One or more controllers may perform one or more methods to control one or more air deflector units of one or more wind turbine rotor blades. The methods include per-blade control methods that may be performed, e.g., to reduce blade loading caused by wind gusts. The methods also include collective control methods that may be performed, e.g., to reduce tower motion and/or rotor speed.
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1. A method comprising:
receiving speed data indicative of rotational speed of a rotating wind turbine rotor, the rotor including multiple blades, each of the blades including a plurality of air deflector units and a plurality of load sensors configured along a root-to-tip length of the blade, the air deflector units of the blades having a current collective deployment configuration;
the speed data received from a source separate from the load sensors;
generating a first data value based at least in part on. the speed data and individual load values from the sensors as a function of radial distance of each sensor from the root;
determining an updated collective deployment configuration of the air deflector units of the blades based on the first data value and generating actuator commands, based at least in part on the first data value, to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement the updated collective deployment configuration;
transmitting the actuator commands;
wherein generating the first data value comprises subtracting a speed reference value from a pre-subtraction data value, the pre-subtraction data value based at least in part on the speed data, and applying an additional control subroutine to a result of the subtracting; and
wherein applying the control subroutine comprises identifying a gain schedule based on a pitch value, and wherein the pitch value is based at least in part on a data value indicative of pitch of the blades.
2. A method comprising:
receiving speed data indicative of rotational speed of a rotating wind turbine rotor, the rotor including multiple blades, each of the blades including a plurality of air deflector units and a plurality of load sensors configured along a root-to-tip length of the blade, the air deflector units of the blades having a current collective deployment configuration;
the speed data received from a source separate from the load sensors;
generating a first data value based at least in part on the speed data and individual load values from the sensors as a function of radial distance of each sensor from the root;
determining an updated collective deployment configuration of the air deflector units of the blades based on the first data value and generating actuator commands, based at least in part on the first data value, to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement the updated collective deployment configuration;
transmitting the actuator commands;
wherein the collective deployment configuration includes a collective combined deployment configuration and separate per-blade deployment configurations corresponding to the blades, wherein each of the per-blade deployment configurations is based at least in part on load sensor data from the corresponding blade; and
wherein determining the combined deployment configuration comprises, for each of the blades, a group-basis determination based on one of a maximum, a minimum, a sum or an average of the requirements of the collective deployment configuration and the requirements of the per-blade deployment configuration corresponding to the blade.
3. A method comprising:
receiving speed data indicative of rotational speed of a rotating wind turbine rotor, the rotor including multiple blades, each of the blades including a plurality of air deflector units and a plurality of load sensors configured along a root-to-tip length of the blade, the air deflector units of the blades having a current collective deployment configuration;
the speed data received from a source separate from the load sensors;
generating a first data value based at least in part on the speed data and individual load values from the sensors as a function of radial distance of each sensor from the root;
determining an updated collective deployment configuration of the air deflector units of the blades based on the first data value and generating actuator commands, based at least in part on the first data value, to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement the updated collective deployment configuration;
transmitting the actuator commands;
wherein the collective deployment configuration includes a collective combined deployment configuration and separate per-blade deployment configurations corresponding to the blades, wherein each of the per-blade deployment configurations is based at least in part on load sensor data from the corresponding blade;
wherein each of the separate per-blade deployment configurations corresponds to a value calculated in a per-blade control method performed for the corresponding blade; and
wherein each of the per-blade control methods comprises the following for the blade corresponding to the per-blade control method
receiving sensor data indicative of a current loading condition of the corresponding blade from the sensors distributed along a root-to-tip length of the blade, and wherein the sensor data comprises a separate sensor value corresponding to each of the multiple sensors,
obtaining a set of error values by subtracting a different one of multiple threshold scalar values from each of multiple different threshold adjustment inputs, each of the threshold adjustment inputs comprising a value based at least in part on a different one of the sensor values, and
summing values based at least in part on the set of error values to obtain a first summed value, Wherein the per-blade deployment configuration for the corresponding blade is determined based at least in part on the first summed value.
4. The method of
identifying, based on an input representative of an operating condition of a wind turbine, one of multiple gain schedules, and
multiplying each of multiple scalar values by a different one of multiple gain values in the identified gain schedule to obtain the multiple threshold scalar values.
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A wind turbine includes a rotor that turns in response to wind force on the rotor blades. In order to prevent damage from excessive wind loads on turbine blades, the rotational speed of a rotor is typically kept at or below a rated design speed for that turbine. Conventionally, wind turbines have used blade pitch control to limit rotor speed and loading from increased wind speed. In many situations, however, blade pitch control is a less-than-ideal solution. For example, transient wind gusts may result in forces that are strong enough to damage equipment when the average wind speed is not high enough to cause damage. These gusts may occur unexpectedly and rapidly. It some such cases, blade pitch actuators may not respond quickly enough to avoid potential damage to the turbine. As another example, there may be a significant difference between wind speed near the ground and wind speed at blade heights corresponding to the top of the rotor's rotational arc. When this occurs, pitching a blade back and forth during each rotation may impose excessive wear on blade pitch actuators.
