Search

EP-4737717-A1 - A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING SHUTDOWN OF A WIND TURBINE GENERATOR

EP4737717A1EP 4737717 A1EP4737717 A1EP 4737717A1EP-4737717-A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a system (100) and method for preventing shutdown of a wind turbine generator due to faulty blade load sensors (BLS) (110), embedded within one or more blades of the WTG. The system comprises a Controller (200) within the WTG, which is configured to receive strain values from one or more BLS (110) and derive a first bending moment therefrom. The first bending moment is used as a primary bending moment input under normal circumstances. The controller (200) also derives a reference bending moment based on one or more wind data parameters received from one or more alternative sources (120) and thereafter compares the first and reference bending moment. If the first bending moment is above or below a pre-determined threshold bending moment, the controller (200) determines that the BLS (110) is faulty and it replaces the first bending moment with the reference bending moment as primary bending moment input thereby preventing the shutdown of the WTG due to the faulty BLS (110).

Inventors

  • Chaganti, Kalyan
  • KERUR, DEEPAK

Assignees

  • RE Technologies GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20250225

Claims (6)

  1. A system (100) for preventing shutdown of a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) due to one or more faulty Blade load sensors (BLS) (110) embedded within one or more blades of the WTG, the system comprising a Controller (200) within the WTG, the Controller (200) configured to: a) receive strain values from one or more BLS (110) and deriving a first bending moment therefrom wherein the first bending moment is used as a primary bending moment input under normal circumstances; b) derive a reference bending moment based on one or more wind data parameters received from one or more alternative sources (120); c) compare the first and reference bending moments, wherein if the first bending moment is above or below a pre-determined threshold bending moment, determining that the BLS (110) is faulty; and d) upon determining that the BLS is faulty, replacing the first bending moment with the reference bending moment as primary bending moment input to the controller (200) thereby preventing the shutdown of the WTG due to the faulty BLS (110).
  2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alternative source includes a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) (120) positioned on a nacelle of the wind turbine generator, wherein the controller (200) is configured to: a) receive one or more wind data parameters from the LIDAR (120) including wind speed, wind shear and Turbulence Intensity (TI); and b) derive a reference bending moment based on the one or more wind data parameters received from the LIDAR (120).
  3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alternative source includes the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) (120) positioned on the nacelle of the wind turbine generator and a look-up table stored within the controller (200), the look-up table comprising bending moment data corresponding to each one or more wind data parameters, wherein the controller (200) is configured to: a) receive one or more wind data parameters from the LIDAR (120) including wind speed, wind shear and Turbulence Intensity (TI); and b) searching the look-up table to obtain a reference bending moment data from the look-up table corresponding to the one or more wind data parameters received from the LIDAR (120).
  4. A method (100) of preventing shutdown of a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) due to one or more faulty Blade load sensors (BLS) (110) embedded within one or more blades of the WTG, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving strain values from one or more BLS (100) and deriving a first bending moment therefrom wherein the first bending moment is used as a primary bending moment input under normal circumstances; b) deriving a reference bending moment based on one or more wind data parameters received from one or more alternative sources (120); c) comparing the first and reference bending moments, wherein if the first bending moment is above or below a pre-determined threshold bending moment, determining that the BLS (110) is faulty; d) upon determining that the BLS is faulty, replacing the first bending moment with the reference bending moment as primary bending moment input to the controller (200) thereby preventing the shutdown of the WTG due to the faulty BLS (110).
  5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alternative source includes a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) (120) positioned on a nacelle of the wind turbine generator, wherein the controller (200) is performing steps of: a) receiving one or more wind data parameters from the LIDAR (120) including wind speed, wind shear and Turbulence Intensity (TI); and b) deriving a reference bending moment based on the one or more wind data parameters received from the LIDAR (120).
  6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alternative source includes the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) (120) positioned on the nacelle of the wind turbine generator and a look-up table stored within the controller (200), the look-up table comprising bending moment data corresponding to each one or more wind data parameters, wherein the controller (200) is performing steps of: a) receiving one or more wind data parameters from the LIDAR (120) including wind speed, wind shear and Turbulence Intensity (TI); and b) searching the look-up table to obtain a reference bending moment data from the look-up table corresponding to the one or more wind data parameters received from the LIDAR (120).

