METHOD OF OPERATING A DFIG WIND TURBINE UNDER SSR

Abstract

A method is provided of protecting a wind turbine with a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) against a sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) event acting on the wind turbine. A plurality of power-output values or current-output values is measured over a given period of time that corresponds to a measurement cycle. It is determined whether power-output values or current-output-values measured in the at-least-one measurement cycle are indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine is shut down if the measured power-output values or current-output values are indeed indicative of an SSR-event critical for operation of the wind turbine.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a wind turbine with a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) against a sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) event acting on the wind turbine, wherein the method comprises: measuring a plurality of values over a given period of time that corresponds to a measurement cycle, the plurality of values being one of power-output values and current-output values; determining, whether the measured plurality of values are indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine, wherein the determining comprises monitoring whether at least one oscillation-parameter, obtained using the measured plurality of values and representative of a power-output oscillation or current-output oscillation, exceeds at least one threshold for at least one measurement cycle, wherein it is a condition for determining the presence of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine that the at least one oscillation-parameter exceeds the at least one threshold; and shutting down the wind turbine in response to the measured plurality of values being determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the at least one oscillation-parameter is triggered by a power-output value or a current-output value exceeding a respective given power threshold or current threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored oscillation-parameter is calculated based on differences between (i) measured power-output values or current-output values of a measurement cycle and (ii) a reference power-output value or a reference current-output value, wherein these differences are integrated over time to obtain a power-output deviation-energy value or an integrated current-output-deviation value of a measurement cycle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one power-output deviation-energy value or at least one integrated current-output deviation value is compared with a given first energy-threshold or a given first integrated current-deviation threshold and the power-output deviation-energy value or the integrated current-output-deviation value of the measurement cycle is stored if said power-output deviation-energy value or integrated current-output-deviation value exceeds said respective given first energy-threshold or first integrated current-deviation threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein an accumulated power-output deviation-energy value or an accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is calculated using stored power-output deviation-energy values or stored integrated current-output-deviation values obtained over a given number of successive measurement cycles, said accumulated power-output deviation-energy value or accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value corresponding to the oscillation-parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value or the accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is calculated by adding up stored power-output deviation-energy values or stored integrated current-output-deviation values obtained over a given number of measurement cycles.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the stored power-output deviation-energy values or stored integrated current-output-deviation values were obtained over a given number of preceding measurement cycles by storing power-output deviation-energy values exceeding said first energy-threshold or stored integrated current-output-deviation values exceeding said first integrated current-deviation threshold, the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value or the accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value being calculated using the stored power-output deviation-energy values or integrated current-output deviation values which were obtained over the given number of preceding measurement cycles.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value or the accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is compared with a respective given second energy-threshold or given second integrated current-output-deviation threshold.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein a trend of the power-output deviation-energy values or the integrated current-output deviation values is determined over a given number of preceding measurement cycles.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the power-output oscillation or current-output oscillation being determined to be associated with an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine in response to the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value exceeding the given second energy-threshold or the accumulated integrated current-output deviation value exceeding the respective given second integrated current-output deviation threshold and the trend of the power-output deviation-energy values or the integrated current-output deviation values being increasing over the given number of preceding measurement cycles.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the stored values of the power-output deviation-energy value or the integrated current-output-deviation are refreshed when the given number of measurement cycles have passed without any power-output deviation-energy values or integrated current-output deviation values exceeding the given first energy-threshold or the given first integrated current-deviation threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the oscillation-parameter is a counter value of power-output values or current-output values that exceed a given power-output limit or a given current-output limit, during a single measurement cycle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the power-output values or current-output values are determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine, in response to the counter value of power-output values exceeding a given power-output limit or the counter value of current-output values exceeding a given current-output limit during the single measurement cycle being greater than a given admissible number of exceeding power-output values or exceeding current-output values per measurement cycle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the power-output limit is given by 125 percent of the wind turbine converter system's nominal active power-output and the current-output limit is given by 125 percent of the wind turbine converter system's nominal current-output.

