JP2020067046A - Wind power generation facility and method for operating wind power generation facility - Google Patents

Abstract

To notify workers in a wind power generation facility of approaching of thundercloud quickly.SOLUTION: A wind power generation facility comprises at least one blade, a hub to which the blade is attached, a nacelle that rotatably supports the hub, an alarm device provided in the nacelle and configured to issue one or more alarms, and a controller for outputting an alarm signal that instructs the alarm device to issue an alarm. The controller is configured to output an alarm signal when a distance between a thundercloud and a wind power generation facility is equal to or less than a first threshold value based on thundercloud position information emitted from an external device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a wind power generation facility and a method of operating a wind power generation facility.

  Conventionally, a wind power generation facility configured to continue operation by switching to a lightning protection operation mode different from a normal operation mode when lightning occurs or when a thundercloud that may generate lightning occurs or approaches. The method is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that when a thundercloud approaches, operation is performed in various lightning protection modes in which the rotation speed of the rotor is lower than that during rated operation.

JP, 2018-127986, A

  By the way, a current path for guiding a lightning current due to a lightning strike to a lightning rod arranged on a nacelle or a receptor provided on the tip of the blade may be provided in the wind turbine generator. In particular, the space in the nacelle where metal equipment such as the main shaft, gearbox or generator is placed at a high place above the tower erected on the ground or offshore can serve as the above-mentioned lightning current path, and There is a risk of direct lightning strikes through the ceiling and walls. Therefore, when a thundercloud approaches, the personnel in the wind power generation facility are required to evacuate from at least the inside of the nacelle, and evacuate to the space in the tower located below the nacelle or It is recommended to completely evacuate outside the wind power generation facilities including.

However, in the wind power generation facility, the view and sound are blocked by the wall, and it is difficult for the personnel in the facility to recognize the external situation. Therefore, even when a thundercloud occurs near the wind power generation facility or even when the thundercloud is approaching the wind power generation facility, the personnel in the wind power generation facility can visually recognize lightning, thunder, etc. Alternatively, it may be difficult to notice the occurrence or approach of a thundercloud by relying on auditory information, and evacuation outside the wind power generation facility may be delayed.
In this respect, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not describe at all in detail about notifying the personnel in the wind power generation facility of the approach of the thundercloud and prompting the evacuation from the wind power generation facility.

  In view of the above-mentioned problem, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure aims to promptly notify personnel in a wind power generation facility that a thundercloud is approaching.

(1) A wind power generation facility according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure,
At least one blade,
A hub to which the blade is attached,
A nacelle that rotatably supports the hub,
An alarm provided in the nacelle and configured to provide one or more alarms;
A controller for outputting an alarm signal instructing the alarm device to issue the alarm, and a wind power generation facility comprising:
The controller is configured to output the alarm signal when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility is equal to or less than a first threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from an external device.

  According to the above configuration (1), an alarm signal is automatically output from the controller when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes the first threshold value or less, based on the thundercloud position information emitted from the external device. Is output. Then, one or more alarms are issued at least in the nacelle from the alarm device that receives the alarm signal. Therefore, at least for a person who is in the nacelle or in the wind power generation facility in the vicinity thereof and is difficult to directly grasp external visual or auditory information, a thundercloud is present at a distance of the first threshold value or less from the wind power generation facility. It is possible to promptly notify that the vehicle is approaching. As a result, the personnel in the wind power generation facility can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle or the wind power generation facility.

(2) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in (1) above,
The wind power generation facility,
A tower supporting the nacelle,
Further comprising an external alarm device installed outside the tower around the tower,
The external alarm device may be configured to issue a visual and / or audible alarm based on the alarm signal output by the controller.

  According to the configuration of (2) above, based on the thundercloud position information emitted from the external device, based on the alarm signal issued from the controller when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes the first threshold value or less, the inside of the nacelle In addition to the alarms installed in the tower, alarms are issued from external alarms installed outside the tower. That is, it is possible to promptly notify the personnel inside and outside the wind power generation facility that the thundercloud is approaching the distance less than or equal to the first threshold value from the wind power generation facility. As a result, it is possible to prompt the personnel inside and outside the wind power generation facility to quickly evacuate outside the nacelle or outside the wind power generation facility.

(3) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in (1) or (2) above,
The controller may be configured to control the alarm device to issue at least one of the alarms selected from a plurality of types of alarms according to a plurality of different magnitudes of the distance.

  According to the configuration of (3), at least one alarm selected from a plurality of types of alarms is issued from the alarm device according to the size of the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility. Thereby, for example, if the type of alarm according to the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility is set in advance, the personnel in the wind power generation facility can determine the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility based on the type of the alarm issued from the alarm device. You can recognize the distance from. Therefore, it is possible to prompt the personnel in the wind power generation facility to take a quick evacuation action according to the imminence of the possibility of a lightning strike depending on the approach distance of the thundercloud.