For these and other reasons, deployable air deflectors have been developed for wind turbine blades. Examples of such deflectors can be found in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,192,161, which patent is incorporated by reference herein. There remains a need for additional methods and systems to control air deflection systems incorporated into wind turbine blades.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the invention.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive sensor data indicative of a current loading condition of a blade of a rotating wind turbine rotor. The blade may include a plurality of air deflector units. The air deflector units may have a current deployment configuration. The blade may further include multiple sensors and the sensor data may include a separate sensor value corresponding to each of the multiple sensors. The controller may obtain a set of error values by subtracting a different one of multiple threshold scalar values from each of multiple different input values, with each of the input values comprising a value based at least in part on a different one of the sensor values. The controller may sum values based at least in part on the set of error values to obtain a first summed value. The controller may generate actuator commands to at least one of the air deflector units to implement an updated deployment configuration of the air deflector units, with the updated deployment configuration corresponding to a data value based at least in part on the first summed value.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive sensor data indicative of a current loading condition of a blade of a rotating wind turbine rotor. The blade may include a plurality of air deflector units having a current deployment configuration. The controller may generate a first data value based at least in part on the received sensor data using a first sequence of computational operations. The controller may generate a second data value based at least in part on the received sensor data using a second sequence of computational operations. The first data value may be different from the second data value and the first sequence of computational operations may be different from the second sequence of computational operations. The controller may combine requirements of a first deployment configuration corresponding to the first data value and a second deployment configuration corresponding to the second data value to obtain a combined deployment configuration. The controller may generate actuator commands to at least one of the air deflector units to implement the combined deployment configuration.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive sensor data indicative of a current loading condition of a blade of a rotating wind turbine rotor, with the blade including a plurality of air deflector units having a current deployment configuration. The controller may generate a first data value based at least in part on the received sensor data. The controller may filter the first data value using a pass band filter to obtain a filtered first data value. The pass band filter may comprise a pass band selected to limit frequency content of the filtered first data value to frequencies approximately based on a rotational speed of the wind turbine rotor. The controller may subtract a threshold scalar value from the filtered first data value and may obtain an error value based at least in part on the subtraction of the threshold scalar value from the filtered first data value. The controller may generate actuator commands to at least one of the air deflector units to implement an updated deployment configuration of the air deflector units corresponding to a value based at least in part on the error value.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive sensor data indicative of deflection of a tower supporting a wind turbine having a rotating rotor. The rotor may include multiple blades. Each of the blades may include a plurality of air deflector units. The air deflector units of the blades may have a current collective deployment configuration. The controller may generate a first data value based at least in part on the sensor data. The controller may generate actuator commands, based at least in part on the first data value, to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement an updated collective deployment configuration of the air deflector units of the blades.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive speed data indicative of rotational speed of a rotating wind turbine rotor. The rotor may include multiple blades, each of the blades may include a plurality of air deflector units, and the air deflector units of the blades may have a current collective deployment configuration. The controller may generate a first data value based at least in part on the speed data. The controller may generate actuator commands, based at least in part on the first data value, to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement an updated collective deployment configuration of the air deflector units of the blades.
In some embodiments, a controller performing a control method may receive data indicative of a condition of a rotating wind turbine rotor. The rotor may include multiple blades, each of the blades may include a plurality of air deflector units, and the air deflector units of the blades may have a current collective deployment configuration. The controller may generate, based at least in part on the received data, a collective data value corresponding to a collective deployment configuration. The controller may also generate, for each of the blades, a per-blade data value corresponding to a per-blade deployment configuration for that blade. The controller may determine, based at least in part on the collective data value and the per-blade data values, a collective combined deployment configuration based on requirements of the collective deployment configuration and the requirements of the per-blade deployment configurations. The controller may generate actuator commands to at least one of the air deflector units of each of the blades to implement the collective combined deployment configuration and may transmit the actuator commands.
Embodiments include, without limitation, the above and other methods for controlling air deflector units of one or more wind turbine blades, controllers configured to perform such methods and non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions executable by controllers to perform such methods.
Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.
In addition to hub 14, rotor 11 includes three blades 20, 23, and 26. In other embodiments, a wind turbine rotor may include more or fewer blades. Each of blades 20, 23, and 26 may be coupled to hub 14 by a conventional pitch actuator that allows the pitch of the rotor blade to be varied. In one arrangement, blades 20, 23, and 26 may be fixed length rotor blades having respective root portions 21, 24, and 27 and respective tip portions 22, 25 and 28. In other embodiments, each of blades 20, 23, and 26 may be variable length blades having blade tips that can extend and retract.
Blade 20 further includes multiple air deflector units 31(1) through 31(9) positioned along the length of blade 20. Those air deflector units will be referenced collectively and/or generically using the same reference number 31, but without an appended parenthetical. A similar convention will be followed with regard to components of air deflector units 31. As explained below, each of air deflector units 31 includes a deflector element that can be extended into and retracted from air flow over blade 20. When extended, a deflector element may partially obstruct air flow across a portion of the surface of blade 20 and thereby affect blade loading and/or rotor speed. Although
Blades 23 and 26 are substantially identical to blade 20. In particular, each of blades 23 and 26 similarly includes sensors and air deflector units. Blade 23 includes seven sensors 33(1) through 33(7) and nine air deflector units 34(1) through 34(9). Sensors 33 and air deflector units 34 may be similar to sensors 30 and air deflector units 31 and may be positioned on blade 23 in a manner similar to the manner in which sensors 30 and air deflector units 31 are positioned in blade 20. Blade 26 includes seven sensors 36(1) through 36(7) and nine air deflector units 37(1) through 37(9). Sensors 36 and air deflector units 37 may also be similar to sensors 30 and air deflector units 31 and may be positioned on blade 26 in a manner similar to the manner in which sensors 30 and air deflector units 31 are positioned in blade 20.
Air deflector units 31(1) and 31(3) through 31(9) may be of similar construction as, and operate in a manner similar to that described for, air deflector unit 31(2). Each air deflector unit 31 may include a separate housing 48 and a deflector element 49 that can be extended or retracted independently of the extension or retraction of other deflector elements. Although
In some embodiments, each air deflector unit 31 may be pneumatically actuated and connected to air lines, not shown. Those air lines may supply compressed air to sides of a piston located in a housing 48 and coupled to a deflector element 49. Electrically operated solenoid valves may control supply and venting of that air to different sides of that piston to extend or retract the deflector element 49 a desired amount. In other embodiments, air deflector units may include an electrically powered servo or some other type of actuator mechanism to extend and retract a deflector element. All air deflector units of a blade need not have the same type of actuator. For example, some air deflector units might be pneumatically actuated and other deflector elements might be actuated by electric motors.
Although air deflector units 31 are located on low pressure side 41 near leading edge 42, this is but one possible arrangement. In other embodiments, for example, some or all of air deflector units 31 may be located elsewhere. For example, air deflector units could also or alternatively be positioned on high pressure side 40. Air deflector units could also or alternatively be positioned near trailing edge 43 and/or at other locations between trailing edge 43 and leading edge 42.
For convenience, the example of rotor 11 assumes that all components of a particular sensor 30 are located at the same distance R from the blade 20 root. This need not be the case, however. For example, orifices 46 and 47 of a sensor 30 might be located at a distance RA from the blade root and the pressure transducer 50 of that sensor may be located at a distance RB from the blade root, with RA≠RB. In such a case, the output of the transducer 50 would be indicative of loads at distance RA. As another example, orifice 46 may be located at a distance RAA and orifice 47 may be located at a distance RAB, with RAA≠RAB. In such a case, the output of transducer 50 would be indicative of loads at a distance between RAA and RAB. As used herein, references to location of a differential pressure sensor refer to the location of the orifices at which that sensor measures pressures.