15. A wind turbine controller of a wind turbine with a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) the wind turbine controller being arranged to protect the wind turbine against a sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) event acting on the wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine controller is arranged to: receive a plurality of values over a given period of time that corresponds to a measurement cycle, the plurality of values being one of power-output values and current-output values; determine whether measured plurality of values are indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine, wherein the determining comprises monitoring whether at least one oscillation-parameter, obtained using the measured plurality of values and representative of a power-output oscillation or a current-output oscillation, exceeds at least one threshold for at least one measurement cycle, wherein it is a condition for determining the presence of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine that the at least one oscillation-parameter exceeds the at least one threshold; and shut down the wind turbine in response to the measured power-output values or current-output values being determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine.

16. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are now described, also with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein

[0077] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a wind turbine with a power-generating system shown in more detail in FIG. 2,

[0078] FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a DFIG wind turbine's power generating system connected to a series-compensated power transmission line,

[0079] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a wind park connected to a series-compensated power transmission line,

[0080] FIG. 4 is a diagram of undamped power-output oscillations, caused by an undamped SSR-event, over time including the moment of shutting down the DFIG wind turbine,

[0081] FIG. 5 is a diagram of damped-out power-output oscillations, caused by a damped SSR-event, over time, wherein the DFIG wind turbine is kept in operation,

[0082] FIG. 6 is a diagram of undamped current-output oscillations, caused by an undamped SSR-event, over time, including the moment of shutting down the DFIG wind turbine,

[0083] FIG. 7 is a diagram of damped-out current-output oscillations, caused by a damped SSR-event, over time, wherein the DFIG wind turbine is kept in operation,

[0084] FIG. 8 is a schematic block-diagram illustrating an exemplary method of protecting the DFIG wind turbine against an SSR-event, with an accumulated power-output deviation-energy value as the oscillation parameter,

[0085] FIG. 9 is a schematic block-diagram illustrating an exemplary method of protecting the DFIG wind turbine against an SSR-event, with an accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value as the oscillation parameter,

[0086] FIG. 10 is a schematic block-diagram illustrating an exemplary method of protecting the DFIG wind turbine against an SSR-event, with a counter value of power-output values that exceed a given threshold as the oscillation parameter,

[0087] FIG. 11 is a schematic block-diagram an exemplary method of protecting the DFIG wind turbine against an SSR-event, with a counter value of current-output values that exceed a given threshold as the oscillation parameter.

[0088] The drawings and the description of the drawings are of examples of the invention and are not of the invention itself. Like reference signs refer to like elements throughout the following description of embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0089] A wind turbine 1, shown in FIG. 1 comprises a nacelle 5, mounted atop a tower 6. A rotor 2, driving a DFIG wind turbine generator 10 (not shown) comprises rotor-blades 4 mounted on a hub 3.

[0090] A wind turbine generator 10, coupled to an electricity grid 50 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. A generator-rotor 15 of the wind turbine generator is driven by a rotor 2. The rotor 15 is coupled to a converter 20. The generator and the converter together built the power-generating system of the wind turbine 1, shown in FIG. 1. The machine-side inverter 25 of the converter 20 sets rotor-voltages and rotor-currents and thereby induces a magnetic flux in the generator-rotor 15, which may rotate faster than the rotor 2 or slower than rotor 2, depending on the current wind speed and the current desired power production of the wind turbine. The generator-side inverter 25 is, in turn, controlled by the generator-side inverter controller 26.

[0091] The machine-side inverter 25 is connected to a grid-side inverter 30 by a DC link 27, comprising a capacitor 28 as an energy storage element. The grid-side inverter 30, however, receives branched off three-phase currents that are used to feed the generator-rotor 10 via the converter system 20. The grid-side inverter 30 is controlled by a grid-side converter controller 29.

[0092] The generator-stator 16, in turn, is connected directly to the grid 50, via a series-compensated power transmission line 40. The power-output of the wind turbine is measured by a power/current-output measurement device 35. The series-compensation is given by a capacitor 45 connected in series to the power transmission line 40. The generator-rotor 15 induces fixed-frequency, e.g. 50 Hz, AC currents in the generator stator 16, to produce power (the currents in the rotor are set by the converter-system 20 such that the fixed-frequency current in the stator is reached).

