General Electric Company

Detlef Menke

Friedrich Loh

Christoph Schulten

Wilhelm Janssen

Gert Torbohm

Stefan Rieken

Christian Haag

Frank Mikael Björk

Disclosed is a method of controlling wind turbines of a wind farm, each connected to a wind farm grid, in case of a disconnect from a main grid. During the disconnect from the main grid, at least one demand value is transmitted from a digital master grid controller to respective converter units of the wind turbines via a digital data link such that the converter units receive the at least one demand value substantially simultaneously and are operable to keep the wind turbines online and synchronised to the wind farm grid during the disconnect from the main grid.

Grid isolating wind farm control

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for operating a wind turbine in response to one or more grid events or faults occurring in a power grid. The method includes monitoring, via one or more sensors, a grid voltage of the power grid so as to detect one or more grid events occurring in the power grid. In response to detecting at least one grid event, a controller determines an operating catch point for the wind turbine component and applies a torque demand to the wind turbine component when the operating catch point is reached. Further, the torque demand may be based on an initial torque demand acting on the wind turbine component before the one or more grid events occurred. Therefore, applying the torque demand to the wind turbine component is configured to reduce oscillations occurring in the component caused by one or more grid faults.

System and method for reducing wind turbine oscillations caused by grid faults

A wind turbine which is composed of several subunits is provided. Each of the several subunits includes a controller. Each of the controllers is adapted to operate in a cooperative mode and in an isolated mode. In the cooperative mode, one of the controllers operates as a master controller and the remaining controllers operate as slave controllers. In the isolated mode, each subunit is exclusively controlled by its respective controller, wherein each of the controllers acts as an independent master controller for its subunit. Further, a method for operating a wind turbine which includes at least two subunits is provided. Each of the at least two subunits includes at least one sensor, at least one actuator and a controller. The method for operating the wind turbine is carried out independently in each subunit and includes detecting at least one sensor signal; and determining and transferring a command to at least one actuator. Further, a segmented computer program for controlling a wind turbine which includes at least two subunits is provided.

Wind turbine arranged for independent operation of its components and related method and computer program

A method of assembling a pitch assembly for use with a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a rotor and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor. The method includes coupling a pitch drive system to at least one of the plurality of rotor blades for rotating the rotor blade about a pitch axis. At least one sensor is coupled in signal communication with the pitch drive system. The pitch drive system rotates the rotor blade when the sensor senses rotor overspeed.

Systems and methods for assembling a pitch assembly for use in a wind turbine

A wind turbine having at least one rotor blade attached to a rotor hub is provided, wherein the wind turbine further includes at least one sensor disposed at or near the rotor blade, the sensor being adapted to detect an aerodynamic condition of the rotor blade.

Wind turbine, wind turbine controller and method for controlling a wind turbine

The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling at least one proximity sensor of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor shaft, the at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft; the method includes: providing at least one reference value, detecting an output of the at least one proximity sensor, the output depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; comparing the detected output of the proximity sensor with at least one reference value. Further, the present relates to a control arrangement for a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor shaft; wherein the control arrangement comprises at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft, wherein the at least one proximity sensor is adapted to generate an output signal depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; wherein the control arrangement further comprises a control device, the control device being adapted to receive the output signal of the at least one proximity sensor, wherein the control device is adapted to compare the output signal with at least one reference value. Finally, the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine comprising a control arrangement.

Method for controlling a proximity sensor of a wind turbine

A method for operating a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor including at least one rotor blade and a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade. The pitch drive system is adapted for pitching the rotor blade. The method includes: determining an actual value of a first variable indicative of an overspeed state of the wind turbine; determining an actual value of a second variable of the wind turbine correlated to the rate of change over time of the first variable; and, estimating an occurrence of an overspeed state of the wind turbine from at least the determined actual values of the first and second variables. The pitch drive system pitches the rotor blade for aerodynamically braking the rotor based on the result of the estimation.

Apparatus and method for operation of a wind turbine

A method of adjusting a yaw angle of a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a nacelle that is rotatably coupled to a tower. The method includes coupling a yaw drive assembly to the nacelle for adjusting an orientation of the nacelle with respect to a direction of wind. A first sensor that is coupled to the wind turbine transmits at least a first monitoring signal that is indicative of an operating condition of the wind turbine to a control system. A yaw angle of the nacelle with respect to the direction of wind is calculated by the control system based at least in part on the first monitoring signal. The yaw drives assembly is operated to adjust a yaw of the nacelle based at least in part on the calculated yaw angle.

System and methods for adjusting a yaw angle of a wind turbine

The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor having at least one rotor blade and a generator connected to the wind rotor, wherein the generator is adapted to be connected to a grid, wherein the method comprises: adjusting at least one wind turbine parameter to increase the rotational speed of the wind rotor; increasing the rotational speed of the wind rotor; during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor determining if the wind turbine would exceed a predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid at the actual wind rotor rotational speed; and during increasing of the rotational speed of the wind rotor connecting the wind turbine to the grid if determining that the wind turbine would exceed the predetermined amount of energy to be fed into the grid. Further, the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine comprising a wind rotor, wherein the wind rotor is mechanically connected to a generator for transmitting the rotational power of the wind rotor having at least one rotor blade to the rotor of the generator, wherein the output current of the generator is adapted to be selectively connected to a grid by a circuit breaker, the wind turbine further comprising a control device adapted to close or to trip the circuit breaker, wherein the control device is adapted to perform the method disclosed herein.

Wind turbine and method for operating a wind turbine

The method relates to the operation of a frequency converter of a generator in particular of a wind energy turbine, in the event of a substantial grid voltage drop, wherein the frequency converter () comprises an AC/DC converter (), to be connected to the generator (), a DC/AC converter () to be connected to the voltage grid (), and a DC link circuit () for connecting the AC/DC converter () to the DC/AC converter (). The method comprises the step of reducing an output voltage of the DC link circuit () for increasing an output current of the DC/AC converter () and/or reducing the operation frequency of electronic switches () of the DC/AC converter () for increasing the output current of the DC/AC converter ().

Method for operating a frequency converter of a generator

A braking system for a wind turbine is provided, and the wind turbine includes a rotor having at least one blade. A generator includes a plurality of stator windings having a plurality of phases. The braking system includes a plurality of resistors, and at least one switch connected between the stator windings and the resistors. The switch can be configured to connect the stator windings to each other via the resistors, for the effect of slowing down or stopping the rotor of the wind turbine.

Protection system for wind turbine

A redundant and fail-safe blade system of a wind turbine includes at least one blade pitch drive () and at least two power control modules () for controlling the blade pitch drive (). The power control modules () are connected to the blade pitch drive () by a switching unit () which allows an alternative connection between the blade pitch drive () and any of the power control modules (). In operation, the blade pitch drive () is controlled by only one of the power control modules (). If a malfunction of the currently operating power control module () is detected, switching unit () provides a connection to the other power control module () to allow an ongoing operation of the wind turbine without an unplanned or forced shut-down.

Growing community of inventors

Lotte, Germany

Detlef Menke