The present invention relates to a wind power generation control device which controls a wind power generator that converts wind power to electric power and a wind power generation control method of controlling a wind power generator.
Hitherto, wind power generators which convert wind power to electric power have drawn attention as power generating devices which do not cause environmental pollution and have been put into practical use. Particularly, small-sized wind power generators having a rated output of several kilowatts (kW) have been used as power sources for lighting equipment and the like in businesses, schools, households and the like, power sources for heaters, measurement devices for temperature, humidity and the like in greenhouses, or power sources for street lights and the like for shopping districts, main roads and the like.
In this type of small-sized power generator, there has been a concern that, if rotational speed of a wind mill is increased by an increase in a wind speed, noise might occur due to vibration of a blade. Also, if generated power rapidly increases with the increase in the rotational speed of the wind mill, power supply to commercial power-supply systems rapidly increases, which might cause the voltage and frequency on the commercial system side to fluctuate.
Thus, in order to prevent such problems, generated power is controlled by any one of a generation voltage, a generation current and a rotational speed or a combination thereof in strong winds.
For example, a technology in which a load current is increased by raising an output voltage of a converter connected to an output stage of a power generator in strong winds and the power generator is electromagnetically braked so as to suppress a rise in a rotational speed of a wind mill is disclosed (See Patent Document 1, for example).
Also, a technology of suppressing a rotational speed without stopping power generation is disclosed in which a rotational speed of a wind mill is detected, and if the detected rotational speed exceeds a reference rotational speed set in advance, a power conversion circuit is controlled so that a ratio (Vout/Vin) between an input voltage (Vin) and an output voltage (Vout) of a power conversion circuit becomes larger and the input voltage (Vin) is lowered and a rotational speed of a wind mill is suppressed (See Patent Document 2, for example).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3423663
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 3523587
However, there has been a problem that an optimal electric power amount corresponding to a wind speed cannot be efficiently obtained in power control in a relatively low wind-speed region approximately at a wind speed of 10 (m/s) or less.
The present invention was made in view of the above-described actual state and has an object to provide a wind power generation control device which controls a wind power generator which can efficiently obtain an optimal power amount corresponding to a wind speed in a relatively low wind speed region and a wind power generation control method of controlling the wind power generator.
The present invention has employed the following configuration in order to solve the above problems.
That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, a wind power generation control device according to the present invention is a wind power generation control device which controls a wind power generator using a wind turbine blade having a fixed pitch angle, characterized in having current detecting means which detects an output current value outputted by the wind power generator, voltage detecting means which detects an output voltage value outputted by the wind power generator, rotational speed detecting means which detects a rotational speed of the wind turbine blade, blade aerodynamic properties storage means which stores blade aerodynamic properties in advance, which are properties inherent to the wind turbine blade, electric power calculating means which calculates output power at the rotational speed at the current time on the basis of an output current value at the current time detected by the current detecting means, an output voltage value at the current time detected by the voltage detecting means, and a rotational speed at the current time detected by the rotational speed detecting means, and control means which controls the wind power generator on the basis of the output power calculated by the electric power calculating means and blade aerodynamic properties stored in the blade aerodynamic properties storage means.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the control means preferably controls the wind power generator such that output power calculated by the electric power calculating means agrees with blade aerodynamic properties stored in the blade aerodynamic properties storage means.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the control means preferably controls the wind power generator in a range of rotational speeds in which the rotational speed detected by the rotational speed detecting means is in a predetermined wind speed region.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the predetermined wind speed region is preferably a wind speed region at approximately 10 (m/s) or less.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, if a rotational speed at the current time detected by the rotational speed detecting means exceeds a maximum rotational speed corresponding to the maximum wind speed in the predetermined wind speed region, the control means preferably controls the wind power generator so that the maximum rotational speed is not exceeded.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the blade aerodynamic properties storage means preferably stores in advance blade aerodynamic properties indicating a relationship between a rotational speed of the wind turbine blade and a torque generated by the wind power generator.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the control means preferably controls the wind power generator by directly short-circuiting an armature coil provided in the wind power generator at a predetermined duty cycle.
Also, in the wind power generation control device according to the present invention, the control means preferably controls the wind power generator by intermittently short-circuiting the armature coil.
