METHOD FOR THE OPERATION OF A WIND TURBINE

• US 20130106108A1
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wobben Properties Gmbh (Aloys Wobben Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Wobben Properties Gmbh (Aloys Wobben Stiftung)
• Inventors: De Boer, Wolfgang, Beekmann, Alfred, Lenschow, Gerhard, Eden, Georg
• Granted Patent: US 9,518,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0264 for stopping; controlling in emergency situations orientating out of wind F03D7/0208
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/045 with model-based controls
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/048 controlling wind farms
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/40 Ice detection; De-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/60 Cooling or heating of wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/32 Wind speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/325 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/335 Output power or torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a wind turbine comprising an aerodynamic rotor that has at least one rotor blade. Said method comprises the steps of operating the wind turbine at an operating point that depends on the wind speed, detecting an operating parameter of the operating point, comparing the detected operating parameter with a predetermined reference quantity, and heating the at least one rotor blade when the detected operating parameter exceeds a predetermined variation from the reference quantity, the operation of the wind turbine being continued.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wind power installation having an aerodynamic rotor with at least one rotor blade, the method comprising:

operating the wind power installation at an operating point dependant on the wind speed;

detecting an operating parameter of the operating point;

comparing the detected operating parameter to a reference parameter; and

heating the at least one rotor blade when the detected operating parameter exceeds a threshold deviation relative to the reference parameter, while continuing the operation of the wind power installation.

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

determining a first tolerance range and a second tolerance range in relation to the reference parameter, the first tolerance range being within the second tolerance range, and

wherein heating the at least one rotor blade comprises heating the at least one rotor blade when the detected operating parameter is outside the first tolerance range and within the second tolerance range, and wherein the wind power installation is at least one of stopped and powered down when the detected operating parameter is outside the first tolerance range and the second tolerance range.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein

the detected operating parameter is electric power generated by the wind power installation.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein heating the at least one rotor blade comprises blowing heated air through the rotor blade.

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

detecting a temperature at or proximate the wind power installation; and

at least one of stopping and powering down the wind power installation when the detected temperature falls below a threshold minimum temperature and when the detected operating parameter exceeds the threshold deviation relative to the reference parameter.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein heating the at least one rotor blade comprises heating the at least one rotor blade when the detected operating parameter exceeds the threshold deviation for a threshold amount of time.

19. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wind power installation is at least one of stopped and powered down, the method further comprising:

restarting the wind power installation;

detecting the operating parameter of the operating point for period of time;

comparing the detected operating parameter to the second tolerance range; and

at least one of stopping and powering down the wind power installation when the detected operating parameter is outside of the second tolerance range over the period of time.

20. The method according to claim 3, further comprising detecting wind speed proximate the wind power installation, wherein the reference parameter depends on the detected wind speed.

21. The method according to claim 4 wherein blowing heat air through the rotor blade comprises blowing heated air through a conduit in the rotor blade.

7. A rotor blade configured to be fixed to a hub of a rotor of a wind power installation, the rotor blade comprising:

a main portion having an end configured to be fixed to the hub; and

an end portion;

an air guide conduit located in the main portion and configured to deliver heated air through the main portion to the end portion.

8. The rotor blade according to claim 7 wherein

the main portion has a first region having a heating device configured to generate heat, and wherein thermal insulation at least a portion of the air guide conduit and is configured to reduce heat loss from the air guide conduit.

16. The rotor blade of claim 8 wherein the main portion includes metal and the end portion includes a composite material

17. The rotor blade of claim 16 wherein the end portion is glass fiber-reinforced plastic and is at least partially insulated.

9. A wind power installation comprising:

a rotor having at least one rotor blade that includes a main portion and an end portion, wherein the main portion includes an air guide conduit configured to deliver heated air through the main portion to an interior of the end portion;

a heating device;

a blower; and

a control unit configured to detect an operating parameter of the wind power installation and to compare the detected operating parameter to a threshold reference parameter, the control unit configured to activate the heating device and the blower in response to the operating parameter exceeding a deviation of the threshold reference parameter and to cause heated air to blow through the air guide conduit of the main portion of the at least one rotor blade while the wind power installation is in operation.

10. The wind power installation according to claim 9 further comprising an anemometer configured to measure wind speed proximate the rotor, wherein the threshold reference parameter is dependent on wind speed.

11. The wind power installation according to claim 9 wherein the control unit is configured to at least one of stop and power down the wind power installation when the detected operating parameter exceeds the deviation of the threshold reference parameter for a threshold period of time.

18. The wind power installation of claim 9 wherein the control unit is configured to activate the heating device and the blower in response to the operating parameter exceeding the deviation of the threshold reference parameter for a threshold period of time.

12. A method of operating a wind power installation comprising an aerodynamic rotor having at least one rotor blade, the method comprising:

monitoring whether there is icing on the wind power installation using an ice sensor for detecting an ice accretion; and

when an ice accretion is detected, heating the at least one rotor blade, while operation of the wind power installation is continued.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein detecting an ice accretion comprises using an ice sensor to detect an ice accretion.

13. A method of operating a wind park comprising a plurality of mutually communicating wind power installations, each of the wind power installations comprising an aerodynamic rotor having at least one rotor blade, the method comprising:

monitoring whether there is icing on at least one of the wind power installations using an ice sensor for detecting an ice accretion; and

when an ice accretion is detected, heating the at least one rotor blade of each of the wind power installations in the wind park, while operation of each of the wind power installations of the wind park is continued.

15. (canceled)