WIND TURBINE SYSTEM WITH A CONTROLLER AND POWER SUPPLY UNIT WITH AN ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM AS WELL AS ASSOCIATED WIND TURBINE AND METHOD

Abstract

Provided is a wind turbine system for a wind turbine with a controller and an energy supply unit with an energy storage system and a network connection. The unit recognizes a normal operating mode in which the turbine is connected with the network, and a separated state in which the turbine is separated. The controller is connected with a wind sensor for acquiring at least one parameter, and comprises an azimuth controller for setting an azimuth angle of the turbine as a function of the parameter. The unit further has a monitoring device, which is supplied with energy from the energy storage system in the separated state, and connected with the wind sensor or an additional wind sensor for acquiring parameters in the separated state, and the unit in the separated state deenergizes the controller or supplies with energy from the energy storage system as a function of the parameter.

Claims

1. A wind turbine system for a wind turbine with a controller for controlling the wind turbine and an energy supply unit with an energy storage system as well as a network connection for connection to a network, wherein the energy supply unit is set up to recognize a normal operating mode of the wind turbine in which the wind turbine is connected with the network, and a separated state of the wind turbine in which the wind turbine is separated from the network, and wherein the controller is connected with a wind sensor for acquiring at least one wind parameter, and comprises an azimuth controller for setting an azimuth angle of the wind turbine as a function of the wind parameter, wherein the energy supply unit further has a monitoring device, which is supplied with energy from the energy storage system in the separated state, and connected with the wind sensor or an additional wind sensor for acquiring wind parameters in the separated state, and the energy supply unit is set up in the separated state to deenergize the controller or supply it with energy from the energy storage system as a function of the wind parameter acquired with the monitoring device.

2. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the energy supply unit is set up to keep the controller deenergized in the separated state if a wind parameter representing a wind speed lies below at least one predefined threshold value or a wind parameter representing a wind direction lies within a predefined maximum wind direction range, and turn on an energy supply if the wind parameter representing the wind speed lies above the threshold value and the wind parameter representing the wind direction lies outside of the predefined maximum wind direction range.

3. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the energy supply unit is set up in the separated state to deenergize a controller supplied with energy from the energy storage system if the wind parameter representing the wind direction lies within a minimum wind direction range or if the wind parameter representing the wind speed lies below the at least one predefined threshold value or a predefined additional threshold value.

4. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is set up to adjust the maximum wind direction range or the minimum wind direction range as a function of a current azimuth angle of the wind turbine.

5. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the maximum wind direction range has a larger angular range than the minimum wind direction range, wherein the maximum wind direction range preferably corresponds to an angular range lying between 8 or less from the current azimuth angle up to 8 or more to the current azimuth angle, and the minimum wind direction range corresponds to an angular range lying between an angle of 5 or more from the current azimuth angle and an angle of 5 of less to the current azimuth angle.

6. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is set up to use the azimuth controller and azimuth drives for changing the azimuth angle of the wind turbine in the separated state while energy is being supplied by the energy supply unit.

7. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine system comprises a DC intermediate circuit, and the energy supply unit is set up in the separated state to separate the energy storage system with a DC intermediate circuit, preferably via a DC converter, as a function of the wind parameters, so as to deenergize the DC intermediate circuit, or to connect it, so as to supply energy to the DC intermediate circuit from the energy storage system.

8. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine system is set up in the normal operating mode to connect the DC intermediate circuit with the network via a rectifier circuit and a transformer, and to extract energy from the DC intermediate circuit for charging the energy storage system.

9. The wind turbine system according to claim 1, wherein the controller and several azimuth drives are connected with the DC intermediate circuit for energy supply purposes, wherein each azimuth drive has at least one rectifier and at least one azimuth motor, wherein the rectifier of each azimuth drive is set up to supply the azimuth motor with energy from the DC intermediate circuit.

10. The wind turbine with a wind turbine system according to claim 1.

11. A method for operating a wind turbine with a wind turbine system according to claim 1.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a controller of the wind turbine is used to receive wind parameters from a wind sensor, and set an azimuth angle of the wind turbine as a function of the wind parameters, wherein an energy supply unit is used to recognize a separated state of the wind turbine and in the separated state to supply energy from an energy storage system to a monitoring device, so as to acquire wind parameters from a wind sensor connected with the monitoring device, wherein the energy supply unit is used in the separated state to supply the controller with energy from the energy storage system or deenergize it as a function of the acquired wind parameters.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the controller is kept deenergized in the separated state if a wind parameter representing a wind speed lies below at least one predefined threshold value or a wind parameter representing a wind direction lies within a predefined maximum wind direction range, and energy supply to the controller is turned on if the wind parameter representing the wind speed lies above the threshold value or the wind parameter representing the wind direction lies outside of the predefined maximum wind direction range.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein a controller supplied with energy from the energy storage system is deenergized in the separated state if the wind parameter representing the wind direction lies within a minimum wind direction range or if the wind parameter representing the wind speed lies below at least one predefined threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the maximum wind direction range or the minimum wind direction range is adjusted as a function of an azimuth angle of the wind turbine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Additional embodiments may be gleaned based on the exemplary embodiments described in more detail on the figures. Shown here on:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a wind turbine,

