Device and method for detecting crowbar circuit in wind turbine

• US 8,957,664 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Electronics Company Limited (Delta Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delta Electronics Company Limited (Delta Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cao, Liang, Cai, Li, Lu, Yan-Song
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US13/553,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 324/72, 324/500, 324/522, 324/537, 324/555, 324/713.01, 324/600, 324/602, 324/603, 324/605, 324/606, 324/629, 324/647, 324/656, 324/691, 324/705, 324/76.52, 324/76.77, 324/98, 702/57, 702/58, 702/64, 361/1, 361/54, 361/63, 361/65, 361/78, 361/86, 361/87, 361/88, 361/90, 361/91.1, 361/93.1
• US Class Current: 324/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/24 Testing of discharge tubes during manufacture H01J9/42
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/42 AC power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/002 Monitoring or fail-safe circuits

Abstract

A device and a method for detecting a crowbar circuit in a wind turbine are provided, wherein the wind turbine comprises a converter electrically connected to the crowbar circuit, and the method comprises: electrically coupling a detection module to the crowbar circuit; inputting a first control signal into the crowbar circuit, to turn on the crowbar circuit; providing a three-phase voltage signal to the crowbar circuit via the converter, wherein voltage signals in any two adjacent phases has a predetermined phase angle difference; reading the first detection signal outputted by the detection module, to determine whether the crowbar circuit is normally thrown into the wind turbine; inputting a second control signal to the crowbar circuit, to turn off the crowbar circuit; and reading again the second detection signal outputted by the detection module, to determine whether the crowbar circuit is normally cut out from the wind turbine.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a crowbar circuit in a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine comprises a converter electrically connected to the crowbar circuit, wherein the method comprises:

electrically coupling a detection module to the crowbar circuit;

inputting a first control signal into the crowbar circuit, so as to turn on the crowbar circuit;

providing a three-phase voltage signal to the crowbar circuit via the converter, wherein voltage signals in two adjacent phases has a predetermined phase angle difference;

reading a first detection signal outputted by the detection module, so as to determine whether the crowbar circuit is thrown into the wind turbine;

inputting a second control signal to the crowbar circuit, so as to turn off the crowbar circuit; and

reading a second detection signal outputted by the detection module, to determine whether the crowbar circuit is cut out from the wind turbine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection module is a current sensor, and the current sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in series.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection module is a voltage sensor, and the voltage sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in parallel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first detection signal and the second detection signal;

according to the first detection signal received and the second detection signal received, outputting an alarm signal when the crowbar circuit fails to be thrown into or cut out from the wind turbine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the three-phase voltage signal, voltage signals in any two adjacent phases have a phase angle difference of 120 degrees, and the duration of the first control signal is not shorter than the duration corresponding to a period from a starting time of the first voltage signal to an ending time of the second voltage signal in the three-phase voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal has the smallest phase angle and the second voltage signal has the largest phase angle.

6. A device for detecting a crowbar circuit in a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine comprises a converter electrically connected to the crowbar circuit, and the device comprises:

a detection module electrically connected to the crowbar circuit for outputting a detection signal;

a control module electrically connected to the crowbar circuit for outputting a first control signal and a second control signal, wherein the first control signal is used for turning on the crowbar circuit, and the second control signal is used for turning off the crowbar circuit; and

an alarm module electrically connected to the detection module for receiving the detection signal and determining whether the crowbar circuit is thrown into the wind turbine or whether the crowbar circuit is cut out from the wind turbine according to the detection signal;

wherein, the detection signal comprises a first detection signal and a second detection signal, wherein when the control module outputs the first control signal, the first detection signal is used for detecting whether the crowbar circuit is thrown into the wind turbine, and when the control module outputs the second control signal, the second detection signal is used for detecting whether the crowbar circuit is cut out from the wind turbine.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the detection module is a current sensor, and the current sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in series.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the detection module is a voltage sensor, and the voltage sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in parallel.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the duration of the first control signal is not shorter than a period from a starting time of the first voltage signal to an ending time of the second voltage signal in the three-phase voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal has the smallest phase angle, and the second voltage signal has the largest phase angle.

10. A wind power facility comprising a blower and a converter, wherein the converter comprises a first transducer near a side of the blower, and the wind power facility further comprises:

a crowbar circuit electrically connected to the blower and the first transducer, wherein when power received from the blower via the converter is higher than power outputted to an electrical grid via the converter, the crowbar circuit absorbs excess power from the blower;

a device for detecting the crowbar circuit in a wind turbine, the device comprising;

a detection module electrically connected to the crowbar circuit for outputting a detection signal;

a control module electrically connected to the crowbar circuit for outputting a first control signal and a second control signal, wherein the first control signal is used for turning on the crowbar circuit, and the second control signal is used for turning off the crowbar circuit; and

an alarm module electrically connected to the detection module for receiving the detection signal and determining whether the crowbar circuit is thrown into the wind turbine or whether the crowbar circuit is cut out from the wind turbine according to the detection signal;

wherein, the detection signal comprises a first detection signal and a second detection signal, wherein when the control module outputs the first control signal, the first detection signal is used for detecting whether the crowbar circuit is thrown into the wind turbine, and when the control module outputs the second control signal, the second detection signal is used for detecting whether the crowbar circuit is cut out from the wind turbine.

11. The wind power facility of claim 10, wherein the detection module is a current sensor, and the current sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in series.

12. The wind power facility of claim 10, wherein the detection module is a voltage sensor, and the voltage sensor is connected with the crowbar circuit in parallel.

13. The wind power facility of claim 10, wherein the duration of the first control signal is not shorter than a period from a starting time of the first voltage signal to an ending time of the second voltage signal in the three-phase voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal has the smallest phase angle, and the second voltage signal has the largest phase angle.