US 12,018,655 B2 · Providing auxiliary power using offshore wind turbines

Abstract

Embodiments herein describe operating wind turbines in an offshore park to provide auxiliary power to a local AC grid or to an onshore grid during a grid malfunction. In one embodiment, the offshore park is coupled via a HVDC link to an onshore grid. When the HVDC link is down, a substation in the park includes a backup generator for creating a weak grid for powering auxiliary systems in a pilot turbine. The wind turbines in the park can switch to an auxiliary control system help power the auxiliary systems in the substation and in other turbines. In another embodiment, the offshore park is AC coupled to an onshore grid using a transformer in the substation. The wind turbines can participate in a brown or black start following a grid fault by switching to operating using the auxiliary control system.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for controlling a renewable power plant, the renewable power plant comprising a wind turbine park comprising a plurality of wind turbines connected to a local grid and to a substation having a backup generator and an AC/DC converter, wherein a high-voltage DC (HVDC) link connects the renewable power plant to a second grid via the AC/DC converter, the method comprising, upon determination that the HVDC link is unavailable:

operating the backup generator disposed in the substation to supply power to the local grid, thereby forming a weak grid;
operating one or more auxiliary systems within a pilot wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines using power drawn from the weak grid;
and
operating the pilot wind turbine to supply power to the local grid to increase a power level of the weak grid formed on the local grid.

1 more element

A method for controlling a power network, the power network comprising an offshore wind turbine park comprising a plurality of offshore wind turbines connected to an offshore local grid and an onshore wind turbine park comprising a plurality of onshore wind turbines connected to an onshore grid, the onshore and offshore parks being connected by an AC link, the method comprising, upon determination that a fault has occurred in the power network:

supplying back-up power to a pilot wind turbine of the plurality of offshore wind turbines, comprising operating an onshore backup generator to provide auxiliary power to the onshore grid and the offshore local grid via the AC link, thereby forming a weak grid;
operating one or more auxiliary systems within the pilot wind turbine using the back-up power;
operating the pilot wind turbine to supply power to the power network to contribute to forming the weak grid, wherein at least the pilot wind turbine is operated using an auxiliary control system while the fault is occurring;
while the pilot wind turbine is supplying power to the power network:
operating one or more auxiliary systems within one or more of the onshore wind turbines using power drawn via the AC link;
and
operating the one or more onshore wind turbines to supply power to the onshore grid;
and
upon determining that the fault has passed, operating the plurality of wind turbines using a primary control system to supply power to the power network, wherein the primary control system is different to the auxiliary control system.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Providing auxiliary power using offshore wind turbines

Life of this patent

Providing auxiliary power using offshore wind turbines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19