[0093] A wind park 100, including several wind turbines 1 and a point of common coupling 42 to an electricity grid 50 is shown in FIG. 3. The wind turbines 1 of the wind park 100 are each connected to the point of common coupling 42, at which the wind park 100 is connected to the electricity-grid 50. The wind park feeds power to the electricity grid 50 via a series-compensated power transmission line 40. The series-compensation is achieved by connecting a capacitor 45 in series to the power transmission line 40. The inductivity 55 of the power-transmission line is schematically illustrated by inductance 55. An SSR-event occurring due to the series-compensation of power line 40, caused by the insertion of the capacitor 45, may spread through the point of common coupling 42 to the wind park 100, and thereby affect several wind turbines 1 of the wind park 100. This may cause massive damage to the wind turbines 1 of the wind park 100.

[0094] To prevent such an effect, the wind turbines 1 are protected by a protection method, capable of determining whether measured power-output values or current-output values are indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine and of shutting down the wind turbine if the result of the determination indeed points to such a critical SSR-event.

[0095] Throughout the following description of FIGS. 4 to 11, illustrating the method and underlying SSR-induced power/current output oscillations in more detail, the integrated current-output-deviation is referred to as current-output deviation energy or simply deviation-energy. The accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is referred to as accumulated current-output deviation-energy. The first integrated current-output-deviation threshold is as the threshold for power-output deviation-energies also shortly referred to as first energy threshold. In this way also the second integrated current-output deviation threshold is shortly referred to as second energy threshold.

[0096] A diagram of undamped power-output oscillations around a reference power-output value over time is given by FIG. 4. Approximately at 11 s a power-output oscillation begins, induced by an SSR-event. From this moment on, the power-output oscillation is amplifying.

[0097] At approximately 12.6 s the condition is reached at which the power-output values are determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. This condition is reached in this example, as an accumulated power-output deviation-energy (corresponding to an area under the curve) obtained over eight successive measurement cycles a 200 ms has exceeded the given second energy threshold for that oscillation. The accumulated power-output deviation-energy value corresponds in this example to the area under the curve from 11 s to approximately 12.6 s. The wind turbine is shut down at approximately 13 s to prevent damage to the wind turbine's components caused by the amplifying power oscillation induced by the SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine.

[0098] A diagram of damped power-output oscillations around a reference power-output value over time is given by FIG. 5. The power-output oscillation occurs at approximately 10 s and it is still present after 13 s have passed. As can be seen from the elongation-magnitude of the power-output oscillation, the oscillation is slightly dampened and no longer amplifying. An accumulated power-output deviation-energy value obtained over 8 successive measurement cycles 200 ms, for example measured from timestamps 10 s to 11.6 s, does not exceed the given second energy-threshold.

[0099] The determination of that accumulated power-output deviation-energy value was triggered by a power-output exceeding the power-threshold at approximately timestamp 10 s. After resetting the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value, i.e. setting the accumulated power-output deviation-energy value to zero again, a new accumulated power-output deviation-energy value is calculated using the power-outputs obtained in the measurement cycles from 10.2 s to 11.8 s (again the last eight measurement cycles) and is again compared to the second energy threshold. This accumulated power-output deviation-energy obtained in the cycles from 10.2 s to 11.8 s does not exceed the second-energy threshold either, and so on. Hence, the damped power-output oscillation, shown in FIG. 5, does not correspond to power-output values that are determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine by the method of protecting the DFIG wind turbine. Instead, the wind turbine is kept online during the SSR-event.

[0100] A diagram of undamped current-output oscillations around a reference current-output value for a DFIG-wind turbine injecting current into the grid at a voltage of 1 kV, over time is given by FIG. 6. Approximately at 11 s a power-output oscillation begins, induced by an SSR-event. From this moment on, the current-output oscillation is amplifying.