With regard to positioning of orifices along a chord length (i.e., in the direction generally perpendicular to blade radial length), the locations of orifices 46(2) and 47(2) suggested in
Controller 63 includes one or more non-transitory machine-readable memories (storage media) 64 to store instructions and/or other data. Examples of non-transitory, machine-readable memory include, without limitation, hard disks (magnetic disk drives) and other magnetic storage devices, CD-ROMs and other optical storage devices, FLASH memory, and/or any combination thereof. The term “machine-readable memory” could also include an integrated circuit or other device having hard-coded instructions (e.g., logic gates) that configure the device to perform one or more operations.
Controller 63 also includes computational logic circuits 65 to perform computations and other operations of control methods described below. Controller 63 receives sensor data from each of sensors 30, and may also receive data from other sources. That data may include a value for a rotational speed of rotor 11, a value for a pitch of blade 20, and a value for an air density. Based on computations performed with input data, controller 63 generates and transmits actuation commands to each of air deflector units 31.
Controller 63 may be implemented utilizing any of various architectures. In some embodiments, controller 63 may be a general purpose computer in which logic circuits 65 include one or more programmable microprocessors that execute program instructions stored in memory 64. In some embodiments, controller 63 may be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in which control instructions are hard-coded or in which some instructions are hard coded and some are executed after being read from memory. In yet other embodiments, controller 63 may include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other type of programmable logic device. Controller 63 may also be implemented as a combination of a programmable general purpose computer and/or and one or more ASICs and/or one or more other types of computational device.
Each of blades 23 and 26 may include a control system similar to control system 60. The control systems of blades 23 and 26 may operate in parallel with, and in a manner similar to, that described for control system 60. However, the control system of each blade may operate independently of the control systems of the other blades. In some embodiments, the controller for each of blades 20, 23, and 26 is a separate hardware device. In other embodiments, the controllers for each of blades 20, 23, and 26 may be implemented in a single hardware device. For example, that device may simultaneously execute three independent programming threads. Each of those threads may correspond to, and perform the operations of, one of those controllers.
In the embodiment of
As used herein, an “extension state” of an air deflector unit refers to a condition in which the deflector element of that air deflector unit has an amount of extension that is unique relative to other possible amounts of extension. For example, a zero extension state for air deflector unit 31(2) is a condition in which deflector element 49(2) is fully retracted, a 40% extension state is a condition in which deflector element 49(2) is extended 40% of its maximum extension distance h, etc. As also used herein, a “deployment configuration” is a combination of the extension states of each of multiple air deflector units in a group of air deflector units on a blade. For example, one deployment configuration for air deflector system 62 is a condition in which all air deflector units 31(1) through 31(9) are in a zero extension state. Another example of a deployment configuration is a condition in which air deflector unit 31(1) is in a 100% extension state and air deflector units 31(2) through 31(9) are in a zero extension state. Yet another deployment configuration is a condition in which air deflector units 31(1) and 31(2) are in a 100% extension state and air deflector units 31(3) through 31(9) are in a zero extension state. The preceding examples of extension states and deployment configurations are merely intended to help illustrate the concepts of these terms as used herein. A large number of other extension states and deployment configurations are possible in addition to those explicitly mentioned above. As explained in more detail below, deployment configurations of all blades on a rotor may be referred to collectively as a “collective deployment configuration.”
In at least some embodiments, a set of deployment configurations that a controller may implement as part of a per-blade control method may be established in advance of performing that method. Based on computer simulations and/or testing of an actual wind turbine, a controller may be configured to operate an air deflector system to achieve desired levels of air deflector system activity, across ranges of wind and blade conditions, so as to maintain blade loading at appropriate levels. Moreover, and as discussed in further detail below, a controller may be configured to activate and deactivate air deflector units in a particular pattern (e.g., root-to-tip or tip-to-root) and/or only utilizing certain extension states. When subsequently placed into operation, the controller may calculate data values based at least in part on sensor data that corresponds to a particular loading condition or range of loading conditions. The controller may then generate actuator command signals to one or more air deflector units to implement a deployment configuration that corresponds to the calculated data value. In effect, the implemented deployment configuration was determined during controller configuration to be appropriate for the loading condition or range of loading conditions that resulted in the data value calculated during controller operation.
Each of methods 100 through 400, 1500, and 1600 is a feedback loop. At the start of a current cycle n for such a method, a controller receives current sensor data from a sensor array on a rotating rotor blade having a current deployment configuration. That current deployment configuration may have been determined during a previous cycle n−1. The current sensor data is indicative of current loads on that blade. Using the current sensor data, the controller determines an updated deployment configuration appropriate for loads indicated by the current sensor data. The updated deployment configuration may be the same as or different from the current deployment configuration. At the conclusion of the current cycle n, the controller may then generate and transmit actuation commands to one or more of air deflector units to implement that updated deployment configuration. The next cycle n+1 then begins as the controller receives sensor data signals indicative of loads after the updated deployment configuration has been implemented.
Turning to
Each of variables S1(1) through S1(j) has a value that is indicative of a pressure differential at the location of the corresponding sensor 30. As indicated above, each of those pressure differentials also correlates with loading on blade 20 at the location along the blade 20 length where the pressure differential is measured. That loading includes the normal force FN on blade 20 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of rotor 11 rotation. When multiplied by a radial length R from the root of blade 20, each of those normal forces represents a contribution to the root bending load on blade 20. Because the location of each sensor 30 is fixed, the radial length R associated with each of sensors 30 is known. As part of step 101, controller 63 may multiply the S1(1) through S1(j) values by the radial length distances respectively associated with sensors 30(1) through 30(j). As indicated in
In some embodiments, and as shown in
The output of step 104 is a filtered summed signal value, represented in
In step 107, controller 63 generates commands to one or more of air deflector units 31 to implement a deployment configuration that corresponds to the value of E1′.
In a first sub-step 107a, controller 63 converts a received Qin value into data that represents a corresponding deployment configuration, i.e., the extension states that air deflector units 31(1) through 31(k) should have based on the received Qin value. For convenience, the operations of sub-step 107a are represented as a table in
In the embodiment represented by
For Qin values less than q1, controller 63 converts the Qin value into data representing a deployment configuration in which each of air deflector units 31 has a zero extension state. For values of Qin greater than or equal to q1 and less than q2, controller 63 converts the Qin value into data representing a deployment configuration in which air deflector unit 31(1) is in a 100% extension state and in which all other air deflector units 31 are in a zero extension state. For values of Qin greater than or equal to q2 and less than q3, controller 63 converts the Qin value into data representing a deployment configuration in which air deflector units 31(1) and 31(2) are in a 100% extension state and in which all other air deflector units 31 are in a zero extension state. This pattern continues for additional ranges of Qin, with qk≤Qin causing controller 63 to convert the Qin value into data representing a deployment configuration in which all k air deflector units 31 are in a 100% extension state.
