EP-4735760-A1 - METHOD FOR OPERATING A WIND TURBINE AND WIND TURBINE

Abstract

The method for operating a wind turbine (100) having a rotatable component (1 to 4) and at least two drives (di) for rotating the rotatable component by exerting torques comprises a step of providing first information (I1) which is representative of a position setpoint (Pn) of the rotatable component and a step of providing second information (I2) which is representative of the actual torque difference (ΔMa) between the actual torques exerted by the drives. In a further step, third information (I3) is provided which is representative of an external load (Me, Ve) acting on the rotatable component. In another step, fourth information (I4) is determined depending on the third information. The fourth information is representative of a torque difference setpoint (ΔMn) between the torques exerted by the drives. The torque difference setpoint depends on the external load. Furthermore, a step is executed in which operating setpoints (OS_i) are determined depending on the first, the second and the fourth information such that, when the drives are operated according to the operating setpoints, the drives bring or keep the rotatable component at the position setpoint by exerting torques. The operating setpoints are determined using a feedback loop with the second and the fourth information as input information so that the difference between torque difference setpoint and the actual torque difference is minimized.

Inventors

• GELLERMANN, JAN
• MANITZ, Jan Erik
• Gil, Pablo

Assignees

• Nordex Energy Spain, S.A.U.
• Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240611

Claims (15)

1. 1. Method for operating a wind turbine (100) with a rotatable component (1 to 4) and at least two drives (di) for rotating the rotatable component (1 to 4) by exerting torques, wherein the method comprises the steps of - providing first information (II) which is representative of a position setpoint (Pn) of the rotatable component (1 to 4) , - providing second information (12) which is representative of the actual torque difference (AMa) between the actual torques (Ma_i) exerted by the drives (di) , - providing third information (13) which is representative of an external load (Me, Ve) acting on the rotatable component (1 to 4) , - determining fourth information (14) depending on the third information (13) wherein - the fourth information (14) is representative of a torque difference setpoint (AMn) between the torques exerted by the drives (di) , - determining operating setpoints (OS_i) for the drives (di) depending on the first (II) , the second (12) and the fourth (14) information - such that, when the drives (di) are operated according to the operating setpoints (OS_i) , the drives (di) bring or keep the rotatable component (1 to 4) at the position setpoint (Pn) by exerting torques, - wherein the operating setpoints (OS_i) are determined using a feedback loop with the second (12) and the fourth (14) information as input information so that the difference between the torque difference setpoint (AMn) and the actual torque difference (AMa) is minimized.
2. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein - the third information (13) is representative of the external torque (Me) acting on the rotatable component (1 to 4) , - the fourth information (14) is determined such that the torque difference setpoint (AMn) decreases with increasing external torque (Me) .
3. 3. Method according to claim 2, wherein - the torque difference setpoint (AMn) is kept at a constant value as long as the external torque (Me) is below or equal to a first threshold value, - the torque difference setpoint (AMn) is reduced with increasing external torque (Me) when the external torque (Me) is above the first threshold value and below or equal to a second threshold value, the torque difference setpoint (AMn) is kept at a constant value when the external torque (Me) is above the second threshold value.
4. 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the third information (13) is representative of externally induced vibrations (Ve) of the rotatable component (1 to 4) , - the fourth information (14) is determined such that the torque difference setpoint (AMn) increases with increasing externally induced vibrations (Ve) of the rotatable component (1 to 4) .
5. 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising - providing fifth information (15) which is representative of rotational speed setpoints (Rn_i) of the drives (di) for bringing or keeping the rotatable component (1 to 4) at the position setpoint (Pn) , - providing sixth information (16) which is representative of the actual rotational speeds (Ra_i) of the drives (di) , wherein - the operating setpoints (OS_i) are determined also depending on the fifth (15) and the sixth (16) information, namely by using further feedback loops with the fifth (15) and the sixth (16) information as input information so that the differences between the actual rotational speeds (Ra_i) and the corresponding rotational speed setpoints (Rn_i) are minimized.
6. 6. Method according to claim 5, further comprising - determining seventh information (17) depending on the second (12) and the fourth (14) information, wherein - the seventh information (17) is representative of an offset rotational speed (ARn) and the offset rotational speed (ARn) depends on the difference between the torque difference setpoint (AMn) and the actual torque difference (AMa) , wherein - the fifth information (15) is determined depending on the seventh information (17) such that the rotational speed setpoint (Rn_2) of at least one drive (d2) is the rotational speed setpoint (Rn_l) of another drive (dl) minus the offset rotational speed (ARn) .
7. 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising - providing eighth information (18) which is representative of the actual position (Pa) of the rotatable component (1 to 4) , - the operating setpoints (OS_i) are determined also depending on the eighth information (18) , namely by using a further feedback loop with the first (II) and the eighth (18) information as input information so that the difference between the actual position (Pa) and the position setpoint (Pn) is minimized.
8. 8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the rotatable component (1 to 4) is a component (4) of a yaw system of the wind turbine (100) .
9. 9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the rotatable component (1 to 4) is a component (1 to 3) of a pitch system of the wind turbine (100) .
10. 10. Computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control system, cause the control system to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.
11. 11. Computer-readable data carrier having the computer program of claim 10 stored thereon.
12. 12. Control system (30) comprising means for executing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
13. 13. Control system (30) according to claim 12, wherein - the control system (30) comprises means with the help of which the external load (Me, Ve) acting on the rotatable component (1 to 4) and the actual torque difference (AMa) between the actual torques (Ma_i) exerted by the drives (di) are determinable.
14. 14. Control system (30) according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising means (23, 24) with the help of which - the actual rotational speeds (Ra_i) of the drives (di) are determinable, and/or - the actual position (Pa) of the rotatable component (4) is determinable .
15. 15. Wind turbine (100) comprising - at least one rotatable component (1 to 4) , - at least two drives (di) for rotating the rotatable component (1 to 4) by exerting torques, - the control system (30) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein - the control system (30) is signally connected to the drives (di) in order to enable an operation of the drives (di) according to the operating setpoints (OS_i) .

