APPLYING WIND TURBINE YAW MOMENT VIA PITCHING

Abstract

There is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine, wherein the rotor is comprising one or more blades, and wherein the wind turbine is comprising a pitch system, the method comprising: Operating the rotor in a standstill or idling operating state, determining or receiving one or more control parameters, where the control parameters enable determining one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: An angular yawing velocity of the a yawing section, an angular yawing acceleration of the yawing section, and/or a yawing moment applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and pitching based on the one or more control parameters one or more blades of the rotor with the pitch system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine, wherein the rotor is comprising one or more blades, and wherein the wind turbine is comprising: A pitch system, the method comprising: Operating the rotor in a standstill or idling operating state, Determining or receiving one or more control parameters, where one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: i. An angular yawing velocity of a yawing section, ii. An angular yawing acceleration of the yawing section, and/or iii. A yawing moment applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and Pitching based on the one or more control parameters one or more blades of the rotor with the pitch system.

2. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein said pitching is carried out so as to increase or reduce an aerodynamically induced yaw moment applied by aerodynamic forces on the yawing section.

3. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine comprises: A yaw system for yawing a yawing section of the wind turbine.

4. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 3, wherein the method is further comprising: Detecting a failure in the yaw system.

5. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the pitching is carried out so that a resulting change in aerodynamic force on the one or more blades contributes to reduce the one or more yawing parameters.

6. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is a single rotor wind turbine.

7. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is a multi-rotor wind turbine.

8. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 7, wherein pitching one or more blades comprises: Pitching a subset of the one or more blades of a rotor to a larger extent than the remaining blades of the rotor.

9. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 8, wherein pitching a subset of the one or more blades comprises: Pitching 1 and only 1 blade on a 3 or 2 blade rotor or Pitching 2 and only 2 blades on a 3-blade rotor.

10. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 1, wherein pitching the one or more blades comprises: Pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner.

11. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 10, wherein pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, one or more blades comprises pitching one or more blades on a rotor so that a moment from drag forces on the one or more blades yields a net non-zero moment around an axis being parallel with a yawing axis and intersecting a rotation axis of the rotor.

12. The method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine of claim 7, wherein pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner one or more blades comprises pitching one or more blades on a rotor so that a drag on the one or more blades is larger in a first azimuthal range relative to a drag in a second azimuthal range, wherein the first azimuthal range is further away from the yaw axis than the second azimuthal range.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform an operation, comprising: receiving one or more control parameters, where one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: i. an angular yawing velocity of a yawing section, ii. an angular yawing acceleration of the yawing section, and iii. a yawing moment applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and determining and outputting one or more pitch angle set point values based on the control parameters for one or more blades of a rotor of the wind turbine.

16. A wind turbine, comprising: a tower; a nacelle disposed on the tower; a rotor extending from the nacelle and having a plurality of blades disposed at a distal end; and a controller configured to perform an operation, comprising: receiving one or more control parameters, where one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: i. an angular yawing velocity of a yawing section, ii. an angular yawing acceleration of the yawing section, and iii. a yawing moment applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and determining and outputting one or more pitch angle set point values based on the control parameters for the plurality of blades.

17. A control system arranged for: receiving one or more control parameters, where one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: i. an angular yawing velocity of a yawing section, ii. an angular yawing acceleration of the yawing section, and iii. a yawing moment applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and determining and outputting one or more pitch angle set point values based on the control parameters for the one or more blades of the rotor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0039] FIG. 1 depicts a single rotor wind turbine,

[0040] FIG. 2 depicts a multi-rotor wind turbine,

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine,

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of another method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine,

[0043] FIGS. 5-7 show an example of application of an embodiment of the invention,

