JP2008232108A - Windmill and its control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continue power generation even when a wind is blown above a cut-out wind speed in an upwind state.
SOLUTION: A nacelle 4 is supported on a tower 2 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis, and a rotor 6 having blades 6b is supported on the nacelle 4 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis. A yaw driving device 5 drives the nacelle 4 around the vertical axis, and a pitch driving device 8 drives the blade 6. The rotation range of the blade 6b is set so that the surface of the blade 6b receives wind in the upwind state and the downwind state, and power can be generated in the upwind state and the downwind state.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a windmill, for example, a windmill for power generation, and particularly relates to a windmill with measures taken when a strong wind blows.

  Conventionally, as a countermeasure against a strong wind in a wind turbine, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a nacelle is arranged at the upper part of the tower so as to be rotatable around the central axis of the tower. A generator is provided in the nacelle. A rotor provided outside the nacelle is coupled to this generator, and a blade is formed on the rotor. This rotor is located on the windward side, so this windmill is an upwind type windmill. When the wind speed becomes equal to or higher than the cutout wind speed at which power generation needs to be stopped, the rotor and nacelle are swung around the central axis of the tower so that the rotor is in the downwind position located on the leeward side. In this case, when the rotor is positioned on the windward side, the direction of the blade is opposite and no lift is generated on the blade. Further, since the wind from an oblique direction with respect to the blade rotation surface aligns the main axis of the rotor with the wind direction, the blade can be prevented from being damaged without an excessive load acting on the blade.

International Publication WO2003 / 080662

  According to the technique of Patent Document 1, it is possible to prevent the blade from being damaged when a strong wind having a cut-out wind speed or more blows. However, no power is generated because no lift is generated in the blade.

  An object of this invention is to provide the windmill which can improve the efficiency of electric power generation, and its control part.

  The windmill of 1 aspect of this invention has a tower. A nacelle is supported on the tower, for example, at the top of the tower so as to be rotatable around the length of the tower, for example, around a central axis in the length direction of the tower. For example, a generator is accommodated in the nacelle. A rotor is supported on the nacelle, for example, outside the nacelle so as to be rotatable about a direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the tower. The rotor is coupled to the generator, for example, and the generator rotates according to the rotation of the rotor. The rotor is provided with a blade so as to be rotatable about a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the rotor is rotatable. When the blade receives wind, the rotor rotates and the generator rotates accordingly. A yaw drive device drives the nacelle around the length of the tower. The pitch drive device drives the blade. The rotation range of the blade is set such that the blade surface receives wind in an upwind state where the rotor and the blade are on the windward side and a downwind state where the rotor and the blade are on the leeward side. As a result, power can be generated in the upwind state and the downwind state.

  If comprised in this way, since a nacelle can be driven with a yaw drive device, a nacelle can be rotated from an upwind state to a downwind state. Furthermore, since the rotation range of the blade by the pitch drive device is set to receive wind in the upwind state and the downwind state, the blade may receive the wind after rotating the nacelle in the downwind state. Further, the blade can be rotated by the pitch driving device. Therefore, it is possible to generate power even at a wind speed higher than the cut-out wind speed in an upwind type windmill, thereby improving the power generation efficiency.

  For example, an anemometer can be provided, and when the value of the wind speed detected by the anemometer reaches the cut-out wind speed in the upwind state, the upwind state can be switched to the downwind state.

  For example, switching from the upwind state to the downwind state with a switching wind speed smaller than the cutout wind speed in the up window state may frequently exceed this switching wind speed, and the yaw drive device and pitch drive device are frequently used. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare these devices with high durability. However, since it does not frequently occur that the wind speed is higher than the cut-out wind speed in the upwind state, the number of times of switching from the upwind state to the downwind state is small, and the number of operations of the yaw drive device and the pitch drive device is small. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare these devices with high durability.

  Alternatively, when the wind speed measured by the anemometer reaches near the cut-out wind speed in the upwind state, the upwind state can be switched to the downwind state.

  If comprised in this way, since a wind speed will be switched to a downwind state before the cutout wind speed of an upwind state, possibility that a braid | blade will be damaged can be reduced.

  Alternatively, when the wind speed measured by the anemometer is in the optimal range in the downwind state, the upwind state can be switched to the downwind state.

