Method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated energy

• US 7,974,742 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Enis, Ben M., Lieberman, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/001,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 700/219, 700/286, 700295-297, 700/299, 705 7- 8, 196/27, 702/2, 290/44, 290/55, 606/417
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 17/00 Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/17 storing energy in pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/28 the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/96 as part of a wind turbine farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/404 active, predictive, or anticipative
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/00 Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/50 Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated power, such as to a power grid, or a facility having pneumatically driven equipment, so as to avoid sudden surges and spikes, despite wind speed fluctuations and oscillations. The method preferably uses a plurality of windmill stations, wherein energy can be used directly, and/or stored for later use when demand is high or wind availability is low. The method contemplates forming an energy delivery schedule, to coordinate the use of energy from storage, based on daily wind speed forecasts, which help to predict the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming day. The schedule preferably sets a reduced number of constant power output periods during the day, during which time energy delivery levels remain substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated power, comprising:

producing compressed air energy using at least one windmill station with a compressor capable of generating compressed air energy;

storing said compressed air energy in a pipeline capable of distributing said compressed air energy to a remote location;

forecasting or obtaining a forecast of wind speed conditions at said windmill station and predicting the wind speed conditions and the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming period of time based on the forecast;

preparing an energy delivery schedule to the remote location based on the predictions for wind speed and wind power availability levels for the upcoming period of time, taking into account the amount of energy that can be stored and used at a later time; and

setting a reduced number of constant power output periods based on the delivery schedule during the upcoming period of time, during which time energy delivery levels are substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period

and the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of immediate use stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use, and a predetermined number of energy storage stations dedicated to storing energy for later use, and determining the ratio between the number of immediate use and energy storage stations that are to be in operation during the upcoming period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivery schedule determines the amount of energy that can be supplied directly from the immediate use stations, and the amount of energy that can be provided from storage from the energy storage stations, and the amount of energy expected to be used and withdrawn so as to maintain a predetermined amount of energy in storage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of energy in storage from the energy storage stations at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of pressure in storage at any given time will not exceed 600 psig or go below 100 psig.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of hybrid windmill stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use and/or storage, and using the hybrid stations to supplement the number of stations that are in operation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the immediate use stations are adapted to supply electrical energy directly to the remote location, and the energy storage stations are adapted to provide energy into storage, and the hybrid stations are adapted to switch between being an immediate use station to supply electrical energy directly, and an energy storage station to provide compressed air energy into storage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said remote location is provided with pneumatically driven equipment, and the compressed air energy in said pipeline is released at said remote location to drive said pneumatically driven equipment without having to convert the compressed air energy into electricity first.