[0044] FIG. 8 shows a graph of the pitch angles,

[0045] FIG. 9 shows a yawing angle according to a simulation result,

[0046] FIG. 10 shows angular yawing velocity according to a simulation result

[0047] FIG. 11 shows a schematic illustrating yawing in a multi-rotor wind turbine.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0048] The present invention will now be explained in further details. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been disclosed by way of examples. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0049] In embodiments of the present invention, there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wind turbine is a single rotor wind turbine, such as wherein the single rotor is comprising one or more blades.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 100 (which may also be referred to as a wind turbine generator (WTO)). The wind turbine in FIG. 1 is a single rotor wind turbine comprising a tower 101 and a rotor 102 with at least one rotor blade 103, such as three rotor blades. The rotor is connected to a nacelle 104, which is mounted on the top of the tower 101 and being adapted to drive a generator situated inside the nacelle. The rotor 102 is rotatable around a rotor axis 105 by action of the wind. The wind induced rotational energy of the rotor blades 103 is transferred via a shaft to an electrical generator. Thus, the wind turbine 100 is capable of converting kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy by means of the rotor blades and, subsequently, into electric power by means of the generator. The generator may include a power converter for converting the generator AC power into a DC power and a power inverter for converting the DC power into an AC power to be injected into a utility grid. The generator is controllable to produce a power corresponding to a power request. Alternatively, it is controllable to produce a generator torque corresponding to a torque request. The rotor blades 103 can be pitched in order to alter the aerodynamic properties of the blades, e.g., in order to maximize uptake of the wind energy and to ensure that the rotor blades are not subjected to too large loads when strong winds are blowing.

[0051] In embodiments of the present invention, there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine is a multi-rotor wind turbine, such as wherein the wind turbine is comprising a plurality of rotors, and wherein each rotor in the plurality of rotors is comprising one or more blades.

[0052] In a wind turbine, such as a single rotor wind turbine or a multi-rotor wind turbine (2 or more rotors), when the wind turbine is in standstill or idling, e.g., because of a failure in the yaw system, turbulence and/or a wind direction change might yaw the yawing section. However, when for example a failure is present in the yaw system, the yaw sliding moment threshold may be decreased, causing yawing excessively or yawing at too high yaw speeds, which may further overload the yaw system. In embodiments of the present invention the wind turbine pitch system in one or more of the plurality of rotors may enable counteracting this movement and reduce the angular yawing velocity and/or yawing moment by pitching two blades in one of the rotors and thereby increase drag to apply a yawing moment to the yawing section.

[0053] For multi-rotors, the angular yawing velocity may be very high. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention may be particularly relevant for multi-rotor wind turbines, such as for reducing the cost of the yaw system in multi-rotor wind turbines.

[0054] FIG. 2 depicts a wind turbine 1, wherein the wind turbine is a multi-rotor wind turbine comprising: [0055] A support structure 3 including a tower 4 and arms 5 mounted to the tower 4 at junctions 6, [0056] a plurality of wind turbine modules 2 mounted to the support structure 3 [0057] wherein each of the plurality of wind turbine modules comprises a rotor 7.

[0058] In the present embodiment the support structure comprises arms 5 extending outwards from the tower 4, each of the plurality of wind turbines being mounted on an end part of a corresponding arm. Furthermore, FIG. 1 depicts a nacelle 8 for each wind turbine module. In the wind turbine modules 2, the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electrical energy by a power generation system (not shown), as it will be readily understood by a person skilled in wind turbines. As indicated by the four arrows A in FIG. 2 the rotors may be rotating. FIG. 2 shows a support structure with two arms each having two wind turbine modules, but other embodiments are conceivable, e.g., four arms with four wind turbine modules each or three arms with lower, middle and upper arm, respectively having six, four and two wind turbine modules.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method 310 for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine, wherein the rotor is comprising one or more blades, and wherein the wind turbine is comprising: [0060] A pitch system, such as a pitch system for pitching one or more blades of the rotor,

[0061] the method comprising: [0062] Operating 312 the rotor in a standstill or idling operating state, [0063] Determining or receiving 314 one or more control parameters, where one or more yawing parameters may be described as a function of the one or more control parameters, wherein the one or more yawing parameters comprises one or more of: [0064] i. An angular yawing velocity (o) of a yawing section, such as the yawing velocity (w) of the yawing section with respect to a remainder of the wind turbine, [0065] ii. An angular yawing acceleration (a) of the yawing section, such as the yawing acceleration (a) of the yawing section with respect to a remainder of the wind turbine, and/or [0066] iii. A yawing moment (M) applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, and [0067] Pitching 316 based on the one or more control parameters one or more blades of the rotor with the pitch system.

[0068] The arrow 318 indicates that the method can be carried out as closed-loop controlling.

[0069] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of another method 410, which is similar to the method depicted in FIG. 3 albeit with differences, including that the method is further comprising: [0070] Detecting 411 a failure in the yaw system.

[0071] It may be noted, that embodiments of the present invention may present a new protection strategy for a turbine with a fault condition in the yaw system.

[0072] Another difference of the method depicted in FIG. 4 and the method depicted in FIG. 3 is that the in the method depicted in FIG. 4, pitching one or more blades comprises: [0073] Pitching 416 a subset of the one or more blades of a rotor, such as a single rotor, to a larger extent than the remaining blades of the rotor, such as pitching 2 and only 2 blades on a 3-blade rotor.

