# US 10,480,485 B2 · Control of wind turbines

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,480,485 B2
- Document ID: US10480485B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/519,784
- Filed: 2015-10-16
- Published: 2017-08-31
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-17
- Assignees: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Applicants: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Inventors: Kelvin Hales; Chris Spruce
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480485B2

## CPC

- F03D 7/028: {controlling wind motor output power}
- F03D 9/257: {the wind motor being part of a wind farm}
- F05B 2270/1033: Power (if explicitly mentioned)
- F05B 2270/1075: by temporary overriding set control limits
- F05B 2270/3032: excessive temperatures, e.g. caused by overheating
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and control system comprising at least one cable temperature sensor for measuring cable temperature values for at least one power collection cable (50, 55) connected to a wind turbine (20) and a controller (110) arranged to generate and output an overrating control signal to the wind turbine (20). The output overrating control signal sets an amount by which the power output of the wind turbine (20) is to be overrated. It is determined whether the measured cable temperature values exceed a temperature set point and modifying the overrating control signal to reduce the amount of overrating if the temperature set point is exceeded.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling a wind turbine, the method comprising:
generating and outputting an overrating control signal to the wind turbine, the overrating control signal setting an amount by which the power output of the wind turbine is to be overrated;
measuring cable temperature values for at least one power collection cable connected to the wind turbine using at least one cable temperature sensor;
determining whether the measured cable temperature values exceed a temperature set point; and
modifying the overrating control signal to reduce the amount of overrating if the measured cable temperature values exceed the temperature set point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the overrating control signal comprises reducing the amount of overrating to zero.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein modifying the overrating control signal comprises incrementally reducing the amount of overrating based on the extent to which the temperature set point is exceeded.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cable temperature sensor is integral with the at least one power collection cable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one cable temperature sensor is a distributed temperature sensor extending along a substantial part of the length of the at least one power collection cable.

### Claim 6

A method of controlling a plurality of wind turbines connected to a common node from which power generated by the plurality of wind turbines is exported by at least one power collection cable, the method comprising:
generating and outputting an overrating control signal to the plurality of wind turbines, the overrating control signal setting an amount by which the power output of the plurality of wind turbines is to be overrated;
measuring cable temperature values for the at least one power collection cable using at least one cable temperature sensor;
determining whether the measured cable temperature values exceed a temperature set point; and
modifying the overrating control signal of at least one of the wind turbines to reduce the amount of overrating if the measured cable temperature values exceed the temperature set point.

### Claim 7

A wind turbine control system comprising:
at least one cable temperature sensor for measuring cable temperature values for at least one power collection cable connected to a wind turbine; and
a controller arranged to generate and output an overrating control signal to the wind turbine, the overrating control signal setting an amount by which the power output of the wind turbine is to be overrated, determining whether the measured cable temperature values exceed a temperature set point and modifying the overrating control signal to reduce the amount of overrating if the temperature set point is exceeded.