Also, according to an aspect of the present invention, a wind power generation control method according to the present invention is a wind power generation control method of controlling a wind power generator using a wind turbine blade having a fixed pitch angle, characterized in that an output current value outputted by the wind power generator is detected, an output voltage value outputted by the wind power generator is detected, and a rotational speed of the wind turbine blade is detected, and on the basis of the detected output current value at the current time, the detected output voltage value at the current time, and the detected rotational speed at the current time, output power at the rotational speed at the current time is calculated, and on the basis of the calculated output power and the blade aerodynamic properties, which are properties inherent to the wind turbine blade stored in the memory in advance, the wind power generator is controlled so that the calculated output power agrees with the blade aerodynamic properties.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail by referring to the attached drawings.
In
The wind power generator 2 is provided with a permanent magnet 21 and a three-phase winding 22 and converts an alternating current generated by rotation of a wind turbine blade 20 whose pitch angle is fixed to a direct current by a rectifier 23 and supplies it to a storage cell 24 and a load 25 connected to this storage cell 24. Since the wind turbine blade 20 has the pitch angle fixed, its structure is relatively simple and has fewer failures as compared with the type in which the pitch angle can be changed or the type in which the blade can be folded, and reduction in size and weight is easy.
The wind power generation control device 1 includes a current A/D conversion portion 11, a voltage A/D conversion portion 12, a rotational speed counting portion 13, an rpm/power calculation portion 14, a counting control portion 15, and a PWM modulation portion 16.
The current A/D conversion portion 11 detects an output current value outputted by the wind power generator 2 through a current detection circuit 26 and converts an analog value to a digital value. The voltage A/D conversion portion 12 detects an output voltage value outputted by the wind power generator 2 through a voltage detection circuit 27 and converts an analog value to a digital value.
The rotational speed counting portion 13 detects and obtains a rotational speed of the wind turbine blade 20 through a rotational speed detection circuit 28. The rpm/power calculation portion 14 calculates a theoretical output value of the wind power generator 2 on the basis of the rotational speed obtained by the rotational speed counting portion 13 and blade aerodynamic properties, which are properties determined in advance and inherent to the wind turbine blade 20. Here, with regard to the blade aerodynamic properties, which are inherent to the wind turbine blade 20, the blade aerodynamic properties indicating the relationship between a rotational speed of the wind turbine blade 20 and a torque generated by the wind power generator 2 may be stored in a memory as a theoretical properties table or a multi-dimensional simulated expression such as WP=a×xn+b×xn−1+ . . . +c×x+d (WP: theoretical output value, x: rotational number, a, b, c, d: coefficient) or a three-dimensional simulated expression such as WP=a1×x3+b1×x2+c1×x+d1 (WP: theoretical output value, x: rotational number, a1, b1, c1, d1: coefficient), for example, may be used.
The above multi-dimensional simulated expression is a simulated expression on the basis of a theoretical-properties calculation formula as illustrated below.
That is, with respect to an arbitrary wind velocity U (m/s) and a rotational speed N (rpm) of a rotor, a power generation output P (W) of the wind power generator can be acquired as in the following expression 1 in accordance with the blade element momentum theory.
where
P: power generation output (W)
ρ: air density (kg/m3)
U: wind speed (m/s)
A: projected area of rotor=πR2 (m2)
R: radius of rotor (m)
CP: power coefficient
Also, the power coefficient CP can be acquired by the following expression 2:
c: code distribution
B: number of blades
CL: lift coefficient
φ: inflow angle (rad)
r: distance of blade from the center of rotor in the j-axis direction (m)
a: guiding coefficient (axial direction component)
a′: guiding coefficient (tangential direction component)
Each variable regarding the above expression 2 is a function of a position r of the blade, and the lift coefficient and the drag coefficient are obtained from blade type data used for the blade at the position r.
Also, the guiding coefficient a and the guiding coefficient a′ are given by an algebra equation describing a dynamic system of a flow field using φ as a variable in the blade element momentum theory as follows:
In order to acquire the guiding coefficient a indicated in the above-described expression 3 and the guiding coefficient a′ indicated in the expression 4, repeated approximation by Steps 1 to 9 as follows is used. It is assumed that a blade torsion distribution θ(r) of the blade and a chord distribution c(r) are given in advance. Also, blade type performance data on the selected blade type is assumed to be known.
