Wind energy system and method of operation thereof

• US 7,560,823 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schellings, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO C
• Application Number:
  US11/428,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55, 416/132.B, 603/98, 415/4.2, 415/7, 415/4.5
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0204 for orientation in relation to wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0272 by measures acting on the electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0292 to reduce fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/046 with learning or adaptive control, e.g. self-tuning, fuzzy logic or neural network
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/96 as part of a wind turbine farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1033 Power (if explicitly mentioned)
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/20 to optimise the performance of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/32 Wind speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/321 Wind directions
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/322 the detection or prediction of a wind gust
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/323 Air humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/324 Air pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/335 Output power or torque
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/404 active, predictive, or anticipative
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/708 with comparison tables
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for operating a wind energy system is provided comprising the steps of setting the value of an operational parameter of the wind energy system, measuring a yield parameter of the wind energy system and measuring a condition parameter. Further, the method comprises the step of calculating an optimized value of the operational parameter based on historical data and the outcome of the measurements. The method further comprises the step of resetting the operational parameter to the optimized value of the operational parameter wherein the resetting is such that the yield parameter is optimized. Further, a wind energy system is provided having a sensor unit for measuring a yield parameter of the wind energy system, a sensor for measuring a condition parameter, an actuator for adjustment of at least one adjustable part of the wind energy system, and a self-learning controller. The self-learning controller is connected to the sensor unit and the actuator and receives measurement data from the sensor unit. The self-learning controller performs optimization calculations based on the measurement data and sends instruction signals to the actuator based on the outcome of the optimization calculations for the adjustment of the adjustable part of the wind energy system. The instruction signals are such that the yield parameter is optimized.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wind energy system, said method comprising:

measuring a yield parameter of said wind energy system, thereby obtaining yield parameter measurement results;

measuring a condition parameter, thereby obtaining condition parameter measurement results;

calculating one or more optimized values of one or more operational parameters based on said yield parameter measurement results, said condition parameter measurement results, and historical data;

resetting the one or more operational parameters to the calculated one or more optimized values;

transmitting said one or more optimized values of said one or more operational parameters to an actuator, the actuator connected to an adjustable part of said wind energy system;

repeated measuring of said yield parameter of said wind energy system, thereby obtaining repeated yield parameter measurement results; and

storing said one or more optimized values of said one or more operational parameters and said repeated yield parameter measurement result in a database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

comparing said yield parameter measurement results with said repeated yield parameter measurement results.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calculating one or more optimized values of said one or more operational parameters is further based on at least one site parameter.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one site parameter comprises at least one of a location of said wind energy system, a tower height of said wind energy system, a terrain wherein said wind energy system is located, an altitude, and an average annual temperature.

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

determining a time parameter;

wherein said calculating one or more optimized values of said one or more operational parameters is further based on said time parameter.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said time parameter comprises at least one of a season, a month, a day, a time of day, and a day of the week.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving data from other wind energy systems than said wind energy system;

wherein said calculating one or more optimized values of said one or more operational parameters is further based on said data.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is repeated at least every minute.

9. A wind energy system comprising:

a database configured to store historical data;

at least one sensor configured to measure at least one yield parameter of the wind energy system;

at least one actuator coupled to an adjustable part of the wind energy system;

at least one wind measurement device configured to measure at least one condition;

a controller coupled to the database, the at least one sensor, the at least one actuator, and the at least one wind measurement device, said controller configured to;

receive the at least one measured yield parameter from said at least one sensor;

receive the at least one condition from the at least one wind measurement device;

retrieve the historical data from the database;

determine one or more optimized values based on the at least one yield parameter, the at least one condition, and the historical data;

reset one or more operational parameters to the determined one or more optimized values;

transmit the one or more determined optimized values to said at least one actuator, wherein said at least one actuator adjusts at least one part of the wind energy system; and

repeatedly measure the at least one yield parameter of the wind energy system, thereby obtaining repeated yield parameter measurement results.

10. A wind energy system according to claim 9, wherein the controller further configured to store the one or more determined optimized values in the database.

11. The wind energy system according to claim 9, wherein said controller further configured to receive data from other wind energy systems than said wind energy system, wherein said controller is configured to determine one or more optimized values further based on said received data.

12. The wind energy system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one condition parameter comprises at least one of a wind speed, a turbulence intensity, a wind direction, an air pressure, a temperature, and a number of days since last rain.

13. The wind energy system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one yield parameter comprises a power curve.

14. The wind energy system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of a current measurement device, a power measurement device, and a vibration measurement device.

15. A method for operating a wind energy system, said method comprising:

measuring a yield parameter of the wind energy system, thereby obtaining yield parameter measurement results;

measuring a condition parameter, thereby obtaining condition parameter measurement results;

calculating one or more optimized values of one or more operational parameters based on the yield parameter measurement results, the condition parameter measurement results, and historical data;

resetting the one or more operational parameters to the calculated one or more optimized values;

transmitting the calculated one or more optimized values to an actuator, the actuator connected to an adjustable part of the wind energy system; and

storing the calculated one or more optimized values and a repeated yield parameter measurement result in a database.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising repeatedly measuring the yield parameter of said wind energy system, thereby obtaining repeated yield parameter measurement results.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said method is repeated at least every minute.

18. The method according to claim 15 further comprising determining a time parameter, wherein said calculating one or more optimized values of the one or more operational parameters is further based on a time parameter.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the time parameter comprises at least one of a season, a month, a day, a time of day, and a day of the week.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising receiving data from other wind energy systems than the wind energy system, wherein said calculating one or more optimized values of the one or more operational parameters is further based on the received data.