Abstract: A wind turbine includes wind turbine blades, a wind turbine rotor coupled to the wind turbine blades, a wind turbine generator coupled to the wind turbine rotor, a wind turbine converter coupled to the wind turbine generator, a controllable brake comprising one or more sources of controllable rotor torque adjustment for providing a first level of torque adjustment, a discrete brake for more coarsely providing a second level of torque adjustment, and a controller programmed for responding to a deceleration event by determining a required torque adjustment for braking, determining a sequence of applying the controllable brake and the discrete brake for driving a combination of the first and second levels of torque adjustment towards the required torque adjustment, and providing control signals for decelerating the wind turbine.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine includes a detecting system configured to determine at least one of a rotor load, a wind shear, a wind speed, and a load imbalance due to wind shear. An adjusting system is configured to adjust a shaft moment set point correction value based on at least one of the rotor load, the wind shear, the wind speed, and the load imbalance. A compensating system is configured to compute a shaft moment correction command based on the shaft moment set point correction value output from the adjusting system. A pitch system is configured to adjust a pitch of at least one blade of the wind turbine based on the shaft moment set point correction command, or a yaw system is configured to adjust the yaw position of a rotor based on the shaft moment set point correction command.

Abstract: A wind turbine system, comprising a tower, a plurality of blades, a rotor supported by the tower and rotatably coupled to the plurality of blades, a pitch control device for regulating pitch angles of the plurality of blades, a torque control device for regulating torque of the rotor, a processing subsystem programmed to slow down the wind turbine system by using the torque control device alone to slow down the rotor when the torque control device is fully capable of slowing down the rotor, and using both the torque control device and the pitch control device to slow down the rotor when the torque control device alone is not fully capable of slowing down the rotor.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling power ramp rates in renewable variable power generation systems. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for limiting power ramp rates. The method can include regulating collective power output of a plurality of variable energy sources by monitoring collective power output of the plurality of variable energy sources, and controlling collective power output of the plurality of variable energy sources with the plurality of power control signals.

Abstract: A wind turbine system is provided. In various embodiments, the system includes a nacelle supported by a tower. At least one rotor blade is rotatably connected with the nacelle to capture wind energy. The at least one rotor blade rotates relative to the nacelle for generating electricity. A generator is coupled to the nacelle for converting the wind energy into electrical energy. A transformer-converter assembly comprises a converter and a transformer such that the converter is integrally connected to the transformer. An electrical and control module is electronically coupled to the generator and the transformer-converter assembly.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine includes a detecting system configured to determine at least one of a rotor load, a wind shear, a wind speed, and a load imbalance due to wind shear. An adjusting system is configured to adjust a shaft moment set point correction value based on at least one of the rotor load, the wind shear, the wind speed, and the load imbalance. A compensating system is configured to compute a shaft moment correction command based on the shaft moment set point correction value output from the adjusting system. A pitch system is configured to adjust a pitch of at least one blade of the wind turbine based on the shaft moment set point correction command, or a yaw system is configured to adjust the yaw position of a rotor based on the shaft moment set point correction command.

Abstract: A wind turbine system, comprising a tower, a plurality of blades, a rotor supported by the tower and rotatably coupled to the plurality of blades, a pitch control device for regulating pitch angles of the plurality of blades, a torque control device for regulating torque of the rotor, a processing subsystem programmed to slow down the wind turbine system by using the torque control device alone to slow down the rotor when the torque control device is fully capable of slowing down the rotor, and using both the torque control device and the pitch control device to slow down the rotor when the torque control device alone is not fully capable of slowing down the rotor.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for protecting a rotary machine in a high noise environment. In one embodiment, the method includes a step of measuring a vibration signal during operation of the rotary machine. Another step includes modulating the vibration signal at a desired frequency to generate a modulated signal having a direct current (DC) value. The desired frequency varies as a function of an operational parameter of the rotary machine. The method also includes a step of filtering the modulated signal via one or more low-pass filters. Another step includes comparing an amplitude of the filtered signal to a threshold amplitude for one or more components of the rotary machine. The threshold amplitude is indicative of an imbalance within one or more components of the rotary machine. The rotary machine is then operated based on the comparison so as to protect the rotary machine from damage caused by the imbalance within the one or more components of the rotary machine.

Abstract: The system includes at least one blade, a pitch command generator, a blade pitch system, a model store unit and a monitor unit. The pitch command generator is for generating at least one pitch command. The blade pitch system is for adjusting a pitch angle of the blade according to the pitch command and outputting an actual response representing an actual pitch condition of the blade in response to the pitch command. The model store unit is for receiving the pitch command and generating a desired response representing a desired pitch condition in response to the pitch command based on a nonlinear blade model. The monitor unit is for comparing a difference between the actual response and the desired response with a predetermined threshold and determining an operation status of the blade based at least in part on the difference. A method and a wind turbine are also provided.

Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for improving speed control of a pitch drive system of a wind turbine. In one embodiment, the pitch drive system includes a direct current (DC) motor having an armature and a series-field winding, a battery assembly having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and a current-controlling device configured in series between the positive terminal of the battery assembly and the series-field winding. The battery assembly is configured to supply power to the pitch drive system and the current-controlling device is configured to supply current to the series-field winding so as to ensure a field flux does not equal zero. Thus, the current-controlling device has the effect of limiting the maximum speed of the DC motor.

Abstract: A system for automatic generation control in a wind farm is provided. The system includes a wind farm controller for controlling the plurality of energy storage elements. The wind farm controller receives an automatic generation control set point from an independent system operator, generates a farm-level storage power set point for the wind farm based on the automatic generation control set point, generates individual storage power set points for the plurality of energy storage elements based on states of charge of the respective energy storage elements, and controls the plurality of energy storage elements based on the individual storage power set points for dispatching storage power to perform automatic generation control.

Abstract: A method for operating a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes at least two groups of wind turbines, each of the at least two groups of wind turbines includes at least one wind turbine of the wind farm, each of the wind turbines of the wind farm belonging to one of the at least two groups of wind turbines. The method includes determining a power setpoint for the wind farm, determining a group curtailment setpoint for each of at least two groups of wind turbines, determining a power production value of each of the at least two groups of wind turbines, determining for each of the at least two groups of wind turbines a power reference value using the respective group curtailment setpoint and the respective power production value, determine for each of the at least two groups of wind turbines a group power setpoint which is proportional to the respective power reference values, and operating the at least two groups of wind turbines in accordance with the respective group power setpoint.

Abstract: A method for controlling a wind farm including a plurality of wind turbines is provided. The method includes computing an error between a farm-level base point power and a measured wind farm power, generating an aggregated farm-level active power set point for the wind farm based on the error and a frequency response set point, generating aggregated turbine-level active power set points based on the aggregated farm-level active power set point, transmitting the aggregated turbine-level active power set points, determining aero power set points and storage power set points for the respective wind turbines and energy storage elements of the respective wind turbines from the aggregated turbine-level active power set points, and controlling the plurality of wind turbines for delivering aero power based on the respective aero power set points and controlling the energy storage elements to provide storage power based on the respective storage power set points.

Abstract: Power inverters are controlled in response to reactive power support commands received from a power grid such that at least one power inverter provides reactive power to the power grid. The reactive power provided is based on each power inverter's reactive power capacity only while the total power capacity of each power inverter providing the reactive power is not exhausted in generating real power.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for regulating power in renewable energy sources. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for regulating active power produced by the renewable energy source towards an apparent power setpoint. The method may include selectively regulating voltage based on power factor foldback or voltage foldback associated with the renewable energy source. When power factor foldback is selected, the method may include regulating the power factor associated with the renewable energy source based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, and reducing the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero when apparent power produced by the renewable energy source approaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint.

Abstract: Power inverters are controlled in response to reactive power support commands received from a power grid such that at least one power inverter provides reactive power to the power grid. The reactive power provided is based on each power inverter's reactive power capacity only while the total power capacity of each power inverter providing the reactive power is not exhausted in generating real power.

Abstract: A method of verifying operation of at least one wind turbine sensor includes dynamically defining a neighborhood of neighbor wind turbines for a first wind turbine, each neighbor wind turbine including at least one sensor. The method also includes receiving data from at least one neighbor wind turbine sensor and determining a status of at least one sensor of the first wind turbine using the data received from the neighbor wind turbine sensor.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine, the control system having at least one measurement device configured to measure at least one operating condition of the wind turbine and a first controller. The first controller is configured to calculate an operating limit of the wind turbine based on the measured operating condition and to adjust the operating limit based on a limiting condition of a component of the wind turbine.

Abstract: A solar farm system is provided that is configured for reducing electrical loss. The solar farm system includes a plurality of PV arrays coupled to inverters and a collector system including a conductor or network of conductors. The collector system also includes a plurality of transformers with one or more transformers connected between the inverters and the conductors. The solar farm also includes a substation transformer connecting the solar farm collector system to the electrical grid. The solar farm includes a control system configured to determine at least one operating parameter for the solar farm system to reduce electrical loss and to regulate the collector system and the plurality of inverters based at least in part on the at least one operating parameter.

Abstract: A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for controlling operation of an electrical power generation system are provided. The electrical power generation system has a plurality of electrical generators electrically coupled to an electrical grid. The method includes obtaining a first output parameter value associated with the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining an error value indicative of a difference between the first output parameter value and a desired output parameter value. The method further includes determining a first gain value based on at least one of the first output parameter value and a time-varying operational parameter of the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining a first power value based on the error value and the first gain value.