US 11,674,500 B2
Method for controlling a wind energy farm taking wake effects into account
Jacob Deleuran Grunnet, Tranbjerg J (DK); and Anders Steen Nielsen, Højbjerg (DK)
Assigned to VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
Appl. No. 16/961,111
Filed by VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Jan. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/DK2019/050005
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 9, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/137590, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2018 70011 (DK), filed on Jan. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0054826 A1, Feb. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. F03D 9/00 (2016.01); H02P 9/04 (2006.01); F03D 17/00 (2016.01); F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F03D 7/04 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 17/00 (2016.05) [F03D 7/0292 (2013.01); F03D 7/048 (2013.01); F05B 2260/80 (2013.01); F05B 2270/1033 (2013.01); F05B 2270/1095 (2013.01); F05B 2270/331 (2013.01); F05B 2270/332 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a wind energy farm, the wind energy farm comprising a plurality of wind turbines, the method comprising:
determining a wake state of the wind energy farm, including determining wake chains defining wake relationships among the plurality of wind turbines of the wind energy farm under current wind conditions, wherein a first wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines comprises at least one downstream wind turbine in a first wake chain, and wherein a second wind turbine is a leaf node in a second wake chain,
for at least the first wind turbine of the wind energy farm, estimating a first lifetime usage, based on an accumulated load measure for the first wind turbine, and in a case that the first estimated lifetime usage is below a first predefined lifetime usage limit, operating the first wind turbine in a first overrated state,
estimating a second lifetime usage, based on an accumulated load measure for the second wind turbine, and in a case that the second estimated lifetime usage is below a second predefined lifetime usage limit, operating the second wind turbine in a second overrated state,
at a first time and upon operating the first wind turbine operating in the first overrated state, monitoring wake effects due to at least the first wind turbine operating in the first overrated state at each of the wind turbines of the wind energy farm,
in a case that a downstream wind turbine detects wake effects above a predefined wake threshold level, generating a control signal for the first wind turbine operating in the first overrated state, wherein the control signal requests a decrease in generated wake from the first wind turbine, and wherein the first wind turbine operating in the first overrated state comprises an upstream wake relationship with the downstream wind turbine,
at a second time, controlling the first wind turbine operating in the first overrated state in accordance with the generated control signal, and
operating the second wind turbine in accordance with the second overrated state.