Step 1: basic parameter (wind speed U,
blade torsion distribution θ(r), and chord distribution c(r)) are determined.
Step 2: Initial values of the guiding coefficient a and the guiding coefficient a′ (a=a′=0, for example) are given.
Step 3: At a radial position r, from a speed triangle,
φ is acquired by the above expression.
Step 4: An attack angle α is obtained by α=φ−θ.
Step 5: From the blade type data, CL(α) and CD(α) are determined.
Step 6: By using the above expression 5 and the expression 6, CN and CF are calculated.
Step 7: From the above expression 3 and the expression 4, a new guiding coefficient a and guiding coefficient a′ are calculated.
Step 8: The above steps are repeated until the guiding coefficient a and the guiding coefficient a′ converge within a predetermined error range.
Step 9: If the guiding coefficient a and the guiding coefficient a′ converge, output performances are acquired by using the above expression 1. The above integration is obtained by numerical integration in general.
By supposition of a dynamic model,
Also, in actuality, such a flow state might be encountered at a local portion of the blade. In order to handle such a case, experimental expressions for correcting CN and CF are disclosed in the following documents, for example.
Document: “Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines” by M. O. L. Hansen (issued by EARTHSCAN)
Also, the method of correcting the above Cn and Cp is not limited to the above-described expressions but numeral expressions deformed within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention may be used and not limited to the above-described blade element momentum theory, other theories may be utilized within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention.
The counting control portion 15 calculates an output power value of the wind power generator 2 at the current time on the basis of an output current value converted by the current A/D conversion portion 11 and an output voltage value converted by the voltage A/D conversion portion 12 and on the basis of the output power value at the current time of this calculation and a theoretical output value calculated by the rpm/power calculation portion 14, calculates duty (duty factor) of a switching circuit provided in the rectifier 23 so that electric power corresponding to the theoretical output value is outputted.
Then, the PWM modulation portion 16 controls the rectifier 23 through a driver 29 by controlling rotation of the wind turbine blade 20 through pulse width modulation (PWM) so that the wind power generator 2 outputs the power corresponding to the theoretical output value on the basis of the duty calculated by the counting control portion 15.
The PWM modulation portion 16 may control the wind power generator 2 by directly short-circuiting an armature coil provided in the wind power generator 2 with a predetermined duty cycle. At that time, the PWM modulation portion 16 can also control the wind power generator 2 by intermittently short-circuiting the armature coil.
As described above, since the wind power generation control device 1 controls the wind power generator 2 on the basis of the output power outputted by the wind power generator 2, that is, on the basis of the output voltage and the output current, the wind power generation control device 1 can control the wind power generator 2 without being affected by the voltage applied to the load 25.
Each function of the wind power generation control device 1 to which the present invention is applied has been described by using
Thus, by adding the duty calculated as above to the wind power generator 2, as the theoretical electric power properties illustrated in
The theoretical aerodynamic properties illustrated in
Subsequently, the processing flow of wind power generation control in such a wind power generation system will be described by using a flowchart.
At Step S301, an output current value and an output voltage value outputted by the wind power generator 2 are detected and obtained, and at Step S302, an output power value (output power=current×voltage) is calculated from them.
In parallel with that, at Step S303, the rotational speed of the wind turbine blade 20 is detected and obtained.
Then, at Step S304, it is determined whether the rotational speed obtained at Step S303 exceeds a predetermined value or not. As the predetermined value, a rotational speed 1000 (rpm) corresponding to the wind speed 10 (m/s) can be used, for example.
If it is determined that the rotational speed does not exceed the predetermined value, in other words, if the detected rotational speed is within a range of rotational speeds in a predetermined wind speed region (Step S304: No), at Step S305, a theoretical power value is acquired from the rotational speed obtained at Step S303. As the theoretical power value, for example, the blade aerodynamic properties indicating the relationship between the rotational speed of the wind turbine blade 20 and the torque generated by the wind power generator 2 may be used or a multi-dimensional simulated expression such as WP=a×xn+b×xn−1+ . . . +c×x+d (WP: theoretical output value, x: rotational number, a, b, c, d: coefficient) or a three-dimensional simulated expression such as WP=a1×x3+b1×x2+c1×x+d1 (WP: theoretical output value, x: rotational number, a1, b1, c1, d1: coefficient) may be used.