(4) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (3) above,
The controller is configured to be communicable with the external device so as to receive the thundercloud position information, and based on the received thundercloud position information, determines whether the distance is equal to or less than the first threshold value. It may be configured to.

  According to the configuration of (4), whether the controller configured to communicate with the external device has the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility to be the first threshold value or less based on the thundercloud position information received from the external device. Determine whether or not. Therefore, every time the thundercloud position information emitted from an external device is updated, the controller can output an alarm signal to the alarm device based on the latest thundercloud position information, so that at least the personnel in the nacelle can be timely. The evacuation from the nacelle can be prompted by notifying the approach of a thundercloud.

(5) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (4) above,
The wind power generation facility,
A relay or relay signal that is connected to the external device via a hardware line or a corresponding software program, and is configured to switch ON / OFF state when the distance becomes equal to or less than the first threshold value,
Further comprising a relay device or wiring provided between the relay or relay signal and the controller,
The controller may be configured to output the alarm signal in response to a relay signal indicating an ON / OFF state of the relay, which is input via the relay device or wiring.

  According to the configuration of the above (5), the ON / OFF state of the relay connected to the external device via the hardware line is switched when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes the first threshold value or less, A relay signal indicating the ON / OFF state is input to the controller via the relay device. Then, an alarm signal is output from the controller to the alarm device according to the input relay signal. That is, the effect described in any one of the above (1) to (4) can be enjoyed by the simple configuration such as the above (5).

(6) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (5) above,
The controller may be configured to receive storm information from the external device and stop the operation of the wind power generation facility based on the storm information.

In the operation of wind power generation equipment, it is important to protect the wind power generation equipment and personnel according to the location information of the thundercloud, and to operate or stop the wind power generation equipment according to windstorm information including wind direction and wind speed. May be required. Although a storm may accompany a thunderstorm, it cannot be said that they both occur at the same time, and thundercloud position information and storm information are issued separately.
In this respect, according to the configuration of (6), the controller can stop the operation of the wind power generation facility based on the storm information received from the external device. That is, the controller can switch between continuous operation and stop of the wind power generation facility based on the storm information received from the external device in addition to the thundercloud position information. Therefore, in addition to being able to issue an alarm to at least the personnel in the nacelle according to the approach information of the thundercloud, it is possible to perform operation control of the wind power generation facility according to the storm information.

(7) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (6) above,
The distance may be set in consideration of the time required for evacuation of personnel from the nacelle.

  According to the configuration of the above (7), the first threshold value regarding the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility when the alarm is issued from the alarm device is set in consideration of the time required to evacuate the personnel from the nacelle of the wind power generation facility. Can be set. As a result, the alarm device installed in the nacelle can issue an alarm at a timing when sufficient time for the evacuation of personnel is secured. Therefore, the person who recognizes the warning can safely evacuate from the nacelle of the wind power generation facility to the evacuation site. The time required to evacuate personnel from the nacelle is, for example, the height above the nacelle or tower depending on the scale of the power output, the location of the wind power generation facility, or the evacuation route from the nacelle to the evacuation site. It may be determined in consideration.

(8) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (7) above,
The alarm device is a plurality of lamps each configured to emit a plurality of types of the alarms, or a warning light including at least one lamp configured to display the plurality of types of the alarms in different colors. It may be.

  According to the above configuration (8), the warning light as an alarm device is turned on according to the alarm signal output from the controller. Therefore, at least the personnel in the nacelle can be alerted by a warning light that the thundercloud is approaching a distance equal to or less than the first threshold value from the wind power generation facility. Furthermore, by displaying a plurality of types of alarms with a plurality of lamps or different colors, at least the personnel in the nacelle can visually recognize the warning light to determine which of the plurality of types of alarms is being issued. It is possible to easily grasp the information without contacting the outside while being inside the nacelle. Therefore, the personnel in the wind power generation facility can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle or the wind power generation facility.

(9) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (8) above,
After outputting the warning signal, the controller outputs a cancellation signal for canceling the warning to the warning device when the distance becomes larger than a second threshold value based on the thundercloud position information. It may be configured to.

  According to the configuration of (9) above, after the alarm signal is output, the controller is triggered by the distance between the wind power generation facility and the thundercloud exceeding the second threshold value based on the thundercloud position information from the external device. A cancellation signal is automatically output to the alarm device. Therefore, when the distance between the wind power generation facility and the thundercloud exceeds the second threshold value while the alarm is being issued by the alarm device, the alarm by the operating alarm device can be automatically canceled.

(10) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (9) above,
The controller may be configured to receive, after outputting the alarm signal, a recognition confirmation signal indicating recognition by the worker of the alarm input from a portable terminal carried by each worker.

