METHOD FOR OPERATING A WIND TURBINE AND WIND TURBINE

Abstract

The method is for operating a wind turbine having a rotor with at least one rotor blade and a setting system which is configured to change the operation of the wind turbine. The method includes a step in which first trigger information is provided, wherein the first trigger information is representative of whether the torsional movement of at least one rotor blade exceeds a threshold. If this is the case, a first output signal is generated which is configured to cause the setting system to change the operation of the wind turbine to reduce the torsional movement of the at least one rotor blade.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wind turbine having a rotor with a rotor blade and a setting system configured to change an operation of the wind turbine, the method comprising: providing first base information which is representative of a pitch angle of the rotor blade; determining first trigger information depending on the first base information, the first trigger information being representative of whether a torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds a threshold; and, if the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds the threshold, generating a first output signal which is configured to cause the setting system to change the operation of the wind turbine to reduce the torsional movement of the rotor blade.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first base information is determined depending on measurements taken with the help of a first sensor system; and, the first sensor system includes at least one encoder sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: said determining the first trigger information includes: applying at least one filter to the first base information to extract an oscillation of the pitch angle of the rotor blade with a torsional eigenfrequency of the at least one rotor blade; and, determining whether an amplitude of the oscillation with the torsional eigenfrequency exceeds an oscillation threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing second base information which is representative of a torsional bending moment acting on the rotor blade; wherein the first trigger information is determined depending on the second base information; wherein said determining the first trigger information includes: applying at least one filter to the second base information to extract an oscillation of the torsional bending moment of the rotor blade with a torsional eigenfrequency; and, determining whether an amplitude of the oscillation with the torsional eigenfrequency exceeds an oscillation threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the second base information is determined depending on measurements taken via a second sensor system; and, the second sensor system includes at least one strain sensor for measuring the torsional bending moment of the rotor blade.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing third base information and/or fourth base information which are respectively representative of an edgewise bending moment and/or of a flapwise bending moment acting on the rotor blade; wherein the first trigger information is determined depending on at least one of the third base information and the fourth base information; wherein said determining the first trigger information includes: applying at least one filter to the third base information and/or fourth base information to extract an oscillation of the edgewise bending moment and/or of the flapwise bending moment of the rotor blade with a torsional eigenfrequency of the at least one rotor blade; and, determining whether an amplitude of the oscillation with the torsional eigenfrequency exceeds a threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein: the third base information and/or the fourth base information are determined depending on measurements taken with the help of a third sensor system and/or a fourth sensor system; and, the third sensor system includes at least one strain sensor for measuring the edgewise bending moment of the rotor blade and/or the fourth sensor system includes at least one strain sensor for measuring the flapwise bending moment of the rotor blade.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a fifth base information which is representative of an angular acceleration of the rotor blade; wherein the first trigger information is determined depending on the fifth base information; wherein the fifth base information is determined depending on measurements taken via a fifth sensor system; wherein the fifth sensor system includes at least one acceleration sensor for measuring the angular acceleration of the rotor blade; said determining the first trigger information includes: applying at least one filter to the fifth base information to extract an oscillation of the angular acceleration of the rotor blade with a torsional eigenfrequency; and, determining whether an amplitude of the oscillation with the torsional eigenfrequency exceeds an oscillation threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein: the setting system is configured to execute at least two different measures for reducing the torsional movement of the rotor blade; the first output signal is configured to cause the setting system to execute a first measure for reducing the torsional movement of the rotor blade; the method further comprising: providing a second trigger information which is representative of whether the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds a threshold after the first measure has been executed, and, if this is the case, generating a second output signal which is configured to cause the setting system to execute a second measure for reducing the torsional movement of the rotor blade; and, wherein the first measure and the second measure differ from each other and each of the first measure and the second measure is one of: changing a pitch angle of the rotor blade, changing a speed of rotation of the rotor without stopping the rotation of the rotor, changing an electrical power output of the wind turbine, shutting down the wind turbine.

10. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of claim 1.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable data carrier having the computer program of claim 10 stored thereon.

12. A control device comprising at least one processor configured to perform the method of claim 1.

13. A control system for operating a wind turbine having a rotor with a rotor blade and a setting system for changing an operation of the wind turbine, the control system comprising: at least one sensor system configured to take measurements via which it is determinable whether a torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds a threshold; a control device having a processor configured to: provide first base information which is representative of a pitch angle of the rotor blade; determine first trigger information depending on the first base information, the first trigger information being representative of whether the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds a threshold; and, if the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeds the threshold, generate a first output signal which is configured to cause the setting system to change the operation of the wind turbine to reduce the torsional movement of the rotor blade; said control device being signally connectable to said at least one sensor system to provide said control device with the measurements of said at least one sensor system; and, said control device being signally connectable to the setting system to provide the setting system with the first output signal of said control device so that the setting system changes the operation of the wind turbine depending on the first output signal.