[0074] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a wind turbine wherein pitching a subset of the one or more blades comprises: [0075] Pitching 1 and only 1 blade on a 3 or 2 blade rotor or [0076] Pitching 2 and only 2 blades on a 3-blade rotor.

[0077] A possible advantage of only pitching a subset of blades, such pitching only one or two blades of a three-blade rotor may be that speed up is limited. In other words, it is avoided that the angular velocity of the rotor gets too high.

[0078] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine 100 wherein the wind turbine is comprising: [0079] A yaw system for yawing a yawing section of the wind turbine, such as for yawing a yawing section of the wind turbine with respect to a remainder of the wind turbine.

[0080] It may be understood that that yaw system and the pitch system are not the same system.

[0081] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein pitching the one or more blades comprises: [0082] Pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, such as cyclically pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, such as so as to create [0083] a non-zero net moment when summing moment contributions throughout the full azimuthal range.

[0084] By pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner may be understood that the pitching is based on the azimuthal angle of the rotor. For example, pitching may be carried out only when the blade is on one side of the rotor axis with respect to the yawing axis, such as the far side of the rotor axis with respect to the yawing axis. An advantage of pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner may be that it enables increasing the yaw moment and/or that it enables exerting a yaw moment (from aerodynamic forces) on a centrally placed (with respect to the yaw axis) rotor, such as a single rotor, such as a single rotor with very large rotor plane where there can be a significant difference in wind speed in rotor plane causing yaw loads.

[0085] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine wherein pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, such as cyclically pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, one or more blades comprises pitching one or more blades on a rotor so that a moment from drag forces on the one or more blades yields a net non-zero moment around an axis being parallel with a yawing axis and intersecting a rotation axis of the rotor, such as when integrating a moment from drag forces on the one or more blades across a full rotor revolution yields a net non-zero moment around an axis being parallel with a yawing axis and intersecting a rotation axis of the rotor. For example, for a rotor axis being displaced with respect to the yaw axisa moment integrated on the far side with respect to the yaw axis is greater than a moment integrated on the near side with respect to the yaw axis. An advantage of this might be that for a multi-rotor, then the non-central rotors adds even more than their non-central position warrants, because there is a greater moment from the side facing away from the yaw axis than the side facing the yaw axis. Another advantage of this may be that it enables creating a yaw moment from the rotor (such as for a rotor on a single rotor wind turbine), even if the rotor has the rotor axis intersecting the yawing axis.

[0086] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine 100 (such as a rotor where wind direction/drag force and vector from yaw axis to the center of the rotor plane are not parallel) wherein pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, such as cyclically pitching in an azimuthal dependent manner, one or more blades comprises pitching one or more blades on a rotor so that a drag on the one or more blades is larger in a first azimuthal range relative to a drag in a second azimuthal range, wherein the first azimuthal range is further away from the yaw axis than the second azimuthal range, such as wherein the first azimuthal range is the half of the rotor plane furthest away from the yawing axis and the second azimuthal range is the half of the rotor plane closest to the yawing axis.

[0087] In embodiments there is presented a method for controlling a rotor on a wind turbine 100 comprising predicting one or more future values of the control parameters and wherein pitching is based on said future values. In embodiments there is presented a control system being arranged for (or a method for): [0088] Estimating, such as using LIDAR based wind speed predictions, at a decision point in time (t.sub.dec) estimated values at a future point in time (t.sub.f) of one or more control parameters, [0089] Pitching (316) based on the estimated values at a future point in time (t.sub.f) of one or more control parameters one or more blades (103) of the rotor (100) with the pitch system.

[0090] It may be understood, that the future point in time (t.sub.f) is later than the decision point in time.

[0091] In embodiments there is presented a control system being arranged for (or a method for): [0092] Estimating, such as using LIDAR based wind speed predictions, at a decision point in time (t.sub.dec) whether one or more control parameters at a future point in time (t.sub.f) exceed one or more control parameter threshold values, such as whether: [0093] i. An angular yawing velocity (.sub.f) of the yawing section, such as the yawing velocity () of the yawing section with respect to a remainder of the wind turbine, at a future point in time (t.sub.r) is above an angular yawing velocity threshold (.sub.thr), and/or whether: [0094] ii. A yawing moment (M.sub.f) applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine at a future point in time (t.sub.f) is above a yawing moment threshold (M.sub.thr), [0095] such as upon estimating that a control parameter value is exceeded, such as upon estimating that anyone or more of said angular yawing velocity threshold (.sub.thr) and said a yawing moment threshold (M.sub.thr) is exceeded at the future point in time: Pitching one or more blades of the rotor so that aerodynamic forces exert forces on the yawing section creating a moment around the yawing axis of the wind turbine so as to reduce the one or more control parameters, such as reduce the angular yawing velocity (.sub.f) of the yawing motion of the wind turbine and/or the yawing moment threshold (M.sub.f) at the future point in time (t.sub.f).