  According to the above configuration (10), the recognition confirmation signal from the portable terminal carried by each worker is input to the controller. Therefore, for example, when performing work with a plurality of workers, collect confirmation information in the controller whether or not each worker has recognized the approach of a thundercloud, or whether all the workers have recognized the approach of a thundercloud. You can Therefore, by confirming the recognition confirmation signal collected in this controller, it is possible to speed up, improve efficiency or improve safety management of the wind power generation facility.

(11) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (10) above,
The at least one blade includes three blades,
Based on the thundercloud position information, the controller adjusts the azimuth angle of the hub so that the blade to be protected of the three blades is vertically downward when the distance becomes equal to or less than a third threshold value. May be configured to do so.

With regard to lightning strikes on blades of wind power generation facilities, there is a tendency that the possibility of lightning strikes increases when the blades are arranged at a relatively high position, such as when the blades are arranged vertically upward.
In this regard, according to the configuration of (11) above, when the distance between the wind power generation facility and the thundercloud becomes equal to or less than the third threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from the external device, the controller detects three blades. Control is performed to adjust the azimuth angle of the hub so that the blade to be protected faces vertically downward. Thereby, the blade to be protected can be arranged at a relatively low position, so that the possibility of lightning strike to the blade to be protected can be reduced and the blade to be protected can be protected. The blade to be protected may be, for example, a blade that has already been damaged by lightning or other causes, or a relatively new blade, and may be set arbitrarily according to the operating conditions.

(12) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (11) above,
The controller may be configured to shift to a feather mode in which the hub idles when the distance becomes a fourth threshold value or less based on the thundercloud position information.

  According to the configuration of (12), when the distance between the wind power generation facility and the thundercloud becomes equal to or less than the fourth threshold value based on the thundercloud position information received from the external device, the controller sets the hub to the feather mode in which the hub idles. Control to shift is performed. Therefore, for example, when a thundercloud is accompanied by a strong wind or a storm, it automatically shifts to the feather mode when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation equipment becomes equal to or less than the fourth threshold value based on the thundercloud position information. The wind power generation facility can be protected from strong winds or storms by reducing the influence of wind pressure.

(13) A method for operating a wind turbine generator system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is
At least one blade,
A hub to which the blade is attached,
A nacelle that rotatably supports the hub,
An alarm provided in the nacelle and configured to provide one or more alarms;
A method of operating a wind power generation facility comprising:
The alarm is issued when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes equal to or less than the first threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from the external device.

  According to the above method (13), when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes equal to or less than the first threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from the external device, the alarm device provided in the nacelle One or more alerts are issued. Therefore, at least for a person who is in the nacelle or in the wind power generation facility in the vicinity thereof and is difficult to directly grasp external visual or auditory information, a thundercloud is present at a distance of the first threshold value or less from the wind power generation facility. It is possible to promptly notify that the vehicle is approaching. As a result, the personnel in the wind power generation facility can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle or the wind power generation facility.

(14) In some embodiments, in the method described in (13) above,
An evacuation space for an operator in the nacelle to evacuate based on the alarm may be installed in an upper part of the tower.

  According to the above method (14), an evacuation space for workers to evacuate is installed in the upper part of the tower. Therefore, based on the thundercloud position information issued from the external device, when the alarm is issued from the alarm device when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes the first threshold value or less, the nacelle that has recognized the alarm Workers inside can evacuate to the evacuation space by moving from the nacelle into the tower. For example, in the event of an emergency, such as when workers in the nacelle have no time to safely move to an evacuation site outside the preset wind power generation facility, from the inside of the nacelle, where the possibility of lightning strikes is relatively high. The possibility of a direct lightning strike on a worker can be greatly reduced by simply moving to an upper retreat space in a tower provided directly below the nacelle.

(15) In some embodiments, in the method described in (14) above,
After the evacuation of the worker, whether or not to restart the work may be determined based on the thundercloud position information.

  According to the above method (15), after the worker retreats from the nacelle in response to the alarm issued from the alarm device, it is determined whether or not the work can be restarted based on the thundercloud position information. For example, based on the thundercloud position information, when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility is greater than or equal to the first threshold value or is equal to or greater than another predetermined distance that can be determined to be safe, it may be determined that work can be resumed. Good.

  According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to promptly notify the personnel in the wind power generation facility that the thundercloud is approaching.

It is a schematic diagram showing an example of composition of a wind power generation equipment concerning at least one embodiment of this indication. It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a system configuration of a wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the control system of the wind power generation equipment which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram showing the distance between a thundercloud and a wind power generation facility in some embodiments. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the evacuation space in the wind power generation equipment which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a schematic diagram showing the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows the operating method of the wind power generation equipment concerning one embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in some embodiments shown below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto unless specifically stated. It is just an example of explanation.
For example, expressions that represent relative or absolute arrangements such as “in a certain direction”, “along a certain direction”, “parallel”, “orthogonal”, “center”, “concentric”, or “coaxial” are strict. In addition to representing such an arrangement, it also represents a state in which the components are relatively displaced by a tolerance or an angle or a distance at which the same function can be obtained.
Further, for example, the expression representing a shape such as a quadrangle or a cylindrical shape does not only represent a shape such as a quadrangle or a cylindrical shape in a geometrically strict sense, but also an uneven portion or A shape including a chamfered portion and the like is also shown.
On the other hand, the expressions “comprising”, “comprising”, “comprising”, “including”, or “having” one element are not exclusive expressions excluding the existence of other elements.

