FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to power generating systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling power generating systems having power generating subsystems.

BACKGROUND

Renewable power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and power generating facilities which include renewable power assets have gained increased attention in this regard. One example of such a renewable power asset is a wind turbine. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, a generator, a gearbox, a nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to the gearbox and to the generator. The rotor assembly and the gearbox are mounted on a bedplate support frame located within the nacelle. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known airfoil principles. The rotor blades transmit the kinetic energy in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy and the electrical energy may be transmitted to a converter and/or a transformer housed within the tower and subsequently deployed to a utility grid. Modern wind power generation systems typically take the form of a wind farm having multiple such wind turbine generators that are operable to supply power to a transmission system providing power to an electrical grid.

In modern renewable power applications, multiple power generating subsystems, such as multiple wind farms, may be coupled together at a point of interconnection (POI), such as a POI with an electrical grid. As interest in renewable power has increased, the number of power generating subsystems regulated at the single POI has increased. As a result, interactions between the multiple power generating subsystems has increased such that the output of one power generating subsystem may affect the other power generating subsystems coupled to the same POI. Accordingly, efficient regulation of each of the power generating subsystems may require accurate and timely collection of data concerning electrical parameters at the POI.

One approach for regulating the power generating subsystems may be to obtain direct measurement of the electrical parameters at the POI. However, in many instances, the POI is a component of the electrical grid, therefore, installation of sensors by the power generating subsystem operators may not be permitted. Accordingly, information concerning the electrical parameters of the POI may be provided by the POI operator, with the power generating subsystem operators having little to no control over the fidelity of the information received from the POI operator. Accordingly, the information received from POI operator may be of a lower fidelity than would otherwise be desirable for the efficient regulation of each power generating subsystem. As such, it is desirable to facilitate the efficient regulation of each power generating subsystem utilizing the low-fidelity information regarding the electrical parameters at the POI.

An additional approach for managing the effect of one power generating subsystem on the remaining power generating subsystems coupled to the POI may be through the establishment of communicative links between the power generating subsystems. In such a configuration, each of the power generating subsystems may communicate information concerning the electrical parameters at the power generating subsystem to other connected power generating subsystems. These inputs may then be combined to determine the electrical parameters at the POI. However, such communicative links increase may result in increased costs, require significant coordination between power generating subsystem owners, and may reduce the security of each generating subsystems. Accordingly, it is desirable to facilitate the efficient regulation of each of the power generating subsystems without requiring the sharing of electrical parameter information between the power generating subsystems.

Thus, the art is continuously seeking new and improved systems and methods that address the aforementioned issues. As such, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for controlling a power generating system based on electrical parameter information at the POI.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for controlling a power generating system. The power generating system may include at least one power generating subsystem connected to a POI. The method may include obtaining, with the subsystem controller of the power generating subsystem, a first data signal indicative of an electrical parameter at the POI. The first data signal may have a first data signal fidelity. The method may also include obtaining, with the subsystem controller, a second data signal indicative of the electrical parameter at the generating subsystem. The second data signal may have a second signal fidelity that is higher than the first signal fidelity. Additionally, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller, a first modeled value for the electrical parameter at the POI the higher-fidelity second data signal to compensate for the lower-fidelity first data signal. Further, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller, a setpoint command for the power generating subsystem based, at least in part, on the first modeled value for the electrical parameter.

In an embodiment, generating the first modeled value for the electrical parameter may include determining, with the subsystem controller, a difference between a value of the first data signal and a value of the second data signal. The method may also include filtering, with the subsystem controller, the difference to generate a correlation value. Additionally, the correlation value may be added to the value for the electrical parameter indicated by the second data signal to establish the first modeled value for the electrical parameter.

