Wind power generation system, device using wind power generation system, and method for operating same

• US 9,231,441 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Azegami, Kenichi, Sakamoto, Kiyoshi, Yanagibashi, Takuji, Matsunobu, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Viet
• Application Number:
  US14/113,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20140103656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/02 having a plurality of rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/026 for starting-up
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/7068 equipped with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/2213 and with the rotor downwind from the yaw pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/76 the adjusting mechanism using auxiliary power sources
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 11/00 Circuit arrangements for providing service supply to auxiliaries of stations in which electric power is generated, distributed or converted
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• 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

Abstract

A wind turbine able to generate power irrespective of a presence of and a state of a power grid is disclosed. Specifically, a wind power generation system is provided with a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a blade that rotates in response to the wind, a generator that rotates with rotation of the blade to generate power, and an auxiliary machine that controls a pitch angle of the blade. The auxiliary machine is driven by the generated power of a downwind type wind turbine to which a permanent magnet type generator is mounted and which generates power in a state in which a blade of the downwind type wind turbine rotating in response to the wind faces downwind.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wind power generation system, the system comprising:

a main wind turbine that generates mainly power supplied to a load and/or a power grid;

an auxiliary wind turbine that supplies generated power to an auxiliary machine that controls a pitch angle of the main wind turbine and controls a yaw of the main wind turbine, that is a downwind type wind turbine that generates power in a state in which a blade of the auxiliary wind turbine faces downwind, and to which a permanent magnet type generator is mounted; and

an anemometer that measures a wind speed,

wherein the downwind type wind turbine is able to generate power in a wider wind speed range than a wind speed range in which power generation by the main wind turbine is possible,

the auxiliary wind turbine rotates in a free yaw condition until the wind speed returns to within the wind speed range in which the power generation by the main wind turbine is possible after the wind speed is out of the wind speed range in which the power generation by the main wind turbine is possible, generated power of the auxiliary wind turbine drives the auxiliary machine to control the pitch angle or yaw of the main wind turbine when the wind speed returns to within the wind speed range in which the power generation by the main wind turbine is possible, and the power generation of the main wind turbine is restarted,

wherein the downwind type wind turbine is able to generate power at a higher wind speed than a cut-out wind speed of the wind speed range in which the power generation by the main wind turbine is possible,

the auxiliary wind turbine is able to rotate in the free yaw condition until the wind speed returns to the cut-out wind speed of the main wind turbine or less after the wind speed is over the cut-out wind speed, generated power of the auxiliary wind turbine drives the auxiliary machine to control the pitch angle or yaw of the main wind turbine when the wind speed returns to the cut-out wind speed or less, and power generation of the main wind turbine is restarted.

2. The method for operating a wind power generation system according to claim 1,

wherein the downwind type wind turbine is able to generate power at a lower wind speed than a cut-in wind speed of the wind speed range in which the power generation by the main wind turbine is possible,

the auxiliary wind turbine is able to rotate in the free yaw condition until the wind speed returns to the cut-in wind speed of the main wind turbine or more after the wind speed is below the cut-in wind speed, generated power of the auxiliary wind turbine drives the auxiliary machine to control the pitch angle or yaw of the main wind turbine when the wind speed returns to the cut-in wind speed or more, and power generation of the main wind turbine is restarted.

3. The method for operating a wind power generation system according to claim 1,

wherein the pitch angle of the main wind turbine is in a feather pitch angle until the wind speed is returned to the cut-out wind speed of the main wind turbine or less after the wind speed is over the cut-out wind speed.

4. The method for operating a wind power generation system according to claim 1,

wherein the main wind turbine is the downwind type wind turbine that generates power in a state in which a blade of the main wind turbine faces downwind.

5. The method for operating a wind power generation system according to claim 4,

wherein a pitch angle of the blade of the main wind turbine is in a fine pitch angle until the wind speed returns to the cut-in wind speed of the main wind turbine or more after the wind speed of the main wind turbine is below the cut-in wind speed.

6. The method for operating a wind power generation system according to claim 1,

wherein the main wind turbine is an upwind type wind turbine that generates power in a state in which a blade of the main wind turbine faces upwind, and

the blade of the main wind turbine is controlled to face upwind before a restart of the power generation of the main wind turbine.

7. A method for operating a nuclear power plant using the method according to claim 1,

wherein the wind power generation system is connected to a nuclear power plant and able to supply power to the nuclear power plant,

the nuclear power plant is connected also to a solar power generation system and able to receive power from the solar power generation system,

the wind power generation system and the solar power generation system are connected to an auxiliary power supply battery of the nuclear power plant,

the wind power generation system supplies generated power to the nuclear power plant and/or the auxiliary power supply battery within the wind speed range in which the power generation is possible, and

generated power from the solar power generation system or power from the auxiliary power supply battery is supplied to the nuclear power plant outside the wind speed range in which the power generation is possible.