[0037] FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a wind turbine system,

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a wind turbine, and

[0039] FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wind turbine 100. The wind turbine 100 has a tower 102 and a nacelle 104 on the tower 102. An aerodynamic rotor 106 with three rotor blades 108 and a spinner 110 is provided on the nacelle 104. During operation of the wind turbine 100, the aerodynamic rotor 106 is made to rotate by the wind, and thus also turns an electrodynamic rotor or runner of a wind turbine generator, which is directly or indirectly coupled with an aerodynamic rotor 106. The electric wind turbine generator is arranged in the nacelle 104, and generates electrical energy. The pitch angles of the rotor blades 108 can be changed by pitch motors on the rotor blade roots of the respective rotor blades 108.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a wind turbine system 10 according to an exemplary embodiment for a wind turbine 100. The wind turbine system 10 comprises a controller 12 that comprises an azimuth controller 14, so as to actuate several azimuth drives 16 of the wind turbine 10, in order to change an azimuth angle of the wind turbine 100 in this way. For this purpose, the controller 12 is connected with a wind sensor 15 (e.g., anemometer).

[0042] Each of the azimuth drives 16 comprises at least one respective rectifier 18 and an azimuth motor 20, wherein the rectifiers 18 are connected with a DC intermediate circuit 22, so as to provide energy from the DC intermediate circuit 22 for the allocated azimuth motor 20. The rectifiers 18 are here correspondingly controlled by the azimuth controller 14. The controller 12 is also connected with the DC intermediate circuit 22 in order to extract energy from the DC intermediate circuit 22 for operating the controller 12.

[0043] In order to provide energy in the DC intermediate circuit 22, the wind turbine system 10 is connected in the normal operating mode to a network 24 via a network connection 25. In this way, energy is provided from the network 24 with a supply voltage in the DC intermediate circuit 22. To this end, the voltage is converted by a transformer 26, and the energy is fed into the DC intermediate circuit 22 via a rectifier circuit 28. An energy supply unit 30 (e.g., power supply) uses a voltage measuring device 32 (e.g., voltmeter) to detect whether a supply voltage for the DC intermediate circuit 22 can be provided via the network 24, and correspondingly controls the rectifier circuit 28. In the event that the network 24 provides no voltage, this is detected with the voltage measuring device 32, and a separated state is recognized. In the separated state, the energy supply unit 30 is set up to actuate a DC converter 34 in such a way that energy is fed from an energy storage system 36 into the DC intermediate circuit 22.

[0044] The wind turbine system 10 further comprises a monitoring device 38, which is connected with the wind sensor 15 and an additional wind sensor 40 so as to receive wind parameters 42. The monitoring device 38 is here shown as part of the energy supply unit 30, so that a decision can be made with the energy supply unit 30 as a function of the wind parameters as to whether the DC intermediate circuit 22 is supplied with energy from the energy storage system 36 or deenergized. This is realized via the DC converter 34. The energy supply unit 30 with the monitoring device 38 is always connected with the energy storage system 36, so that wind parameters can continue to be acquired in the separated state even in a case where the energy supply unit 30 turns off the voltage or energy supply to the DC intermediate circuit 22.

[0045] As a consequence, the energy supply unit 30 is set up to supply the controller 12 as well as the azimuth drives 16 with energy so as to adjust an azimuth angle in the case of wind parameters lying outside of predefined limits, and to turn off the energy supply to the controller 12 as well as the azimuth drives 18 in a case where the wind parameters 42 lie within predefined limits. Various ranges and/or values for determining the mentioned limits are stored in the energy supply unit 30 and/or the monitoring device 38 for this purpose. These will be explained with reference to FIG. 3.