In an additional embodiment, the power generating subsystem(s) may be a first power generating subsystem. The power generating system may include a second power generating subsystem connected to the POI. The method may include obtaining the first data signal with the subsystem controller of the second power generating subsystem. Additionally, the method may include obtaining, with the subsystem controller of the second power generating subsystem, a third data signal indicative of the electrical parameter at the second generating subsystem. The third data signal having a third signal fidelity. The method may also include generating, with the subsystem controller for the second power generating subsystem, a second modeled value for the electrical parameter at the POI by utilizing the higher-fidelity third data signal to compensate for the lower-fidelity first data signal. Further, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller for the second power generating subsystem, a setpoint command for the second power generating subsystem based at least in part on the second modeled value for the electrical parameter.

In a further embodiment the first and second power generating subsystems may not be communicatively coupled with regards to the second and third data signals such that the third data signal is unknown to the first power generating subsystem and the second data signal is unknown to the second power generating subsystem.

In an embodiment, the method may also include establishing a communication airgap between the first and second power generating subsystems. Establishing the communication airgap may enhance a cybersecurity posture of the first and second power generating subsystems relative to communicatively coupled power generating subsystems.

In an additional embodiment, the power generating subsystem(s) may include a wind farm and the first data signal may be obtained from a electrical grid.

In a further embodiment, the power generating subsystem(s) may include at least one wind turbine of a wind farm, and the first data signal may be obtained from the wind farm.

In an embodiment, the method may include comparing the first data signal to at least one data validity parameter. The method may also include disregarding the first data signal when the comparison indicates the first data signal is invalid.

In an additional embodiment, the first and second signal fidelities may include a measure of a refresh rate, a sensor accuracy, a sensor resolution, and/or a communication delay.

In a further embodiment, the electrical parameter may include voltage, current, power, and/or frequency.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for controlling a power generating system. The system may include the power generating subsystem(s) connected to a POI. The system may also include a subsystem controller of the power generating subsystem(s). The subsystem controller may include at least one processor configured to perform a plurality of operations. The plurality of operations may include obtaining a first data signal indicative of an electrical parameter at the POI. The first data signal may have a first signal fidelity. The plurality of operations may also include obtaining a second data signal indicative of the electrical parameter at the generating subsystem. The second data signal may have a second signal fidelity that is higher than the first signal fidelity. Additionally, the plurality of operations may include generating a first modeled value for the electrical parameter at the POI by utilizing the higher-fidelity second data signal to compensate for the lower-fidelity first data signal. Further, the plurality of operations may include generating a setpoint command for the power generating subsystem based, at least in part, on the first modeled value for the electrical parameter. It should be understood that the system may further include any of the additional steps and/or features described herein.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to method for controlling a wind farm. The wind farm may include at least a first wind turbine and a second wind turbine connected to a POI. The method may include obtaining, with a subsystem controller of each wind turbine, a first data signal indicative of an electrical parameter at the POI. The first data signal may have a first signal fidelity. The method may include obtaining, with the subsystem controller of the first wind turbine, a second data signal indicative of the electrical parameter at the first wind turbine. The second data signal may have a second signal fidelity that is higher than the first signal fidelity. Additionally, the method may include obtaining, with the subsystem controller of the second wind turbine, a third data signal indicative of the electrical parameter at the second wind turbine. The third data signal may have a third signal fidelity that is higher than the first signal fidelity. The first and second wind turbines may not be communicatively coupled with regards to the first and third data signals such that the third data signal is unknown to the first wind turbine and the second data signal is unknown to the second wind turbine. Further, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller of the first wind turbine, a first modeled value for the electrical parameter at the point of interconnection by utilizing the higher-fidelity second data signal to compensate for the lower-fidelity first data signal. Additionally, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller for the second wind turbine, a second modeled value for the electrical parameter at the point of interconnection by utilizing the higher-fidelity third data signal to compensate for the lower-fidelity first data signal. The method may also include generating, with the subsystem controller for the first wind turbine, a setpoint command based, at least in part, on the first modeled value for the electrical parameter. Additionally, the method may include generating, with the subsystem controller of the second wind turbine, a setpoint command based at least in part on the second modeled value for the electrical parameter. It should be understood that the system may further include any of the additional steps and/or features described herein.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

