US 10,767,630 B1 · System and method for operating a wind farm during low wind speeds

Abstract

A method for operating a wind farm connected to a power grid that demands a reactive power requirement that varies with active power includes monitoring a wind speed at each of the plurality of wind turbines in the wind farm. When the wind speed is within a cut-in wind speed range, the method includes determining a reactive power margin of the wind farm based on the reactive power requirement at an active power output corresponding to the wind speed and a reactive power availability of each of the plurality of wind turbines at the wind speed. The method also includes determining a lowest possible cut-in rotor speed for each of the plurality of wind turbines that satisfies the reactive power margin. Further, the method includes commanding each of the plurality of wind turbines to cut-in and begin to produce power at the lowest possible cut-in rotor speed that satisfies the reactive power margin.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for operating a wind farm connected to a power grid that demands a reactive power requirement that varies with active power, the wind farm having a plurality of wind turbines each including a generator coupled to a power converter, the method comprising:

monitoring a wind speed at each of the plurality of wind turbines in the wind farm;
when the wind speed is within a cut-in wind speed range,
determining, via a controller of the wind farm, a reactive power margin of the wind farm based on the reactive power requirement at an active power output corresponding to the wind speed and a reactive power availability of each of the plurality of wind turbines at the wind speed;
determining, via the controller, a lowest possible cut-in rotor speed for each of the plurality of wind turbines that satisfies the reactive power margin;
and,
commanding, via the controller, each of the plurality of wind turbines to cut-in and begin to produce power at the lowest possible cut-in rotor speed that satisfies the reactive power margin.

3 more elements

A wind farm connected to a power grid, the wind farm comprising:

a plurality of wind turbines each including a generator coupled to a power converter and a turbine controller;
and,
a controller communicatively coupled to the turbine controllers, the controller configured for performing a plurality of operations, comprising:
monitoring an active power output of the wind farm;
when the active power output is equal to or below a power threshold,
calculating a reactive power requirement of the wind farm based on the active power output and an active power-reactive power (P-Q) curve specified by the power grid;
calculating a reactive power availability at a point of interconnection of the wind farm;
comparing the reactive power availability and the reactive power requirement;
and,
allowing one or more of the plurality of wind turbines of the wind farm to cut-in and begin to produce power at a lowest possible cut-in rotor speed when the reactive power availability is greater than the reactive power requirement.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for operating a wind farm during low wind speeds

Life of this patent

System and method for operating a wind farm during low wind speeds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20