[0101] At approximately 12.6 s the condition is reached at which the current-output values are determined to be indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. This condition is reached in this example, as an accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value (corresponding to an area under the curve) obtained over eight successive measurement cycles 200 ms has exceeded the given second integrated current-output-deviation threshold for that oscillation. The accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value corresponds in this example to the area under the curve from 11 s to approximately 12.6 s. The wind turbine is shut down at approximately 13 s to prevent damage to the wind turbine's components caused by the amplifying current oscillation induced by the SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine.

[0102] A diagram of damped current-output oscillations around a reference current-output value over time is given by FIG. 7. The current-output oscillation occurs at approximately 10 s and it is still present after 13 s have passed. As can be seen from the elongation-magnitude of the current-output oscillation, the oscillation is slightly dampened and no longer amplifying. An accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value obtained over 8 successive measurement cycles 200 ms, for example measured from timestamps 10 s to 11.6 s, does not exceed the given second integrated current-output-deviation threshold.

[0103] The determination of that accumulated power-output deviation-energy value was triggered by a current-output exceeding the current-threshold at approximately timestamp 10 s. After resetting the accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value, a new accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is calculated using the current-outputs obtained in the measurement cycles from 10.2 s to 11.8 s (again the last eight measurement cycles) and is again compared to the second integrated current-output-deviation threshold. This accumulated current-output-deviation value obtained in the cycles from 10.2 s to 11.8 s does not exceed the second integrated current-output-deviation threshold either, and so on. Hence, the damped current-output oscillation, shown in FIG. 7, does not correspond to an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine is kept online during the SSR-event.

[0104] A schematic block-diagram, illustrating an exemplary method of protecting a wind turbine against an SSR-event acting on the wind turbine, wherein power-output deviation-energy values are used as the oscillation parameter is given by FIG. 8.

[0105] In activity A1, an evaluation is made of whether a momentary power-output of the wind turbine exceeds a given power threshold. If the given power-threshold is not exceeded, normal wind turbine operation is continued in an activity A2 without any calculation of an oscillation parameter. However, if the current power exceeds the given power-threshold, the oscillation parameter is obtained for a current measurement cycle. In each measurement cycle a plurality of power-output values are obtained in a given time-span, such as 500 ms or the like.

[0106] In the example of FIG. 8 the oscillation parameter indicative of the presence of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine is an accumulated power-output deviation-energy value obtained based on power-output deviation-energy values. The power-output deviation-energy is calculated in activity A3 for a measurement cycle corresponding to a time window, by integrating the absolute value of the difference between (i) a reference output-power demanded by the electricity grid and (ii) power-output values, obtained within that time window, over time.

[0107] In an activity A4 it is tested whether the output-power deviation energy obtained in activity A3 exceeds a first energy-threshold. If the first energy-threshold is indeed exceeded, the exceeding power-output deviation-energy value of the measurement cycle is stored.

[0108] In an activity A6, the exceeding power-output deviation-energy values, which were stored over the last ten measurement cycles, hence those power-output deviation-energy values obtained in the last ten measurement cycles that exceeded the first energy-threshold, are accumulated by adding up the deviation-energy values. The resulting accumulated power-output deviation-energyserving as the oscillation parameter in this exampleis compared with a second energy-threshold in activity A7. Furthermore, a trend of the power-output deviation energy values, e.g. increasing, decreasing or substantially constant, is determined in activity A8. This determination in activity A8 is rather a background process and is not necessarily carried out after the accumulated power-output deviation-energy has been compared to the second energy-threshold.

[0109] If (i) the accumulated power-output deviation energy exceeds the given threshold and (ii) the trend of the power-output deviation energy values has been increasing over the last ten measurement cycles, the wind turbine is shut down in activity A9.

[0110] If the accumulated power-output deviation-energy obtained in activity A6 does not exceed the second energy-threshold, the accumulated deviation-energy is reset in activity A13. It is set to zero so that in the next measurement cycle the accumulated power-output deviation energy values can be obtained for the ten measurement cycles preceding the next measurement cycle.

[0111] After resetting the accumulated power-output deviation-energy in activity A13, the wind turbine continues normal operation in activity A2. Even if the accumulated power-output deviation-energy exceeds the second energy-threshold but, however, the trend of the power-output deviation-energy values is not increasing, the wind turbine continues normal operation in activity A2. Hence, only if both conditions (i) and (ii), named above, are fulfilled, is the wind turbine shut down in activity A9.