14. A wind turbine comprising: a rotor with a rotor blade; a setting system for changing an operation of the wind turbine; a control system including at least one sensor system configured to take measurements via which it is determinable whether a torsional movement of said rotor blade exceeds a threshold; said control system further including a control device having a processor configured to: provide first base information which is representative of a pitch angle of said rotor blade; determine first trigger information depending on the first base information, the first trigger information being representative of whether the torsional movement of said rotor blade exceeds a threshold; and, if the torsional movement of said rotor blade exceeds the threshold, generate a first output signal which is configured to cause said setting system to change the operation of the wind turbine to reduce the torsional movement of said rotor blade; said control device being signally connectable to said at least one sensor system to provide said control device with the measurements of said at least one sensor system; and, said control device being signally connectable to said setting system to provide said setting system with the first output signal of said control device so that said setting system changes the operation of the wind turbine depending on the first output signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a wind turbine 100 which includes a tower 20. The tower 20 is fixed to the ground by means of a foundation 104. At one end of the tower 20, opposite to the ground, a nacelle is rotatably mounted. The nacelle 106 includes, for example, a generator which is coupled to a rotor 10 via a gearbox (not shown). The rotor 10 includes three (wind turbine) rotor blades 1, 2, 3, which are arranged on a rotor hub 112, the rotor hub 112 being connected to a rotor shaft (not shown).

[0071] During operation, the rotor 10 is set in rotation by an air flow, for example wind. This rotational movement is transmitted to the generator via the drive train including, inter alia, the rotor shaft and the gearbox. The generator converts the mechanical energy of the rotor 10 into electrical energy.

[0072] In order to control the operation of the wind turbine 100, the wind turbine 100 includes a setting system 31, 32. The setting system 31, 32 includes a pitch setting arrangement 31 which is configured to set the pitch angles _1, _2, _3, _i for short, of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. The pitch setting arrangement 31 is configured to set the pitch angle _i of each rotor blade 1, 2, 3. For example, the pitch setting arrangement 31 includes at least one actuator for each rotor blade 1, 2, 3 via which an electrical signal is translated into a mechanical movement of the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3 about its longitudinal axis.

[0073] The setting system 31, 32 further includes an electrical power output setting arrangement 32 which is configured to change the power output at the main converter of the wind turbine 100. The speed of rotation of the rotor 10 can be changed with the help of the pitch setting arrangement 31 and/or the power output setting arrangement 32.

[0074] The wind turbine 100 further includes a control system 40 which is configured to operate the wind turbine 100. The control system 40 includes a first 11, a second 12, a third 13, a fourth 14, a fifth 15 and a sixth 16 sensor system as well as a control device 30.

[0075] The first sensor system 11 is configured to measure the pitch angles _i of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. For example, the first sensor system 11 includes at least three encoder sensors, like optical or magnetic encoder sensors, wherein each rotor blade 1, 2, 3 is assigned at least one of these encoder sensors. With the help of the encoder sensors, the pitch angle _i of each rotor blade 1, 2, 3 can be determined as a function of time, for example.

[0076] The second sensor system 12 is configured to measure the torsional bending moments M_x,1, M_x,2, M_x,3, M_x, i for short, acting on the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. The second sensor system 12 includes, for example, at least one strain sensor for each rotor blade 1, 2, 3, wherein the strain sensor is coupled to the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3. The strain sensors may be fiber optic strain sensors, for example. The measurements of the strain sensors may be used to estimate/determine the torsional bending moment M_x,i acting on the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3.

[0077] The third 13 and the fourth 14 sensor systems are configured to measure the edgewise bending moments M_y,1, M_y,2, M_y,3, M_y,i for short, acting on the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 and the flapwise bending moments M_z,1, M_z,2, M_z,3, M_z,i for short, acting on the rotor blades 1, 2, 3, respectively. The third sensor system 13 includes, for example, at least one strain sensor for each rotor blade 1, 2, 3, wherein the strain sensors are coupled to the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3. Likewise, the fourth sensor system 14 may include at least one strain sensor for each rotor blade 1, 2, 3, wherein the strain sensors are coupled to the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3. The strain sensors may be fiber optic strain sensors, for example. The measurements of the strain sensors may be used to estimate/determine the edgewise bending moment M_y,i and the flapwise bending moment M_z,i acting on the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3.

[0078] The fifth sensor system 15 is configured to measure the angular accelerations of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. The fifth sensor system 15 includes, for example, at least one angular acceleration sensor, like a gyroscopic accelerometer, for each rotor blade 1, 2, 3. The acceleration sensor is coupled to the respective rotor blade at the tip end of the rotor blade, for example. The measurements of the angular acceleration sensor may be used to estimate/determine the angular acceleration acting on the respective rotor blade 1, 2, 3.

