Active current production within over-current margins of parallel converters
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H02P-009/00
F03D-009/00
F03D-007/02
H02J-003/38
H02J-003/48
H02M-007/493
F03D-009/25
H02M-001/32
출원번호
US-0593835
(2015-01-09)
등록번호
US-9903343
(2018-02-27)
발명자
/ 주소
Hjort, Thomas
출원인 / 주소
VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
대리인 / 주소
Patterson + Sheridan, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A wind turbine is arranged to operate in a fully-functional converter mode and a faulty-converter mode. A plurality of converters are arranged to share electric current in the fully-functional converter mode. The converters are dimensioned not only to operate at nominal active current but to provide
A wind turbine is arranged to operate in a fully-functional converter mode and a faulty-converter mode. A plurality of converters are arranged to share electric current in the fully-functional converter mode. The converters are dimensioned not only to operate at nominal active current but to provide an over-current margin to enable reactive current to be produced on top of the nominal active current in the fully-functional converter mode. In the fully-functional converter mode the converters are caused to produce reactive current on top of the nominal active current. In response to a fault of one or more of the converters, operation is changed from the fully-functional converter mode to the faulty-converter mode. In the faulty-converter mode, one or more other converters of the converter system are caused to produce additional active current by using their over-current margin to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active-current production due to the fault of one of the converters, and to reduce the reactive-current production by the other converter correspondingly.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of producing electrical energy using a wind turbine comprising a generator and a converter system, the converter system configured to convert electrical power from the generator and to supply converted electrical power at a nominal active power level to a point of common coupling of the
1. A method of producing electrical energy using a wind turbine comprising a generator and a converter system, the converter system configured to convert electrical power from the generator and to supply converted electrical power at a nominal active power level to a point of common coupling of the wind turbine to an electrical grid,wherein the converter system comprises a plurality of converters arranged in parallel, wherein each converter of the plurality of converters has a respective overcurrent margin and is configured to supply a respective nominal active current level at the nominal active power level of the converter system, wherein the overcurrent margin enables the converter to supply a respective overcurrent in addition to the nominal active current level in a fully-functional converter mode of the wind turbine,the method comprising: operating, in the fully-functional converter mode, at least a first converter of the plurality of converters to supply a first overcurrent level within a first overcurrent margin of the first converter;transitioning to a faulty converter mode of the wind turbine responsive to determining that a second converter of the plurality of converters is faulty;supplying, responsive to transitioning to the faulty converter mode, a first active current by the first converter in addition to the nominal active current level of the first converter, wherein the first active current is provided from the first overcurrent margin and compensates at least partly for a reduced active current production of the faulty second converter; andsupplying, based on an amount of the first active current, a second overcurrent level that is less than the first overcurrent level while operating in the faulty converter mode. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first overcurrent margin is a reactive current margin of the first converter, and wherein each of the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level is a respective reactive current level of the first converter. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wind turbine is a first wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines of a wind park, the method further comprising: operating, in the faulty converter mode, at least a second wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines to increase reactive current production to compensate at least partly for a difference between the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical grid has a nominal grid voltage, and wherein the overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters collectively enable the nominal active power level to be supplied responsive to a less-than-nominal grid voltage in the fully-functional converter mode, the method further comprising: operating, in the fully-functional converter mode and in response to determining the less-than-nominal grid voltage, the plurality of converters to produce the nominal active power level, wherein producing the nominal active power level causes individual converters of the plurality of converters to each supply an active current greater than the nominal active current levels, andoperating, in the faulty converter mode and at the nominal grid voltage, at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a converter cooling system configured to remove heat from the converter system, the converter cooling system including a coolant having a coolant temperature, wherein the plurality of converters are further configured to supply the respective nominal active current levels at a predetermined coolant temperature value, andwherein the converter system converts less electrical power and generates less heat while operating in the faulty converter mode than in the fully-functional converter mode,the method further comprising: performing at least one of lowering the coolant temperature and detecting a lowered coolant temperature, wherein a reduction in coolant temperature corresponds to an increase in overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters; andcausing at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter using the increase in the overcurrent margins to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first overcurrent margin comprises one or more of a reactive current margin, a low-voltage margin, and a low-temperature margin. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first overcurrent margin comprises at least the reactive current margin, and wherein supplying a second overcurrent level that is less than the first overcurrent level in the faulty converter mode comprises: at least partly disabling a reactive power production of the wind turbine such that at least part of the reactive current margin is available for supplying the first active current. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least partly disabling the reactive power production of the wind turbine comprises completely disabling the reactive power production of the wind turbine such that substantially all of the reactive current margin is available for supplying the first active current. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first overcurrent margin comprises at least the low-voltage margin, and wherein supplying a second overcurrent level that is less than the first overcurrent level in the faulty converter mode comprises: disabling a functionality of the wind turbine in which active current production is increased responsive to a voltage drop at the wind turbine, such that at least part of the low-voltage margin is available for supplying the first active current. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transitioning to the fully-functional converter mode responsive to clearing the fault of the second converter; andperforming one or more of: raising a coolant temperature of a converter cooling system of the wind turbine, reducing active current production of the first converter to the respective nominal active current level, increasing active current production of the second converter to the respective nominal active current level, and transitioning a blade pitch of the wind turbine to full power production. 