First, a wind turbine generator system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a wind power generation facility according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system configuration example of a wind power generation facility according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control system of the wind turbine generator system according to the embodiment.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 in a non-limiting manner, a wind turbine generator system (hereinafter, referred to as a wind turbine 1) according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one blade 2 and a hub to which the blade 2 is attached. 3 includes a wind turbine rotor 4, a nacelle 7 that rotatably supports the hub 3 of the wind turbine rotor 4, a tower 8 that rotatably supports the nacelle 7, a base 9 that supports the tower 8, and a nacelle 7. An alarm device 10 is provided, which is configured to issue one or more alarms, and a controller 20 for outputting an alarm signal 63 that instructs the alarm device 10 to issue an alarm.
The wind turbine 1 includes a drive train 5 including a main shaft 5A and a gearbox 5B that are integrally rotatably connected to a wind turbine rotor 4, and a generator that converts the rotational energy of the drive train 5 into electric energy to generate electric power. 6 and 6 are provided.
The alarm device 10 is configured to issue an alarm in a manner capable of alerting visually, audibly, or sensibly by, for example, light, sound, action, or a combination thereof.

  As illustrated in a non-limiting example in FIG. 3, the controller 20 is, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) as a storage unit for storing various programs executed by the CPU 21 and data such as a table. ) 23, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 22 that functions as a work area as a development area and a calculation area when executing each program, a hard disk drive (HDD) as a mass storage device (not shown), and a connection to a communication network There may be provided a communication interface for performing the operation, an access unit to which an external storage device is attached, and the like. In some embodiments, the controller 20 may include a database 27 that stores various parameters related to wind turbine operation. All of these are connected via a bus 24. Further, the controller 20 may be connected to, for example, an input unit (not shown) including a keyboard and a mouse, a display unit including a liquid crystal display device for displaying data, and the like.

Detection signals regarding the wind direction, the wind speed, and the pitch angle may be transmitted to the controller 20 from each of the wind direction sensor 32, the wind speed sensor 33, and the pitch angle sensor 25 provided in each wind turbine 1. The controller 20 may be electrically or electronically connected to the yaw motor 34, the yaw brake drive actuator 35, the pitch actuator 36, and the pitch brake drive actuator 37 via the bus 24.
In addition, in one embodiment, the controller 20 may be, for example, a nacelle control device (not shown) arranged in the nacelle 5. However, as another embodiment, the controller 20 is, for example, a pitch control device arranged in the hub 3, an operation terminal arranged in the tower 8, or a control installed in a management center arranged apart from the wind turbine 1. It may be the system or the wind farm controller 20A.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility in some embodiments.
In the controller 20 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 is equal to or less than the first threshold Th1 based on the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40 illustrated in a non-limiting example in FIG. It may be configured to output an alarm signal 63 when (see FIG. 5, steps S10 to S11).
In the ROM 23, a thundercloud approaching operation program 28 that outputs an alarm signal 63 when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 becomes the first threshold Th1 or less based on the thundercloud position information 41 issued from the external device 40. It may be stored.
The controller 20 may be configured to output the warning signal 63 based on the thundercloud position information 41 by the CPU 21 reading the thundercloud approaching operation program 28 from the ROM 23, expanding the program in the RAM 44, and executing the program.
The external device 40 may be installed, for example, in a facility such as an organization or a company that transmits information about weather including approach of a thundercloud and storm. Information transmitted from such an external device 40 (including, for example, thundercloud position information 41 and storm information 42 described later) is provided to related departments via a wired or wireless network.
The distance set as the first threshold Th1 may be set to any value, such as 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, and 20 km.

  According to the above configuration, based on the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40, the alarm signal 63 is automatically output from the controller 20 when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 becomes the first threshold Th1 or less. Is output to. Then, one or more alarms are issued at least in the nacelle 7 from the alarm device 10 that has received the alarm signal 63. Therefore, for at least the person P who is at least in the nacelle 7 or in the wind turbine 1 near the nacelle 7 and is difficult to directly grasp external visual or auditory information, a thundercloud at a distance from the wind turbine 1 to the first threshold Th1 or less. It is possible to promptly notify that Tc is approaching. Thereby, the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 can be promptly evacuated to a safe evacuation place outside the nacelle 7, outside the wind turbine 1, or in the vicinity.

