System, device, and method for estimating possible power output of wind turbines

• US 8,150,641 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Morjaria, Mahesh A., Gujjar, Vineel
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US12/961,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 702/60, 702/64, 702/65, 702/81, 702/96, 702/104, 702/142, 702/147, 702/179, 702/182, 702/183, 702/188, 290/44
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/028 controlling wind motor output power
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/046 with learning or adaptive control, e.g. self-tuning, fuzzy logic or neural network
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/821 Parameter estimation or prediction
• 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

A method for use in calculating a possible power output of a wind turbine. A series of performance data samples is acquired. Each performance data sample includes a meteorological condition and a power output indicated at a first time by one or more sensors associated with a wind turbine. A transfer function is calculated based at least in part on the series of performance data samples. The transfer function relates power output to the meteorological condition. A possible power output is calculated based on the transfer function and at least one meteorological condition indicated by the one or more sensors at a second time.

Claims

1. A method for use in calculating a possible power output of a wind turbine, the method comprising:

acquiring a series of performance data samples, wherein each performance data sample of the plurality of performance data samples includes a meteorological condition and a power output indicated at a first time by one or more sensors associated with a wind turbine;

calculating by a computing system a transfer function based at least in part on the series of performance data samples, wherein the transfer function relates power output to the meteorological condition; and

,

calculating by the computing system a possible power output based on the transfer function and at least one meteorological condition indicated by the sensors at a second time.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating a transfer function comprises calculating a transfer function that relates power output to wind speed, and calculating a possible power output comprises calculating a possible power output based at least in part on a wind speed indicated by a wind speed sensor.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein calculating a transfer function comprises calculating a transfer function that further relates power output to air density, and calculating a possible power output comprises calculating a possible power output based further on an air density.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein acquiring the series of performance data samples comprises acquiring performance data samples while the wind turbine is operated in a non-curtailed state.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating a possible power output comprises calculating a possible power output based on a meteorological condition that is indicated while the wind turbine is operated in a curtailed state.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating a transfer function based on the series of performance data samples comprises weighting each performance data sample of the series of performance data samples based on an age of the performance data sample.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is a first wind turbine, and calculating a transfer function comprises modifying a reference transfer function that is based on one or more wind turbines that are similar to the first wind turbine.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the possible power output is an individual possible power output of a first wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines, the method further comprising:

calculating a transfer function corresponding to each wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines based on a series of performance data samples associated with the wind turbine;

calculating an individual possible power output of each wind turbine based on the corresponding transfer function and the meteorological condition indicated at the second time; and

,

calculating a total possible power output of the plurality of wind turbines based on the individual possible power outputs.

9. A device for use in calculating a possible power output of a wind turbine, the device comprising:

a sensor interface configured to receive an operating condition and a power output at a plurality of first times from one or more sensors associated with a wind turbine;

a memory device coupled in communication with the sensor interface and configured to store a series of performance data samples that include an operating condition and a power output; and

,

a processor coupled in communication with the memory device and programmed to;

calculate a transfer function relating power output to the operating condition based at least in part on the series of performance data samples; and

,

calculate a possible power output based on the transfer function and an operating condition received by the sensor interface at a second time.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate the transfer function based at least in part on performance data samples corresponding to first times at which the wind turbine is operated in a non-curtailed state.

11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate the possible power output based on an operating condition received at a second time at which the wind turbine is operated in a curtailed state.

12. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate a transfer function by calculating a transfer function relating power output to at least one meteorological condition.

13. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate a transfer function at least in part by weighting each performance data sample of the plurality of data samples based on an age of the performance data sample.

14. A device in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a communication interface coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the possible power output to a site monitor, wherein the site monitor calculates a total possible power output for a plurality of wind turbines in a site based at least in part on the transmitted possible power output.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause at least one processor to:

calculate a transfer function relating power output of a wind turbine to a meteorological condition based at least in part on a series of performance data samples, wherein each performance data sample of the series of performance data samples includes a power output of the wind turbine and a meteorological condition of the wind turbine that are indicated while the wind turbine is operated in a non-curtailed state; and

,

calculate a possible power output of the wind turbine based at least in part on the transfer function and a meteorological condition of the wind turbine indicated while the wind turbine is operated in a curtailed state.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by the processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

calculate a transfer function associated with each wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines based at least in part on a series of performance data samples corresponding to each wind turbine; and

,

calculate a possible power output of each wind turbine based at least in part on the transfer function associated with the wind turbine and a meteorological condition indicated while the wind turbine is operated in a curtailed state.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to calculate a total possible power output based on the calculated possible power output of each wind turbine.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 17, wherein when executed by the processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to calculate a difference between the total possible power output and a total indicated power output of the plurality of wind turbines.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by the processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to calculate a difference between the possible power output of the wind turbine and an indicated power output of the wind turbine.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by the processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to calculate a transfer function by calculating a transfer function relating power output of the wind turbine to wind speed.