Granted Patent B2

US 7,939,955 · App. 12/160,511 · Granted May 10, 2011

Abstract

Claims (72)

1. Method for operating a wind energy installation ( 10 ), the wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle, a mechanical brake device ( 19 ) for braking the rotor ( 14 ), an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) and a safety system ( 16 , 20 ), comprising the following method steps:

braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of an angular adjustment ( 28 ) at an average angular adjustment rate of less than 8.5°/s of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) after a fault signal ( 30 ) occurs,

braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ) as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable first rotational speed limit, and

triggering of the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable second rotational speed limit, the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) being braked and the second rotational speed limit being higher than the first rotational speed limit, the second rotational speed limit not being exceeded when the wind energy installation ( 10 ) is operationally capable, even in the event of load shedding by the generator ( 23 ) combined with an extreme gust of wind ( 31 ), the probability of occurrence thereof being less than once in three months.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second rotational speed limit is not exceeded in the event of a gust of wind ( 31 ) with a probability of occurrence of once a year.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the fault signal ( 30 ) includes exceeding a third rotational speed limit which is lower than the first rotational speed limit, load shedding by the generator ( 23 ), an error in the grid ( 25 ) and/or an error in the angular adjustment ( 28 ) of at least one rotor blade ( 16 ).

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the angular adjustment rate of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) after the occurrence of the fault signal ( 30 ) is less than 8°/s.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the angular adjustment rate is controlled by a control device ( 15 , 15 ′) associated with the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) or a separate control device ( 17 ).

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the angular adjustment rate of the at least one rotor blade ( 10 ) when exceeding a predefinable blade angle is altered to a lower angular adjustment rate which is less than half of the previous angular adjustment rate.

7. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotational speed limit is in a range of more than 15% above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which in particular has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

8. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the first rotational speed limit is between 20 and 35% above the rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ).

9. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second rotational speed limit is in a range of 35% to 45% above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which in particular has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

10. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second rotational speed limit is in a range of 5% to 20% above the first rotational speed limit of the wind energy installation ( 10 ).

11. Method according to claim 3 , wherein the third rotational speed limit is in a range of 10% to 20% above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which in particular has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

12. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ) is terminated when a fourth predefinable rotational speed limit is fallen below.

13. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ), is terminated when an average rotor blade angle exceeds a predefinable threshold value, and a predefinable time since the start of the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ) is exceeded.

14. Method for operating a wind energy installation ( 10 ), the wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle, a tower ( 11 ), an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) and a safety system ( 16 , 20 ), comprising the following method steps:

operating the wind energy installation regulated or controlled by the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) for generating electrical voltage until a fault signal ( 30 ) occurs,

triggering of the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) when the fault signal occurs, and

subsequent braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by an angular adjustment ( 28 ) at an, in particular, initial, average angular adjustment rate of less than 6.5°/s of the at least one rotor blade, detected over a time period of a half, up to a whole, vibration period of the tower.

15. Method according to claim 14 , wherein the average angular adjustment rate is less than 6°/s.

16. Method according to claim 14 , wherein the angular adjustment rate is controlled or regulated and is further reduced with increasing enlargement of the blade angle and/or reduction of the rotational speed.

17. Method according to one of claims 14 , wherein the fault signal ( 30 ) in the event of load shedding by a generator ( 23 ) is coupled to an extreme gust of wind ( 31 ), the probability of occurrence of the gust of wind ( 31 ) being less than once in three months, in particular less than once a year.

18. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising:

a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle,

a mechanical brake ( 19 ) for braking the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′),

a safety system ( 16 , 20 ),

a first brake device ( 18 ) which brakes the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of an angular adjustment ( 28 ) of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) at an average angular adjustment rate of less than 8.5°/s in the presence of a fault signal ( 20 ), and

a second brake device ( 19 ) for the mechanical braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable first rotational speed limit,

wherein the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) in the case in which the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable second rotational speed limit, is provided for braking the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

wherein the second rotational speed limit is higher than the first rotational speed limit, and

wherein the second rotational speed limit and the wind energy installation ( 10 ) are dimensioned such that when the wind energy installation ( 10 ) is operationally capable, even in the event of load shedding by the generator ( 23 ) combined with an extreme gust of wind ( 31 ), the probability of occurrence thereof being less than once in three months, the second speed limit is not exceeded.

19. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the second rotational speed limit in the event of a gust of wind ( 31 ) with a probability of occurrence of once a year is not exceeded.

20. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the fault signal ( 30 ) includes exceeding a third rotational speed limit which is lower than the first rotational speed limit, load shedding by the generator ( 23 ), an error in the grid ( 25 ) and/or an error in the angular adjustment ( 28 ) of at least one rotor blade ( 14 ).

21. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the angular adjustment rate of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) in the presence of the fault signal ( 30 ) is set less than 8°/s.

22. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the angular adjustment rate is controlled by a control device ( 15 , 15 ′) associated with the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) or a separate control device ( 17 ).

23. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the angular adjustment rate of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) is able to be altered, when exceeding a predefinable blade angle, to a lower angular adjustment rate, in particular to an angular adjustment rate which is less than half of the previous angular adjustment rate.

24. Wind energy installation ( 10 ), according to claim 18 , wherein the first rotational speed limit is in a range of more than 15% above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which in particular has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

25. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 24 , wherein the first rotational speed limit is between 20 and 35% above the rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ).

26. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the second rotational speed limit is in a range of 35% to 45% above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which, in particular, has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

27. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the second rotational speed limit is in a range of 5% to 20% above the first rotational speed limit of the wind energy installation ( 10 ).

28. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the third rotational speed limit is in a range of 10% to 20%, in particular of 15% to 17%, above a rated speed of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) which, in particular, has a rated power of more than 1.45 MW.

29. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 10 ) may be terminated when falling below a fourth predefinable rotational speed limit.

30. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ), is terminated when an average rotor blade angle exceeds a predefinable threshold value and a predefinable time since the start of the braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by the mechanical brake device ( 19 ) is exceeded.

31. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising:

a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle,

a tower ( 11 ),

an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′), and

a safety system ( 16 , 20 ),

wherein the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) is provided for the regulated or controlled operation of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) for generating electrical voltage until a fault signal ( 30 ) occurs, and

wherein the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) is able to be triggered with and/or after the occurrence of the fault signal and by means of the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) a braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) is produced by means of an angular adjustment ( 28 ) at an, in particular initial, average angular adjustment rate of less than 6.5°/s of the at least one rotor blade detected over a time period of a half to a whole vibration period of the tower.

32. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according to claim 31 , wherein the average angular adjustment rate is less than 6°/s.

33. Wind energy installation according to claim 31 , wherein the angular adjustment rate may be controlled or regulated and may be further reduced with increasing enlargement of the blade angle and/or reduction of the rotational speed.

34. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) according claim 31 , wherein the fault signal ( 30 ) in the event of load shedding by a generator ( 23 ) is coupled to an extreme gust of wind ( 31 ), the probability of occurrence of the gust of wind ( 31 ) being less than once in three months, in particular less than once a year.

35. Method for operating a wind energy installation ( 10 ), the wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle, a mechanical brake device ( 19 ) for braking the rotor ( 14 ), an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′) and a safety system ( 16 , 20 ), comprising the following method steps:

braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of an angular adjustment ( 28 ) at an average angular adjustment rate of less than 8.5°/s of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) after a fault signal ( 30 ) occurs,

braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of the mechanical brake device ( 19 ) as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable first rotational speed limit, and the mechanical braking being triggered by the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′), and

triggering of the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable second rotational speed limit, the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) being braked and the second rotational speed limit being higher than the first rotational speed limit.

36. Wind energy installation ( 10 ) comprising:

a rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) with an adjustable angle,

a mechanical brake ( 19 ) for braking the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ),

an operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′),

a safety system ( 16 , 20 ),

a first brake device ( 18 ) which brakes the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) by means of an angular adjustment ( 28 ) of the at least one rotor blade ( 14 ) at an average angular adjustment rate of less than 8.5°/s in the presence of a fault signal ( 20 ), and

a second brake device ( 19 ) for the mechanical braking of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), as soon as the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable first rotational speed limit,

wherein the second brake device ( 19 ) is able to be triggered by the operational control device ( 15 , 15 ′),

wherein the safety system ( 16 , 20 ) in the case in which the rotational speed of the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ) exceeds a predefinable second rotational speed limit, is provided for braking the rotor ( 12 , 13 , 22 ), and

wherein the second rotational speed limit is higher than the first rotational speed limit.

Assignments (8)