In some embodiments, the wind turbine 1 may further include an external alarm 16 installed outside the tower 8 around the tower 8 supporting the nacelle 7 (see, eg, FIG. 6).
The external alarm device 16 may be arranged near the wind turbine 1, for example, on the outer periphery of the tower 8 of the wind turbine 1, around the nacelle 7, or in a facility such as a park where the wind turbine 1 is installed.
Then, the external alarm device 16 may be configured to issue a visual and / or audible alarm based on the alarm signal 63 output by the controller 20.

  According to the configuration including the external alarm device 16 as described above, based on the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40, when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 becomes equal to or less than the first threshold Th1, the controller 20 Based on the alarm signal 63 issued, an alarm is issued from the external alarm device 16 installed outside the tower 8 in addition to the alarm device 10 arranged inside the nacelle 7. That is, it is possible to promptly notify the personnel P inside and outside the wind turbine 1 that the thundercloud Tc is approaching from the wind turbine 1 at a distance equal to or less than the first threshold Th1. Thereby, the personnel P inside and outside the wind turbine 1 can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle 7 or the outside of the wind turbine 1.

In some embodiments, the controller 20 controls the alarm device 10 to issue at least one alarm selected from a plurality of types of alarms according to the magnitude of a plurality of different distances between the wind turbine 1 and the thundercloud Tc. May be configured to do so.
The types of alarms may include, for example, as described above, a type of alarm that can alert the user visually, aurally, or sensibly by light, sound, action, or a combination thereof. In addition, a plurality of light sources, sound sources, and the like may be used according to the plurality of different distances.

  In this way, according to the configuration in which at least one alarm selected from a plurality of types of alarms is issued from the alarm device 10 according to the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1, for example, the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 If the type of alarm according to the distance is preset, the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 can recognize the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 based on the type of alarm issued from the alarm device 10. Therefore, it is possible to prompt the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 to perform a quick evacuation action according to the imminence of the possibility of a lightning strike depending on the approach distance of the thundercloud Tc.

  In some embodiments, in any of the configurations described above, the controller 20 is configured to communicate with the external device 40 so as to receive the thundercloud position information 41, and based on the received thundercloud position information 41, the thundercloud It may be configured to determine whether or not the distance between Tc and the wind turbine 1 is equal to or less than the first threshold Th1.

  According to the configuration that determines whether or not the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 is equal to or less than the first threshold Th1 based on the thundercloud position information 41 received from the external device 40 in this manner, communication with the external device 40 is possible. Based on the thundercloud position information 41 received from the external device 40, the configured controller 20 determines whether or not the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 has become equal to or less than the first threshold Th1. Therefore, each time the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40 is updated, the alarm signal 63 can be output from the controller 20 to the alarm device 10 based on the latest thundercloud position information 41. It is possible to notify the personnel P of the approach of the thundercloud Tc in a timely manner and prompt the evacuation from the nacelle 7.

In some embodiments, in any of the configurations described above, the wind turbine 1 is connected to the external device 40 via the hardware line 50, and the distance between the wind turbine 1 and the thundercloud Tc is the first threshold Th1 or less. It may further include a relay 52 configured to switch the ON / OFF state when it becomes a state, and a relay device 62 provided between the relay 52 and the controller 20 (see, for example, FIG. 2). .
Then, the controller 20 may be configured to output the alarm signal 63 in response to the relay signal 61 indicating the ON / OFF state of the relay 52 input via the relay device 62. The relay 52 and the relay device 62 may be replaced with software by a device such as a programmable logic controller.

  According to the configuration in which the wind turbine 1 is connected to the external device 40 via the hardware line 50 in this way, the ON / OFF state of the relay 52 connected to the external device 40 via the hardware line 50 is the thundercloud Tc. When the distance between the wind turbine 1 and the wind turbine 1 becomes less than or equal to the first threshold Th1, the relay signal 61 indicating the ON / OFF state is input to the controller 20 via the relay device 62. Then, according to the input relay signal 61, an alarm signal 63 is output from the controller 20 to the alarm device 10. That is, with such a simple configuration, the effect described in any of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be enjoyed.

  In some embodiments, in any of the configurations described above, the controller 20 outputs the alarm signal 63 and then, based on the thundercloud position information 41, the distance between the windmill 1 and the thundercloud Tc is larger than the second threshold Th2. When it becomes, the cancel signal 65 for canceling the alarm may be output to the alarm device 10 (see FIG. 7, steps S20 to S21).

  As described above, based on the thundercloud position information 41 received from the external device 40, when the distance between the windmill 1 and the thundercloud Tc becomes larger than the second threshold Th2, the cancellation for canceling the warning to the alarm device 10 According to the configuration of outputting the signal 65, after the alarm signal 63 is output, it is possible to detect that the distance between the wind turbine 1 and the thundercloud Tc exceeds the second threshold Th2 based on the thundercloud position information 41 from the external device 40. As a trigger, the controller 20 automatically outputs the cancellation signal 65 to the alarm device 10. Therefore, when the distance between the windmill 1 and the thundercloud Tc exceeds the second threshold Th2 while the alarm device 10 is issuing an alarm, the alarm by the operating alarm device 10 can be automatically canceled. . Further, if there is a personnel P in or around the nacelle 7 when the alarm is released, the personnel P is that the thundercloud Tc has moved away from the wind turbine 1 at a distance equal to or greater than the second threshold Th2, and It is possible to recognize that it is no longer necessary to evacuate from the nacelle 7 while being inside the nacelle 7.