  With such a configuration, when the wind speed reaches an optimum wind speed in the downwind state and in the upwind state, the state is switched to the downwind state. Therefore, the state is switched to a state where the power generation efficiency is high according to the wind speed at that time.

  Alternatively, when the wind speed measured by the anemometer is in the optimum range in the upwind state, the downwind state can be switched to the upwind state.

  If comprised in this way, according to the wind speed at that time, it will switch to a state with sufficient electric power generation efficiency.

  Alternatively, when the wind speed measured by the anemometer becomes smaller than the optimum range in the downwind state, the downwind state can be switched to the upwind state.

  If comprised in this way, it can switch to a state with sufficient electric power generation efficiency according to a wind speed. For example, if the normal wind is blowing down and the wind is down, and the wind speed is lower than the normal wind, switching to the up wind state will cause the wind speed to exceed the cutout wind speed in the up wind state. And the possibility of breakage of the windmill, particularly the blade, can be reduced.

  Alternatively, instead of the anemometer or in addition to the anemometer, a rotor rotation speed detector is provided, and when the rotor rotation speed measured by the rotor rotation speed detector is likely to be over-rotation or over-rotation, It is also possible to switch from the up window state to the down window state.

  With this configuration, when the rotor is rotating at a speed that may cause over-rotation or over-rotation, the up-wind state can be switched to the down-wind state, so that the power generation efficiency is high according to the number of rotations of the rotor. Can be switched to.

  Alternatively, the pitch driving device includes a blade ring gear fixed to the blade, a pinion meshed with the ring gear, a drive mechanism coupled to the pinion, for example, a reduction gear coupled to the pinion, and the deceleration It can also consist of a motor connected to the machine.

  If comprised in this way, a braid | blade can be rotated to 270 degree | times or more with a simple structure. Further, since the contact position of the pinion with the ring gear is different between the upwind state and the downwind state, the durability of the ring gear and the pinion is improved.

  As described above, according to the present invention, power generation can be continued even when a wind speed higher than the cut-out wind speed of the upwind wind turbine is blowing, and power generation efficiency can be improved.

  For example, the wind turbine can be configured to be switched to an upwind state when the windmill is installed on an inclined ground and winds down.

  If comprised in this way, since the wind direction and the longitudinal direction of a braid | blade can form the angle nearer to a right angle, power generation efficiency can be improved.

  For example, it can be configured such that the windmill is installed on an inclined ground and switched to a downwind state when the wind is blowing up.

  If comprised in this way, since the wind direction of the blowing wind and the longitudinal direction of a braid | blade can form the angle nearer to a right angle, power generation efficiency can be improved.

  The wind turbine control unit of the present invention receives the output of the rotor rotation detector or anemometer, and then, based on the output of the rotor rotation detector or anemometer, the pitch drive device and the yaw drive device are brought down from the upwind state. A signal for switching from the window state or the down window state to the up window state is transmitted.

  If comprised in this way, based on a rotor rotation detector or an anemometer, since a windmill can be made into the optimal state of either a downwind state or an upwind state, power generation efficiency can be improved.

  A wind turbine for wind power generation according to an embodiment of the present invention is a horizontal axis wind turbine, and has a nacelle 4 at an upper end portion of a tower 2 as shown in FIGS. The nacelle 4 is arranged substantially horizontally. The nacelle 4 is rotatably provided around an axis in the length direction of the tower 2, and is driven around an axis in the length direction of the tower 2 by a yaw driving device 5 provided in the nacelle 4. In the yaw drive device, although not shown, a ring gear is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the nacelle 4. A pinion fixed in the tower 2 meshes with the ring gear. The nacelle 4 is driven around the longitudinal axis of the tower 2 by rotating the pinion by a drive mechanism including a yaw motor and a speed reducer. Note that a brake mechanism for locking the nacelle 4 is also included in the drive mechanism.

  A wind turbine rotor 6 is provided at one end of the nacelle 4. The rotor 6 has a hub 6a and a plurality of, for example, three blades 6b extending radially from the hub 6a. The hub 6a has a rotating shaft (not shown) arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tower 2, for example, a horizontal axis, which is, for example, a speed increasing device (not shown) in the nacelle 4. And a drive mechanism including a generator (not shown). Therefore, the rotor 6 can rotate around this rotation axis.