In sub-step 107b, and based on the data into which the Qin value was converted, controller 63 generates commands for the actuators of one or more of air deflector units 31 to implement the corresponding deployment configuration. The form of those commands may depend on the type of actuation mechanisms employed, but may readily be determined by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on information provided herein and based on the type of actuator mechanisms used. The generated actuator commands may then be transmitted to the actuators of the appropriate air deflector units 31.
Although
In the embodiment of
In still other embodiments, one or more air deflector units may have more than two possible extension states. This is partially illustrated in
Although the operations of controller 103 illustrated in
In the above pseudo code, “INT[ ]” is a function that returns the integer part of the argument in the brackets [ ], and the D value represents the number of air deflector units in the root-to-tip direction that are to be placed into a fully extended state. As but another example, method 100 could be tuned so that an E1′ value of 1 corresponds to a deployment configuration in which air deflector unit 31(1) is in a fully extended state and the other air deflector units 31 are in a zero extension state, an E1′ value of 2 corresponds to a deployment configuration in which air deflector units 31(1) and 31(2) are in a fully extended state and the other air deflector units 31 are in a zero extension state, etc., with an E1′ value of k corresponding to a deployment configuration in which all air deflector units 31 are in a fully extended state. The above pseudo code could then be modified so that the last line is replaced with D=ROUND[Qin], where “ROUND[ ]” is a function that rounds the argument in the brackets up or down to the nearest integer.
In some embodiments such as those described in connection with
In some embodiments, step 107 may include a deployment limitation subroutine to minimize “chatter” or other undesirably excessive air deflector unit activation. Examples of such subroutines include subroutines that utilize hysteresis and subroutines that utilize a dead-band. Another example is a retraction rate limit subroutine to reduce overly rapid retraction of deflector elements that may unduly wear air deflector unit components.
The form of actuator command signals generated and transmitted by controller 63 in step 107 may vary in different embodiments. In some embodiments, for example, and as described above, air deflector units 31 may be pneumatically actuated. In some such embodiments, controller 63 may generate actuator command signals that cause air valves associated with the appropriate air deflector units 31 to open or close so as to extend or retract one or more deflector elements 49 and implement an updated deployment configuration. In embodiments in which deflector elements 49 are extended and retracted by electrically powered servos, controller 63 may generate actuator command signals that cause electrical motors in one or more air deflector units 31 to extend or retract a deflector element 49 an amount needed to implement the desired deployment configuration. In some embodiments, each of one or more of air deflector units 31 may include a feedback sensor that transmits a signal to controller 63 indicative of the amount to which the deflector element 49 of that unit is extended, and controller 63 may use those signals to adjust the actuator command signals.
In some embodiments, controller 63 may generate and transmit actuator command signals regardless of whether the updated deployment configuration is different from the current deployment configuration. In other embodiments, controller 63 may first determine if the updated deployment configuration is different from the current deployment configuration. If not, no actuation signals are generated or transmitted. If the updated and current deployment configurations are different, the required controller actuation signals are generated and transmitted.
Values for reference scalar 106 will vary based on specific wind turbine models, location, and control objectives. In some embodiments, for example, the control objective may be reduction of gust loading in a particular portion of a power curve for the turbine in question. A wind turbine power curve is a plot of output power on the Y axis versus wind speed on the X axis. Typically, a power curve is divided into three regions. Region I is a flat portion of the curve from zero wind speed to a wind speed at which the rotor begins to turn and power generation begins. Region II is an S-shaped portion of the curve that corresponds to increased output power as wind speed increases, but where the turbine is producing less than full rated power. In region II, wind speed is not high enough for the turbine to generate its full rated power, and blades may have minimum pitch so as to extract more energy from the wind. Region III is a flat portion of the curve at which the wind turbine is producing maximum rated power and at which additional energy from increased wind speed is often dumped by pitching the rotor blades. The “knee,” which is sometimes called “region 2.5,” is the portion of the power curve around the transition from region II to region III and is often of greater interest for control purposes.
A reference scalar 106, as well as other parameters of method 100, can be determined, given a particular wind turbine, location, and control objective, using computer simulations. Such simulations can be performed using the well-known FAST (Fatigue, Aerodynamics, Structures, and Turbulence) software package created by the National Renewable Energy laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. A first set of simulations can be performed to obtain baseline data that models blade loading under a wide range of wind conditions and with all air deflector units in a zero deployment state. Initial values for threshold 106 can be selected by observing the baseline data and behavior under various load conditions, and by selecting the initial value based on a mean and standard deviation calculated from the baseline data. The threshold can be adjusted after further performance observations. Reference scalar 106 and other parameters of method 100 can also be determined and/or verified using testing of an actual wind turbine, or by a combination of simulation and actual wind turbine tests. If control subroutine 150 is included, its parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques used for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
In step 202, an array 203 of threshold scalars is applied to the adjusted sensor data values output from step 201. Array 203 comprises threshold scalar values p2(1) through p2(j) respectively corresponding to sensors 30(1) through 30(j). The output of step 202 may comprise an array of error values (represented as variable E2) in which E2(1)=S2L(1)−μ2(1), E2(2)=S2L(2)−μ2(2), . . . E2(j)=S2L(j)−μ2(j). In step 204, each of the E2(1) through E2(j) values is divided by the measured air density p to yield an array of density-adjusted error values (represented as variables E2D(1) through E2D(j)). In step 205, controller 63 sums the array of E2D(1) through E2D(j) values output from step 204 and obtains a summed error signal value (represented as variable E2S).
Control method 200 includes an additional control subroutine 206 in which additional operations are performed on the summed error signal value from step 205 to obtain a further revised output signal value (represented as variable E21). Subroutine 206 may be a proportional (P) control subroutine, a proportional-derivative (PD) control subroutine, a proportional-integral (PI) control subroutine, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control subroutine, an H-infinity control subroutine, or other type of control subroutine. Control subroutines of these and other types are well known and thus not further described herein. In some embodiments, subroutine 206 may be omitted.