  In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations described above, the controller 20 is configured to receive the storm information 42 from the external device 40 and stop the operation of the wind turbine 1 based on the received storm information 42. (See steps S30 to S31 in FIG. 8).

In the operation of the wind turbine 1, it is important to protect the wind turbine 1 and the personnel P according to the position information of the thundercloud Tc (thundercloud position information 41), and the wind turbine 1 according to the storm information 42 including the wind direction and wind speed. It may be necessary to drive or stop the. Although a storm may accompany the occurrence of thunder, it cannot be said that they both occur at the same time, and the thundercloud position information 41 and the storm information 42 are separately issued.
In this regard, according to the configuration in which the operation of the wind turbine 1 is stopped based on the storm information 42 received from the external device 40 as described above, the controller 20 causes the wind turbine 1 to detect the wind turbine 1 based on the storm information 42 received from the external device 40. The operation can be stopped. That is, the controller 20 can switch between continuous operation and stop of the wind turbine 1 based on the storm information 42 received from the external device 40 separately from the thundercloud position information 41. Therefore, in addition to being able to issue an alarm to at least the personnel P in the nacelle 7 according to the approach information of the thundercloud Tc, the operation control of the wind turbine 1 according to the storm information 42 can be performed.

  In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations described above, the threshold value of the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 may be set in consideration of the time required to retract the personnel P from the nacelle 7.

  In this way, according to the configuration in which the threshold value of the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 is set in consideration of the time required for the evacuation of the personnel P from the nacelle 7, the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 when the alarm device 10 issues an alarm. It is possible to set the first threshold value Th1 related to the distance between and in consideration of the time required to retract the personnel P from the nacelle 7 of the wind turbine 1. As a result, the alarm device 10 installed in the nacelle 7 can issue an alarm at a timing when a sufficient time for the personnel P to evacuate is secured. Therefore, the personnel P who recognizes the warning can safely evacuate from the nacelle 7 of the wind turbine 1 to the evacuation site. The time required to evacuate the personnel P from the nacelle 7 depends on, for example, the ground height of the nacelle 7 to the tower 8 according to the scale of the power generation output, the location of the windmill 1, or the evacuation route from the nacelle to the evacuation site. It may be decided in consideration of the way to go.

In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any of the above, the alarm device 10 displays a plurality of lamps 12 configured to emit a plurality of types of alarms or a plurality of types of alarms in different colors. It may be a warning light 14 including at least one lamp 12 configured as possible.
The warning light 14 may be, for example, a rotating light (or a rotation warning light) such as a patrol lamp (or a patrol light (registered trademark)).

  According to the configuration in which the warning light 14 is applied as the alarm device 10 as described above, the warning light 14 as the alarm device 10 is turned on according to the alarm signal 63 output from the controller 20. Therefore, at least the personnel P in the nacelle 7 can be alerted by the warning light 14 that the thundercloud Tc is approaching from the wind turbine 1 at a distance equal to or less than the first threshold Th1. it can. Further, by displaying a plurality of types of alarms by using the plurality of lamps 12 or different colors, at least the personnel P in the nacelle 7 can visually recognize the warning light 14 to issue any one of the plurality of types of alarms. Whether or not the user is inside the nacelle 7 can be easily grasped without contacting the outside. Therefore, the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle 7 or the outside of the wind power generation facility.

  In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations described above, the controller 20 outputs the alarm signal 63 and then indicates the recognition by the worker of the alarm input from the portable terminal 70 carried by each worker P. It may be configured to receive the recognition confirmation signal 64.

  In this way, according to the configuration in which the recognition confirmation signal 64 from the portable terminal 70 carried by each worker P is input to the controller 20, for example, when a plurality of workers P work, each worker P It is possible to collect in the controller 20 confirmation information as to whether or not the person has recognized the approach of the thundercloud Tc, or whether all the workers P have recognized the approach of the thundercloud Tc. Therefore, by confirming the recognition confirmation signal collected in the controller 20, it is possible to speed up, improve the efficiency or improve the safety management of the wind turbine 1.

  In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations described above, the at least one blade 2 includes three blades 2, and the controller 20 determines the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 based on the thundercloud position information 41. Is configured to adjust the azimuth angle of the hub 3 so that the blade 2 to be protected of the three blades 2 is vertically downward (see FIG. 9) when the distance is less than or equal to the third threshold Th3. (See FIG. 10, steps S40 to S41).

