# US 12,110,866 B2 · Method for operating a wind turbine and wind turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,866 B2 - Document ID: US12110866B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/521,553 - Filed: 2021-11-08 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-16 - Assignees: Nordex Energy GmbH; Ingenieurbuero Hoffmann GmbH - Applicants: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG; Ingenieurbuero Hoffmann GmbH - Inventors: Christian Wessels; Nils Hoffmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110866B2 ## CPC - F03D 7/0284: {in relation to the state of the electric grid} - F03D 15/00: Transmission of mechanical power - H02J 3/001: Arrangements for handling faults or abnormalities, e.g. emergencies or contingencies - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02P 9/007: {Control circuits for doubly fed generators} - H02P 9/102: {for limiting effects of transients} - H02P 27/085: {wherein the PWM mode is adapted on the running conditions of the motor, e.g. the switching frequency} - F05B 2220/706: an electrical generator - F05B 2270/337: Electrical grid status parameters, e.g. voltage, frequency or power demand - H02J 2101/28: Wind energy - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - Y02E 10/76: Power conversion electric or electronic aspects - F03D: WIND MOTORS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - 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 This disclosure is directed to a method for operating a wind turbine which includes a speed-variable drive system. The system includes an electrical machine and a pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter. The speed-variable drive system is connected to an electrical grid. In the event of a transient grid fault, a frequency of the pulsewidth modulation is determined in response to a current in an electrical circuit connected to the converter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a wind turbine in association with an electrical grid, the wind turbine including: a speed-variable drive system connectable to said electrical grid; said speed-variable drive system including a generator having a rotor and a pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter including a rotor-side inverter connected to said rotor; a grid-side inverter connected to the electrical grid; and, a DC link connecting said rotor-side inverter to said grid-side inverter; a first electrical circuit, said first circuit connecting said generator to said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter; and, a second electrical circuit, said second circuit connecting said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter to said electrical grid; the method comprising: in an event of a transient grid fault in the electrical grid, measuring current in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit; detecting a current increase in at least one of said first and said second electrical circuits on a basis of the current measured in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit, wherein the current increase results from the transient grid fault; and, determining a frequency of a pulsewidth modulation in response to said current increase in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said generator is a double-fed induction generator; the method comprising the further step of: in the event of the transient grid fault, determining the frequency of said pulsewidth modulation of at least one of said rotor-side inverter and said grid-side inverter in response to said current increase. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the current increase relates to a current in at least one of a said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transient grid fault is detected when a voltage drop in the electrical grid is present. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transient grid fault is present for a time of between milliseconds and seconds. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transient grid fault is present for less than 10 seconds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the current increase is indicative of the transient grid fault in the electrical grid. ### Claim 8 A method for operating a wind turbine in association with an electrical grid, the wind turbine including: a speed-variable drive system connectable to said electrical grid; said speed-variable drive system including a generator having a rotor and a pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter including a rotor-side inverter connected to said rotor; a grid-side inverter connected to the electrical grid; and, a DC link connecting said rotor-side inverter to said grid-side inverter; a first electrical circuit, said first circuit connecting said generator to said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter; and, a second electrical circuit, said second circuit connecting said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter to said electrical grid; the method comprising: in an event of a transient grid fault in the electrical grid, determining a frequency of a pulsewidth modulation in response to a current increase in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit, wherein the current increase results from the transient grid fault; and, wherein, in the event of the transient grid fault, the frequency of the pulsewidth modulation is decreased in response to the current increase. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency of the pulsewidth modulation is decreased in a monotonic or strictly monotonic manner at least in some ranges with the current increase. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency of the pulsewidth modulation decreases abruptly when the current exceeds a predetermined limit. ### Claim 11 A wind turbine for operating in association with an electrical grid, the wind turbine comprising: a speed-variable drive system connectable to said electrical grid; said speed-variable drive system including a generator having a rotor and a pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter; said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter including a rotor-side inverter connected to said rotor, a grid-side inverter connected to said electrical grid, and, a DC link connecting said rotor-side inverter to said grid-side inverter; a first electrical circuit, said first circuit connecting said generator to said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter; a second electrical circuit, said second circuit connecting said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter to said electrical grid; said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter including a controller; said controller being configured to detect a transient grid fault in the electrical grid and to control said pulsewidth modulation-controlled converter via a pulsewidth modulation; and, in an event of the transient grid fault in the electrical grid, said controller being configured to detect a current increase in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit, wherein the current increase results from the transient grid fault; and said controller being further configured to determine a frequency of said pulsewidth modulation in response to said current increase in at least one of said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein: said generator is a double-fed induction generator; and, said controller is further configured, in the event of the transient grid fault, to control the frequency of said pulsewidth modulation of at least one of said rotor-side inverter and said grid-side inverter in response to said current. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wind turbine of claim 12, wherein said current is at least one of a current in one or more phases in said first circuit and a current in one or more phases of said second circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to, in the event of the transient grid fault, decrease the frequency of said pulsewidth modulation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The wind turbine of claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to decrease the frequency of the pulsewidth modulation with the increase of the current in a monotonic or strictly monotonic way, at least in some ranges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The wind turbine of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to decrease the frequency of the pulsewidth modulation abruptly when the current exceeds a predetermined limit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein said current increase is indicative of the transient grid fault in the electrical grid.