[0079] The sixth sensor system 16 is configured to measure the electrical power output of the wind turbine and/or the wind speed at the wind turbine. For example, the sixth sensor system 16 includes at least one voltage sensor and/or at least one current sensor for determining the electrical power output. Additionally or alternatively, the sixth sensor system 16 may include at least one cup-anemometer and/or at least one ultrasonic anemometer for measuring the wind speed.

[0080] The measurements of the different sensor systems 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 may be used individually or collectively in order to determine trigger information, as will be further explained below.

[0081] The control device 30 of the wind turbine 100 includes, for example, at least one processor. It may be located in the nacelle. The control device 30 is signally coupled to the sensor systems 11 to 16 and the setting system 31, 32 so that it can communicate with the systems 11 to 16, 31, 32. The measurement signals from the sensor systems 11 to 16 are processed by the control device 30 and, depending on this, one or more output signals are possibly transmitted to the setting system 31, 32 in order to adjust the operation of the wind turbine 100.

[0082] FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the method for operating a wind turbine. In a step S7, a first trigger information Ia1 is provided. The first trigger information Ia1 is representative of whether the torsional movement of at least one of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 exceeds a first threshold. If this is the case, that is, if the first trigger information Ia1 is representative of at least one of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 exceeding the first threshold, a first output signal OS1 is generated in a step S8. The first output signal OS1 is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to change the operation of the wind turbine 100 in order to reduce the torsional movement of the at least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3.

[0083] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the method for operating a wind turbine. Here, first I1, second I2, third I3, fourth I4 and fifth I5 base information is provided (steps S1 to S5). The first base information I1 is representative of the pitch angles _i of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 as a function of time. The second base information I2, the third base information I3 and the fourth base information I4 are representative of the torsional blade bending moments M_x,i acting on the rotor blades 1, 2, 3, the edgewise bending moments M_y,i acting on the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 and the flapwise bending moments M_z,i acting on the rotor blades, in each case as a function of time. The fifth base information I5 is representative of the angular accelerations of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 as a function of time.

[0084] The first base information I1 is determined depending on measurements P11 taken with the help of the first sensor system 11. The second base information I2 is determined depending on the measurements P12 taken with the help of the second sensor system 12. The third base information I3 is determined depending on the measurements P13 taken with the help of the third sensor system 13. The fourth base information I4 is determined depending on measurements P14 taken with the help of the fourth sensor system 14. The fifth base information I5 is determined depending on measurements P15 taken with the help of the fifth sensor system 15.

[0085] Depending on the base information I1 to I5, the first trigger information Ia1 being representative of whether the torsional movement of at least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3 exceeds the first threshold is determined (step S7). Indeed, from all of this base information I1 to I5, information about the torsional movements of at the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 can be extracted.

[0086] If the first trigger information Ia1 is representative of the torsional movement of at least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3 exceeding the first threshold, the first output signal OS1 is generated (step S8). The first output signal OS1 is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to execute a first measure for reducing the torsional movements of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. For example, the first measure is a change, particularly an increase, of the pitch angles _i of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. For this purpose, the pitch setting arrangement 31 may be used.

[0087] In step S9, second trigger information Ia2 is determined, again depending on the base information I1 to I5. However, in this case, the base information I1 to I5 is representative of a later moment in time than the base information I1 to I5 used for determining the first trigger information Ia1 having caused the first output signal OS1.

[0088] If the second trigger information Ia2 is representative of the torsional movement of at least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3 exceeding a second threshold, a second output signal OS2 is generated in the step S10. The second threshold may be different from the first threshold, for example, may be higher, or may be the same as the first threshold. The second output signal OS2 is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to execute a second measure for reducing the torsional movements of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. For example, the second measure is a reduction of the electric power output of the wind turbine 100. The second measure may be executed with the help of the power output setting arrangement 32.

[0089] In a step S11, third trigger information Ia3 is determined. The third trigger information Ia3 is representative of whether the torsional movement of least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3 exceeds a third threshold after the second measure has been executed. The third threshold may be the same as the first and/or the second threshold or may be different from the first and/or the second threshold. The third trigger information Ia3 is again determined depending on the base information I1 to I5. However, in this case, the base information I1 to I5 is representative of a later moment in time than the base information I1 to I5 used for determining the second trigger information Ia2 which has caused the second output signal OS2.

[0090] If the third trigger information Ia3 is representative of the torsional movement of least one rotor blade 1, 2, 3 to exceed the third threshold, a step S12 is executed in which a third output signal OS3 is generated. The third output signal OS3 is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to execute a third measure for reducing the torsional movements of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3. For example, the third measure shuts down the wind turbine. This may be done with the help of the pitch setting arrangement 31 and/or the power output setting arrangement 32.

