Monitoring a wind turbine based on a predicted future thermal condition of a wind turbine electrical component
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorsCiprian Biris, Ole Damm Kristensen, Shirin Yousefizadeh
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for monitoring a wind turbine having an electrical component. An exterior temperature and power loss associated with the electrical component is obtained, and a thermal model describing the electrical component is executed, based on the exterior temperature and power loss, to determine an internal temperature of the electrical component. A further thermal model describing the electrical component is executed, based on the internal temperature and an exterior component temperature, to predict a future thermal condition of the electrical component in order to monitor operation of the wind turbine.
Claims20
A method of monitoring a wind turbine having an electrical component, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- obtaining a power loss of the electrical component at current operating variables;
- executing a first thermal model describing the electrical component to determine at least one internal temperature of the electrical component, the first thermal model being executed based on the obtained first exterior temperature and the obtained power loss;
- obtaining a second exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- and
- executing a second thermal model describing the electrical component to predict a future thermal condition of the electrical component to monitor operation of the wind turbine, the second thermal model being executed based on the determined at least one internal temperature and the obtained second exterior temperature;
- and
- based on the future thermal condition, shutting down the wind turbine or switching the wind turbine to a different operational mode, wherein the different operational mode comprises at least one of (i) a derated operational mode or (ii) an operational mode to overload the electrical component.
A controller for controlling a wind turbine having an electrical component, the controller being configured to:
- obtain a first exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- obtain a power loss of the electrical component at current operating variables;
- execute a first thermal model describing the electrical component to determine at least one internal temperature of the electrical component, the first thermal model being executed based on the obtained first exterior temperature and the obtained power loss;
- obtain a second exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- execute a second thermal model describing the electrical component to predict a future thermal condition of the electrical component, the second thermal model being executed based on the determined at least one internal temperature and the obtained second exterior temperature;
- and
- output a control action for controlling operation of the wind turbine based on the future thermal condition.
A wind turbine, comprising:
- a tower;
- a nacelle disposed on the tower;
- an electrical component;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- obtain a first exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- obtain a power loss of the electrical component at current operating variables;
- execute a first thermal model describing the electrical component to determine at least one internal temperature of the electrical component, the first thermal model being executed based on the obtained first exterior temperature and the obtained power loss;
- obtain a second exterior temperature associated with the electrical component;
- execute a second thermal model describing the electrical component to predict a future thermal condition of the electrical component, the second thermal model being executed based on the determined at least one internal temperature and the obtained second exterior temperature;
- and
- output a control action for controlling operation of the wind turbine based on the future thermal condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.