In step 207, controller 63 may then generate and transmit actuation command signals based on the E21 value. The operations of step 207 may be similar to those described in connection with step 107 of control method 100.
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and control objective, values for threshold scalars and for other parameters of method 200 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing of an actual wind turbine in a manner similar to that discussed in connection with method 100. If control subroutine 206 is included, its parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques used for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
During each cycle of method 300, and in addition to the data values received from sensor array 61, controller 63 receives a data value β3 representing the current pitch of blade 20. The β3 value may optionally be filtered by a low pass filter in step 303 to eliminate sensor noise and prevent or limit response based on high frequency variations in blade pitch. A filtered β3 value (represented by variable βF) is then input to a gain schedule step 304.
In step 304, controller 63 applies gains to each of threshold scalars μ3(1) through μ3(j) in array 305. Operation of step 304 according to some embodiments is illustrated in
Each of gain schedules GS1 through GSm may include a set of j gain values. For example, gain schedule GS1 includes gain values G1(1) through G1(j), gain schedule GS2 includes gain values G2(1) through G2(j), etc. Although all gain values in a particular gain schedule may be different from one another, this need not be the case. In some embodiments, one or more gain values in a particular gain schedule may be the same. For example, in some embodiments it might be desirable to ignore sensor data from some sensors under some pitch conditions. In such an embodiment, gain values corresponding to threshold scalars for those sensors could be set to zero in a gain schedule corresponding to those pitch conditions.
After selecting a gain schedule, controller 63 multiplies each of scalars μ3(1) through μ3(j) by its corresponding gain in the selected gain schedule to obtain an array of gain-adjusted scalar values μ3G(1) through μ3G(j).
Although
The μ3G(1) through μ3G(j) values are provided as an input to step 302 (
The remaining steps in method 300 are similar to steps 204 through 207 in method 200. Each of the E3(1) through E3(j) values from step 302 is divided by the air density ρ in step 306, with the resulting density-adjusted error values (represented by variables E3D(1) through E3D(j)) summed in step 307 to obtain an error value (represented by variable E3S). Control method 300 includes an additional control subroutine 308 in which additional operations are performed on the summed error signal value from step 307 to obtain a further revised output signal value (represented as variable E31). Subroutine 308 may be a proportional (P) control subroutine, a proportional-derivative (PD) control subroutine, a proportional-integral (PI) control subroutine, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control subroutine, an H-infinity control subroutine, or other type of control subroutine. In some embodiments, subroutine 308 may be omitted. The E31 value may then be applied as an input to step 314. The operations of step 314 may be similar to those described in connection with step 107 of method 100.
In the embodiment of
As can be appreciated from the above, per-blade control methods such as method 300 further facilitate configurations in which the control system is more (or only) active under certain conditions. For example, gain schedules can be chosen so as to make the control system more active at higher wind speeds in region III. When operating in region III, blades of a wind turbine may have larger pitch values as pitch is increased to dump excess wind energy.
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and control objective, values for threshold scalars, gain schedules, and other parameters of method 300 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing in a manner similar to that described above for other methods. If control subroutine 308 is included, its parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques used for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
Each of the E41(1) through E41(j) values from step 402 is divided by the air density p in step 404, with the resulting density-adjusted error values (represented as variables E41p(1) through E41D(j)) summed in step 405 to obtain a summed error value (represented as variable E41S). The E41S value may be further processed by an additional control subroutine 406 to obtain a further revised output signal value (represented as variable E43). That E43 value is then provided to step 430, described below.
When the S4L(1) through S4L(j) values are input to step 402, those values are also divided by the air density p in step 420 to obtain a set of density-adjusted sensor values (represented as variables S4D(1) through S4D(j)), which values are summed in step 421 to obtain a summed error signal value (represented as variable S4S). During each cycle of method 400, and in addition to the data values received from sensor array 61, controller 63 receives a value for the current pitch of blade 20 (represented as variable μ4). The β4 value may be filtered by a low pass filter in step 423. Controller 63 uses a filtered β4 value (represented as variable β4F) in switch step 422 to determine whether to further process the S4S value. If the β4F value is not within one or more predetermined ranges, the S4S value is not further processed. If the β4F value is within the one or more predetermined ranges, the S4S value is further processed in step 425.
In step 425, controller 63 band pass filters the S4S value in a manner similar to step 104 of method 100. A threshold scalar 426 is then subtracted from the resulting filtered signal value (represented as variable S4F) at step 427. The result is an error value (represented as variable E42). The E42 value may be further processed by an additional control subroutine 428 to obtain a further revised output signal value (represented as variable E44). That E44 value is then provided to step 430.
Each of control subroutines 406 and 428 may be a proportional (P) control subroutine, proportional-derivative (PD) control subroutine, a proportional-integral (PI) control subroutine, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control subroutine, an H-infinity control subroutine, or other type of control subroutine. Control subroutines 406 and 408 need not be the same type of control subroutine. One or both of control subroutines 406 and 408 may be omitted in some embodiments.
In some embodiments, controller 63 may be configured to implement one of a first set of deployment configurations based on the portion of method 400 that obtains the E43 value and to implement one of a second set of deployment configurations based on the portion of method 400 that obtains the E44 value. For any given set of blade loading conditions, the corresponding deployment configuration from the first set may be different from the corresponding deployment configuration from the second set. If the E44 value were ignored, for example, the output of step 430 across the range of possible E43 values would be actuator command signals that implement a deployment configuration from the first set. Conversely, if the E43 value were ignored, the output of step 430 across the range of possible E44 values would be actuator command signals that implement a deployment configuration from the second set. For any given set of blade loading conditions, the corresponding deployment configuration from the first set may be different from the corresponding deployment configuration from the second set. As part of step 430, controller 63 generates and transmits one or more actuator command signals that implement a deployment configuration that represents a combination of the requirements of the deployment configurations that might result if the E43 and E44 values were considered separately.
In some embodiments, a combined deployment configuration resulting from combining requirements of first and second deployment configurations requires extension of the deflector element of each air deflector unit by the maximum amount required by either of the first and second deployment configurations. As one example of this type of maximum-based deployment configuration combining, a first deployment configuration may be part of a root-to-tip deployment configuration pattern similar to that of
As another example of a maximum-based combined deployment configuration, a first deployment configuration may be part of a deployment configuration pattern similar to that of
A combined deployment configuration could alternatively be based on the minimum of the requirements of two deployment configurations. For example, a first deployment configuration may require 100% extension of an air deflector unit and a second deployment configuration may require zero extension of that air deflector unit. In the combined deployment configuration, that air deflector unit may have a zero extension state.