Subsequently, at Step S306, it is determined whether the output power value calculated at Step S302 exceeds the theoretical power value calculated at Step S305.
If it is determined that the output power value exceeds the theoretical power value (Step S306: Yes), at Step S307, the load of the wind power generator 2 is decreased by controlling the rectifier 23 on the basis of a duty calculated so as to decrease the power outputted by the wind power generator 2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the output power value does not exceed the theoretical power value (Step S306: No), at Step S308, the load of the wind power generator 2 is increased by controlling the rectifier 23 on the basis of the duty calculated so as to increase the power outputted by the wind power generator 2.
Also, if it is determined at Step S304 that the obtained rotational speed exceeds the predetermined value, in other words, if the detected rotational speed exceeds the range of rotational speeds in the predetermined wind speed region (Step S304: Yes), at Step S309, a reference rotational speed or 1000 (rpm), for example, is set.
Subsequently, at Step S310, it is determined whether the reference rotational speed set at Step S309 exceeds the rotational speed detected at Step S303 or not.
If it is determined that the reference rotational speed exceeds the detected rotational speed (Step S310: Yes), at Step S311, the load of the wind power generator 2 is decreased by controlling the rectifier 23 on the basis of the duty calculated so as to decrease the power outputted by the wind power generator 2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the reference rotational speed does not exceed the detected rotational speed (Step S310: No), at Step S312, the load of the wind power generator 2 is increased by controlling the rectifier 23 on the basis of the duty calculated so as to increase the power outputted by the wind power generator 2.
As illustrated in
In general, in the wind power generator, the output is increased in proportion to the cube of the wind speed, but in practice, in order to prevent destruction of the wind turbine blade, noise or the like, the output is limited by some means in general. The wind power generation control device 1 to which the present invention is applied has an advantage of raising power generation efficiency in the low wind speed region from the wind speed 2 to 10 (m/s).
Also, since the wind power generation control device 1 to which the invention is applied controls the wind power generator 2 on the basis of the output power outputted by the wind power generator 2, that is, the output voltage and the output current, the wind power generator 2 can be controlled without being affected by the voltage applied to the load 25.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described by referring to the attached drawings, but the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be realized by hardware as a function of a wind power generation control device or by firmware or software by means of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) board or a CPU board.
Also, the wind power generation control device to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the above-described embodiment as long as the functions are executed, and it is needless to say that the device may be a single-piece device, a system or an integrated device constituted by a plurality of devices or a system in which processing is executed through a network such as a LAN, WAN or the like.
Also, the present invention can be realized by a system consisting of memory such as a CPU, ROM and RAM connected to a bus, an input device, an output device, an external storage device, a medium driving device, and a network connecting device. That is, it is needless to say that the present invention is also realized by supplying memory such as a ROM and a RAM, an external recording device or a portable recording medium which records a software program which realizes the above-described system of the embodiment to the wind power generation control device and by reading out and executing the program by a computer of the wind power generation control device.
In this case, the program itself read out of the portable recording medium or the like realizes the new function of the present invention, and the portable recording medium or the like which records the program constitutes the present invention.
As the portable recording medium which supplies the program, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magnet-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM card, various recording media which record the program through an e-mail or a network connecting device (in other words, a communication line) such as a personal computer communication or the like can be used, for example.
Also, by executing the program read out on memory by a computer (information processing device), the above-described function of the embodiment is realized and also, when an OS operating on the computer executes a part of or the whole of the actual processing on the basis of an instruction of the program, the above-described function of the embodiment is also realized by the processing.
Moreover, after the program read out of the portable recording medium or the program (data) provided by a program (data) provider is written in memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, when a CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit executes a part of or the whole of the actual processing on the basis of the instruction of the program, the above-described function of the embodiment can be also realized by the processing.
That is, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment but can take various configurations or shapes within the range not departing from the gist of the present invention.
The present invention exerts an advantage that higher power generation efficiency can be obtained even with a fixed blade by finding a theoretical output value at the rotational speed from the theoretical properties of a wind turbine prepared in advance so that the output at a relatively low wind speed region becomes the highest and by adjusting the duty (duty factor) of a switching circuit so that the maximum power generation amount according to the theoretical output value is obtained.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-129111 | May 2009 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2010/059149 | 5/28/2010 | WO | 00 | 11/18/2011 |