[0112] If the power-output deviation energy of the current cycle does not exceed the given first energy-threshold in activity A4, it is checked in activity A10 whether any deviation-energy of the last ten measurement cycles exceeded the first energy-threshold. If this is not the case, the stored power-output deviation-energy values are refreshed in activity A11, for example, by deleting stored deviation-energy values that were obtained before the last ten measurement cycles considered and replacing them with newly acquired power-output deviation-energy values that are stored as they exceed the first energy-threshold. After refreshing the stored power-output deviation-energy values, the method returns to activity A1, where the current power-output of the wind turbine is compared with the given first power-threshold.

[0113] A schematic block-diagram, illustrating an exemplary method of protecting a wind turbine against an SSR-event acting on the wind turbine, wherein an accumulated integrated current-output-deviation energy value, is given by FIG. 9.

[0114] In activity B1, an evaluation is made of whether a momentary current-output of the wind turbine exceeds a given current threshold. If the given current-threshold is not exceeded, normal wind turbine operation is continued in an activity B2 without any calculation of an oscillation parameter. However, if the momentary current exceeds the given current-threshold, the oscillation parameter is obtained for a current measurement cycle. In each measurement cycle a plurality of power-output values are obtained in a given time-span, such as 500 ms or the like.

[0115] In the example of FIG. 9 the oscillation parameter indicative of the presence of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine is an accumulated power-output deviation-energy value obtained based on current-output deviation-energy values. The current-output deviation-energy is calculated in activity B3 for a measurement cycle corresponding to a time window, by integrating the absolute value of the difference between (i) a reference current-output demanded by the electricity grid and (ii) current-output values, obtained within that time window, over time.

[0116] The following activities B4 to B13 are analogous to the activities A4 to A13 that were described in detail in conjunction with FIG. 8. The only difference is that an accumulated current-output deviation-energy, i.e. an accumulated integrated current-output-deviation value is used as the oscillation parameter instead of an accumulated power-output deviation-energy value.

[0117] A schematic block diagram of another exemplary method of protecting a wind turbine converter system against a sub-synchronous resonance event acting on the wind turbine converter system is given by FIG. 10. In activity C1 a power-output value is measured in the course of a current measurement cycle. The power-output of the wind turbine is measured by a power-output measurement device, shown in FIG. 2. The measured power-output value is compared with a power/current-output limit in activity C2. If the measured power-output value is greater than the power-output limit, a counter value is increased by one in activity C3.

[0118] Thereby a count of power-output values that exceed the given power-output limit is performed. The counter value serves as the oscillation-parameter indicative of the presence of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. If the measured power-output is below the power-output limit, the measurement cycle continues in activity C9.

[0119] The current value of the counter value is compared with a given admissible number of power-output values above the power-output limit in activity C4 that corresponds to the threshold to be exceeded by the value of the count to fulfill the at least one condition for determining the power-output values to be indicative of a critical SSR-event.

[0120] When the counter value exceeds that admissible number the wind turbine is shut down. If the counter is, however, below that admissible number, and the measurement cycle has not finished, the measurement cycle simply continues in activity C8 and is continued by measuring a new power-output value. Otherwise, when the measurement cycle has finished, a new measurement cycle is started and the counter value is reset, e.g. set to zero again in activity C7.

[0121] A schematic block diagram of another exemplary method of protecting a wind turbine converter system against a sub-synchronous resonance event acting on the wind turbine is given by FIG. 11. This method corresponds to the method described in conjunction with FIG. 10, however with the only difference that a current-output values are measured in the course of a measurement cycle in activity D1 and compared with a current-output limit D2 instead of power-output values being compared with a power-output limit. When the measured current output exceeds the current-output limit a counter value is increased by 1 in activity D3. This counter value serves as the oscillation-parameter in the method described in conjunction with

[0122] FIG. 11. The following activities D4 to D9 are analogous to the activities already described in conjunction with FIG. 10.

[0123] Although certain products constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of the invention fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.