A combined deployment configuration may alternatively be based on a sum of requirements. For example, a combined deployment configuration may require that the extension state for an air deflector unit be the lesser of (i) a sum of the extensions required by two deployment configurations, or (ii) the maximum extension possible (i.e., 100% of h).
In some embodiments, a combined deployment configuration may be determined in yet another manner. For example, a first deployment configuration may require extending a deflector element 49 by 30% and a second deployment configuration may require extending that same deflector element 49 by 90%. The combined deployment configuration may require extension of that deflector element by an amount (60%) that represents an average of the amounts required by the first and second deployment configurations. In still other embodiments, a method other than simple averaging between two extensions amounts may be used. As but one example, the average may be weighted based on one or more factors.
The above examples are of individual-basis combined deployment configurations. In particular, an extension state for a particular air deflector unit in a combined deployment configuration in one of the above examples is based solely on the extension requirements for that air deflector unit in the deployment configurations being combined. In some embodiments, a combined deployment configuration may be determined on a group basis. In a group-basis combination, the extension state of an air deflector unit in the combined deployment configuration is based on the extension requirements for multiple air deflector units in the deployment configurations that are being combined.
As one example of group-based combining, a combined deployment configuration may be determined by averaging the number air deflector units having a non-zero extension state in the first deployment configuration and the number of air deflector units having a non-zero extension state in the second deployment configuration. In the combined deployment configuration, that average number of air deflector units may then have a non-zero extension state. For example, a first deployment configuration may require air deflector units 31(1) and 31(2) to have a 100% extension state and the other air deflector units to have a zero extension state. A second deployment configuration may require air deflector units 31(1) through 31(4) to have a 100% extension state and the other air deflector units to have a zero extension state. The combined deployment configuration may require air deflector units 31(1) through 31(3) to have a 100% extension state and the other air deflector units to have a zero extension state.
Averaging of deployments of two deployment configurations could be performed in other ways. For example, a first deployment configuration may require air deflector unit 31(1) to have a 100% extension state, air deflector unit 31(2) to have a 50% extension state, and remaining air deflector units 31 to have a 0% extension state. A second deployment configuration may require that air deflector units 31(1) through 31(3) have a 100% extension state, air deflector unit 31(4) to have a 30% extension state, and remaining air deflector units 31 to have a 0% extension state. The total percentage of extension required by the first deployment configuration (100%+50%=150%) and the total percentage of extension required by the second deployment configuration (100%+100%+100%+30%=330%) could then be averaged (240%). The combined deployment configuration could then require deployment of air deflector units to obtain that averaged deployment percentage, e.g., a 100% extension state for air deflector units 31(1) and 31(2), a 40% extension state for air deflector unit 31(3), and a 0% extension state for remaining air deflector units 31.
Some embodiments may include variations on the above combining techniques. For example, the first deployment configuration may extend air deflector units 31 in a root-to-tip pattern and the second deployment configuration may extend air deflector units 31 in a tip-to-root pattern. The combined deployment configuration may then extend air deflector units 31 in both a root-to-tip and tip-to-root pattern. The averaged deployment percentage may be evenly distributed. If the previous example is modified such that the second deployment configuration requires air deflector units 31(k−2) through 31(k) to have a 100% extension state, air deflector unit 31(k−3) to have a 30% extension state, and remaining air deflector units 31 to have a 0% extension state, a combined deployment configuration may require air deflector units 31(1) and 31(k) to have a 100% extension state, air deflector units 31(2) and 31(k−1) to have a 20% extension state, and remaining air deflector units 31 to have a 0% extension state. Alternatively, the distribution of the averaged deployment percentage could be weighted based on the total deployment percentages of the first and second deployment configurations. Again using the example in which the first deployment configuration requires 100%, 50%, 0% . . . 0% extension states for air deflector units 31(1) through 31(k), respectively, and in which the second deployment configuration requires 0%, . . . 30%, 100%, 100%, 100% extension states for air deflector units 31(1) through 31(k), respectively, the combined deployment configuration may require (150/480)240%=75% of the averaged deployment percentage allocated to a 75% extension state of air deflector unit 31(1), (330/480)240%=165% of the averaged deployment percentage allocated to a 100% extension state of air deflector unit 31(k) and a 65% extension state of air deflector unit 31(k−1), and a 0% extension state of other air deflector units 31.
The above merely represent several examples. Group-based combination may be performed in numerous other manners in other embodiments. In some embodiments, extension requirements in a group-basis combined deployment configuration may be determined by summing the requirements of the deployment configurations being combined. For example, a first deployment configuration may require 100% extension states for two air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. A second deployment configuration may require 100% extension states for one air deflector unit and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. The combined deployment configuration may require a 100% extension state for three air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. As but one further example, two deployment configurations could be combined such that the deployment percentage in the combined deployment configuration is the sum of the deployment percentages of the two deployment configurations being combined.
Group-basis combined deployment configurations may be determined based on a maximum of the requirements from deployment configurations being combined. For example, a first deployment configuration may require 100% extension states for three air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. A second deployment configuration may require 100% extension states for two air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. The combined deployment configuration may require a 100% extension state for three air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units. Alternatively, a group-basis combined deployment configuration may be determined based on a minimum of the requirements from deployment configurations being combined. Using the first and second deployment configurations from the previous example, a group-basis combined deployment configuration determined from the minimum of the two requirements may require a 100% extension state for two air deflector units and zero extension states for remaining air deflector units.
