Patent Application
20120080881
The subject matter described herein relates generally to operating wind turbines and, more particularly, to automatically addressing wind turbine exception conditions using corrections that are associated with the exception conditions.
Wind turbines utilize wind energy to generate or produce electrical power. Multiple wind turbines may be installed at a site to form a wind farm. To facilitate effective operation of a wind turbine, at least some known wind turbines include a computing device known as a controller, which is configured to monitor and/or adjust various operating aspects of the wind turbine. A controller may produce an exception condition in response to an operational issue associated with the wind turbine or the controller. The exception condition may render the wind turbine and/or the controller partially or completely inoperable.
Resolving exception conditions produced by known controllers requires human effort in the form of investigation and correction by an operator. Accordingly, an expense and a delay are associated with the resolution of each exception condition. This expense and delay are multiplied in a wind farm with many wind turbines and many controllers.
In one aspect, a system for use in operating a wind turbine is provided. The system includes a controller that is operatively coupled to the wind turbine and configured to transmit an exception condition and a plurality of parameters representing at least one of a configuration of the controller and an operating condition of the wind turbine. The system also includes a controller management device that is coupled in signal communication with the controller and configured to receive the exception condition and the parameters from the controller. The controller management device is further configured to identify a correction that is associated with the exception condition and to apply the correction.
In another aspect, a device for use in operating a wind turbine is provided. The device includes a memory device, a communication interface, and a processor that is coupled to the memory device and the communication interface. The memory device is configured to store a plurality of corrections, each of which is associated with an exception condition. The communication interface is configured to receive an exception condition from a first wind turbine controller of the plurality of wind turbine controllers. The processor is programmed to determine whether a correction is associated with the received exception condition within the memory device. When a correction is associated with the received exception, the processor is also programmed to apply the associated correction.
In yet another aspect, method for use in operating a wind turbine. The method includes receiving an exception condition and at least one parameter from a wind turbine controller that is operatively coupled to a wind turbine. The at least one parameter represents a configuration of the controller and/or an operating condition of a wind turbine. A correction for the received exception condition is determined by a processor based at least in part on the received exception condition and the at least one received parameter. The correction is applied by the processor.
The embodiments described herein facilitate operating one or more wind turbines by automatically correcting exception conditions. As used herein, an “exception condition” is a software malfunction, a hardware malfunction, a fault, and/or any other operational anomaly associated with a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine controller.
In some embodiments, corrections are associated with exception conditions. When an exception condition arises, one or more associated corrections are applied to facilitate resolving the exception condition. A correction includes one or more operations, which may be defined in a sequence. Such operations include, without limitation, setting configuration parameters, restarting software, and/or restarting hardware.
A correction may be associated with one or more parameters provided by a wind turbine controller in addition to the exception condition. A parameter indicates a configuration and/or an operating condition of a wind turbine controller and/or a wind turbine. Accordingly, the correction selected for a particular exception condition may differ based on the parameters provided by the wind turbine controller.
Moreover, in some embodiments, if no correction is associated with an exception condition, a user is prompted to provide a correction. The provided correction may be used in response to subsequent occurrences of the exception condition. Such embodiments facilitate continually increasing the proportion of exception conditions for which automatic correction is provided.
An exemplary technical effect of the methods, system, and apparatus described herein includes at least one of: (a) receiving an exception condition and/or at least one parameter from a wind turbine controller that is operatively coupled to a wind turbine, (b) by a processor, determining a correction for the received exception condition based at least in part on the received exception condition and/or the at least one received parameter, and (c) applying the correction by the processor.
In some embodiments, wind turbine 100 includes one or more sensors 120 and/or control devices 125 (shown in
Control devices 125 are configured to control an operation of wind turbine 100 and may include, without limitation, a brake, a relay, a motor, a solenoid, and/or a servomechanism. A control device 125 may adjust a physical configuration of wind turbine 100, such as an angle or pitch of rotor blades 108 and/or an orientation of nacelle 102 or rotor 106 with respect to tower 104.
