Wind farm power production control system

• US 8,185,249 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Grid Solutions LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kirchner, Andreas, Ubben, Enno
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/017,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/287, 307/46, 307/48, 290/44, 290/55
• US Class Current: 700/287
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0284 in relation to the state of the electric grid
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/048 controlling wind farms
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/10 Combinations of wind motors with apparatus storing energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1033 Power (if explicitly mentioned)
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/337 Electrical grid status parameters, e.g. voltage, frequency or power demand
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/50 Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A control system for an energy production facility includes a plant controller for receiving an indication of a measured power output of the energy production facility that includes power generators and produces output signals. The system also includes a processing unit operably coupled to the plant controller and responsive to executable computer instructions when executed on the processing unit cause the plant controller to: create an output signal that causes an energy storage device to discharge in the event power reserves of the power generators can not met the requested ramp down rate; and create an output signal that causes the energy storage device to charge up in the event that the power capability of the power generators can meet the requested ramp down rate.

Claims

1. A wind farm comprising:

a power collection system;

at least one wind turbine generator coupled to the power collection system;

at least one energy storage device coupled to the power collection system;

a sensor coupled to the power collection system for measuring a rate of power production of the wind farm;

a plant controller coupled to the at least one wind turbine generator, the at least one energy storage device and the sensor, the plant controller causing the at least one energy storage device to store energy in the event that the rate of power production of the wind farm exceeds an output requirement and causing the at least one energy storage device to discharge energy in the event that the rate of power production of the wind farm is less than the output requirement of the wind farm;

wherein the plant controller provides a signal to a utility that indicates a ramp rate availability that is calculated based on a relation between the possible power of the wind farm, a power set point and a charge status of the energy storage device.

2. The wind farm of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is a battery.

3. The wind farm of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is a spinning wheel.

4. The wind farm of claim 1, wherein the plant controller is coupled via a facility interface to the utility.

5. The wind farm of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor also measures a frequency of the power produced by the wind farm provides the frequency to the plant controller; and

the plant controller varies the operation of the at least one wind turbine generator based on the frequency.