WindTurbineControlSystems:

CurrentStatusandFutureDevelopments
Dr.MatthewALackner
UniversityofMassachusettsAmherst
2
Agenda
BackgroundandOverview
ControlofModernWindTurbines
FutureDevelopmentsinWindTurbineControl
4/3/2009 2
3
Agenda
BackgroundandOverview
ControlofModernWindTurbines
FutureDevelopmentsinWindTurbineControl
4/3/2009 3
4
TheScope
Discussingdynamiccontrolofwind
turbines.
Rapidcontroloftheturbineduring
operation.
Notsupervisorycontrol(safetysystems,
faultmonitoring,etc).
Primarilyfocusedonmodernvariable
speed,pitchcontrolledwindturbines.
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5
ControlObjectives
Numerousobjectiveswhencontrollingawindturbine:
PowerRegulation
Wouldliketogetasmuchenergyoutofwindturbineaspossible.
SpeedRegulation
Noiserestrictionslimitthetipspeedsofwindturbinesto~80m/s.
LoadMitigation
Ensurethatturbineoperatessafelybylimitingtheforces.
Sometimestheseobjectivesconflict.
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6
ControlActuators
Twomajorsystemsforcontrollinga
windturbine.
BladePitchControl
Changeorientationofthebladesto
changetheaerodynamicforces.
Collective
Fullspan
GeneratorTorqueControl
Withapowerelectronicsconverter,
havecontrolovergeneratortorque.
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WindTurbinePowerProduction
Twoimportantnondimensionalnumbers:
TipSpeedRatioPowerCoefficient
Tomaximizepoweroutput,wantconstantoptimaltipspeedratio.
Aswindspeedincreases,rotorspeedincreases.
U
R
=
3
2
1
AU
P
C
P

=
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
P
o
w
e
r

c
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Tip speed ratio
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Agenda
BackgroundandOverview
ControlofModernWindTurbines
FutureDevelopmentsinWindTurbineControl
4/3/2009 8
9
ThePowerCurve
Powervs.WindSpeed
BelowRated:Maximizingpowerextraction.(Region2)
Aboverated:Constantpower.(Region3)
BelowRated
AboveRated
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BelowRatedOperation
Goal:Maximizepowerextraction.
Tomaximizepoweroutput,wantoptimalpowercoefficientandso
constanttipspeedratio.
Bladepitchnotused.Heldconstantatonevalue.
Usegeneratortorquetocontrolrotorspeedforconstanttipspeedratio.
Controllaw:
k determinedforoptimaltipspeedratio.
Inpractice:
Windspeedincreases,rotorisspinningtooslowly.
Aerodynamictorqueincreases,rotoraccelerates.
Generatortorqueincreasestocapturemorepower.
2
= k Q
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AboveRatedOperation:LoadsandTorque
Goalinaboverated:Constantpoweroutput(Limitloads).
Generatortorqueusedtoproduceconstantpower:
ControlLaw:
Respondsrapidlytocontrolinstantaneouspower.
Gen Gen
Rated
P
Q