  Each blade 6b is rotatably provided around an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotor 6, is configured to be rotatable around this axis, and is driven by a pitch driving device 8 provided in the hub 6a. . The pitch driving device 8 is provided for each blade 6b. In the pitch driving device 8, as shown in FIG. 2, the ring gear 10 is provided on the peripheral surface of the joint portion between the blade 6b and the hub 6a. A pinion 12 is provided, for example, in the bubb 6a so as to mesh with the ring gear 10. The pinion 12 is coupled to a speed reducer 14 in the hub 6a, and the speed reducer 14 is driven by a motor 16 in the hub 6a. The speed reducer 14 and the motor 16 constitute a drive mechanism. By rotating each pinion 12 forward or backward by each drive mechanism, each blade 6b rotates 360 degrees around an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotor 6 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the yaw driving device 5 and the pitch driving device 8 are controlled by a control unit 18 provided in the nacelle 4, for example. For use in this control, a rotor rotation detector 20 that detects the number of rotations of the rotor 6, an anemometer 22 that detects the wind direction with respect to the windmill, an anemometer 24 that detects the wind speed with respect to the windmill, and further, an operator controls A command device 26 for giving an instruction to the unit 18 is also provided. The outputs of the rotor rotation detector 20, the anemometer 22, the anemometer 24 and the command device 26 are supplied to the control unit 18.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, this windmill is normally used in an upwind state in which the rotor 6 is located on the windward side. In this upwind state, the pitch of each blade 6b is adjusted by the pitch driving device 8 so that each blade 6b receives the wind from the windward surface and the rotor 6 rotates as a result. .

  In this upwind state, the power generation efficiency is high when the wind speed is relatively low. However, since the rotor 6 overrotates due to strong wind, the upwind cutout wind speed at which power generation is stopped is relatively low, for example, 20 m / sec. Is set. If the wind speed measured by the anemometer 24 is equal to or higher than the upwind cutout speed when power is generated in the upwind state, the control unit 18 causes the yaw drive device 5 to display the wind speed as shown in FIG. The nacelle 4 is rotated 180 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the tower 2 so that the rotor 4 is in a downwind state where the rotor 4 is located on the leeward side.

  In the downwind state, the power generation efficiency is high when the wind speed is relatively high, and the cutout wind speed is relatively high, for example, 30 m / sec. However, if the nacelle 4 is rotated 180 degrees from the upwind state, each blade 6b faces in the opposite direction to that in the upwind state, so that the surface of each blade 6b does not lift even if it receives wind. It does not occur and cannot generate electricity. Therefore, the control unit 18 adjusts the pitch of each blade 6b by the pitch driving device 8 as shown in FIG. 1C so that the surface of each blade 6b receives wind and generates lift. . As a result, power generation can be performed in a downwind state.

  That is, in the upwind state shown in FIG. 4A, the hub 6a is located on the windward side, and the surface of the blade 6b that receives the wind faces the windward side. Then, when changing to the downwind state shown in FIG. 5B, the nacelle 4 is rotated by the yaw driving device 5, and the hub 6a is positioned on the leeward side. Further, the surface of the blade 6b receiving the wind by the pitch driving device 8 is directed to the windward side.

  When the wind speed above the cut-out wind speed in the downwind state (this is a value larger than the cutout wind speed in the upwind state as described above) is measured by the anemometer 22, each pitch driving device 8 Each blade 6b is rotated so that the wind receiving surface of the blade 6b is parallel to the wind direction. That is, the feathering state is set. In this state, power generation is not performed.

  With this configuration, even when the wind speed is higher than the upwind cutout wind speed, power generation can be continued while preventing damage to the windmill, and power generation efficiency can be increased. Moreover, since the position where the pinion 12 of the pitch driving device 8 meshes with the ring gear 10 is changed by switching from the up window state to the down window state or vice versa, the durability of the pinion 12 and the ring gear 10 is improved. To do.

  When the control unit 18 determines that the wind speed is lower than the cut-out wind speed in the upwind state in the downwind state based on the output of the anemometer 24, the control unit 18 rotates the nacelle 4 by the yaw driving device 5. Then, the upwind state is set, and the pitch of the blade 6b is adjusted by the pitch driving device 5 so that the wind receiving surface of the blade 6b forms a predetermined angle with the wind direction. As a result, power can be generated again in the upwind state.

