# US 2020/0287490 A1 · Wind turbine with power-dependent filter device

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- Number: US 2020/0287490 A1
- Document ID: US20200287490A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/648,644
- Filed: 2018-09-19
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-19
- Applicants: Wobben Properties GmbH
- Inventors: Gerd BERENTS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200287490A1

## CPC

- H02M 1/12: Arrangements for reducing harmonics from AC input or output
- F03D 9/25: the apparatus being an electrical generator (F03D9/22 takes precedence)
- H02J 3/01: Arrangements for reducing harmonics or ripples
- H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators}
- H02P 9/02: Details {of the control}
- H02P 9/102: {for limiting effects of transients}
- H03H 7/0115: {comprising only inductors and capacitors (H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence)}
- F03D 7/0284: {in relation to the state of the electric grid}
- H02J 2101/28: Wind energy
- H02P 2101/15: for wind-driven turbines
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- Y02E 40/40: Arrangements for reducing harmonics
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- 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
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Provided is a wind turbine for generating an electric power for feeding into an electric supply grid. The wind turbine includes a multiphase generator for generating electric power and a multiphase generator current and having a generator output for outputting the generator current. The turbine includes a filter device coupled to the generator output for generating a filter current, that is dependent on the electric power. The filter current influences the generator current and reduces electric oscillations thereof. The filter device includes a capacitor for influencing the filter current and at least one choke coil connected in series upstream of the capacitor for influencing the filter current. The choke coil has a saturation current value which indicates an amplitude of the filter current at which the choke coil has a magnetic saturation state. The saturation current value is less than a predetermined filter nominal current of the filter device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wind turbine for generating electric power for feeding into an electric supply grid, comprising:
a multiphase generator configured to generate the electric power, wherein the generator generates a multiphase generator current, and wherein the generator has a generator output configured to output the generator current,
a filter device coupled to the generator output and configured to generate a filter current for influencing the generator current, wherein:
the filter current is dependent on the generated electric power of the generator, and
the filter device includes:
at least one capacitor for influencing the filter current, and
a choke coil coupled in series upstream of the at least one capacitor for influencing the filter current,
wherein the choke coil has a saturation current value indicative of an amplitude of the filter current; at which the choke coil has a magnetic saturation state, and wherein the saturation current value is less than a predetermined filter nominal current of the filter device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the choke coil has:
a substantially inductive behavior when the filter current is below the saturation current value, and
a substantially ohmic behavior when the filter current is above the saturation current value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the choke coil is configured to have the filter current that is greater than the saturation current value flowing therethrough, and wherein the choke coil is configured to have the filter nominal current continually flowing therethrough during operation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the saturation current value is between 10% and 50% of the filter nominal current.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the filter device does not include ohmic damping resistors connected in parallel with the choke coil.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein:
the generator has one or more three-phase stator systems, and
for each three-phase stator system of the one or more three-phase stator systems, the filter device has a three-phase choke or three single-phase chokes with a choke path for each single-phase choke of the three single-phase chokes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein
the generator is coupled to a rectifier configured to rectify the generator current,
the generator current has a plurality of phase currents and each phase current of the plurality of phase currents has a positive half-wave and a negative half-wave,
the generator current is fed to the rectifier,
the rectifier, for each phase current of the plurality of phase currents, includes:
a positively-implemented thyristor configured to rectify the positive half-wave into a positive direct current voltage, and
a negatively-implemented thyristor configured to rectify the negative half-wave into a negative DC voltage, wherein:
the positive thyristor is actuated with a rising phase for switching on,
the negative thyristor is actuated with a falling phase for switching on,
inductances of the choke coils are dimensioned such that the inductances hold a current to counteract unwanted extinction of a respective thyristor by a phase current of the plurality of phase currents falling below a holding current.

### Claim 8

A method of configuring a choke coil for use in a filter device, comprising:
generating, by a multiphase generator of a wind turbine, electric power, wherein the generator generates a multiphase generator current and wherein the generator has a generator output configured to output of the generator current;
generating, by a filter device coupled to the generator output, a filter current for influencing the generator current wherein the filter current is dependent on the generated electric power of the generator;
influencing, by at least one capacitor of the filter device, the filter current; and
influencing, by a choke coil of the filter device coupled in series upstream of the at least one capacitor, the filter current, wherein:
the choke coil has a saturation current value indicative of an amplitude of the filter current, at which the choke coil has a magnetic saturation state, and
the choke coil is configured such that the saturation current value is less than a predetermined filter nominal current of the filter device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, comprising:
performing, by the choke coil, a substantially inductive behavior when the filter current is below the saturation current value; and
performing, by the choke coil, a substantially ohmic behavior when the filter current is greater than the saturation current value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8 wherein the choke coil is configured to have the filter current greater than the saturation current value flowing therethrough, and wherein the choke coil is configured to have the filter nominal current continually flowing therethrough during operation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8 wherein the saturation current value of the choke coil is between 10% and 50% of the filter nominal current.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8 wherein configuring the choke coil includes:
selecting iron losses of the choke coil such that the filter device does not include damping ohmic resistors respectively connected in parallel with the choke coil.

### Claim 13

A method of converting a wind turbine by retrofitting a filter device, comprising:
replacing the filter device or a part of the filter device by a modified filter device or a part of the modified filter device such that the wind turbine includes the modified filter device after the replacement, wherein the wind turbine includes:
a multiphase generator configured to generate electric power, wherein the generator generates a multiphase generator current and the generator has a generator output for outputting the generator current,
a filter device, coupled to the generator output, configured to generate a filter current for influencing the generator current and reducing electric oscillations of the generator current, wherein the filter current is dependent on the generated electric power of the generator,
wherein the modified filter device includes:
at least one capacitor for influencing the filter current; and
a choke coil connected in series upstream of the at least one capacitor for influencing the filter current, wherein the choke coil has a saturation current value indicative of an amplitude of the filter current, at which the choke coil has a magnetic saturation state, and wherein the saturation current value is less than a predetermined filter nominal current of the filter device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of converting the wind turbine according to claim 13 wherein:
at least one filter choke or all filter chokes of the filter device are respectively replaced by a filter choke having lower saturation current, or
damping resistors are removed from the filter device such that the modified filter device does not include any damping resistors.

### Claim 15

(canceled)

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the generator is a synchronous generator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the filter device is configured to generate the filter current for influencing the generator current by reducing electric oscillations of the generator current.

### Claim 18 (depends on 6)

The wind turbine according to claim 6 wherein a capacitor is connected to each choke path such that the filter device includes three capacitors for each three-phase stator system of the one or more three-phase stator systems, wherein the three capacitors are coupled in a delta or a star configuration, and wherein the filter device, for each three-phase stator system of the one or more three-phase stator systems, includes, as electrical components, only a single-phase or the three-phase choke and the three capacitors.

### Claim 19 (depends on 7)

The wind turbine according to claim 7 wherein the holding current is in a proximity of a zero crossing of the phase current.