Regarding the lightning strike to the blade 2 of the wind turbine 1, there is a tendency that the possibility of lightning strike increases when the blade 2 is arranged at a relatively high position such as when the blade 2 is arranged vertically upward.
In this respect, as described above, when the distance between the windmill 1 and the thundercloud Tc becomes the third threshold Th3 or less based on the thundercloud position information 41 issued from the external device 40, the controller 20 causes the three blades 2 to According to the configuration in which the azimuth angle of the hub 3 is adjusted so that the blade 2 to be protected faces downward in the vertical direction, the blade 2 to be protected is arranged at a relatively low position (or the lowest position that can be arranged in the structure). Therefore, it is possible to protect the blade 2 to be protected by reducing the possibility of lightning strike on the blade 2 to be protected. The blade 2 to be protected may be, for example, the blade 2 that has already been damaged due to lightning or other causes, or may be a relatively new blade 2, and may be arbitrarily set according to the operating condition.

In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations described above, the controller 20 determines, based on the thundercloud position information 41, when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 becomes the fourth threshold Th4 or less. It may be configured to shift to the feather mode in which the idling occurs (see FIG. 11, steps S50 to S51).
For example, based on the thundercloud position information 41, the controller 20 releases the rotor brake (not shown) and outputs the detection signal of the pitch angle sensor 25 when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 becomes the fourth threshold Th4 or less. Referring to the pitch drive actuator 36, the pitch drive actuator 36 is driven so that the pitch angle of the blade 2 becomes a feather state, and then the pitch brake drive actuator is operated to fix the pitch angle.

  Thus, when the distance between the windmill 1 and the thundercloud Tc becomes the fourth threshold Th4 or less based on the thundercloud position information 41 received from the external device 40, the controller 20 shifts to the feather mode in which the hub 3 idles. According to the configuration in which the control is performed, for example, when the thundercloud Tc is accompanied by a strong wind or a storm, it is triggered based on the thundercloud position information 41 that the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 becomes the fourth threshold Th4 or less. As a result, by automatically shifting to the feather mode, the influence of wind pressure can be reduced and the wind turbine 1 can be protected from strong winds or storms.

  A method for operating a wind turbine generator system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one blade 2, a hub 3 to which the blade 2 is attached, a nacelle 7 that rotatably supports the hub 3, and a nacelle 7. A method for operating a wind turbine 1 comprising: an alarm device 10 provided in the above and configured to issue one or more alarms, and based on thunder cloud position information 41 issued from an external device 40, the thunder cloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 An alarm is issued when the distance between and becomes less than or equal to the first threshold Th1.

  As described above, based on the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40, when the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the wind turbine 1 becomes equal to or less than the first threshold Th1, one of the alarm devices 10 provided in the nacelle 7 According to the above-mentioned configuration for issuing an alarm, at least the person P who is at least in the nacelle 7 or in the vicinity of the wind turbine 1 and is difficult to directly grasp external visual or auditory information from the wind turbine 1 It is possible to promptly notify that the thundercloud is approaching a distance equal to or less than the threshold value Th1. Thereby, the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 can be promptly evacuated to the outside of the nacelle 7 or the outside of the wind turbine 1.

  In some embodiments, in the above method, an evacuation space 8A for the evacuation of the worker P in the nacelle 7 based on an alarm may be installed in the upper part of the tower 8 (see, for example, FIG. 6).

  As described above, according to the method of installing the evacuation space for the worker P to evacuate in the upper part of the tower 8, the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 is determined based on the thundercloud position information 41 emitted from the external device 40. When the alarm is issued from the alarm device 10 when the alarm becomes less than or equal to the first threshold Th1 as a trigger, the worker P in the nacelle 7 who has recognized the alarm moves from the nacelle 7 into the tower 8 to evacuate. It can be evacuated to the space 8A. For example, if there is no time for the worker P in the nacelle 7 to safely move to a preset evacuation site (not shown) outside the wind turbine 1, the possibility of lightning strike is relatively high. The possibility of a direct lightning strike to the worker P can be greatly reduced by simply moving from the inside of the nacelle 7 to the retreat space 8A in the upper part of the tower 8 provided directly below the nacelle 7.

  In some embodiments, after the worker P has evacuated, it may be determined whether or not to restart the work based on the thundercloud position information 41 (see FIG. 12, steps S60 to S66).

  As described above, according to the method of determining whether or not work can be restarted based on the thundercloud position information 41 after the worker P has evacuated, after the worker P evacuated from the nacelle 7 in response to the alarm issued from the alarm device 10. Whether or not the work can be restarted is determined based on the thundercloud position information 41. For example, based on the thundercloud position information 41, it is determined that the distance between the thundercloud Tc and the windmill 1 is the first threshold Th1 (second threshold Th2, third threshold Th3, or fourth threshold Th4) or more, or safe. It may be judged that the work can be resumed when the work is separated by another predetermined distance or more, or when a certain time has elapsed after receiving the recognition confirmation signal 64 from all the workers P or transmitting the release signal 65.

