Method and a system for controlling operation of a wind turbine

• US 8,577,509 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Ong, Jiun Keat, Zhang, Tie Ling, Zhou, Yu, Lim, Khoon Peng, Chen, Wan Ying, Siew, Pey Yen, Nandedkar, Kiran Kishan Rao, Ho, Jiann Yi, Chin, Bung Chai
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/820,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 700/287, 700/289, 290/44, 702/187, 416/1, 416/61
• US Class Current: 700/287
• 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 7/0292 to reduce fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/042 by means of an electrical or electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/109 to prolong engine life
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/32 Wind speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/321 Wind directions
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/332 Maximum loads or fatigue criteria
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/334 Vibration measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

A method and a system for controlling operation of a wind turbine are provided. The method includes determining at least one failure mode relating to one or more components of the wind turbine, estimating a remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions, determining one or more control schemes to control the operation of the wind turbine in order to adjust the remaining lifetime of the component to a desired remaining lifetime of the component, determining a power production yield for the determined one or more control schemes and selecting a determined control scheme for controlling the operation of the wind turbine that maximizes the power production yield.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a wind turbine, the method comprising:

determining, with a failure mode analyzer of a Condition Based Operation (CBO) unit, at least one failure mode relating to at least one component of the wind turbine;

estimating, with a lifetime calculator of the CBO unit, a remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions;

determining, with a control unit of the CBO unit and based at least in part on the estimated remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions, a plurality of control schemes to control the operation of the wind turbine in order to adjust the remaining lifetime of the component to a desired remaining lifetime that allows the component to function until a selected future date;

determining, with a cost evaluator of the CBO unit, a power production yield for each of the determined control schemes; and

selecting one of the determined control schemes for controlling the operation of the wind turbine that maximizes the power production yield.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining at least one failure mode comprises:

obtaining data relating to health status of the component of the wind turbine;

analyzing the obtained data to determine whether there is any abnormality;

triggering an alert signal when it is determined that there is abnormality in the obtained data; and

determining the at least one failure mode based on the analyzed data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein analyzing the obtained data to determine whether there is any abnormality comprises:

determining whether there is any substantial deviation of the obtained data from a predetermined set of data.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein obtaining data relating to health status of the component comprises:

measuring one or more parameters of the component by means of one or more sensors.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein estimating a remaining lifetime of the component is performed based on empirically obtained data.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the empirically obtained data comprises data relating to wind speed and/or wind direction at the site of the wind turbine.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the empirically obtained data comprises data relating to lifetimes of components identical or similar to the component.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of control schemes to control the wind turbine comprises:

reducing the power production of the wind turbine in order to extend the remaining lifetime of the component to a selected future date, wherein the selected future date comprises a coming scheduled maintenance of the wind turbine.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power production yield for each of the plurality of control schemes is determined based on at least one factor selected from a group consisting of power tariff, cost of equipment and wind data forecast.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a recommendation report comprising the plurality of control schemes and the respective power production yield, wherein a determined control scheme is selected based on the recommendation report.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the wind turbine based on the selected control scheme.

12. A system for controlling operation of a wind turbine, the system comprising:

a failure mode analyzer adapted to determine a failure mode for at least one component of the wind turbine;

a lifetime calculator adapted to determine a remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions;

a control unit adapted to determine a plurality of control schemes to control the operation of the wind turbine in order to adjust the remaining lifetime of the component to a desired remaining lifetime based at least in part on the estimated remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions that allows the component to function until a selected future date; and

a cost evaluator adapted to determine a power production yield for each of the control schemes.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the failure mode analyzer determines the failure mode based on data relating to health status of the component of the wind turbine.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the lifetime calculator determines the remaining lifetime of the component based on empirically obtained data.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of control schemes comprises a recommendation to reduce the power production of the wind turbine in order to extend the remaining lifetime of the component to a selected future date, wherein the selected future date comprises a coming scheduled maintenance of the wind turbine.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cost evaluator determines the power production yield for the plurality of control schemes based on at least one factor selected from a group consisting of power tariff, cost of equipment and wind data forecast.

17. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a report generator adapted to generate a recommendation report comprising the plurality of control schemes and the respective power production yield, so as to allow a control scheme for controlling the operation of the wind turbine to be selected.

18. A wind power plant comprising:

at least one wind turbine; and

a monitoring unit, the monitoring unit comprising;

a failure mode analyzer adapted to determine a failure mode for at least one component of the wind turbine;

a lifetime calculator adapted to determine a remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions;

a control unit adapted to determine a plurality of control schemes to control the operation of the wind turbine in order to adjust the remaining lifetime of the component to a desired remaining lifetime based at least in part on the estimated remaining lifetime of the component under current operating conditions that allows the component to function until a selected future date; and

a cost evaluator adapted to determine a power production yield for each of the control schemes.

19. The wind power plant according to claim 18, wherein the wind turbine comprises one or more sensors for obtaining data relating to health status of the component of the wind turbine, wherein the one or more sensors are arranged at or in the vicinity of the component.

20. The wind power plant according to claim 18, wherein the monitoring unit further comprises a report generator adapted to generate a recommendation report comprising the plurality of control schemes and the respective power production yield, so as to allow a control scheme for controlling the operation of the wind turbine to be selected.