The rapid development of wind energy production depends, to a great extent, on improving its energy efficiency and its economic profitability. To maximize
performance and operating life spans, the implementation of advanced and innovative control systems is a promising avenue explored by IFPEN as a member of the SmartEole (2015-2019) project, conducted by a consortium of public and private partnersa.
This project led to the development of the smart rotor concept to improve the operating conditions of wind turbines, incorporating new measurement systems, particularly a lidarb sensor mounted on the nacelle roof (figure), combined with innovative processing algorithms, developed at IFPEN.
Thus, a short-term forecast of wind properties at rotor plane was established from the lidar measurements(1), and then combined with an original wind
turbine control strategy based on these reconstructed and predicted wind data(2). The achieved solution prototype makes it possible to optimize the orientation of the nacelle and blades. The performance levels of this Lidar-assisted control, evaluated during simulation, herald a reduction in fatigue stresses of between 15 and 30%, depending on wind conditions, with a slight positive impact on power production.
Optimization strategies for the management of an entire wind farm have also been developed, based on wake redirection techniques, with a view to minimizing interference between neighboring turbines and increasing overall production.
This numerical simulation research conducted using data measured on site has led to significant progress in terms of the approaches explored. Moreover,
the results obtained have given rise to the emergence of several potential areas of application, such as the integration of lidar-assisted control on existing turbines (retrofit) and the optimized supervision of entire wind farms.
a - https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-14-CE05-0034
b - Light Detection And Ranging.
(1) F. Guillemin, H.-N. Nguyen, G. Sabiron, D. Di Domenico, M. Boquet, Torque 2018, Milan.
(2) D. Di Domenico, F. Guillemin, M. Laraki, G. Sabiron, WindEurope 2017, Amsterdam.
Scientific contact: fabrice.guillemin@ifpen.fr