[0046] Accordingly, FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a wind turbine 100. The wind turbine 100 comprises a rotor 106, which forms a rotor plane 50. The nacelle 104 is usually tracked around a center of rotation 52 of a wind direction 54. This tracking corresponds to the setting of an azimuth angle 56. The azimuth angle 56 is here turned by about 90, for example proceeding from a zero position 58 that points in a northerly direction, thus resulting in an azimuth angle 56 of 90. Proceeding from the center of rotation 52, the rotor plane 50 thus points in an easterly direction. The wind likewise hits the rotor 106 from an easterly direction, so that the wind direction 54 likewise measures 90 in relation to the northerly direction.

[0047] According to the method, a maximum wind direction range 60 lying between +8 and 8 relative to the current azimuth angle 56 is now defined. A minimum wind direction range 62 determined in a range of between +5 and 5 relative to the current azimuth angle 56 is further defined. If the wind direction 54 now changes in such a way as to move outside of the maximum wind direction range 60, this is detected via the monitoring device 38 and/or the energy supply unit 30, and the controller 12 as well as the azimuth drives 16 are supplied with energy via the DC intermediate circuit 22 so as to track the wind turbine 100. Tracking takes place until such time as the wind direction 54 lies within the minimum wind direction range 62 adjusted as a function of the current azimuth angle 56. Energy supply to the controller 12 as well as the azimuth drives 16 is then turned off.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows the steps involved in an exemplary embodiment of the method. In one step 70, a voltage drop of the network 24 is recognized via the voltage measuring device 32. The energy supply unit 30 thus recognizes a separated state in step 72. In step 74, a check is performed to determine whether the current wind direction 54 lies within the minimum wind direction range 62, which is usually the case, since the wind turbine 100 continuously tracks the wind direction 54 with respect to its azimuth angle 56 in the normal operating mode.

[0049] If the current wind direction 54 lies within the minimum wind direction range 62, the DC intermediate circuit 22 is deenergized or kept without an energy supply in step 76. The wind parameters 42 are then monitored with the monitoring device 38 (e.g., controller) in step 78. If a change in wind parameters 42 is recognized in step 80 indicating that the wind direction 54 and the wind speed lie outside of predefined limits, i.e., the wind speed lies above the threshold value and the wind direction 54 lies outside of the maximum wind direction range, the DC converter 34 is used in step 82 to feed energy from the energy storage system 36 into the DC intermediate circuit 22 in order to supply the controller 12 and the azimuth drives 16 with energy in step 84. The azimuth angle 56 of the wind turbine 100 is then adjusted in step 86. Step 86 is also performed after step 74 if the current wind direction 54 lies outside of the minimum wind direction range 62 or the maximum wind direction range 60, and the wind speed lies above the predefined threshold value.

[0050] If the wind parameters 42 then once again lie within the predefined limits, the energy supply unit 30 is used in step 88 to turn off the energy supply to the controller 12 as well as the azimuth drives 16. Step 78 is then performed once again. The method is performed until such time as the voltage measuring device 32 determines that a network voltage is once again present, so a switch is made back to the normal operating mode, and the DC intermediate circuit 22 is continuously supplied with energy from the network 24.

REFERENCE LIST

[0051] 10 Wind turbine system [0052] 12 Controller [0053] 14 Azimuth controller [0054] 15 Wind sensor [0055] 16 Azimuth drives [0056] 18 Rectifier [0057] 20 Azimuth motor [0058] 22 DC intermediate circuit [0059] 24 Network [0060] 25 Network connection [0061] 26 Transformer [0062] 28 Rectifier circuit [0063] 30 Energy supply unit [0064] 32 Voltage measuring device [0065] 34 DC converter [0066] 36 Energy storage system [0067] 38 Monitoring device [0068] 40 Additional wind sensor [0069] 42 Wind parameters [0070] 50 Rotor plane [0071] 52 Center of rotation [0072] 54 Wind direction [0073] 56 Azimuth angle [0074] 58 Zero position [0075] 60 Maximum wind direction range [0076] 62 Minimum wind direction range [0077] 70 Voltage drop recognition [0078] 72 Separated state recognition [0079] 74 Checking to see whether current wind direction lies within the minimum wind direction range [0080] 76 Deenergizing the DC intermediate circuit or keeping it without an energy supply [0081] 78 Monitoring the wind parameters [0082] 80 Recognizing a change in wind parameters [0083] 82 Feeding in energy [0084] 84 Supplying energy to controller and azimuth drives [0085] 86 Adjusting the azimuth angle [0086] 88 Turning off energy supply to the controller and azimuth drives [0087] 100 Wind turbine [0088] 104 Nacelle [0089] 106 Rotor [0090] 100 Wind turbine [0091] 102 Tower [0092] 104 Nacelle [0093] 106 Aerodynamic rotor [0094] 108 Rotor blades [0095] 110 Spinners

[0096] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.