One or more computing devices 210 are configured to be coupled in signal communication with devices at one or more wind turbine sites 220 via network 205. In an exemplary embodiment, a user computing device 225 and a controller management device 230 are coupled in signal communication with a site network 235 at one or more wind turbine sites 220 via network 205. In addition, or alternatively, controller management device 230 may be positioned at wind turbine site 220 and coupled in signal communication with site network 235. Wind turbine site 220 includes a plurality of wind turbines 100, and each wind turbine 100 includes a wind turbine controller 240 that is coupled in signal communication with site network 235.
Each of user computing device 225, controller management device 230, and wind turbine controller 240 includes a processor, as shown in
Wind turbine controller 240 also includes a communication interface 315. Communication interface 315 is configured to be coupled in signal communication with one or more computing devices 210, site network 235, and/or network 205 (shown in
In some embodiments, wind turbine controller 240 includes one or more sensor interfaces 320. Sensor interface 320 is configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more sensors 120, such as a first sensor 122 and a second sensor 124, and may be configured to receive one or more signals from each sensor 120. Sensor interface 320 facilitates monitoring and/or operating wind turbine 100. For example, wind turbine controller 240 may monitor operating conditions (e.g., wind speed, rotor speed, and/or power output) of wind turbine 100 based on signals provided by sensors 120. In an exemplary embodiment, processor 305 executes one or more monitoring software applications and/or control software applications. A software application may produce one or more operating parameters that indicate an operating condition, and memory device 310 may be configured to store the operating parameters. For example, a history of operating parameters may be stored in memory device 310.
In some embodiments, optimal execution of a software application by wind turbine controller 240 requires that one or more configuration parameters be defined. For example, a software application may require an identifier (e.g., a network address) of wind turbine controller 240, sensor 120, and/or any remote device with which the software application is programmed to communicate. Accordingly, memory device 310 may be configured to store such configuration parameters. Wind turbine controller 240 may be configured to transmit parameters, such as configuration parameters and/or operating parameters, to a remote device, such as controller management device 230 or user computing device 225, via communication interface 315.
In some embodiments, wind turbine controller 240 also includes a control interface 325, which is configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more control devices 125, such as a first control device 127 and a second control device 129. In one embodiment, wind turbine control interface 325 is configured to operate control device 125 including a brake to prevent rotor 106 (shown in
Wind turbine controller 240 transmits 415 the exception condition and, optionally, one or more parameters to controller management device 230 (shown in
Wind turbine controller 240 receives 420 a correction from controller management device 230 and applies 425 the correction. For example, the correction may include one or more instructions, and wind turbine controller 240 may apply 425 the correction by executing the instructions. Wind turbine controller 240 may be configured to apply 425 the correction by operating one or more control devices 125 via control interface 325. For example, the correction may instruct wind turbine controller 240 to apply a brake and/or to adjust a rotor blade pitch.
In one embodiment, the correction includes one or more replacement configuration parameters the include a default or expected value, and wind turbine controller 240 applies 425 the correction by applying the replacement configuration parameters to a software application. For example, wind turbine controller 240 may apply an expected value from the replacement configuration parameter to a corresponding current configuration parameter. Wind turbine controller 240 optionally restarts the software application.
Configuration parameters may be received 420 as a file, a portion of a file (e.g., delta data representing a change to a file), a database update statement, structured text such as key-value pairs or an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document, and/or structured data, such as a serialized object. Further wind turbine controller 240 may receive 420 a collection of all available configuration parameters or merely one or more configuration parameters to be replaced. Wind turbine controller 240 applies 425 the configuration parameters based on the form in which the configuration parameters are received 420. For example, a file containing configuration parameters may be written to a file system of wind turbine controller 240, and a database update statement may be executed against a database executed by wind turbine controller 240.
In some embodiments, computing device 210 includes at least one presentation device 515 for presenting information to user 520. Presentation device 515 is any component capable of conveying information to user 520. Presentation device 515 may include, without limitation, a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or “electronic ink” display) and/or an audio output device (e.g., a speaker or headphones). In some embodiments, presentation device 515 includes an output adapter, such as a video adapter and/or an audio adapter. An output adapter is operatively coupled to processor 505 and configured to be operatively coupled to an output device, such as a display device or an audio output device.