[0096] It may be understood, that the future point in time (t.sub.f) is later than the decision point in time.

[0097] FIGS. 5-7 show an example of application of an embodiment of the invention. In each of FIGS. 5-7, a multi-rotor wind turbine where each rotor has three blades (such as the multi-rotor wind turbine depicted in FIG. 2) is seen in a direction along the yaw axis.

[0098] FIG. 5 shows a multi-rotor wind turbine where a wind direction change or turbulence may cause high yaw loads and turbine to yaw in yaw failure mode at standstill or idling.

[0099] FIG. 6 shows that by pitching 2 blades in one rotor (rotor 1) from an angle of 87 degrees to 65 degrees, drag is increased and the yaw motion is slowed down to protect the yaw system (from overheating or further damage).

[0100] FIG. 7 shows the pitched blades of rotor 1 pitched back to feather after the yaw motion is over.

[0101] FIG. 8 shows a graph of simulated pitch angles (as shown in degrees on the y-axes of the graphs) of the three blades of each of the two rotors in FIGS. 5-7. The legend shows the sensor label bea2 in the simulation, corresponding to the sensor label for each blade in a 3-blade rotor. The sub-figures show (a) all blades in rotor 1 (such as the upper left rotor in FIG. 2) is pitched at angles 87-87-87 degrees, (b) all blades in rotor 2 (such as the upper right rotor in FIG. 2) is pitched at angles 87-87-87 degrees. The upper row of subfigures (a)-(b) corresponds to the situation in FIG. 5. The sub-figures further show (c) all blades in rotor 1 (such as the upper left rotor in FIG. 2) is pitched at angles 87-87-87 degrees, (d) one blade in rotor 2 (such as the upper right rotor in FIG. 2) is still pitched at an angle of 87 degrees, but the other two blades are for a while around ca. 600 seconds pitched at 65 degrees. The lower row of subfigures (c)-(d) corresponds to the situation in FIG. 6.

[0102] FIG. 9 shows a simulation result, where pitching is carried out as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 shows yawing angle [degrees] (on the y-axis) as a function of time. The legend shows the sensor label beal in the simulation, corresponding to the sensor label for wind turbine. The graphs represent a baseline (full-drawn curve), where no pitching is carried out, and the result (dotted line), where pitching is carried out. It can be seen that the change in yawing angle is smoothed out across a larger period of time by the pitching.

[0103] FIG. 10 shows a simulation result corresponding to FIG. 9, except that in FIG. 10 the y-axis shows angular yawing velocity [rpm]. Again, the graphs represent a baseline (full-drawn curve), where no pitching is carried out, and the result (dotted line), where pitching is carried out. It can be seen, that a smaller maximum angular yawing velocity is achieved by pitching.

[0104] FIG. 11 shows a schematic illustrating yawing in a multi-rotor wind turbine. More particularly, the schematic illustrates a multi-rotor wind turbine 1101 with first and second rotors 1107a-b. A control system may be arranged to determine pitch angle set point values and may be implemented in a multi-rotor turbine controller, which send the pitch angle set point values to, respectively, a pitch controller 1 (for the first rotor 1107a) and a pitch controller 2 (for the second rotor 1107b). Thus, the control system (the multi-rotor turbine controller) receives the one or more control parameters (and optionally a yawing moment (M or M.sub.yaw) applied by the yawing section on a remainder of the wind turbine, sets a pitch angle set point value or sets of pitch angle set point values (also known as pitch reference), such as, respectively, {.sub.Blade1.sup.Rotor1, .sub.Blade2.sup.Rotor1, .sub.Blade3.sup.Rotor1} (for the first rotor 1107a) and {.sub.Blade1.sup.Rotor2, .sub.Blade2.sup.Rotor2, .sub.Blade 3.sup.Rotor2} (for the second rotor 1107b) to , respectively, pitch controller 1 and pitch controller 2 system, which each control a pitch system which in turn controls the pitch angles of the blades.

[0105] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms comprising or comprises do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Also, the mentioning of references such as a or an etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.