  The first threshold Th1, the second threshold Th2, the third threshold Th3, and the fourth threshold Th4 described above may have different values or the same value.

  According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure described above, it is possible to promptly notify the personnel P in the wind turbine 1 that the thundercloud Tc is approaching.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes modes in which the above-described embodiments are modified and modes in which these modes are combined.

1 windmill (wind power generation equipment)
2 Blade 2A Protected Blade 3 Hub 4 Windmill Rotor 5 Drivetrain 5A Spindle 5B Speed Booster 6 Generator 7 Nacelle 8 Tower 8A Evacuation Space 9 Base 10 Alarm 12 Lamp 14 Warning Light (Patrol Lamp)
16 External alarm device 20 Controller 20A Wind farm controller 21 CPU
22 RAM
23 ROM
24 Bus 25 Pitch angle sensor 27 Database 28 Thundercloud approaching program 31 Wind direction sensor 32 Wind speed sensor 33 Load sensor 34 Yaw motor 35 Yaw brake drive actuator 36 Pitch drive actuator 37 Pitch brake drive actuator 40 External device 41 Thundercloud position information 42 Storm information 50 Hardware line 52 Relay 61 Relay signal 62 Relay device 63 Alarm signal 64 Recognition confirmation signal 65 Release signal 70 Portable terminal Th1 First threshold Th2 Second threshold Th3 Third threshold Th4 Fourth threshold Tc Thundercloud P personnel (worker)

Claims (15)

At least one blade,
A hub to which the blade is attached,
A nacelle that rotatably supports the hub,
An alarm provided in the nacelle and configured to provide one or more alarms;
A controller for outputting an alarm signal instructing the alarm device to issue the alarm, and a wind power generation facility comprising:
The wind power generation facility configured to output the alarm signal when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility is equal to or less than a first threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from an external device. A tower supporting the nacelle,
Further comprising an external alarm device installed outside the tower around the tower,
The wind power generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the external alarm device is configured to issue a visual and / or audible alarm based on the alarm signal output by the controller. 3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the alarm device to issue at least one of the alarms selected from a plurality of types of alarms according to a plurality of different distance magnitudes. Wind power generation facility as described. The controller is configured to be communicable with the external device so as to receive the thundercloud position information, and based on the received thundercloud position information, determines whether the distance is equal to or less than the first threshold value. The wind power generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the wind power generation facility is configured according to claim 1. A relay or relay signal that is connected to the external device via a hardware line or a corresponding software program, and is configured to switch ON / OFF state when the distance becomes equal to or less than the first threshold value,
Further comprising a relay device or wiring provided between the relay or relay signal and the controller,
5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to output the alarm signal in response to a relay signal indicating an ON / OFF state of the relay input via the relay device or wiring. Wind power generation equipment according to item. The wind power generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive storm information from the external device and stop the operation of the wind power generation facility based on the storm information. . The wind power generation equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the distance is set in consideration of a time required for evacuation of personnel from the nacelle. The alarm device includes at least one of a plurality of lamps configured to emit a plurality of types of the alarms or at least one lamp configured to display the plurality of types of the alarms in different colors. The wind power generation facility according to claim 1, which is a light lamp. After outputting the warning signal, the controller outputs a cancellation signal for canceling the warning to the warning device when the distance becomes larger than a second threshold value based on the thundercloud position information. The wind power generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the wind power generation facility is configured according to claim 1. The controller is configured to receive, after outputting the alarm signal, a recognition confirmation signal indicating recognition by the worker of the alarm input from a portable terminal carried by each worker. The wind power generation facility according to any one of claims. The at least one blade includes three blades,
Based on the thundercloud position information, the controller adjusts the azimuth angle of the hub so that the blade to be protected of the three blades is vertically downward when the distance becomes equal to or less than a third threshold value. The wind power generation facility according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which is configured to perform. The controller is configured to shift to a feather mode in which the hub idles when the distance becomes equal to or less than a fourth threshold value based on the thundercloud position information. Wind power generation equipment according to item. At least one blade,
A hub to which the blade is attached,
A nacelle that rotatably supports the hub,
An alarm provided in the nacelle and configured to provide one or more alarms;
A method of operating a wind power generation facility comprising:
A method of operating a wind power generation facility, which issues the alarm when the distance between the thundercloud and the wind power generation facility becomes equal to or less than a first threshold value based on the thundercloud position information emitted from an external device. The method of operating a wind turbine generator system according to claim 13, wherein a retreat space for a worker in the nacelle to retreat based on the alarm is installed in an upper portion of the tower. The method of operating a wind turbine generator system according to claim 14, wherein after the evacuation of the worker, whether to resume the work is determined based on the thundercloud position information.

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