Description

Description Method for operating a wind turbine and wind turbine The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a wind turbine . Furthermore , the disclosure relates to a computer program, a computer-readable data carrier, a control system and a wind turbine . Wind turbines are widely known and are used to convert wind energy into electrical energy . Some components of the wind turbine , like the nacelle or the rotor blades , need to be rotated during operation, even at extreme conditions , like at high wind speeds . One obj ect to be achieved is to provide a method which contributes to a safe and ef ficient operation of the wind turbine , particularly during extreme conditions . Further obj ects to be achieved are to provide a computer program, a computer-readable data carrier, a control system and a wind turbine for executing such a method . First , the method for operating a wind turbine is speci fied . According to an embodiment , the method is for operating a wind turbine having a rotatable component and at least two drives for rotating the rotatable component by exerting torques . The method comprises a step of providing first information which is representative of a position setpoint of the rotatable component and a step of providing second information which is representative of the actual torque di f ference between the actual torques exerted by the drives . In a further step, third information is provided which is representative of an external load acting on the rotatable component. In another step, fourth information is determined depending on the third information. The fourth information is representative of a torque difference setpoint between the torques exerted by the drives. Furthermore, a step is executed in which operating setpoints for the drives are determined depending on the first, the second and the fourth information such that, when the drives are operated according to the operating setpoints, the drives bring or keep the rotatable component at the position setpoint by exerting torques. The operating setpoints are determined using a feedback loop with the second and the fourth information as input information so that the difference between the torque difference setpoint and the actual torque difference is minimized. The present invention is, inter alia, based on the recognition that, particularly at low external loads, it can be useful to tension the drives against each other in order to reduce backlash movements of the drives and the associated damage and banging noise. Thus, the drives are operated such that they exert different torques. However, under extreme conditions, like at high external loads, it may be more beneficial to operate each drive with the maximum available torque instead of maintaining a torque difference. The presented method for operating a wind turbine adapts the torque difference setpoint, i.e. the setpoint of the difference between the torques exerted by the drives, depending on the external load so that a beneficial operation of the drives is obtained for different situations. The method specified herein is, in particular, a computer- implemented method, i.e. is performed with the help of a computer or a processor. A setpoint herein defines a certain target to be achieved when operating the wind turbine. For example, the position setpoint is the target value of the position of the rotatable component and the torque difference setpoint is the target value of the absolute value of the difference between the torques of two drives. The operating setpoint defines the target operation of a drive. An operating setpoint for a drive is, in particular, equivalent to control/operation information for the drive. Herein, when information is representative of a certain quantity or certain quantities, this means that the quantity or quantities can be extracted from the information, either directly, or the quantity/quantities can at least be derived from the information. In other words, the quantity/quantities is/are stored in the information, or at least data are stored in the information, from which the quantity/quantities can be derived or determined or calculated, respectively. Furthermore, here and in the following, information is, in particular, electronic information, like electronic data. Furthermore, when torques are different, herein this means that the torques are set to be different, i.e. they are different by purpose. The drives may each comprise an electric motor. Moreover, each drive may comprise a gearbox and a pinion. The electric motors apply an input rotational speed and an input torque to the gearbox, which is thereby transformed to an output rotational speed and an output torque and is applied to the pinion . By way of example , the transmission ratio between the input rotational speed and the output rotational speed of the gearbox of each drive is at least 100 or at least 1000 . That is , the electric motor, on one side of the gearbox, r