing to the spinning mode, when the wind turbine is not connected to the grid within a predetermined time during increasing the rotational speed from the idling mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the energy to be fed into the grid is determined based on the efficiency of the wind turbine, in particular the internal consumption of energy of the wind turbine.

8. A method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor having at least one rotor blade and a generator connected to the wind rotor, wherein the generator is adapted to be connected to a grid, wherein the method comprises:

operating the wind turbine in a run-up mode, wherein the wind turbine parameters are adapted to increase the rotational speed of the wind rotor, and wherein it is determined, whether the wind turbine would exceed a predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed;

wherein during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor, the rotational speed is less than 5 seconds substantially constant, and

operating the wind turbine in a load operation mode.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein

if it is determined in the run-up mode that the wind turbine would exceed the predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed, the mode of the wind turbine is changed from the run-up mode into the load operation mode, and the wind turbine is connected to the grid.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises

operating the wind turbine in a spinning mode, wherein the at least one blade of the wind rotor is operated with a substantial constant pitch angle and the generator of the wind turbine is not electrically connected to the grid.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

in the run-up mode the pitch angle of the rotor blades is substantially monotonic decreasing from a substantial constant pitch angle of the spinning mode to a pitch angle of less than 5 degrees with respect to the rotor plane.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein

in the run-up mode the pitch angle of the rotor blades is controlled depending on the loads acting on the wind turbine.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the energy to be fed into the grid is determined based on the efficiency of the wind turbine, in particular the internal consumption of energy of the wind turbine.

14. A wind turbine comprising a wind rotor, wherein the wind rotor is mechanically connected to a generator for transmitting the rotational power of the wind rotor having at least one rotor blade to the rotor of the generator, wherein the output current of the generator is adapted to be selectively connected to a grid by a circuit breaker, the wind turbine further comprising a control device adapted to close or to trip the circuit breaker, wherein the control device is adapted to:

operate the wind turbine in a run-up mode, wherein the wind turbine parameters are adapted to increase the rotational speed of the wind rotor, and wherein it is determined, whether the wind turbine would exceed a predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed;

wherein during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor, the rotational speed is less than 5 seconds substantially constant; and

change from the run-up mode into the load operation mode and connect the wind turbine to the grid if it is determined in the run-up mode that the wind turbine would exceed the predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed.

15. The wind turbine according to claim 14, wherein the control device is further adapted to adjusting the wind turbine parameters to drive the wind turbine in the optimal operating point after the connection to the grid, depending on environmental conditions and the wind turbine parameters.

16. The wind turbine according to claim 14, wherein

the control device is further adapted to operate the wind turbine in a spinning mode, wherein the at least one rotor blade of the wind rotor is operated with a substantial constant pitch angle and the generator of the wind turbine is not electrically connected to the grid.

17. The wind turbine according to claim 16, wherein the control device is further adapted to control the pitch angle of the rotor blades in the run-up mode depending on the loads acting on the wind turbine.

18. The wind turbine according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to decrease substantially monotonic the pitch angle of the rotor blades from a substantial constant pitch angle of the spinning mode to a pitch angle of less than 5 degrees with respect to the rotor plane in the run-up mode.

19. The wind turbine according to claim 14, wherein

the control device is adapted to determine the energy to be fed into the grid depending on the efficiency of the wind turbine, in particular the internal consumption of energy of the wind turbine.

20. The wind turbine according to claim 14, wherein, the control device is further adapted to change the mode of the wind turbine from the load operation mode to the run-up mode if at least one condition is fulfilled of the group consisting of:

the rotational speed of the wind rotor is below a predetermined minimal load rotational speed, and the power fed into the grid is within a predetermined time below a predetermined minimal power.