Description

Field of Invention: The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing shutdown of a wind turbine generator, more particularly due to faulty Blade load sensors (BLS). Background of the Invention: The following background discussion includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication expressly or implicitly referenced is prior art. In operation, sensors play a major role in the safety of wind turbines. Without sensors, wind turbines would arguably be less safe, more costly to operate, unable to accurately predict and solve impending failures, or potentially have less lifetimes. Most important is that wind turbines need accurate data about every turbine component to work efficiently. Further, based on the input from the sensors, the controller of the wind turbine controls operation to make the wind turbine safe from the environmental condition like harsh wind speed. Certain controller features like Individual Pitch Control (IPC) uses Blade load bending moment as an input to control loads. Blade load sensors (BLS) are glued to the surface of the blade near the blade root and estimates the flap wise bending moment which is used for reducing the asymmetric loading on the wind turbines. Accurate estimations of blade bending moment through BLS can be obtained by performing different types of calibration routine/s that involve strain measurements under certain known operating conditions. Safe turbine operation is achieved by taking the turbines to low power modes in case of any abnormal behavior detected during calibration or normal operation. Sometimes, these status codes are found to create unnecessary shutdowns or unnecessarily lead turbines to low power modes due to incorrect estimation of strains and blade bending moments by the blade load sensors. Such incorrect estimations can happen due to bad installation, non-adherence to proper blade surface preparation for good gluing, control algorithm bugs, incorrect calibration, dirt, cable bending and incorrect controller parameterization. This leads the turbines to shut down or operate in low power mode as the controller reacts to incorrect estimations causing generation loss to the customers. Objectives of the Invention: The primary object of the present invention is to provide system and method which prevents the unnecessary shutdown of the wind turbine generators. Another object of the present invention is to provide system and method which prevents unnecessary shutdown of the wind turbine generators due to faulty blade load sensors (BLS). Another object of the present invention is to provide system and method which takes consideration of input from an alternative source in case of faulty BLS to avoid unnecessary shut down of the wind turbine generator. Summary of the Invention: In an aspect, present invention provides a system for preventing shutdown of a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) due to one or more faulty Blade load sensors (BLS) embedded within one or more blades of the WTG, the system comprising a Controller within the WTG, the Controller configured to: a) receive strain values from one or more BLS and deriving a first bending moment therefrom wherein the first bending moment is used as a primary bending moment input under normal circumstances;b) derive a reference bending moment based on one or more wind data parameters received from one or more alternative sources;c) compare the first and reference bending moments, wherein if the first bending moment is above or below a pre-determined threshold bending moment, determining that the BLS is faulty; andd) upon determining that the BLS is faulty, replacing the first bending moment with the reference bending moment as primary bending moment input to the controller thereby preventing the shutdown of the WTG due to the faulty BLS. In another aspect of the Invention, there is provided a method for preventing shutdown of a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) due to one or more faulty Blade load sensors (BLS) embedded within one or more blades of the WTG, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving strain values from one or more BLS and deriving a first bending moment therefrom wherein the first bending moment is used as a primary bending moment input under normal circumstances;b) deriving a reference bending moment based on one or more wind data parameters received from one or more alternative sources;c) comparing the first and reference bending moments, wherein if the first bending moment is above or below a pre-determined threshold bending moment, determining that the BLS is faulty;d) upon determining that the BLS is faulty, replacing the first bending moment with the reference bending moment as primary bending moment input to the controller thereby preventing the shutdown of the WTG due to the faulty BLS. Brief descrip