11. A wind turbine configured to operate in a fully-functional converter mode and a faulty-converter mode, the wind turbine comprising: a generator configured to produce electrical power;a converter system coupled with the generator and configured to convert the electrical power and supply converted electrical power at a nominal active power level to a point of common coupling of the wind turbine to an electrical grid,wherein the converter system comprises a plurality of converters arranged in parallel,wherein each converter of the plurality of converters has a respective overcurrent margin and is configured to supply a respective nominal active current level at the nominal active power level of the converter system, wherein the overcurrent margin enables the converter to supply a respective overcurrent in addition to the nominal active current level in the fully-functional converter mode; anda converter system controller configured to: operate, in the fully-functional converter mode, at least a first converter of the plurality of converters to supply a first overcurrent level within a first overcurrent margin of the first converter;transition to the faulty-converter mode responsive to determining that a second converter of the plurality of converters is faulty; andoperate, responsive to transitioning to the faulty-converter mode, the first converter to: supply a first active current in addition to the nominal active current level of the first converter, wherein the first active current is provided from the first overcurrent margin and compensates at least partly for a reduced active current production of the faulty second converter, andsupply, based on an amount of the first active current, a second overcurrent level that is less than the first overcurrent level while operating in the faulty-converter mode. 12. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the first overcurrent margin is a reactive current margin of the first converter, and wherein each of the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level is a respective reactive current level of the first converter. 13. The wind turbine of claim 12, wherein the wind turbine is a first wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines of a wind park, wherein the converter system controller is further configured to: operate, in the faulty-converter mode, at least a second wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines to increase reactive current production to compensate at least partly for a difference between the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level. 14. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the electrical grid has a nominal grid voltage, and wherein the overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters collectively enable the nominal active power level to be supplied responsive to a less-than-nominal grid voltage in the fully-functional converter mode, wherein the converter system controller is further configured to: operate, in the fully-functional converter mode and in response to determining the less-than-nominal grid voltage, the plurality of converters to produce the nominal active power level, wherein producing the nominal active power level causes individual converters of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current levels, andoperate, in the faulty-converter mode and at the nominal grid voltage, at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter. 15. The wind turbine of claim 11, further comprising: converter cooling system configured to remove heat from the converter system, the converter cooling system including a coolant having a coolant temperature,wherein the plurality of converters are further configured to supply the respective nominal active current levels at a predetermined coolant temperature value, andwherein the converter system converts less electrical power and generates less heat while operating in the faulty-converter mode than in the fully-functional converter mode,wherein the converter system controller is further configured to: perform at least one of lowering the coolant temperature and detecting a lowered coolant temperature, wherein a reduction in coolant temperature corresponds to an increase in overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters; andcause at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter using the increase to the overcurrent margins to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter. 16. A control arrangement for a wind turbine comprising a generator configured to produce electrical power and a converter system configured to convert electrical power from the generator and to supply converted electrical power at a nominal active power level to a point of common coupling of the wind turbine to an electrical grid, wherein the converter system comprises a plurality of converters arranged in parallel, wherein each converter of the plurality of converters has a respective overcurrent margin and is configured to supply a respective nominal active current level at the nominal active power level of the converter system, wherein for each converter the overcurrent margin enables the converter to supply a respective overcurrent in addition to the nominal active current level in a fully-functional converter mode of the wind turbine,the control arrangement comprising one or more computer processors configured to perform an operation that includes: operating, in the fully-functional converter mode, at least a first converter of the plurality of converters to supply a first overcurrent level within a first overcurrent margin of the first converter;transitioning to a faulty converter mode of the wind turbine responsive to determining that a second converter of the plurality of converters is faulty; andoperating, responsive to transitioning to the faulty converter mode, the first converter to: supply a first active current in addition to the nominal active current level of the first converter, wherein the first active current is provided from the first overcurrent margin and compensates at least partly for a reduced active current production of the faulty second converter, andsupply, based on an amount of the first active current, a second overcurrent level that is less than the first overcurrent level while operating in the faulty converter mode. 17. The control arrangement of claim 16, wherein the first overcurrent margin is a reactive current margin of the first converter, and wherein each of the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level is a respective reactive current level of the first converter. 18. The control arrangement of claim 17, wherein the wind turbine is a first wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines of a wind park, wherein the operation further includes: operating, in the faulty converter mode, at least a second wind turbine of the plurality of wind turbines to increase reactive current production to compensate at least partly for a difference between the first overcurrent level and the second overcurrent level. 19. The control arrangement of claim 16, wherein the electrical grid has a nominal grid voltage, and wherein the overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters collectively enable the nominal active power level to be supplied responsive to a less-than-nominal grid voltage in the fully-functional converter mode, wherein the operation further includes: operating, in the fully-functional converter mode and in response to determining the less-than-nominal grid voltage, the plurality of converters to produce the nominal active power level, wherein producing the nominal active power level causes individual converters of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current levels, andoperating, in the faulty converter mode and at the nominal grid voltage, at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter. 20. The control arrangement of claim 16, wherein the wind turbine further comprises: a converter cooling system configured to remove heat from the converter system, the converter cooling system including a coolant having a coolant temperature,wherein the plurality of converters are further configured to supply the respective nominal active current levels at a predetermined coolant temperature value, andwherein the converter system converts less electrical power and generates less heat while operating in the faulty converter mode than in the fully-functional converter mode,wherein the operation further includes: performing at least one of lowering the coolant temperature and detecting a lowered coolant temperature, wherein a reduction in coolant temperature corresponds to an increase in overcurrent margins of the plurality of converters; andcausing at least a third, non-faulty converter of the plurality of converters to supply an active current greater than the nominal active current level of the third converter using the increase to the overcurrent margins to compensate at least partly for a reduction of active current production of the converter system due to the fault of the second converter.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Llorente González, José Ignacio; Andresen, Björn; Birk, Jens, Method for operation of a converter system.
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