[0091] In FIG. 3, the trigger information Ia1, Ia2, Ia3 has been determined depending on five different pieces of base information I1 to I5. However, it can be also sufficient to determine the trigger information Ia1, Ia2, Ia3 depending on only one or only a few of these pieces of base information I1 to I5.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the method for operating the wind turbine 100. In this case, the first Ia1, the second Ia2 and the third Ia3 trigger information are each exemplarily determined only depending on the first base information I1. However, every other of the second I2 to the fifth I5 base information could be used instead. Here, the second threshold is assumed to be greater than the first threshold and the third threshold is assumed to be greater than the second threshold.

[0093] In FIG. 4, the second trigger information Ia2 is also representative of whether the torsional movements of all rotor blades 1, 2, 3 fall below the first threshold after the first measure has been executed. If this is the case, a step S13 is executed, in which a fourth output signal OS4 is generated which is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to execute a fourth measure opposite to the first measure. That is, the fourth measure at least partially cancels the first measure. For example, the fourth measure is a reduction of the pitch angles _i.

[0094] In the case that step S10 is executed, the third trigger information Ia3 is determined. The third trigger information Ia3 is also representative of whether torsional movements of all rotor blades 1, 2, 3 fall below the second threshold after the second measure has been executed. If this is the case, a step S14 is executed in which a fifth output signal OS5 is generated which is configured to cause the setting system 31, 32 to execute a fifth measure opposite to the second measure. That is, the fifth measure at least partially cancels the second measure. For example, the fifth measure is an increase in the electrical power output of the wind turbine.

[0095] FIG. 5 shows simulations for the pitch angle _i of one of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 as a function of time t. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates the first base information I1 determined with the help of the first sensor system 11. As can be seen, the pitch angle _i fluctuates strongly over time.

[0096] FIG. 6 shows the pitch angle f_i as a function of time t after the signal of FIG. 5 has been filtered with the help of a bandpass filter. The bandpass filter is chosen such that it extracts an oscillation of the pitch angle _i of the rotor blade with the torsional eigenfrequency of the rotor blade.

[0097] FIG. 6 shows that the amplitude of the oscillation with the torsional eigenfrequency of the rotor blade increases with increasing time. The lower horizontal line shown in FIG. 6 indicates a first oscillation threshold. As soon as the amplitude passes this first oscillation threshold, the first trigger information Ia1 is determined to be representative of the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeding the first threshold. Accordingly, the first output signal is generated and the first measure is executed, as indicated in FIG. 7. Here, the first measure is collective increase of the pitch angles _i of the rotor blades 1, 2, 3 as also reflected in FIG. 5.

[0098] FIG. 6 shows that the execution of the first measure reduces the speed with which the amplitude of the oscillation of the pitch angle _i increases, but does not result in a decrease of this amplitude. At a later moment in time, the amplitude exceeds a second oscillation threshold (indicated by the further horizontal line). The second trigger information is then determined to be representative of the torsional movement of the rotor blade exceeding the second threshold and, accordingly, the second output signal is generated. The second output signal induces the execution of the second measure. Execution of the second measure (see FIG. 8) finally results in the desired reduction of the amplitude of the pitch angle oscillation (see FIG. 6). The second measure is, for example, the shutdown of the wind turbine.

[0099] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the control system 40. The control system 40 includes the sensor system 11, with which the measurements P11 can be taken. These measurements P11 are provided to the control device 30 which performs the method steps of the method and, possibly, delivers output signals OS1, OS2, which the control system 40 then transmits to the setting system 31, 32 of the wind turbine 100 in order to adjust the operation.

[0100] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0101] 1 first rotor blade [0102] 2 second rotor blade [0103] 3 third rotor blade [0104] 10 rotor [0105] 11 first sensor system [0106] 12 second sensor system [0107] 13 third sensor system [0108] 14 fourth sensor system [0109] 15 fifth sensor system [0110] 16 sixth sensor system [0111] 20 tower [0112] 30 control device [0113] 31 pitch setting arrangement [0114] 32 power output setting arrangement [0115] 40 control system [0116] 100 wind turbine [0117] 104 foundation [0118] 106 nacelle [0119] 112 rotor hub [0120] I1 first base information [0121] I2 second base information [0122] I3 third base information [0123] I4 fourth base information [0124] I5 fifth base information [0125] I6 sixth base information [0126] Ia1 first trigger information [0127] Ia2 second trigger information [0128] Ia3 third trigger information [0129] OS1 first output signal [0130] OS2 second output signal [0131] OS3 third output signal [0132] _i pitch angle [0133] f_i filtered pitch angle [0134] M_x,i torsional bending moment [0135] M_y,i edgewise bending moment [0136] M_z,i flapwise bending moment [0137] P11 to P15 measurements [0138] S1 to S14 method steps