In some embodiments, computing device 210 includes an input device 525 for receiving input from user 520. Input device 525 may include, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch sensitive panel (e.g., a touch pad or a touch screen), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a position detector, and/or an audio input device. A single component, such as a touch screen, may function as both an output device of presentation device 515 and input device 525. Computing device 210 also includes a communication interface 530, which is configured to be communicatively coupled to network 205, site network 235, one or more wind turbine controllers 240, and/or one or more other computing devices 210.
Stored in memory device 510 are, for example, computer readable instructions for providing a user interface to user 520 via presentation device 515, receiving and processing input from input device 525, and/or determining a correction for an exception condition. A user interface may include, among other possibilities, a web browser and/or a client application. Web browsers and client applications enable users, such as user 520, to display and interact with media and other information from a remote device, such as controller management device 230. Exemplary client applications include, without limitation, a software application for managing one or more wind turbines 100.
In one embodiment, computing device 210 facilitates correcting an exception condition when no correction is associated with the exception condition. Presentation device 515 is configured to prompt user 520 to provide a correction, and input device 525 is configured to receive a correction provided by user 520. Processor 505 is programmed to apply the received correction. Optionally, the received correction may be stored in memory device 510 in association with the exception condition.
Controller management device 230 identifies 610 a correction, if any, that is associated with the exception condition. The correction includes one or more operations. If controller management device 230 determines that a correction has been identified 610, controller management device 230 applies 615 the identified correction. For example, controller management device 230 may execute and/or instruct wind turbine controller 240 to execute each operation in the correction.
If controller management device 230 determines that no correction has been identified 610, controller management device 230 prompts 620 a user to enter a correction for the exception condition and applies 615 the entered correction. Optionally, controller management device 230 associates 625 the entered correction with the received exception condition and/or one or more of the received parameters. Such an embodiment facilitates increasing the number of exception conditions that can be automatically corrected by controller management device 230.
In an exemplary embodiment, controller management device 230 includes a correction database 260, which may be stored in memory device 510 (shown in
Controller management device 230 is configured to identify 610 a correction at least in part by querying correction database 260 to determine whether a correction is associated with the received exception condition and/or parameters. For example, an exception condition may be associated with multiple corrections, and the set of associated corrections may be narrowed by selecting only corrections that are also associated with one or more parameters corresponding to the exception condition. Further, parameters associated with a correction may be assigned a weight. Accordingly, a correction may be selected from correction database 260 based further on the assigned weights of parameters. For example, configuration parameters may be assigned a higher weight than is assigned to operating parameters. In such an example, a correction associated with a configuration parameter that matches a received parameter may be selected over a correction associated with an operating parameter that matches a received parameter.
Correction database 260 provides any matching correction(s) or an indication that no such correction exists. When a correction is associated with the received exception and/or parameters, controller management device 230 applies 615 the correction provided by correction database 260.
In some embodiments, controller management device 230 is coupled in signal communication with multiple wind turbines 100. Controller management device 230 may be configured to receive 605 exception conditions and/or parameters from each wind turbine 100 and to apply a correction for each exception condition that is associated with a correction. Further, correction database 260 may include corrections received from a remote device, such as a remote controller management device 230. Such embodiments facilitate distributing automated corrections to a plurality of sites 220.
In some embodiments, controller management device 230 and one or more wind turbines 100 are located in a site 220, also referred to as a “wind farm.” Wind turbines 100 and controller management device 230 are communicatively coupled to site network 235, and the wind farm network is communicatively coupled to network 205. In addition, or alternatively, one or more controller management devices 230 may be communicatively coupled to network 205 from a location other than a site 220. In one embodiment, one or more controller management devices 230 is communicatively coupled to network 205 from a centralized monitoring and/or control facility. Controller management device 230 communicates with another controller management device 230 and/or one or more wind turbine controllers 240 at one or more wind farms. Such an embodiment facilitates responding to exception conditions at multiple wind turbine sites 220 from one remote location.
