Control.com - Nerds in Control

Hi,

I was wondering could somebody shed some light on the control of wind turbines. Vestas or others.

Are they primarily controlled by PLCs or integrated DCS? If so what type? Are they of hierarchy or application layer type?

Is there a specific turbine control aspect to the control?

Is it more SCADA type systems that are used? If so what type?

And information or documentation would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards
Brian

>I was wondering could somebody shed
>some light on the control of wind
>turbines. Vestas or others.

<snip>

Hello Brian,

There are several levels of control in wind turbines, like most systems. At wind farm level, i.e. considering a group of turbines, there is the distribution of the farm power demand over the individual turbines, active/reactive power control, and starting/stopping the turbines. This is, normally, a SCADA-type system. See e.g.:

http://www.vestas.com/en/wind-power-solutions/scada.aspx

I am currently working on the EU research project Aeolus, in this area:

http://www.ict-aeolus.eu/

Within the turbine itself there are various control loops, with different requirements on sample time. One link from Vestas on specific turbine control aspects (Siemens, GE and other manufacturers probably have similar info):

http://www.vestas.com/en/wind-power-solutions/vestas-technologies.a spx

The control system is typically an embedded control system, or set thereof. For example, Beckhoff supply such a system:

http://www.beckhoff.com/english/pdf/applicat/pcc_0208_Special_PC_Co ntrol_for_wind_turbines_e.pdf

Hope this (still) helps,
Gerrit.