Operations of step 430 according to some embodiments are illustrated in
Controller 63 performs a first set of conversion operations in sub-step 430a to convert the QA input value into data representing a first corresponding deployment configuration. The operations of sub-step 430a may be similar to operations described in connection with one sub-steps 107a (
After obtaining the ΔhA(1) through ΔhA(k) and ΔhB(1) through ΔhB(k) values, controller 63 may perform combining operations in sub-step 430c. The operations of sub-step 430c combine requirements of the first deployment configuration represented by values ΔhA(1) through ΔhA(k) and of the second deployment configuration represented by values ΔhB(1) through ΔhB(k) and output data representing a combined deployment configuration. The data output from sub-step 430c may be a set of values ΔhCOMB(1) through ΔhCOMB(k) respectively representing (as percentages of h) extension states for air deflector units 31(1) through 31(k) in the combined deployment configuration. The operations of sub-step 430c may determine the combined deployment configuration using one of the individual-basis or group-basis methods described above (e.g., based on maximums, based on minimums, based on averaging, based on summing) or in another manner. In sub-step 430d, controller 63 may generate actuator command signals for one or more air deflector units 31 to implement the combined deployment configuration. The operations of sub-step 430d may be similar to those of sub-step 107b (
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and control objective, values for threshold scalars and other parameters of method 400 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing of an actual wind turbine in a manner similar to that discussed above for other methods. If control subroutines 406 and 428 are included, parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques used for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
In some embodiments, values for scalars μ4(1) through μ4(j) may be chosen such that the portion of method 400 that includes steps 402 through 406 is only operative to affect deployment configuration under a first set of conditions. Outside of that first set of conditions, for example, the value for E43 may be too low to correspond to a deployment configuration in which any deflector elements are extended. That first set of conditions may, e.g., correspond to the knee of the power curve for a wind turbine. Similarly, the range of β4F values operative to enable the switch in step 422 and/or threshold scalar 426 may be chosen so that the portion of method 400 that includes steps 425 through 428 is only operative to affect deployment configuration under a second set of conditions. Outside of that second set of conditions, for example, the value for E44 may be too low to correspond to a deployment configuration in which any deflector elements are extended. That second set of conditions may, e.g., correspond to region III of the power curve for a wind turbine. In some such embodiments, there may be little or no overlap between the first set of conditions and the second set of conditions.
In addition to reducing blade loads caused by wind gusts, methods according to some embodiments utilize air deflector systems to control other potentially damaging conditions. One example of such a condition is tower deflection. As wind speeds increase, tower 9 may deflect and wind turbine 10 may move in a fore-aft direction in a plane generally perpendicular to tower 9. If these tower deflections are excessive, damage may occur. In some embodiments, a controller performs a collective method in which air deflector units on each of blades 20, 23, 26 are collectively controlled to dampen tower deflection.
Controller 1063 is in communication with air deflector units 31 of blade 20, air deflector units 34 of blade 23 and air deflector units 37 of blade 26 over separate signal paths. Although represented in
Controller 1063 may receive data values indicating deflection of tower 9. This data may comprise data that represents the acceleration of wind turbine 10 in the fore-aft directions. This acceleration data may be received from accelerometers located in nacelle 12 and/or on tower 9. Although not shown in
As seen in
The filtered acceleration value output from step 1101, represented as variable α11F, is time-integrated in step 1102. A proportional velocity gain K11PV is applied to the integrated output of step 1102 (represented as variable v11) in step 1103, resulting in a gain-adjusted value represented as variable v11G. The α11F value is also adjusted by a proportional acceleration gain K11PA to obtain a gain-adjusted value (represented as variable α11G) in step 1104. The v11G and α11G values are summed in step 1105 to obtain an error value (represented as variable E11). In a dead band limit step 1106, controller 1063 may determine if the E11 value is large enough to warrant action. The output of step 1106, represented as variable E11T, may be set to zero if the E11 value is not sufficiently large and otherwise set to the E11 value. The E11T value may be filtered in step 1107 (e.g., using a band pass or low pass filter). The output of step 1107 (represented as variable E11F) is then the input to step 1108.
In step 1108, controller 1063 may generate and transmit commands to one or more air deflector units on each blade to implement a collective deployment configuration that corresponds to the value input to step 1108. In some embodiments of method 1100, air deflector units on each blade may be affected in the same way. At the conclusion of a method 1100 cycle, the result may be an updated collective deployment configuration in which an updated blade 20 deployment configuration, an updated blade 23 deployment configuration, and an updated blade 26 deployment configuration are the same. In at least some such embodiments, the operations of step 1108 may be similar to those of step 107, but with actuator command signals also generated for blades 23 and 26.
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and defined limits for tower motion, parameters of method 1100 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing of an actual wind turbine in a manner similar to that discussed above in connection with per-blade control methods, but with focus on tower motion instead of (or in addition to) blade load.
In some embodiments, a collective control method such as method 1100 or another collective control method may be combined with multiple instances of a per-blade control method such as any of methods 100, 200, 300, 400, 1500, or 1600. In some such embodiments, the per-blade method data values from which actuator commands are generated and the collective method data values from which actuator commands are generated may be input into a collective/per-blade actuation command generating and transmitting step. That collective/per-blade actuation command generating and transmitting step may then determine a collective combined deployment configuration based on requirements of per-blade deployment configurations specified by the per-blade methods and requirements of a collective deployment configuration specified by the collective method. The collective combined deployment configuration may require that air deflector units of each blade be actuated in non-identical ways.
The operations of step 1199 are similar to those described in connection with step 430 in
In sub-step 1199a, the controller performs a set of operations to convert the QCOL value to data representing a collective deployment configuration. That data may include values ΔhCB1(1) through ΔhCB1(k) respectively representing extension state percentages for air deflector units (1) through (k) on a first blade, values ΔhCB2(1) through ΔhCB2(k) respectively representing extension state percentages for air deflector units (1) through (k) on a second blade, and values ΔhCB3(1) through ΔhCB1(k) respectively representing extension state percentages for air deflector units (1) through (k) on a third blade. The subscripts “CB1,” “CB2,” and “CB3” respectively indicate the portions of the Collective deployment configuration applicable to Blades 1, 2, and 3. The operations of sub-step 1199a may be similar to operations described in connection with one sub-steps 107a, 107a1, 107a2, 107a3, or may be another sub-step that generates data representing a deployment configuration, but performed for all blades.