  Or, even near the cut-out wind speed in the up-wind state, power generation can be continued efficiently in the down-wind state, so the wind speed is much lower than the cut-out wind speed in the up-wind state and is efficient in the down-wind state. When the wind speed at which power generation is not possible, for example, 10 m / sec or less, the power generation efficiency may be improved by switching from the downwind state to the upwind state.

  Since the command device 26 is provided, the command device 26 is operated manually or remotely to switch from the up window state to the down window state, or vice versa, and further to each blade. It is also possible to adjust the pitch. The adjustment by the command device 26 is performed, for example, when a failure occurs in the anemometer 24.

  Further, when the rotor rotational speed detected by the rotor rotational speed detector 20 becomes, for example, a rotational speed that may cause overrotation or overrotation of the rotor in the upwind state, the state is switched from the upwind state to the downwind state. It can also be done. Normally, when over-rotation occurs, a brake is provided in the drive mechanism of the rotor 6 and the number of rotations of the rotor 6 is reduced by this brake. However, it is necessary to operate the brake by switching to the downwind state. Disappears.

  In the down window state, when the rotor rotational speed detected by the rotor rotational speed detector 20 becomes smaller than the rotational speed at which the rotor may over-rotate or over-rotate in the up-wind state, the down-wind state Can be switched to the upwind state. Of course, after switching from the upwind state to the downwind state or vice versa, the pitch of each blade 6b is adjusted as described above.

  This configuration increases power generation efficiency in areas where wind speeds are usually low and wind speeds are high, for example, in the Asian region (normally low winds in this area, but wind speeds increase during typhoons). Can do.

  In the upwind state, the nacelle 4 is rotated by the yaw driving device 5 so that the wind receiving surface of each blade 6b forms a predetermined angle with the wind direction according to the output of the anemometer 22. Further, in the downwind state, the brake included in the drive mechanism of the yaw drive device 5 is released, and the nacelle 4 and the rotor rotate around the longitudinal axis of the tower 2 according to the wind direction. At this time, since the wind receiving surface of the blade 6b and the wind direction are orthogonal, the power generation efficiency is improved.

  In the above embodiment, when the wind speed is higher than the upwind cutout wind speed in the upwind condition, the pitch of the blade 6b is adjusted by switching from the upwind condition to the downwind condition. The control unit 18 can also control the yaw driving device 5 to switch from the upwind state to the downwind state when the wind speed in the vicinity, for example, somewhat lower than the upwind cutout wind speed. Of course, the control unit 18 controls the pitch driving device 5 to adjust the pitch of each blade 6b so that the wind receiving surface of each blade 6b receives the wind.

  With this configuration, since the wind speed is lower than the upwind cutout wind speed in the upwind state and the downwind state is switched, the fear of breakage of each blade 6b can be reduced and the power generation efficiency is improved.

  In the above embodiment, the wind speed at the time of switching from the up window state to the down window state or vice versa is set to the cut-out wind speed, but it is not limited to this. For example, in the upwind state, when the wind speed reaches the optimal range of power generation in the downwind state, for example, when the rated wind speed is in the downwind state, the upwind state can be switched to the downwind state, and conversely in the downwind state When the power generation in the upwind state reaches an optimum range, for example, the rated wind speed in the upwind state, the downwind state can be switched to the upwind state. The rated wind speed is the wind speed at which the generator driven by the wind turbine reaches the rated output, and the power generation efficiency is highest near the rated wind speed, so switching from the above-described upwind state to the downwind state or downwind state as described above Switch from to up window state. For example, the rated wind speed in the upwind state is 12 m / second, and the rated wind speed in the downwind state is 18 m / second.

  It is not always necessary to switch at the rated wind speed in the upwind state or at the rated wind speed in the downwind state, and can be switched when the wind speed is within a certain range before and after the rated wind speed. . Of course, after switching from the upwind state to the downwind state or vice versa, the pitch of each blade 6b is adjusted as described above.