=
U T P =
= Q P
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AboveRatedOperation:Pitch
Bladepitchusedforconstantrotorspeed.
Usetohelpcontrolaveragepower.
Inpractice:
PitchtoFeather:Bladesarepitchedtowardsincomingwindaswindspeed
increases.
Angleofattackdecreases
Forcesdecrease
Shedspower
Errorsignalis:
PIcontrollersusedtodrivee tozero.
Rated Gen
e =
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ExampleControlSystem
SteadyStateBehavior
NREL5MWreferenceturbinesteadystatebehavior:
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ExampleControlSystemDynamicBehavior
NREL5MWreferenceturbinedynamicbehavior:
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Agenda
BackgroundandOverview
ControlofModernWindTurbines
FutureDevelopmentsinWindTurbineControl
4/3/2009 15
1 SmartRotorControlofWindTurbines
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Faster, local active load control
is possible.
Active feedback control based
on local measurements.
Objective of Smart Rotor Control
Objective: Significant reduction of blade loads by applying span-wise-
distributed load control devices.
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Motivation
Turbines are becoming very large.
5 MW turbine has a 126 m diameter.
Reduction in blade loads can also reduce
the loads in other components:
Tower
Drive train
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SourcesofLoads
Turbulence WindShear TowerShadow
Result is large load on the blades, as well as the drive train and tower.
Loads especially pronounced at integer multiples of the rotation
frequency: 1P, 2P, etc
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AdvancedCurrentControlApproaches
Individualpitchcontrol(IPC)canalsobeusedforloadreduction.
Problem:Increaseddemandonthepitchsystem.
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AerodynamicLoadControlDevices
ShiftingofCl curveorchangein
Stiffflap
Flexibleflap
flaps
adaptive geometry
active twist
microtabs*
*Van Dam 2001
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ExampleofSuccessfulSmartRotorControlat
Delft
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Trailingedgeflaponeachblade.
Objective:Reducebladerootflapwisebending
momentfatigueloads:
Utilizeflapdeflection:
Problem:Rotatingreferenceframe.
ExampleControlApproach
1 2 3
, ,
z z z
M M M
23
1 2 3
, ,
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ASolution:MultiBladeTransformation
Mapvariablesinrotatingcoordinatesystemintofixedcoordinatesystem.
MultiBlade(Coleman)Transformation.
Variablesnowmappedintoyawwiseandtiltwiseaxes(independent).
Timeinvariantsystem(LTI).
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FeedbackControl
1. Measurebladeloads.
2. Transformtofixedcoordinatesystem.
3. TwoLTISISOsystemsforloadreduction.
4. Transformbackintorotatingcoordinates.
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Summary:SmartRotorControl
Simulationsshowlargeloadreductionpotential:~20%reductioninfatigue
loads,someevenmore.
Toexploitfullbenefitofdistributeddevices,needdistributedsensorsfor
localmeasurements.
Pitottubes?
Accelerometers?
Newandexcitingareaforcontrol.
Challengingcontrolproblemandmechanicalreliabilityproblem.
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Questions?
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2 ControlofFloatingWindTurbines
Tobeviable,mustsurviveinoffshoreenvironment.
Subjectedtowindandwaveloads.
Floatingplatformleadstomotionsnotpresentforfixedbottom.
Bottomline:Imperativethatloadsandmotionsonfloatingturbinesare
acceptable.
*Butterfieldetal.,EngineeringChallengesforFloatingOffshoreWind
Turbines2007.
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DynamicsandControl
Motionofplatformleadstoamorecomplex
dynamicsystem.
ConventionalAboveRatedPitchControlSystem:
Pitchtofeather.
Thrustdecreasesaswindspeedincreasesto
produceconstantpower.
ConventionalPitchSystemwithaFloating
Turbine:
Wavemotioncausesplatformtopitchforward
Relativewindspeedattherotorincreases.
Controlsystempitchesbladestofeather.
Rotorthrustdecreases.
Platformmotionisexacerbated.
Controlsystemintroducesanegativedamping
term:largemotionsandloadsresult.
*Namiketal.,PeriodicStateSpaceControlofFloating
WindTurbines2009.
*Namiketal.,PeriodicStateSpaceControlofFloating
WindTurbines2009.
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SimulationModel
Windturbine:NREL5MW
3bladed,upwind,variable
speed,pitchcontrolled.
126mrotordiameter,90mhub
height.
ITIEnergyBarge
Buoyancystabilizedbarge.
40mx40mx10m.
*Jonkman.,InfluenceofControlonthePitchDampingofaFloatingWind
Turbine2007.
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ControlApproachI:
VariablePowerPitchControl
Principle:
Whenplatformpitchesforward,extractmore
energyfromthewind.
Increasethrust.
Whenplatformpitchesbackward,extractless
energyfromthewind.
Decreasethrust.
Alterpitchsystemtoincreaseplatform
damping.
*Namiketal.,PeriodicStateSpaceControlofFloating
WindTurbines2009.
4/3/2009
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VPPCResults
Metricscomparedtothebaselinecontrollerwithconstantgenerator
torque.
TowerLoads PlatformMotions
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