For each of the QPB1, QPB2 and QPB3 values, the controller performs operations similar to those described in connection with sub-steps 430a and 430b in step 430 (
In sub-step 1199c, the controller receives the data output from sub-step 1199b (e.g., values ΔhPB1(1) through ΔhPB1(k)) and the portion of the data output from sub-step 1199a applicable to the first blade (e.g., values ΔhCB1(1) through ΔhCB1(k)) and performs combining operations similar to those described in connection with
The controller may perform similar operations in sub-steps 1199e and 1199g. In sub-step 1199e, the controller receives the data output from sub-step 1199d (e.g., values ΔhPB2(1) through ΔhPB2(k)) and the portion of the data output from sub-step 1199a applicable to the second blade (e.g., values ΔhCB2(1) through ΔhCB2(k)), performs combining operations similar to those described in connection with
The data output from sub-steps 1199c, 1199e, and 1199g represents the collective combined deployment configuration. In sub-steps 1199h, 1199i and 1199j, the controller may generate actuation command signals for one or more of the air deflector units on each blade to implement the collective combined deployment configuration. The operations of sub-steps 1199h, 1199i and 1199j may be similar to those of sub-steps 107b (
In other embodiments, operations of step 1199 may be modified to accept data from a per-blade method such as method 400. For example, input QPB1 could be replaced by inputs QPB1A and QPB1B. The QPB1A value could be a value similar to the QA value in
Rotor speed is another condition that may be controlled utilizing air deflector units. In some embodiments, a controller performs a method in which air deflector units on each of blades 20, 23, 26 are collectively controlled to help reduce speed at which rotor 11 rotates. The controller performing such a method may be controller 1063 (
As seen in
The filtered rotor speed value output from step 1201 is represented as variable ω12F. In step 1203, a threshold scalar 1202 is applied to the ω12F value. In particular, threshold scalar 1202 is subtracted from the ω12F value to obtain an error value (represented as variable E12). Threshold scalar 1202 may be the rated speed for turbine 10.
In block 1204, additional operations may be performed on the error signal from step 1203 to obtain a further revised output signal value (represented as variable E121). Those additional steps may include a proportional (P) control subroutine, proportional-derivative (PD) control subroutine, a proportional-integral (PI) control subroutine, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) control subroutine, a linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control subroutine, an H-infinity control subroutine, or other type of control subroutine. In some embodiments the additional steps of block 1204 may be omitted.
In some embodiments of method 1200, a value for average blade pitch (represented as variable p12) is also received by the controller in a method 1200 cycle. In embodiments where blades of rotor 11 are collectively pitched, the β12 value may be the collective pitch. The β12 value may optionally be low pass filtered in step 1205 to reduce noise and to prevent or limit response to high-frequency variations in blade pitch. The filtered output (represented as variable β12F), or the β12 value if step 1205 is omitted, may also be received as an input to block 1204. The β12E may be used, e.g., as an index to select one or more gain values from one or more gain schedules. That gain schedule may comprise a look-up table, calculations, or a combination of a look-up table and calculations. In some embodiments, the input to that gain schedule may be a different input that is representative of turbine operating condition. As indicated previously, examples of such inputs include, without limitation, values based at least in part on rotor speed and values based at least in part on wind speed.
The E121 value is input to step 1206. In step 1206, the controller may generate and transmit commands to one or more air deflector units on each blade to implement deployment configurations that correspond to values input to step 1206. Because method 1200 is a collective control method, in at least some embodiments the air deflector units on each blade may be affected in the same way. The operations of step 1206 may be similar to those of step 107 described in connection with
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and rated rotor speed, parameters of method 1200 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing of an actual wind turbine in a manner similar to that discussed in connection with per-blade control methods, but with focus on rotor speed instead of, or in addition to, blade load. If control subroutine 1204 is included, parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
In some embodiments, a method such as method 1200 may be performed in conjunction with a conventional rotor speed control method that operates by adjusting blade pitches. Air deflector units can be actuated more rapidly than a blade pitch actuator. Accordingly, use of method 1200 in conjunction with a conventional rotor speed control method allows more speed regulation and reduces wear on pitch actuators.
As with tower motion control methods such as method 1100, a collective rotor speed regulation method such as method 1200 may be used in parallel with per-blade control methods.
Additional embodiments may include numerous features in addition to, or as an alternative to, features of embodiments described thus far. Various steps of methods described above may be rearranged or omitted. Embodiments include additional combinations of methods described above. As but one example, methods similar to method 400 may combine other types of per-blade algorithms (e.g., a method similar to method 100 may be combined with a method similar to method 300). Embodiments also include additional combinations of a collective control method and per-blade control methods. As but one example, a collective method such as method 1100 or method 1200 could be combined with multiple parallel-executing instances of per-blade control method 100, 200, 300, 400, 1500, or 1600.
In some embodiments, sensor data values may not be adjusted based on radial blade locations of each sensor. Instead, a single average loading location may be assumed, e.g., based on an average of area centers of load curves across a blade under various ranges of conditions. Values for method parameters may then be selected based on the assumed average loading location.
In some embodiments, a wind turbine blade may include types of air deflector units instead of, or in addition to, air deflector units such as those described in connection with
In some embodiments, a wind turbine blade may include types of sensors instead of, or in addition to, differential pressure sensors such as those described in connection with
In some embodiments, method 1100 (
In some embodiments, a gain schedule may be used in conjunction with other parameters.
Similar to method 100, a value is subtracted from the SS16F value in step 1605. Unlike method 100, however, that value (represented as variable 1606) is a threshold scalar that is first adjusted in a gain schedule step 1620. Step 1620 receives threshold scalar 1606 and an input represented by variable H16. The H16 value may be an input that is representative of the operating condition of turbine 10. Examples of such inputs include, without limitation, values based at least in part on blade pitch, values based at least in part on rotor speed, and values based at least in part on wind speed. Step 1620 may operate in a manner similar to other gain schedule steps described above and may select a gain, based on an H16 value, using a look-up table, a calculation, or a combination thereof.
Given a particular wind turbine, location, and control objective, values for parameters of method 1600 can be determined using computer simulations and/or testing in a manner similar to that described above for other methods. If control subroutine 1650 is included, its parameters may be tuned using conventional techniques used for tuning the appropriate type of control subroutine in other types process control applications.
In addition to methods such as are described above, embodiments include one or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing machine-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more controllers to perform one or more operations of one or more methods described herein. Embodiments also include a controller (or multiple controllers) that comprise a non-transitory memory and computational logic circuits, and wherein the non-transitory memory and computational logic circuits are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory and that, when executed, cause the one or more controllers to perform one or more operations of one or more methods described herein.
As used herein, a second data value is based at least in part on a first data value if the first data value contributes to determining the second data value and changing the first data value would change the second data value. In some cases, a second data value based at least in part on a first data value may be the same as the first data value. In other cases, the first and the second data values may be different, e.g., the first data value may be used to calculate a third data value and the third data value is then used to calculate the second data value.
The foregoing description of embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit embodiments to the precise form explicitly described or mentioned herein. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various embodiments. The embodiments discussed herein were chosen and described in order to explain the principles and the nature of various embodiments and their practical application to enable one skilled in the art to make and use these and other embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Any and all permutations of features from above-described embodiments are the within the scope of the invention.
Butterworth, Jeffrey A., Wehrhan, Tobias G.
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