  Alternatively, the normal state can be changed to the downwind state, and when the wind speed becomes lower than the rated wind speed in the downwind state, the state can be switched to the upwind state. Of course, after switching from the upwind state to the downwind state or vice versa, the pitch of each blade 6b is adjusted as described above.

  With this configuration, since the wind can be switched to the upwind state when the wind is weak, the chance of the wind speed exceeding the cutout wind speed in the upwind state is extremely reduced in the upwind state, and the windmill is damaged. There is almost no fear that arises.

  In each embodiment, turbulent flow is generated on the leeward side of the tower 2, and in the downwind state, noise is generated when the blade 6b passes through a place where the turbulent flow is generated. For this reason, it is desirable that the blades 6b be arranged apart from the tower 2 by a predetermined distance or more.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a case where a windmill is installed on an inclined land such as a mountainous area. The tower 2 is arranged in a substantially vertical direction. The longitudinal direction of the blade 6b is slightly inclined from the vertical direction so that the tip of the blade 6b is separated from the tower 2.

  In mountainous areas, downwind or downwind is generated. When the wind is blowing down as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the windmill is brought into an upwind state. Thereby, since the longitudinal direction of the blade and the wind direction are closer to a right angle, the power generation efficiency can be improved. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the wind is blowing up, the windmill is brought into a downwind state. Thereby, since the longitudinal direction of the blade and the wind direction are closer to a right angle, the power generation efficiency can be improved.

It is a side view of the state which adjusted the pitch of the blade in the upwind state, downwind state, and downwind state of the windmill of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the pitch drive device in the windmill of FIG. It is a block diagram of the windmill of FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows the state of the braid | blade of FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which installed the windmill in the sloping slope.

Explanation of symbols

2 tower 4 nacelle 5 yaw drive device 6 rotor 6b blade 8 pitch drive device

Claims (11)

Tower and
On this tower, a nacelle supported rotatably around the length of the tower,
On this nacelle, a rotor supported rotatably around a direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the tower,
A blade provided on the rotor so as to be rotatable about a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the rotor is rotatable;
A yaw drive for driving the nacelle around the length of the tower;
A pitch driving device for driving the blade;
In the provided windmill,
The rotation range of the blade is set to a range where the surface of the blade receives wind in the upwind state and the downwind state,
A windmill characterized in that power generation is possible in the upwind state and the downwind state.   The windmill according to claim 1, further comprising an anemometer, wherein when the wind speed measured by the anemometer reaches a cut-out wind speed in an upwind state, the windmill is switched from an upwind state to a downwind state. To windmill.   The windmill according to claim 1, further comprising an anemometer, wherein the wind speed measured by the anemometer is switched from the up-wind state to the down-wind state when the wind speed near the cut-out wind speed in the up-wind state is reached. A windmill.   2. The windmill according to claim 1, further comprising an anemometer, wherein the windmill is switched from the upwind state to the downwind state when the wind speed measured by the anemometer is in an optimal range of power generation in the downwind state.   The windmill according to claim 1, further comprising an anemometer, wherein the windmill is switched from the downwind state to the upwind state when the wind speed measured by the anemometer is in an optimum range of power generation in the upwind state.   The windmill according to claim 1, further comprising an anemometer, wherein the wind speed measured by the anemometer is switched from the downwind state to the upwind state when the power generation is smaller than the optimum range in the downwind state. A windmill characterized by   2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising a rotor rotational speed detector, and when the rotor rotational speed measured by the rotor rotational speed detector is likely to be over-rotated or over-rotated, the up-wind state is changed to the down-wind state. A windmill characterized by being switched to The windmill according to claim 1, wherein the pitch driving device is
A windmill comprising: a blade ring gear fixed to the blade; a pinion meshed with the ring gear; and a drive mechanism connected to the pinion. The windmill according to claim 1, wherein the windmill is installed on a sloping ground,
A windmill characterized by switching to an upwind state when the wind is blowing down. The windmill according to claim 1, wherein the windmill is installed on a sloping ground,
A windmill that switches to a downwind state when the wind is blowing up. It is a control part used for the windmill of Claim 1,
The output of the rotor rotation detector or anemometer is input. Based on the output of the rotor rotation detector or anemometer, the pitch driving device and the yaw driving device are changed from an up window state to a down window state or a down window state. A control unit for transmitting a signal for switching from a state to an up window state.

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