The wind turbine controller is mainly applied in the following scenarios:
1、 Wind power plant
Large scale onshore wind power plants
In vast land wind farms, dozens or even hundreds of large wind turbines are usually installed. The wind turbine controller plays a crucial role here. It can accurately control the power of each turbine based on different wind speeds and directions. For example, when the wind speed is between the cut in wind speed (usually around 3-4 meters/second) and the rated wind speed (usually around 12-15 meters/second), the controller will adjust the pitch angle of the blades so that the speed and output power of the turbine can increase linearly with the change of wind speed to achieve maximum wind energy utilization efficiency.
At the same time, the controller can also achieve cluster management of multiple turbines. In a power plant, due to the possible differences in wind speed and direction experienced by turbines at different locations, the controller can coordinate the operating status of each turbine. For example, when strong winds or sudden changes in wind direction occur in a local area, the controller can quickly adjust the parameters of the affected turbine to avoid overload or excessive vibration, ensuring the stable operation of the entire power plant.
Offshore wind power plant
Offshore wind farms face more complex environmental conditions. Sea breeze is usually stronger and the wind direction and speed change more frequently. The wind turbine controller can monitor these changes in real time. For example, the wind speed at sea may rapidly increase from 10 meters per second to over 20 meters per second in a short period of time, and the controller can quickly adjust the output power of the turbine to prevent damage due to overspeed.
Moreover, the marine environment requires higher reliability of equipment. The controller can detect potential issues with the turbine in a timely manner through remote monitoring and fault diagnosis functions. For example, if the generator temperature of a certain turbine is too high or a component has a fault signal, the controller can immediately send the information to the onshore monitoring center, so that operation and maintenance personnel can take timely measures, such as dispatching maintenance ships for repairs, thereby reducing downtime and improving power generation efficiency.
2、 Distributed wind power generation system
Independent power supply in remote areas
In some remote mountainous areas, islands and other areas where the power grid is difficult to cover, wind turbine controllers can be applied to independent wind power generation systems. For example, in an island fishing village, installing small wind turbines and utilizing local wind energy resources to provide electricity to local residents. The controller can optimize the operation of the turbine based on the actual wind speed of the island, ensuring stable power supply under different weather conditions.
In this independent power supply system, the controller can also be combined with energy storage devices (such as batteries). When the wind speed is high and the power generation is sufficient, the controller can store excess electricity in the battery; When the wind speed is low or there is no wind, release electrical energy from the battery to meet the electricity needs of residents’ daily life and basic production activities, such as lighting and the use of small electrical equipment.
Distributed systems that complement other energy sources
In some distributed energy systems, wind turbines, solar panels, small hydroelectric power generation equipment, etc. together form a hybrid energy system. The wind turbine controller can cooperate with controllers of other energy systems here. For example, during the day when there is sufficient sunlight and low wind speed, the solar power generation system is the main power source, and the wind turbine is in standby or low-power operation mode; At night or on cloudy days with high wind speeds, the wind turbine controller will start the turbine, making wind power the main power source. Through this complementary approach, the stability and reliability of the entire distributed energy system can be improved.