Some embodiments facilitate automatically replacing incorrect configuration parameters with dynamically or statically defined default parameters. In one embodiment, correction database 260 stores one or more default parameters including an expected value, and controller management device 230 is configured to apply 615 the correction by providing at least one of the expected values to wind turbine controller 240.
Such a comparison 650 may be performed for each current configuration parameter received 605 (shown in
The created replacement configuration parameters are transmitted 660 to wind turbine controller 240, indicating corrections to the current configuration parameters. In addition, an instruction directing wind turbine controller 240 to restart a software application that uses a corrected configuration parameter may be transmitted 665 to wind turbine controller 240.
In an exemplary embodiment, user interface 700 includes an exception condition indicator 705, which displays a name, a description, and/or an identifier of an exception condition, such as an exception condition received from wind turbine controller 240 (shown in
User interface 700 facilitates accepting a correction for the indicated exception condition from user 520. In an exemplary embodiment, a correction includes one or more operations. Operations may be added via an add operation button 715 and removed via a remove operation button 720. When user 520 selects add operation button 715, user interface 700 displays an operation portion.
First operation portion 725 includes a first operation selector 735, and second operation portion 730 includes a second operation selector 737. Operation selectors 735, 737 include a list of available operations that may be performed by controller management device 230 and/or by wind turbine controller 240. For example, the available operations may include, without limitation, setting a parameter, restarting an application, restarting wind turbine controller 240, resetting wind turbine 100 (shown in
When user 520 selects an operation in first operation selector 735, user interface 700 may display one or more related user interface elements. In the exemplary embodiment, with an operation of “Set parameter” selected in first operation portion 725, user interface displays a parameter selector 740 and a value type selector 745.
Parameter selector 740 includes a list of parameters that may be set by controller management device 230 and/or by wind turbine controller 240. For example, parameter selector 740 may include the names of at least a portion of the current parameters displayed in parameter list 710. Value type selector 745 includes a list of types of values that may be assigned to the parameter selected in parameter selector 740. Value types may include, without limitation, an empty or null value, a static value, and/or a dynamic value.
When a static value type is selected in value type selector 745, user interface 700 may display a value field (not shown), into which user 520 may enter a value. When a dynamic value is selected, user interface 700 displays a dynamic value selector 750, which includes a list of values that may be dynamically determined by controller management device 230 and/or by wind turbine controller 240. Such values may include an identifier or an address (e.g., a network address) of a device, such as sensor 120, control device 125, and/or a wind turbine controller 240.
User interface 700 includes an apply button 755 and an apply-and-save button 760. When user 520 selects apply button 755, controller management device 230 and/or wind turbine controller 240 applies the entered correction by performing the operations specified in operation portions 725, 730. When user 520 selects apply-and-save button 760, the correction is applied, and controller management device 230 stores the correction in association with the exception condition and/or the parameters displayed in parameter list 710.
Some embodiments facilitate manual review of an exception condition prior to applying a correction. In one embodiment, user interface 700 includes a prompt operator option 765. When a correction is stored with the prompt operator option 765 selected, controller management device 230 (shown in
In some embodiments, a set of stored corrections is presented to a user. For example, all known corrections may be displayed by associated exception conditions and/or associated parameters. When a correction is selected, controller management device 230 may display user interface 700 with the associated parameter(s) shown in parameter list 710. If user interface 700 is presented in the absence of an exception condition, apply button 755 and apply-and-save button 760 may be replaced by a save button (not shown).
Embodiments provided herein facilitate automatically applying corrections to exception conditions associated with a wind turbine, with a site having multiple wind turbines, and/or with multiple sites. When an exception condition is identified at a wind turbine controller, a correction associated with the exception condition may be transmitted to the wind turbine controller. Moreover, a user may be prompted to enter a correction for an exception condition that has no associated correction, and the entered correction may be used to automatically correct future occurrences of the exception condition. Such embodiments allow an operator of one or more sites to increase the proportion of exception conditions which are automatically corrected over time.
The methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium including, without limitation, a memory device of a computing device. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein.
Exemplary embodiments of a wind turbine control system are described above in detail. The system, devices, wind turbine, and included assemblies are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather each component may be utilized independently and separately from other components described herein.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
